The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. Having succeeded in releasing his hands, in the manner already described, Sir Er-| as he could nest de Colmar cautiously and carefully | ture on these points, Sir Ernest de loosened one of the buttuns of the cowl; for by thus partially opening sought to ascertain the precise custodians—the way in which they were armed—the nature of the locality through which their route Jay—and any other circumstances calculated to determine him how he should act in hrder to make the | eyed wariness; and thus was it certain that grand attempt for his complete emancipa- tion from his enemies. The moon shone with only a Gifal lustre ; for the night was cloudy, and the heavens were somewhat threatening in That the atmosphere was) thus sombre was a fortunate circumstance | their aspect. for our hero, inasmuch as it prevented the opening which he had made in the cowl from being perceived by his custodians. And now from within that dark hood the Knight looked forth. The first glance showed him riding on guiding rein of the steed which he himself bestrode; the second glance, which swept around more boldly and took a wider range, enabled de Co:mar to observe that there were six persons in addifion to the Carthusian. But those six persons!—they were men armed to the teeth—and over their coun- tenances they wore black masks: Then to the brain of the Knight flashed the hood, he | nuinber of faint and | | might baffle pursuit. the form of Father Cyprian | his right hand and holding the | belly—how was he to rid himself of that oF Diverting his mind, however, as speedily from speculation and conjec- Colmar proceeded to scrutinise his companions as wel! as the feeble moonlight and the small ‘opening in the hood would permit. On his right, we have already observed, rode the priest, abreast with whom were two of the armed horsemen: the other four were on the Knight’s left hand. ‘The Carthusian was evidently watching him with a tynx- the first sign of an attempt to escape on his part would cause six gleaming brands to leap from their sheaths or as many bat- tle-axes to be snatched from the saddle- bows of the armed horsemen. Nevertheless, Sir Ernest de Colmar was resolved to make a grand effort to regain his liberty: and as the road lay through @ | wood, he calculated that if he could only succeed in plunging into the thicket, he But the cord passing between his ankles, under the horses fettering bond? Suddenly his mind was made up to the adoption of a bold and almost desperate course, Carefully loosening the remainder of the buttons which kept the gown around him and the cowl over his face, he held tke garment on with h's hands, but in such @ manner that he could throw it off in an instant. Watching his opportunity, he the story which the landlord of the Golden | noticed when the Carthusian’s eyes were Falcon had told him how the three brothers| ¢. . oment Sesiniaenil +n another 5 A ; 3 Schwartz had suddenly and mysteriously | and with the apeed ofa lightning-flash, did disappeared some years ago—and how rumors prevailed at the time that they had been seen and recognised in the custody of bhorseme1 wearing black masks. But the brothers Schwartz had disap- peared in that unaccountable and suspicious manner when engaged in working at Ha- meien Castle; and the presumption was| that they had been made away with by the discharged operatives who were jealous of the favor shown to them. ‘¢ at Hamelen Castle that he had fallen into the hands of his mysterious enemies ? Such an idea could not be entertained for a moment; inasmuch as the Baroness had | been represented to him as a lady utterly | incipable of doing harm even to the mean- | est of her fellow-creatures, Nevertheless these men with their black masks appeared to furnish a strange and terribly romantic corroboration of the vague rumor which | How, then. | could their fate have aught prototypical of | the position of Sir Emest de Colmar? Was| |Cyprian—who was ihalf stunned by the vivient treatment he Sir Ernest fling back the encumbering garb, and fell the priest from his horse with one tremendous blow of his clenched fist. Then dashing his spurs into the sides of the animal which he bestrode, he was borne away from the midst of the party like am arrow shot from a bow. The daring character of the Knight's feat and the suddenness with which it was performed, evidently paralysed for a few moments the six armed men who accom- panied the priest; and beholding this individual so abruptly stricken down, they reined their steeds with the instinctive ap prehension of men who fancy that a com- panion or leader has unexpectedly and all in an instant met his death. But raising himself from the ground, although with some difficulty, Father cruelly bruised and had just experienced—urged the men to twelve years previously had been cir-| instantaneous pursuit ; and, being assisted culated Schwartz. respecting the three brothers|to remount his steed, he encouraged his | companions by liberal promises ef reward = comicbooks.com