The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

#Y al em a Ver THE BRONZE STATUE. 432 and their inmates in the mad eareer of| over her bosom, her shoulders, and an universal ruin ! down her back, sweeping the marble Yes; it was such a ni rzht as the fiends| steps of the altaras she knelt with bowed would choose to quit their infernal} head there, and giving such an air of homes and come upon the earth to| wildness to her looks that her wondrous enact their impious revels; when gholes| beauty appeared alike terrible and sub- would open the grave of the newly-| lime! buried dead, drag forth the ghastly} Thus thinking of her in whose cause corpse, and feast ou its ice-cold flesh ;} he was about to do battle, and from time when witches would brew the hell-| to time recommending himself to the broth that furnished them with power| care of heaven, the dauntless knight to work their charms and give effect to| rode on. their diabolical incantations; and when | And now the density of the darkness murderers would behold the ghosts of| began te mitigate: somewhat, and the their victims standing by the beds which| sky could be seen stretching like an no slumber could visit on such a night} over-arching sheet of lead. The treed as this! | by the road side appeared to stand slow- Still, in an easterly direction, did the! ly forth, like objects blacker than the brave Sir Ernest de Colmar ride lei-| obscurity; and the grey steed gleamed, surely along, putting up a prayer to} and the knight’s steel armor shone faint- heaven from time to time, and beseech-| ly, making horse and man look like a ing his guardian angel to carry him | spectral centaur moving along the road. safely and triumphantly through the | Uhus did things hither veiled inso deep combat. which he was about to dare. a gloom, become partially visible, while And as he thus proceeded on his way the gale abated its wild violence. : | he pictured to himself the splendid Sa-| Presently Sir Ernest de Colmar merg- tanais kneeling in the palace-chapel, and| ed from the broad road, which swept raising her voice in supplication to the | abruptly off to the left, upon a dreary throne of eternal grace ; yes, in imagi-| heath, where the stunted shrubs wore nation did he behold her, prostrate be- | sinister shapes, and the ground rose in fore the altar, the straggling rays of the | many places into craggy masses, yellow taper oscillating between the| Here he paused, having caleulated dark beauty of the houri’s up-turned| that he had already ridden full three face and the imaged countenance of the | quarters of an hour. blessed Virgin; alone in that temple,} Dismounting from his steed, he fell her rich red lips apart, and the pearls} upon his knees, and put up to heaven‘a glancing between, her eyes vibrating | last and fervent prayer, preparatory to hke stars in the shade, and shining with | the tremendous conflict that was now at luminous brilliancy in the midst of the | hand. obscurity | Then, rising from his suppliant pos- It was thus that the knight’s fancy | ture, he tightened the girths of the sad- pictured Satanais afar off; and then, as| dle, fastened the vizor of his helmet, his imagination still pursued the theme, | tried all the plates of his armor, to as- he beheld her battling against the an-| sure himself that the steel panoply was: guish of suspense and the poignancy of| in fitting order, braced his shield on his terror—now crossing her arms over her | left arm, loosened the sword in its scab- heaving bosom, then pressing her hands| bard, grasped the spear in his right to her throbbing brows; now clasping| hand, and once more mounted his gal- those beauteous hands, and extending| lant charger. them in frantic appeal to heaven; then,| © Satanais! at that moment the hero — an ee | with wildly flashing eyes, looking be-| thought of thee; and behind his bar- hind and on either side into the deep| red aventayle his lips murmured thy darkness, fearful lest some hideous} name! form or terrivle shapeshou!d come forth! But scarcely was the word thus from the nave or from the aisles and spoken, when the sounds of a horse’s proclaim her doom. hoofs came upon his ear; nearer and How versatile, inventive, and minute | more near the din approached ; and, ina is the imagination, while pursuing some| few moments, 4 mighty form, clad in favorite theme. Thus was it with Sir| armor dark as jet and mounted on a co- Ernest de Colmar; for as his thoughts| lossal steed of coal-black hue, emerged still remained fixed upon Satanais, he| rom the obscurity. fancied that he now beheld her with Not an instant was to be lost, for the her raven hair flowing all dishevelled! enemy came careering on; and Sir Er- NN “Ai tet comicbooks.com P< an ee moe Oe Som =o ; —— eae ee & ~~ -—e, ee