The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

>> ——ai ge ea Fe tesees en, acne aioe a i a > 2 ts eS ee » ~ — a -- - oo PP tes --— .-+ 2 ie .—-—s>. = _ = = —— Rm i el ee Oe ee _ ~~ —— = - a oe aot a, ee ee ee LS i — a po” 5 ie ee ee ee ee , «12 eapatinly "gerd, es ee 8 THE BRONZE STATUE. strange feelings passed unobserved by the) he was invariably imperious, often despotie, guest, the young nobleman said in as cour- and, uf th warted or angered, he would five teous a voice as he could command, * You | way either to violent outbursts of passion, are welcome, Sir Knight.’ or shroud himself in savage suilenness, ‘Your lordship wil! pardon me for this | Vindictive in the extreme, he never par- Intrusion, observed De Colmar: * but | doned, much less forgot, an injury; and to have ventured. although a perfect stranger wreak his spite upon any one whom he con- even perhaps to my very name, to demand sidered to be his foe, he would summon to fora single night that hospitality which, | his ald the meanest resources of petty ma- under similar circurnst inces, is never re- lignity. Possessing ad remarkable power of fused at my own a Welling in ducal Aus- suited hi pan feelings when such disguise tria.’ suited his purpose. he was even enabled to ‘Nor in our ancient Bohemia does the | assume an air of friendliness towards those way- worn traveller seek an aS lum in vain,’ against Whom he inwardly cherished the responded Rodolph. ‘I regret that my , bitterest rancor. father should not be here to entertain one| Such was Lord Rodolph, the only son of your degree; but he is at this moment | and heir of the Baron of Altenc orr. on his way to Prague,’ | Whatever were the cause that had pro- * Whither [ myself am bound, added Sir | duced so startling an effect on the young Ernest. §{f have the honor to serve his | nobleman when he first caugut sight of Sir Highness Albert of Austria; and | am tra-| “Ernest de Colmar’s features, certain it is velling to the Bohemian capital on a secret | that he now either ihought no more of it, and special errand. it will delivht me if | ur else veiled it beneath a semblance of can become the bearer of letter or message | frank and open-hearted courtesy. Thus, for your noble father, whom [ shall doubdt- | while the dependants were arranging on the less meet in that city.’ | table the materials for a substantial repast, ‘1 thank you, Sir Knight,’ said Rodolph ;| Lord Rodolph conversed with the Knight ‘and although itis but a week since the /1n @ manner expressive of the most hospi- Baron took his departure, I shall avail | table welcome and the most friendly cour myself of your kindness to assure him of my | tesy. health, and commend myself to his paternal! recollections,’ Lhe domestics now entered for the pur- : The board was spread with all the solid luxuries worthy of a baronial mansion, and characteristic of those feudal times. "The bour’s head, the venison pasty, the huge round of spiced beef, the-game pie, and the fresh-water fish, stewed in wine, were flanked with jugs ot strong malt liquor and with flagons of the rich juice of the grape ; and between the dishes of viands just enu- merated were placed piles of the most deli- cious fruits of the country and the season. Sir Ernest de Colmar’s appetite had been sharpened by the long ride which followed a halt he had made in the afternoon at a peasants Cottage, where he had last re- freshed himself; and he now did aniple jus- tice to the repast. Lord Rodolph, on the contrary, ate but little, and from time to tine seemed pre-occupied with some domi- duced sensation mysteriously sinful: mee idea, the influence of which he could ‘and engendered a species of disquiet in the th = togetier ane of; but when he thus mari § ‘found his mind Sinking into a reverie, he His complexion was a clear olive, with says: nimself with an exertion, and did scarlet lips, evincing a sensual disposition. |" est Yo entertain hie visitor. His forehead was low, and his brows at| When a lew’ cups of wine had been times had a habit of contracting, as if care | drunk, Rodolph rose from bis seat, saying, or heavy thought already weighed upon that |‘ Pardon my absence, Sir Knight, fora few youthful head. His hair was black as minutes: I go to give the necessary orders” night—the least thing coarse—but curling that a suitable apartment be prepared to re- naturally; and his teeth were perfectly | Ce!ve you, and that nothing be wanting to even and of brilliant whiteness, ensure your cornfort.’ In manners he was somewhat reserved,; Sir Ernest de Colmar distant, and haughty; to these bezeath him thanks, and Rodolph quit pose of spreading tbh table with the evening repast; and while they were thus engaged, Rodolph and the Knight continued to dis- course On various topics, The only son and heir of the Baron of Altendorf was, as Wildon, the forest-keeper, had informed Sir Ernest de Colmar, about one-and-twenty years of age. He was tall. well made, and undeniably handsome; but, although his eyes were large, dark, and searching, and even fascinated the beholder with their extraordinary brilliancy, yet their expression was not agreeable. It would have been difficult, perhaps, to define in what they were thus unpleasant. Certain, however, it is that when they were fixed upon the countenance of another, they pro- ee — expressed his ted the room, comicbOooKsS.com