The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

AI Ai — €8 THE BRONZE STATUE. ¢qruish and horror had torn from her very | more poignant and arouse horrors more heart—and, closing those lustrous eyes | frightful than those which have already which for a moment had gleamed and | made me their victim ! and shone with a territic wildness she re- | ‘But shall we soon meet again, Satan- mained still, motionl:ss, and as one dead | ais?’ demanded the Knight, profoundly in the embrace of Sir Ernest de Colmar. touched DY her manner and entertaining Shaking off by a powerful effort the | fur her an immense sympathy, despite of sudden feeling of superstitious awe which|one awful. misgiving which, energetically had seized unon himself, and murmuring | 4s he struggled to crush it, still rose upper- a few words of prayer to his patron saint, | most in his mind. the Knight rapidly descended from the| ‘We will meet soon again—very soon,’ marble terrace, and bore his charming | replied the durk-complexioned houri: and burthen to a seat in an arbour where the jalthcugh her raven hair shone as with a honeysuckle and clematis entertwining | glory in the pure moonlight and her eves hung in graceful festoons. Then she open-| were as bright as if each were animated ed her eyes again—and wildly her hasty | with the condensed lustre of the sun, yet looks were cast around, as if dreading to} was there Something about herso soft and encounter some hideous spectre or some| melting and her beauty now became so object of appalling terror. gentle and winning that ,an indescribable But when her gaze inet that of Sir Er-| tenderness stole over De Colmar, and he nest de Colmar, her countenance—as the | felt his cheek mantle and his heart throb pure moonlight shone fully upon it through | with the strange spell of a passion to him the entiance of the arbour immediately |so new! softened into an expression of unimaginable | ‘ You say that we shall meet again,’ he tenderness, confidence, and gratitude; and | observed, in a low aud tremulous tone: slowly raising herself to a sitting posture | ‘but when will it be?’ from the half-embrace in which he re- ‘l cannot fix a day nor an hour,’ re- tained her, she murmured, ‘A thousand | sponded the charming creature, modulating thanks for your kindness towards me! It|her voice to that subdued and mournful was terrible—Oh! it was terrible—that!tenderness which f!ed his own: * but you interruption—and the shock which it gave|may rest assured,’ she added, with some me | degree of bashfulness and hesitation, ‘ that ‘But tell me, Satanais—tell me,’ ex-}1 will seek an early opportunity to make claimed the Knight, hastily seizing her| you acquainted with the strange history hand and fixing his eyes upon her coun-|of my birth.. Farewell, Sir Knight, for the \ ttenance,— what meant those awful words | present-—farewell. which the mysterious voice proclaimed ?’ ‘Nay—one moment!’ ejaculated Sir Er- ‘IT dare not enter upon explanations now,’ se ae ar ger gyre im “ Pith girs nest de Colmar, springing from the seat feplied tne lady, hinging tar ee abe a!) and seizing her hand as she was about to frighted glances around. ‘On anoluer | fly from the arbor: ‘tell me lady,—tell me, +) ‘ , r “ty stu : ERG Ur SRO early Opporunity———__—_—s | dear lady, what meant those terrible words Nevertheless, you must not leave He i) which still ring in my ears? For, Oh! I tis suspense, interrupted ir ernest. ; ‘1 | cannot believe, even for an instant, that the am not superstitiously inclined—and | Enemy of Mankind has acquired a right or would sooner attribute to human agency |g claim with recard to yourself——? ' than to a preternatural source the incident}, Holy God! nA I 'not ‘the Deel f which has just occurred. But that voice}... 4) 2°" 3 : Oe NC: ete Satan?’ she exclaimed, an expression of Was so omnious—the word ; it uttered were W fi] wll in S d b} of such terrible significancy—and the ef-|"" sera hee ic Raye ig ec ho sweeping over her countenance, while her fects produced upon you, beauteous lady, bien wid) er e | ; r 5 SU 7 "o> . AvVeTre SO startling Fy hinin i y appeared to art fourth living ‘Oh! force me not into explanations at | Pane present!’ exclaimed Satanais, apparently | _ : But this is terrible—terrible ? cried De writhing beneath the influence of appalling | Colmar, flinging himself back upon the reminiscences. ‘I cannot collect my seal of the arbor, and covering his face thoughts sufficiently nor command courage | With both his hands: for it now indeed enough to tell the dread tale which alone | Seemed evident there was a deeper and can :ccount for the voice that you have |2 more awful meaning in the name of Sa- heard, the werning it gave, and the effect | tanais than he had hitherto supposed. produced, Oh! spare me now, my dear; For nearly a minnte did he remain wrap- friend,’ she cried, clasptng her hands and /| ped in a most painful reverie: then. sud- extending them in an appealing manner |denly becoming aware that the silence of towards him: ‘urge me not to commence | utter solitude prevailed upon hin, he raised ® narrative that must awaken memories | his eyes and found that he was alone; EE A _ SthstSSSSSSNS ae = e — o . ~— es = apy, ee — ——~—hilip al nenriagnn ey a ele ee Sty a — ae _ : . aa : - = <n = A - = - + . bs « - aie ~~» - “ : > jo “ ae 2 ~ . = - = a = ~ " . oc. > ~ aw e — ere YE OPT gee ns 3 a >i <—_- - ~ Pe 2 ——-— o on ~<a ° - * * Cd - nd . = a , ons . > - > i P ~— —y > ~ ‘= ‘ - & ” . * . “a 7 - an » : “--<- os ; — = a ° - - “ a * - - +. -e - ° - “ - > A ~ r 7 et. - eer ~—e = a - —— = a _ = - e . e 7 - a : i | i LA a > SS Fame . 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