The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

& ed a oe Ue eo i ~~ — - ~ ee x wee i OF ro a IV SA- oS a > ee > aa —> - - ae = tas ——-. acer", we’ fe: ~ —_ Py + 188 THE BRONZE STATUE. my throat; I feel as if swayed by the | assistance to the Gallery of Porcelain presentiment that something terrible 1s | Vases.’ about to happen. For surely he would| ‘Ilrely upon you, holy father,’ said not have taken so much pains and trou- | the baroness: and, having thus spoken, ble to obtain admission here, unless he| she quitted the apartment where her had some grand and important object in | long conference with the priest had ta- view, and unless he had taken every | ken place. precaution to provide for his safety. In the splendidly-lighted passage Oh! perhaps he had spies set to watch | which the baroness now entered, she whither I should lead him—and those | paused for a moment to give instructions spies may have already adopted mea-|to a page whom she . encountered sures that may prove ruinous to us| there. all P ‘Ermach, you will repair to the toi- lette-chamber,’ she said; ‘and instead of escorting the stranger-guest to the Grand Saloun of Pleasure, according to the usage of this mansion, you will con- duct him to the Gallery of Porcelain Vases.’ i'he page bowed and retired ; and the baroness passed on to the place which she had just named. ‘Give not way to useless lamenta- tions,’ interrupted the monk sternly. ‘Perchance he has taken the present course simply and solely for the purpose of delivering the Princess Elizabetha from restraint: or perhaps he has ob- tained some clue respecting his lost pa- ges, whom he may have traced as far as the portals of this mansion. But the fate of these youths he never, never can discover—unless indeed the whole mys- iain tery of the ‘l'ribunal of the Bronze Sta- tue shall become developed to his knowledge ; and this is far from proba- ble. At all events, it is now of the ut- most importance for us to ascertain the drift and meaning of his present con- | duct, so that we may determine z Tne Gallery of Porcelain Vases was | CHAPTER XLVII. THE BARONESS AND THE KNIGHT. er to treat him fairly or foully.’ one of the most elegunt features of the ‘ And how is that point to be gleaned ?” White Mansion. Though not of any demanded the baroness. considerable extent, it was well calcula- ‘ By the wit of woman,’ was the im- ted to excite feelings of pleasure and mediate response, accompanied bya si admiration; for its own architectural nificant look. P yes beauty was of arare perfection, and it : contained some of the must superb spe- ‘You would have me exercise my I pe ? Fes ‘ ‘imens orcelain ever seen in Ku- ingenuity in this respect ?” said the no- pees tid citasts: ‘bee nic ad od ble lady, inquiringly. pe Bt pende to the ceiliag shed forth a yellow lustre ‘ None other can [| trust—none other ? which was reflected in roseate, purple, would succeed,’ answered the priest, | znd crimson beams from the variegated strongly accenting every word. ‘ You} vases; and the atmosphere was render- must obtain an immediate interview | ed fresh and fragrant by the quantities with this guest whose presenca so cru- | of flowers dispersed about the gallery. elly embarrasses us.’ To this charming place did the baro- ‘Listen, then, towhat Iam about to|/ness repair: and, composing her say,’ observed the baroness, after a few | thoughts and her features as well as she moments’ profound reflection. ‘Inthe | was able, she awaited the coming of Sir Gallery of Porcelain Vases shall the | Ernest de Colmar. interview take place; andif by the time| In the meantime the young page Er- the hands of yon clepsydra mark the | mach, who was a handsome youth of half-hour past midnight—if by that time, | about seventeen, hastened to the toilette [ say, Ido not return to you here—then /chamber, where the knight, having ap- will you conclude that I am either in| parelled himself in a rich dress, was some danger, or that there is no hope of | expecting with some degree of impa- dealing fairly and peaceably in this mat- | tience the promised summons to the ter.” _ festivities of the night. Not that he ‘I*understand you,’ said the Carthu- | panted for pleasure of any kind on this sian. ‘If you do not return to this| occasion: but he was desirous of seeing apartment within the half-hour after| how he might turn the progress of midnight, I shall unhesitatingly despatch | events to his own purposes, and thence comicbooks.com