The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

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THE BRONZE STATUE. ‘ Tis late! for the silver be!l has al- ready tinkled,’ ssid one of the Knights custodians, the prefound silence being broken fur the first time. ‘Yes; the silver bell has tinkled,’ ob- served the well known voice of the Cvsr- thusian, whom Sir Ernest found to be the individual that grasped his right arm. ‘ Let us stand back.’ - ‘The party stopped short and drew aside towards the wall. Nearer and nearer came the footsteps— and now uumerous lights glanced meteor- like upon de Colmar’s eyes through the slight opening inthe cowl: butso small was this opening that he could not distin- guish those who carried the lights. By their steps, however, he concluded that they were persons of the male sex. ‘Not a word was spoken: it seemed as if those who were passing neither recognised nor were seen by the party who had de Colmar in their charge; or if there were any recognition, it must have been by signs. The procession was numerous, consisting, as well as the Knight could possibly guess, of at least seventy or eighty persons; and this computation he knew could not be far wrong, inasmuch as his military experience had accustomed his ear to estimate the number ot any body of men by their march. Ail this was mystery accumulating upon mystery! What meant the observation that ‘the silver bell had tink!led ?---what meant the procession of many men threugh the long subterranean? and why was no word exchanged between them and the ee who had Colmar in their power ? he latter, tnen, must be well known to the former thus to escape even an interro- gatory respecting their business in that place and with a muffled prisoner in their custody? It-was this consideration that prevented the Knight from demanding suc- cour as the procession hastened by. And now he was again hurried along by his custodians, but only for a short dis- tance, ere a third door was opened; and, as it closed witha clanging sound behind, he was conducted np a flight of stone- steps, at the top of which there was another door. De Colmer was then led across a place which appeared to be a hall paven with marble—and in a few moments the party merged into the open air: for the fresh breeze agitated the ecclesiastical garb in which our hero was enveloped, and he heard the champing of bits in the mouths of horses, The party paused—and de Colmar was horse’s belly, was fastened to his ankles; and although it was slack enough to per- mit him to ride with ease, it nevertheless held him fast as it were upon the animal's back and rendered escape apparently im- possible. His custodians heing likewise mounted, the party rode off—passing through an arched gateway and overa draw- bridge, as Sir Ernest de Colmnr could tell by the echoes raised in the former and the tramp- ing of the animal's hoofs on the latter. Along a hard and gently sloping road they now pursued their route at a brisk trot—a profound silence being still main- tained, Scarcely had the Knight begun once more to breathe the fresh air of heaven, when he felt invigorated and encouraged. For in that subterranean passage there appeared not to be the slightest chance of escape: whereas in this wide and open road the case was not altogether so des- perate. And now let us endeavor to make our readers understand precisely how Sir Er- nes! de Colmar was sitaated, When assailed so mysteriously by his unseen and unknown foes, on the drawing up ‘of the portcullis-like gratings in the subterranean, a cord had been fastened to each wrist—and the two ropes, havin been wound round his body, were tie together. The monkish gown was then huddled on him—add the cowl buttoned over his face. Such were the precautions adopted in the first instance, alike to ren- der him powerless and obstruct his vision. Now he was seated on a horse from which he could not possibly slip off on account of the cord passing between his feet; and on each side of him rode three or four indivi- duals, most probably well armed and at all events determined to allow him no chance of escape. But scarcely was the draw-bridge pass- ed, when Sir Ernest began an endeavor to extricate his hands from the cords which held them fast; and in about a quarter of an hour he had so far succeeded as to re- lease his right arm. ‘To emancipate the left was then only the work of a few mo- ments>and when his hands were thus freed from bondage, he felt that half of his liberty was already accomplished. All this time the horses were trottin briskly along the road—the animal which the Knight bestrode being guided by a single rein which the persons on his right retained; and thus his journey of the nizht to a considerable extent resembled made to mount one of the animals: but)that of the morning wnen on nis way io scarcely had his feet found their way into|the place of the Princess Elizabetha’s the stirrups when a cord, passing under the abode. comicbooks.com