The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 77 and rudely snatching the document from; We must observe, however, that while from the hand of the Marquis of Schom- | the chairman was yet speaking, the Baron, berg; ‘I have my suspicions—— * availing himself of a moment when the Suspicions". exclaimed Sir Ernest. de| looks of all present were fixed upon the Colmar Jaying his hand upon his sword.—|! former, dipped his forefinger into a smal] ‘ By heaven! the man who dares assoctate | phial which he had concealed beneath his that word with my name or with aught| doublet, and rabbed the fluid rapidly over concerning my affairs the bottom part of the document which he ‘Peace, worthy Knight! said the Mar-|stil!l heid in his hand, No one perceived quis of Schomberg : ‘ Rest assured that ‘ou | this manceuvre, so dexterously was it exe- shall have justice done you. My lord o! | cuted, and so absorbed at the moment wags Altendo:f, the precioitation with which| tbe general attention in the speech of the your lordship’ has acted—alike in taking | Marguis of Schomberg. “Toe act was the credentials from mv hand without even ! therefore accomplished and the Baron had the slightest semblance of courtesy, and in a recovered from any little ex- | giving utterance to an expression | jurious citement and confusion accompanying it, to the representative of Austria——’ by the time that he found himself catled ‘] deny that he is Austria’s representa- | upon to repeat and substantiate his charge tive exclaimed the Baron of Altendorf, | against Sir Ernest de Colmar. vehemently. ‘This credential, as your| Rising slowly and ina dignified manner lo;dship terms it, is either a forgery ’ | from. the seat which he had resumed at the ‘A forgery! thundered Sir Ernest de | request of the chairman, the Buron of Al- Colmar, springing from his seat and dart- | tendorf speke in the following terms and in ing a terrible look upon the Baron. * Proud |a greater degree of insolent triumph as he lord! 1 fling back the base insult in your! procee ‘ed: teeth—and | tell you that the imputation| . ‘The document which the individual to which your tongue has ventured to give| styling himself Sir Ernest de Colmar bas utterance, is a foul falsehood.’ presented to this mo-t noble Conncil is tn- An extraordinary sensation now prevail-| deed drawn up with so much regard to the ed among the personages assembled ; some | usual form and imanner of ambassadorial being inclined to take part withthe Baron | credentials, that [ am not surprised if my of Altendort—others to espouse tte cause | lord of Schomberg should have been de- of the Austrian Kuight—and a third sec-| ceived and misled thereby at a first glance. tion evincing a dispos'tion to be gu ded al-| | will however beg his lordship the Marquis together by the example of the noble Mar- in particular, and the other lords constitu- quis of Schomberg, ting this assemblage generally, to observe ‘My lords,’ exclaimed this functionary, | that in the preamble of the document the in & Commanding tone, ‘1 must insist upon | name of Sir Ernest de Colmar is mention- the restoration of tranquility, or the imme-|ed simply, without: stating the castle or diate dissolution of the Council will be-| mansion of bis abode, and without specify- come inevitable: Su ha catastrophe were | ing what office he holds at the Conrt of his most deplorable in the present unhappy | Sovereign Highness the Duke of Austria. state of Bohemia; and Il appeal to your pa-|I therefore appeal to your lordships whe- triotism / not to frustrate a grand object by | ther it be consistent with common sense to means of petty dissensions. Let us now | believe that the Duke of Austria would en- proceed calmly and dispassionately to in-| trust Sov grave a mission to an unknown vestigate the incident which has just| Knight, whose very pluce of residence is arisen. My lord of Altendorf, be seated— | unnamed, and who does not appear to fill Sir Einest de Colmar, I pray you to resume | any situation of trust about the person of your chair. Some strange unstake has led | his Highness. This objection might be over- to an iinputation which ube noble Baron will | ruled, however, by soime excuse or attempt cheertully withdraw and deeply regret,| at explanation, were [ not enabled to sup- when it shall have transpired that the| port it by an argument hich L believe to charge is thoroughly groundless. | there-| be unanswerable. 1 therefore declare most fore call upon the lord of Ajtendorf to state | emphatically, exclaimed the Baron of Al- the grounds whereupon he has proclaimed | tendorf, raising his voice to so high a key so seriolis an accus.tion: and | commend | that it rolled like the sweil of an organ be- Sir Ernest de Colmar to the due exercise} neath the groined and vaulted roof of the of his patience unt)! the time shall arrive | gothic apartment—‘ that there is no such for hiny o enter upon bis reply.’ Kuight in the Austrian service as Sur Er- Manifestatious of applause followed this| nest de Colinar—no such name known at sensible, temp rate, and conciliatory ad- | the Austrian Court—no such individual en- dress; and all eyes were then turned upon|joying the confidence of bis Royal High- the Baron of Altendorf. ness Duke Albert’, , comicbooks.com