The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

aa “4 " ” THE BRONZE STATUE. soul'command me to yield unto thee such an obedience as a child should manifest towards a parent. Speak, then, dear lady, tell me what I am to do, and your words become the ruling influence of my destiny.’ ‘Were I to consult my own inclina- tion, Angela,’ said the White Lady, so | profoundly affected that she could scarce- ly give utterance to her thoughts, ‘I should not be in haste to recommend your removal from a_ neighborhood where we might meet again. But your own welfare demands your prompt de- parture hence; and circumstances in- duce me to advise that you repair with- out delay to Prague.’ ‘To Prague, lady !’ ejaculated Angela. ‘Yes; to our Bohemian capital,’ was the emphatic response, ‘ where you will find the Count of Rosenberg, in whose service your adopted parents are.— Doubtless he has frequently seen you?’ she observed inquiringly. ‘Oftentimes,’ returned the maiden,’ ‘and his manner has ever been kind and condescending towards me, as if his were a heart that could feel for my erphan lot. But he is unmarried, lady ; no female relation dwells with him,’ continued Angela hesitatingly, and with a blush upon her virgin cheek, ‘and it were, therefore, unseemly in me to 1m- plore his protection.’ ‘His age is more than double thine, my child,’ said the lady, ‘and thy vir- tue, joined to the known chivalrous character and honorable disposition of the Count of Rosenberg, will strike the tongue of scandal dumb. It is agreed, then, that you repair to Prague, and that you throw yourself at the feet of the Count of Rosenberg to implore his protection against the young noble who is insensate enough to tear you even | from the sacred cloister of a convent were you to seek an asylum there.— But now, Angela, I am about to give you certain instructions which may startle you, which may even engender mistrust in your mind ‘I can entertain no suspicion injuri- ous to you, dear lady,’ exclaimed the maiden, in a tone gushing with the fer- vid feelings of illimitable confidence. ‘God has indeed moved your heart towards me!’ said the Carmelite, de- | voutly crossing herself. ‘And may He still sustain the faith which you now place in me, nor suffer that holy reh- ance to be impaired by the injunctions which an imperious necessity compels me to pour into yourears. For, when 93 we part presently, maiden,’ continued the White Lady, with an almost awe- inspiring solemnity of tone, ‘you must make up your mind to look on me as one belonging not to this world, but to the great congress of the dead! Nay, more, never must you breathe to mor- tal ears the circumstance of our meet- ing within these walls to-night. ‘Think ‘of me, if you will; oh! yes, think of me often, but speak of me never! In | relating to your adopted parents the in- | cidents of your escape from the Castle |of Altendorf, make no mention of such |a being as myself; and when a few days hence you will be telling your tale F the Count of Rosenberg, I conjure, | [ implore you, Angela, to be equally re- | served, equally silent, equally dumb re- specting me. Oh! if you only knew how much depevds upon this secrecy on your part; if you could only form a conjecture how grave and solemn are the interests that would be compromis- ed by a word inadvertently dropped from your lips; you would not hesitate even to fall upon your knees and swear by all your hopes of happiness in this world and salvation in the next, to obey the injunctions which I have now given you.’ ‘Lady, I swear!’ exclaimed Angela, sinking at the feet of the Carmelite, whose hand she took and pressed to her lips in token of gratitude, obedience and sympathy. | «May the Eternal shed his choicest ‘blessings upon thee!’ murmured the White Lady, bending down an‘ imprint- ing a long and fervent kiss upon the polished brow of the beauteous Angela. ‘And now rise, my child, rise,’ she ex- claimed abruptly, as if afraid even to trust herself upon the current of her own feelings ; ‘ rise, and let me conduct ‘thee hence, for ’tis verging fast towards | midnight, and you must be on the road ‘to Prague betimes in the morning.— | Come, follow me ; you will soon breathe the air of liberty once again; and the | interval which we have passed in con- | tion has allowed ample leisure for versa | certain arrangements to be made in re- spect to the means of your return home | to-night, and the journey which you are 'to commence to-morrow.’ | Thus speaking, the White Lady took 'the lamp in her hand, opened a door be- longing to a deep recess in one corner of the room, and led the way down a steep flight of stone steps, the maiden following close behind her mysterious | guide. ee ee comicbooks.com