The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

_- . ee eee THE BRONZE STATUE. I9 With emotion, ‘May heaven prosper|her rich red mouth and displayed the your mission, young Indy! A dream | pearls shining in their coral setting. which [ had last night has impressed} She was attired precisely in the upon me the belief that you are destin- | same manner as when they had last ed to achieve marvellous things. It |met; and if it were possible that a be- may be the delusion of an old man’s!ing so wondrously beautiful could ap- brain, or it may be one of those transi- | pear more transcendently lovely at one ent revealings of the future which God | time than at another, then was it on sometimes vouchsafes, for His own|the present occasion that the dark glo- wise and inscrutable purposes, even to | ry of her charms shone with a power the humblest of mortals! Time will never equalled and never to be surpass- prove whether my presentiment be well|/ed. The stronogest minded man that founded’; and once again, dear young | intellect, virtue and valor ever raised lady, do I invoke the blessings of all! towards the dignity of those Olympic good angels upon thine head !’ | demi-gods whom heathen mythology Flaving uttered these wordsin anim-| represents to have been originally of pressive though trembling tone, the old | mortal mould. might have bzen pardon- steward raised the maiden’s hand with | ed indeed, if he sank at her feet to de- a species of paternal fervor to his lips, | mand her pity and her love. Let this, and then hurried abruptly away in the | then, be the excuse for Sir Ernest de direction of Altendorf Castle. ' Colmar, if, intoxicated in every sense Angela, whom rural habits and a fo-|by the influence of a beauty which rest life had rendered familiar with the ; would have thawed the coldness of an management of a horse, urged her good | anchorite, he abandoned himself to all steed into a smart canter; and, lighted | the fervor of that extatic joy which her by heaven’s own silver lamp which | presence excited in his soul. shone so resplendently on high, she ‘Adorable Satanais,’ he exclaimed, pursued in safety the path leading to-| still holding the hand which he had wards that cottage-home to which she | pressed so rapturously to his lips,—* I was only returning for the purpose of | thank thee, oh! most sincerely thank bidding it farewell, perhaps for ever! | thee, for the pleasure which this meet- ing affords. From the moment that [ received the note in which you made the present appointment, I have count- CHAPTER XXVIII. ed the days and the hours with an im- patience so feverish that the warm ENTHUSIASM. | blood of shame has even rushed to m | cheeks as [ have reproached myself for A WEEK had elapsed since that event- | my childishness. But wherefore have ful evening on which the Council of| you suffered an entire week to elapse Nobles was so suddenly interrupted by | ere we met again? Do you not re- the appearance of Zitzka; and once| member how we parted the night be- more do we find Sir Ernest de Colmar | fore that on which the council met %— wending his way towards the palace | and did it not strike you that I should gardens. Again is it at the witching | remain a prey to the most torturing hour when the twilight has given place | suspense until I saw you again. to the argentine splendor of the moon;| ‘I do not possess sufficient vanity to and again, also, does he repair thither | enable me to suppose that aught regard- to meet the Daughter of Satan. ing me could deeply interest your Ex- On the terrace of the deserted build- cellency,’ observed Satanais, with a cer- ing he paced up and down for a few | tain degree of timidity and bashfulness minutes ; presently a light step fell up-|in her tone and manner—but with a on his ear—he turned abruptly—a fi-/ glance full of ineffable tenderness as gure was advancing towards him, and/she turned her eyes for an instant on in afew moments he was by the side | the handsome countenance of the Aus- of Satania. trian knight. Oh! how his heart beat with thrill-} ‘Oh! it is cruel of you thus to speak,’ ing rapture as he pressed her hand to ‘he exclaimed, pressing her hand fer- his lips ;—and in her eyes of such dark 'vidly in his own : then gazing upon her and dazzling splendor, those eyes lus-| splendid features with a rapture which trous as meteors and deep as the sea—| he neither could nor sought to hide, he pleasure appeared to dance, as she wel- | said in a lower and more touching tone, comed him with a smile that wreathed| Have you forgotten Satanais, tho con ae comicbooks.com