Penny Dreadfuls, 1850 · page 388 of 400
The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 388: what you’re looking at
A restored page from Penny Dreadfuls, 1850. Page through the whole issue in the reader above.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ss i - en . . ee » «ete ib dns eo [aaa Aw yy oe wy ° : -_ - a ~¥ am, i a ae. hy = sd ‘ « - ‘ ° > - ee 5? Po tee? yar * : «<> “ "=. - ~ ~« —_- 4 -— = * - a ee ae ee hs | Th Ea - * ae a ‘ ~ . - o te . : 7 ~ aw — etn our ‘ . ' : 4 + ,* 7 | a > , eit, ’ wy ° ip 4i = 7 % 1 ‘io £ ta art 4 + > “4, : Phen baa t ' ~ “—~ — “ - _ Se >See 7. | a - Aa a > as o ° tak > 2 Fe “~~ «= 386 THE BRONZE STATUE. the adjoining passage, whence the noise | appeared.to emanate ; and they beheld ‘Oh! that I should have such tidings in store for you both!’ murmured Hu- a huge door slowly moving on those | bert, in.a broken voice and with his en- grating hinges, as if it were a portion of the mighty wall itself that was thus opening. tire frame convulsed by mental agony. + And those tidings!’ asked the forest- maiden, quitting her hold on her fa- Neither Zitzka nor Angela had time ther’s hand and now clinging to the old to exchange a glance, much less a isteward’s arm. ‘Tell me—tell me, L whispered word, with each other, for a| implore you—keep me not in suspense man. holding a lamp in his hand, emer- |—has anything happened to my mother! ged from the place with which the huge | for I now know that she is my mother !’ door commubdicated. But when the ‘Angela, prepare yourself for the glare of the pine-torch, so superior to, worst,’ said Zitzka, in a tone scarcely the comparatively feeble glimmering of | audible on account ot its tremulousness. his own lamp, burst upon his vision, at % You perceive that this good old man the sume time that he caught sight of|is unable to answer your questions— two persons in the circular chamber, he | that he is well nigh suffocated by his ————EEe gave vent to an ejiculatiomof mingled terror and amazement and was about to retire that instant. ‘Hubert! Hubert! we are friends— grief, and that his tears are flowing thick and fast; and we may thence draw the fatal truth which his lips dare not utter! Tell me, friend, is it not not foes !’ suddenly exclaimed Angela, |so ?’ inquired the Captain-General, ad~ who recognised the countenance the moment it appeared in the opening of the door; and she bounded forward to detain the old steward. ‘Ah! is it possible?’ he cried, in- stantaneously struck by the voice, and remembering it as well as if it had ne- ver ceused to sound with its silver har- mony in his ears; then coming for- ward, he exclaimed, ‘Good heavens! Aegela, what dost thou here 7? and who is thy companion ?” ‘My father, the great chieftain of the ‘Tuborites, Hubert, my own loved and loving futher!’ cried the maiden, turning back towards Zitzka and taking his hand affectionately. ‘Oh! then you now know every- dressing himself to the old steward. ‘Alas! yes, mighty chief, you have augured but too accurately |’ responded Hubert. ‘That estimable lady whom you both seek is no more?’ ‘No more!’ echoed Zitzka, his heart completely sinking within him now ithat there was no longer a hope. ‘No more!’ likewise repeated Ange- la; and, with a frantic outburst of grief, she fell upon her knees. The Captain-General of the Tabor- ites hastened to raise his almost dis- tracted daughter ; and at the same time several persons issuec from the large apartment with which the massive door eommunicated, and where the lamenta- tions of the forest-maiden had reached a « thing, Angela?’ said Hubert, his voice I their ears. Men clothed in Jong black trembling with varied emotions, ‘ and | gowns, and women cladin the white you fave doubtless delivered to the |robes of Carmelite nuns, now thronged Captain General of the Tuborites that |upoa the threshold and gathered round ring which was indeed intended to make |the group formed by the old steward, you known to him in case of need? |\the Taborite warrior, and the unhappy But, 2las,—alas! why didst thou not! Angela; but, at the earnest instance of eoms sooner? Oh! why not,—why | Hubert, all these members of the Bro- not ! therhood retreated into the spacious And the old steward shaded his face |room, whither Zitzka likewise conduct- with his hand to veil the tears that burst |ed Angela. from his eyes and trickled down his| The old steward closed the door, and cheeks. the Captain-General besought his daugh- ‘Good heavens! what mean you”’ |ter to tranquillise herself. The maiden exclaimed Angela, now struck with a|exerted all her moral power to that ef- oon set cede that something dreadful | fect; but, with the tears still streaming ad occurred. down her cheeks—her white hands ‘Speak, old man, speak!’ said the |clasped in earnest entreaty, and her Captain-General of the Taborites, si- | bosom heaving with the convulsive sobs multaneously seized with the sudden |that agirated her heart almost to burst- alarm that the hope which had brought |ing, she besought the old steward to him thither was doomed to be defeated |respond to the numerous questions after all. , which she put to him. And these que- io ‘ 4 comicbooks.com -- Tc a rr po, re