Penny Dreadfuls, 1850 · page 170 of 400
The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 170: what you’re looking at
A restored page from Penny Dreadfuls, 1850. Page through the whole issue in the reader above.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
——" ‘x rs W344, ert a “i r a xv“ a =. © = = as = a —s . Q » =o "ty tery “ae Pa -_ - P « , * - yi", ae Se". »* i “ — - . ~* «= ‘ ‘ : an . er SR SR 4.* - -~ . a | ag oe aie a ole - e~ om, . . . * al . « * . : w% - ag gg, ee —— oe a * 168 THE BRONZE STATUE. enced a great weakness, and a certain} beauteous lady had already heard from dizziness in the head which rendered it impossible for her to walk without sup- port. Gloria thereupon gave her the kindest assurances of continued atten- tion until she should be completely re- covered; and she then proceeded to state thatcircumstances rendered neces- sarv an immediate removal to the Cas- tle of Prague. Well, oh! well might Angela start in amazement; and well might the color come and go rapidly upon her cheeks, as these words met her ears. For it was in the castle that the three priso- ners whom she hoped to rescue, were confined; it was thither she longed to penetrate; and, behold! accident or providence, she scarcely knew which, was about to consummate her desire and afford an invaluable succor by intro- ducing her within those very walls. ° Gloria observed the sudden agitution which seized upon her; but naturally supposing that it emanated from feel- ings of alarm at the thought of entering a gloomy fortalice whose name and as- pect were alike associated with the darkest ideas of a prison-house, the ra- diant creature hastened to breaths reas | bashful, and retiring ; suring words in, Angela’s ears. And Angela, perceiving how necessary— how vitally important, indeed, it was to conceal her emotions lest she should betray the object of her mission to Prague, and resolving for the. sake of the White Lady of Altendorf Castle, to fulfil that mission or perish in the at- tempt, the heroic maiden, we say, suc- ceeded in composing her looks, while she expressed her thanks to Gloria for all the kindness she was receiving from her. But this being of transcendant loveli- ness stated to her how well the good Austrian Knight, Sir Ernest de Colmar, had spoken of her; the gentle Ang the warrior had given utterance to words in her praise. Then Gloria by degrees led the con- versation dexterously on in such a man- ner that the forest-maiden related to her the incident which had occurred at the inn on the border of the heath; and word for word as she had detailed to Sir Ernest the discourse which there took place between Father Cyprian and Dame Martha, did she repeat it now to the Daughter of Glory. This narrative accordingly filled up with great minute- ness tne outline of the story which the and a thrill of| pleasure passed through the heart of| gela when she heard that! apartments had already been prepared the lips of Zitzka; but Angela, while relating the adventure, little suspected that the brilliant Gloria was none other than the Sister Marietta alluded to by the Carthusian and the old woman.— Nor did she observe how deep was the flush which appeared on Gloria’s cheeks at the mention ofthe circumstance that Father Cyprian had proposed to intro- duce her, the forest maiden, to a noble lady, possessing a splendid mansion in the vicinity of Prague: nor again did she notice the actual writhing which passed through the entire form of the Daughter of Glory when that sentence spoken by the priest at the inn was re- peated by Angela now, that sentence which apostrophised Dame Martha as one of the sworn servitors to the Tribunal of the Bronze Statue ! The result of the conversation which took place between Gloria and Angela on this evening of the first day of their acquaintance, produced an agreeable im- pression upon their minds with regard to exch other: for the Daughter of Glory no longer felt jealous of a young woman whose manners were so simple, and, on the other hand, the good-hearted Angela experi- enced the deepest gratitude towards the resplendent lady who treated her with such sisterly kindness and unaffect- ed cordiality. Shortly after dusk, Angela was assist- ed by Linda and Beatrice into a litter which had been prepared for her: while the Daughter of Glory, closely veiled, mounted a steed elegantly caparisoned, Her two hand-maidens were provided with graceful palfreys; and the escort consisted of the small ‘T'aborite detach- ment which had occupied the outpost where Gloria had hitherto fixed her quarters. In this manner the proces- sion entered Prague, and repaired straight to the castle, where a suit of for the reception of the females. And thus did Angela become an in- mate of the very fortalice which was the aim of her expedition and the scene where her heroism or her ingenuity was to be exercised ! Oh! the first night that she slept within those walls, how vividly came back to her memory every detail and every feature of that mysterious inter- view which she had with the White Lady in the subterraneans of the Castle of Altendorf; and every word which either that unhappy being or the old comicbooks.com