The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

- \ -_ = EA AS - rae | ee ET x + . + _—— See ee ee LLLP OL 7% 88 THE BRONZE STATUE. to violate the sanctity of her rest, sud- | being observed, had retired from the denly sprang up in her mind, filling it | passage. It, however, flashed to her with terror. mind that the author of the cheering But it was a knocking at the outer| billet could be none other than the old door which she heard; and she was in-|steward Hubert; for she remembered stantly reassured ; for she reflected that | the look of boundless compassion which inasmuch as Lord Rodolph retained the | he had thrown upon her that same 4 key that held her captive, he would not | evening when he attended Lord Ko- require to demand an admission which | dolph to the State chamber. she indeed was not able, even wereshe| Dlessing him, theretore, with mental inclined, to give. fervor, the grateful Angela tripped back What, however, could the knocking | with a comparatively light step and light mean? For, after a short interval, it | heart to the spacious, gloomy, and dila- was continued, and with an air of im- | pidated bed-room. patience. Placing the lamp upon the table, the A ray of hope flashed to the mind of | maiden proceeded to inspect the posi- Angela. Was some generous hand at | tion of the heavy bedstead with regard work to rescue her? was some un-|tothe wall. ‘To remove the huge, cum- known friend active in her behalf? It|brous machine was far beyond her might be so; and, with a brief but fer-| strength: but fortunately there was vent prayer upon her lip, she hastened | just sufficient space to allow her to to solve all doubts upon the subject. squeeze herself behind the solid head. Taking the lamp in her hand, she | Passing her hand slowly and carefully threaded the central room. passed into | over the surface of the wainscot,—for , the anti-chamber, approached the outer | it was too dark for her to use her eyes door communicating with the passage, jin that spot,—she at length encountered paused, and listened. At that moment/the secret spring, on pressing which the knocking was resumed on the other |the panel gave way, opening towards side of the massive door; and Angela|her. She thrust her ari into the aper- hastened to give a responsive tap with-|ture to convince herself that it was in. really an avenue of escape and not a Then all became suddenly still for a| mere closet or cupboard: but her hand few moments, at the expiration of which | came in contact with the inner door. the silence was interrupted by the| For afew moments she was disheart- crackling sound of paper at the maid-| ened, fancying that her way was barred; en’s feet. She looked down, and be-| until she acquired the certainty that it held a piece of parchment which had | was indeed a door set in the solid ma- been thrust under the door. and which | sonry ; and then her courage rose again. she hastened to pick up, ‘There was Blaming herself now for having even writing upon it; and Angela, now full| for an instant doubted the reality of the of mingled hope and suspense, ran her | instructions given in the note, Angela eyes over the following lines which had fetched the lamp from the table; and, evidently been penned by a hand trem- sen he herself back again behind the eae eee > i a ulous either with age or apprehension: |oaken heud-board of the couch, she ‘Lady, you must escape! lBehind|very soon discovered the spring open- the bed there is a door opening with a|ing the inner door, A flight of steps, secret spring, the iron head of whicl: |leading down into the deep darkness, resembles that of a large nail. ‘That| was now revealed; and unhesitatingly door will lead thee to safety, and away | the maiden began the descent, cureful- from the ‘influence of those circum-|ly shading the lamp with her hand. stances which now threaten thee with; At the bottom of the flight, which irretrievable perdition. He who pens|went down to a considerable depth, these lines has not a moment to add|there wasadoor. Angela experienced, another word of explanation.’ however little trouble in opening it; Overjoyed at the hope thus held out, | and her way was now continued along and with a heart full of fervent grati-|a narrow, low, and vaulted passage. tude for the unknown and unseenfriend| Presently this corridor, ribbed and whom Providence had thus sent to her | groined with solid masonry, turned off succour, Angela tapped gently at the|to the right with the abruptness of a huge door to intimate that she had|right angle; and the maiden, stil) pro- found and read the paper; but no re-|tecting the lamp with her hand, pro- sponse was given, and she, therefore, | ceeded with slow but firm steps until concluded that the individual, fearful of |she reached another doar. The mas- ele ~ ibe ai 7 yt : ty “ii ! , n ie ¥ hie mf . | 4 + comicbooks.com