The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 390: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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Omg A ee - ofS oe a ° - oe. “e- - = Ss ae - - — Pw on a oe — ~ - -- . * -_ = - - —— - - > « ¢ —_ - « mated a “ - — = - o — — ns FS OL ES, ee oe = —. : = - ot _ - - ai, 2 « “ > eae . > pe » «= - — 8 ote les on P| ~~ ee ."* ~~ * 388 stretching out his arms like a prophet towards the men in the long black gowns and the females in the pure white robes, exclaimed ina measured and solemn woice, ‘On your knees, brethren—on ‘your knees, sisters—and pray for the repose of the soul of Ermenonda, Ba- roness of Altendorf!’ : And how those who obeyed the in- junction thus put forth by the venerable Hubert, learnt for the first time that she who had been so long the tutelary ge- ius of the place, was none other than the wife of the Lord of Altendorf,— that very lady whom the world suppo- sed to have died twenty years back, and to whose memory the sable monument was built and the brazen inscription dedicated ! For upwards of a quarter of an hour did the entire party kneel in prayer,— Zitzka and his daughter on either side of the couch—Hubert at the foot—and the members of the Brotherhood along that extremity of the chamber whence the door opened into the other apart- ment. The solemn ceremony being completed, and that tribute of respect having been shown to the remains of the departed lady, they all retired from the chamber of death; and the door of that room being closed, the Captain- General proceeded to explain the course which he now thought fit to be adop- ted. ‘The remains of the deceased Baron- ess shall be interred this very night,’ he said ; ‘and the tomb raised to her memo- ry shall be rendered in reality availa- ‘bie for the purpose which a hideous mockery alone has hitherto assigned to wt. ({ will forthwith return to my en- .¢ampment ; and in the shortest possible space will I come back, followed by ser- vitors bearing provisions for your imme- diate relief, and likewise by masons to open the black marble monument and seal it up again when the obsequies shall have been performed. Angela, thou wilt remain here, my child; and “the good Hubert will give thee any fur- ther explanation which thou mayst re- “quire touching the Jast moments of her whom we came too Jate to embrace alive! In half-an-hour I shall be here again: the funeral will then take place —and afterwards we will restore to freedom those whose captivity here is ~ wo longer difficult to understand.’ The look which the Taborite chieftain threw around him, read the deepest gratitude mingled with the liveliest hope apon every countenance. Then some yy a a a - ss —- - = = S a» <-> 4 = -% . i - ~ a = - a * ~ —S: - ~ aye - = oO _ . — a a So Pee oe ™ - os < a ro a . oe a * “ on & - en? me —- -_— Mi le — * = - = ~ = ~—<—-— 7 aA - - —_ -_——_ THE BRONZE STATUE, crew faint with excess of joy at the | prospect of release from that living tomb: others fell upon their knees and began to pray fervently; —some burst into tears—others into hysterics ;—ma- ny threw themselves into each other’s arms—and a few danced as if insane, forgetful of the corpse of their bene- factress in the adjoining room. Ina word, that apartment which for years and years had appeared so sombre and proved the scene of so much life-tiring monotony, suddenly seemed to have changed its aspect—to have received an infusion of better and purer air—and , | to be lighted up with a more cheering | lustre! But of all those into whose hearts | the Taborite chieftain’s promise of ; speedy liberation poured the wildest 7 and most thrilling joy, none experienced such an intense enthusiasm of com- : mingling gratitude and bliss as Sir Er- nest de Colmar’s youthful pages, Lionel | and Konrad. Meantime Zitzka had sallied forth alone from the apartment of the Broth- erhood. Angela remained behind to await his return, in obedience to his recommendation; and he refused the offer volunteered by several of the mem- bers to guide him through the subter- raneans. Confidentof being enabled to find his way, and -anxious to be left for a short space to the sole company of that train of reflections which the inci- dents of the last few hours had devel- ; oped, the Captain-General took a lamp in his hand and issued from the apartment, the door of which was care- fully closed and secured by those whom he left behind. ‘}raversing the circular chamber, Zitzka entered the spacious hall in which the Bronze Statue stood; and | curiosity prompted him to advance close \, up to the collossal image in order to contemplate it at his leisure for a few moments. But scarcely had he began ba to study its details with some degree of attention, when the hurried sounds of many footsteps approaching through the echoing passage reached his ears. He looked back—the circular chamber was already crowded with a number of armed men who were pushing rapidly forward; and two or three of whom carried lamps in their hands. At the same instant they caught the glimpse of his countenance by the light which ° he was in the act of holding high up at the time;—and in a moment his name burst from the lips of the famine strick- {i= . ~ “Ve “+5. comicbooks.com —y,4 > az ciel cee led ue eee oe, ee et em. tl Se ee