The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

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Oh! lain Vases,’ said Ervmach, ‘I shall-at! unless you were prepared to surrender onee repair to the creat hall below, and yourself up to love and pleasure, it was there will I wait your arrival. Any | an act of perfidy to induce me to bring farther duty this night will I contrive your excellency hither.’ to elude, so that I may remain in the ‘And suppose that I had really some ball until you make your appearance. | ulterior aim to accomplish?’ said the hen follow me whithersoever I may | knight, interrogatively. lead, no matter where, and I take God ‘‘lhen should I cheerfully assist you to witness thut my guidance will be! to the utmost of my power,’ was the marked by fidelity, even if it should | immediate response. ‘You do not chance to fail of success.’ know me well as yet, it is true; bat if ‘| believe you,—l believe you,’ said you ever come to know me better, you the Knight, pressing the youth’s hand | will perhaps appreciate my friendship. warmly. ‘Candor is written in every/| At all events, you would place confi- lineament of your countenance. ‘If! dence in me, and in so doiag, you would you were to deceive me, there would| not be deceived. Now tell me, Sir be an end to all confidence in human | Knight, tell me what this ulterior aim nature.’ | may be, which you seek to accomplish?” ‘l am incapable of treachery,’ an-} ‘Is it possible that deception lurks swered the boy proudly. ‘And now, beneath so much seductive courtesy ?’ kind sir, I beseech thee, let us delay no| exclaimed De Colmar. dropping the longer.’ (arm of the baroness and pausing to ‘Lead on,’ said Sir Ernest de Col- gaze searchingly upon her countenance. mar. ‘Oh! what mean you, Sir Knight? Lhe youthful page threw open the| she demanded, assuming so depreca- door of the toilette-chamber and con- ting, innocent, and affrighted a look that ducted the Knight aloug the splendidly- | she seemed at the moment a coy girl of lighted passage to the Gaallery of Porce-| eighteen or twenty rather than a splen- lain Vases; but ere the gilded portal | didly-matured woman in the prime of closed behind De Colmar, as Ermach | life. ‘You would not harm me? you stepped back from the threshold, rapid could not find it in your heart to do me glances of intelligence were exchanged |aninjury? But I see that you enter- between them, reminding each other | tain some injurious suspicion concern- of the understanding to which they had | ing me, and the thought cuts me to the come, | quick !? ihe door was shut, and the Knight | ‘ Lady, you are either the veriest hy- found himself alone with the Baroness, | pocrite in the universe,’ cried Sir Fr- who advanced to meet him with a smil- | nest de Colmar, ‘or else you are the ing countenance. most unfortunate dupe that ever was ‘1 have tarried for you with some im- | deceived by villains !’ patience, Sir Louis de Hazburgh,’ she} ‘Ah! then it must be the latter oh! said, proffering him her hand, which he | believe me, it is the latter!’ exclaimed raised to his lips in obedience to the | the baroness, joining her hands and ex- courteous usage of the period; then, | tending them beseechingly towardsethe taking his arny, the Baroness observed, knight; but at the same instant she as she led him gently along the gallery, | glanced towards a water-clock which ‘Your manner is full of restraint, you | stood in the gallery, and she felt an in- seem pre-occupied, and yet you are in |describable relief at observing that it a mansion where the genuis of plea-| only wanted five minutes to the half- Sure presides. Qh! if you have any | hour past midnight. Secret weighing upon your mind, and| ‘Then if you be really a dupe, and would make me your confidant, how not an accomplice,’ said De Colmar, his truly happy should I be either to coun- | manner becoming suddenly stern and sel or console.’ | bis mien gradually imposing, ‘ I charge ‘ Kemember, lady,’ answered the you to give true and faithful answers to knight, ‘that our acquaintance dates! the queries which I am about to put to only from a few hours back | | you.’ ‘Ah: then you propose to treat me! + Speak—speak !’ exclaimed the ter- with a cold formality,’ exclaimed the | rified woman, shrinking from that god- comicbooks.com