The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

46 THE BRONZE STATUE. self- possession, ‘thut is an affair of mine | These facts will be sufficient for the Prin- own, and has nought to do with our pre-| cess,’ he added emphatically: sent business. I therefore hasten to inform! ‘And when will Sir Ernest de Colmar your lordship that in the evening of the! arrive at Prague ” inquired the Baron. 18th a youthful page came to me at the ‘This evening or to-morrow, doubtless,’ grotto with an intimation that his master, a| answered the priest ;—and he drank off an certain Sur Ernest de Colmar, had already | other cup of wine. arrived in Bohemia on behalf of the Duke} * Again must I remark that everything 1s of Austria, and that he intended to pass the | progressing favorably to our views,’ said night at Altendorf Castle. 'the Baron: ‘and yet there is an airo con- *Ah! then I hope my son made him wel-| straint—uneasiness—or annoyance about come,’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘Proceed’ | you, holy father, which I cannot compre- ‘i dismissed the page,’ continued Father| hend. What, in the name of the foul fiend, Cyprian, ‘ with a message appointing lo; ails you?” meet Sir Ernest de Colmar at a particular; ‘Many things have lately conspired to spot on the ensuing day. There we accor-| vex me,’ answered the Carthusian. ‘In the dingly encountered each other—and J de-| first place, although I am satisfied with the veloped to him all the plans with which| progress our schemes have hitherto made,, your lordship is already acquainted,’ | 1 am far from pleased with this Sir Ernest ‘Yes—yes: you need not repeat them,”| de Colmar. In a word, I mistrust him— said the Baron. ‘And how seemed this} and I tremble lest he should prove a mar- Austrian representative to relish the propo-| plot sals ; ‘Ab! this is serious indeed’ ejaculated ‘Marvellously well, responded the priest.| the Baron. ‘But what reason have you,, ‘But he insisted upon being presented to | holy father, for entertaining these misgiv- the Princess Elizabetha the moment he! ines—these suspicions ‘ should arrive at Prague, in order to Jearn| ‘I will tell your lordhsip,’ resumed the from her own lips that she is willing to be- Carthusian, abruptly. ‘ The conference be-~ stow her hand upon the Duke of Austria:| tween this Austrian envoy and myself took for without such assurance, Sir Ernest de | place at the chapel where the cross-roads: Colmar will make no favorable report to| meet, about thres leagues from your lord- his master at Vienna’ ship's Castle é ; ‘ Well—and is there any doubt as to the ‘I know the spot well,’ observed the Ba- Princess giving such an assurance ?’ de-|ron. ‘ But how was it that you did not manded the Baron. travel thence to Prague in each other's so- * Not the slightest, ‘returned Father Cy- | ciety, since your destination was the same 2” prian, promptly: ‘she will obey my in-| ‘Ah! that is the very point on which structions to the letter.’ was about to touch,’ exclaimed Father Cy- ‘So I should imagine, observed the | prian. * To be brief, I had a certain motive Baron: and most strange, mysterious and | for visiting the immediate neighborhood of snister were the looks which the peer and | the Taborite Station ; and I therefore parted the priest rapidlyexchanged across the table. from Sir Ernest de Colmar on the pretext Well,” continued the Lord Altendorf, ‘thus | that it was dangerous for me to pursue the far all appears to progress favorably: the | high road, which led near that very encamp- Duke of Austria will no doubt marry the|ment. We separated according |y—he Princess Elizabetha and become King of| taking the main route, and | striking into @ Bohemia—and then your game and mine|by-path. At midnight I was in a church are sure to be won, holy father But, docile | within the precincts of Zitzka’s st tion. as the Princess is towards vou,’ added the | No matter how | contrived to pass the sen- Baron, a sudden thought striking him, ‘and | tries at the outposts: no matter, either, obedient to your counsel] though she be,| what important motive could have induced will she not ali the same be anxious to re- me to venture thither. Suffice it to say that ceive some description of the personal ap-| in the church which T thus entered, I be- pearance of her intended husband? If so,| held Sir Ernest de Colmar! Yes—I caw him she can scarcely ask it of Sir Ernest de concealed amidst the tomnbs; and I recog- Colmar—and he will consider it indiscreet | nised him lmmediately—though he knew and indelicate to volunteer such explana-| me _ not, for my cowl was drawn over my tion. —— as neither you nor I have ever | features,’ — ? ¢ . De canecitins pane ue this head, my | in Zits a Austzinn “Snvoy ‘was therefore a ee 7 Omee | »my/in Aitzka’s encampment! exclaimed the lord,’ interrupted Father Cyprian: ‘we! 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