The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

- ~~ A 6s Or wae 2 — . ' 4 “ : * vo? « be ~— « > ~¢ i 120 THE BRONZE STATUE. > *. I said. ‘ Believe me, dear lady,” he | Daughter of Satan seemed so magnifi- replied, ‘* believe me when I assure you} cent in its unearthly splendor to the that it will afflict me severely if I thought | eyes of Sir Ernest de Colmar. 'Trans- that you were unhappy.” Gracious : fixed to the spot—rendered speechless heaven! how my heart beat; for he|and motionless by wonderment and ad- nad given me his sympathy! The | miration—experiencing the enthralment il conversation proceeded, and he de-jof every sense in the mingled ardor a fe SS el > - mere : .. _* . i : ‘ - ~e ee _ ~ - = ~ . — - te ee + oe mee em ee = re ee ee me —_ . - a — >. <a “ Rs - 2 - — a Om ea — | Sm ae _ a ee 7 7 . — + —_ manded my friendship ! ly believe in my own happiness; for I felt convinced that this knight was des- tined to be the instrument of my salva- tion Still he had not as yet offered to become my champion in any cause that I might name or in any service that ] might dictate. But we met again— yes, here, upon this very terrace, eight days ago; and then, oh! then he made the chivalrous proposal—he spoke the words so ardently fonged for—-he breathed the offer of championship which was to gladden my soul. And that knight whom heaven has thus sent. to save me—that warrior who is to achieve my emancipation from the thraldom of Satan,—it is thou, Sir Er- nest de Colmar "’ CHAPTER XXXII. THE VOW. As Satanais uttered these last words in a tone of gushing enthusiasm,—the golden melody of her voice swelling in- to the richest harmony of pathos min- gled with athrilling fervor—she sank upon one knee at the feet of the Aus- trian Knight; and, while she pressed his hand in both her own, her up-raised countenance evinced the burning hope and the intense anxiety with which she waited for the answer to her appeal. Krom her silver palace in the deep, deep empyrean blue, the white beams of the moon shone upon those splendid features which thus eloquently ex- pressed the emotions that agitated the soul; shone, too, upon that heaving bo- som which rose so grandly from the boddice of purple velvet. ‘And in the eyes which gazed up into those of Sir Ernest de Colmar, the argentine light was reflected with a far more powerful lustre ; but mingling with that supernal effulgence which glowed in the eyes of Satanais, there was now a winning soft- ness, as if the radiance streaming from the portals ef paradise were blending | ’ ; insensibly with the vivid glare sent forth from the flames of hell. Never—never had the beauty of the { could scarce- | | I pledged, and and ecstacy with which he contempla- ted that kneeling houri, he could not immediately raise her from her suppli- /ant posture—he could not immediately respond to her appeal Strange and glowing thoughts swept through his mind; and in the dark glory of that ro- mantic creature's loveliness, his imagi- nation led him to behold all the sublimi- ty of the beauty which still character- ‘ised Satan even after his fall, but none of the terrors that became the inevita- ble consequences of that degradation from the archangel state |! | ‘Qh! speak, brave warrior: speak, | Ernest, and leave me not in this cruel ‘suspense!’ exclaimed Satanais, after the lapse of a few minutes of profound ‘silence. ‘Thou hast offered me thy isympathy; thou hast demanded my ‘friendship ; and thou didst even declare that were the Enemy of Mankind to | Start up as my foe, he should find an opponent in thee! Tell me, then, dost thou repent of these assurances? were they uttered in a moment of enthusi- asm which in thy calmer mood thou | hast been led to regret? If so, IT re- lease thee, Ernest, from that pledge of ‘{riendship which thou didst make; I give thee back the vows of championship which came so welcome to my ear and so full of hope to my heart; and we | will separate, never to meet again!” added Satanais, her voice becoming low, tremulous and plaintive, and her countenance bending over de Colmar’s ‘hand so that her smooth, warm, and polished brow reposed upon it. | ‘Not for worlds would J prove a re- creant to promises spontaneously giv- en!’ exclaimed Sir Ernest de Colmar, raising the Daughter of Satan from her kneeling attitude ; then taking both her hands in his own and looking earnestly into the depths of those splendid orbs | which shone with a lustre wherein pa- ‘thos and power were so strangely blended, he said in a tone moved |with the music of profound feeling, | 80 ee his voice sounded in manly ric . performing the part of an empty boaster and an dle braggart. Toa certain course am | J that course will | adopt. comicbooks.com