The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

per —/- = cx sS i THE BRONZE STATUE. 201 | | overpoweringly benevolent is your ex-| can only have its being in a mind stored 4 . cellency’s conduct towards one of the} with the rarest gems of virtue and en- i , humblest of God’s creatures!’ exclaim-| riched with all the treasures of the mo- 4 ed Angela, now maintaining a more se-| ral world; and therefore, though thou vere struggle than ever against those| art unknown to me by name, unknown i emotions of an ineffable susceptibility | to me by features, still do [ experieygce , which the knight’s words had aroused| all those secret affinities of kindred na- in her bosom. tures which prompt me to pledge thee ‘Wherefore will you persist in re-| an eternal vow of friendship and love | ceiving as a boon and a kindness al thee as a dear brother.’ word or promise which gratitude and| ‘'‘l’he poor service which [ have ren- duty prompt me to utter?’ demanded dered your excellency neither deserves Sir Ernest de Colmar. ‘The friend-| nor aspires to so rich a reward,’ an- ship with which you have inspired me} swered Angela, with difficulty subduing ; has arisen from the deep obligation un- | her emotions so as to steady her voice der which you have placed me; and| and throw into it that masculine intona- the fraternal attachment which I proffer | tion which was necessary to sustain the . you, springs from the conviction that so} Innocent deceit she was practising with “a much valor and disinterested feeling as| regard to her sex. you have displayed on my behalf must} ‘ Well,—we will not continue to dis inevitably be associated with every vir-| pute upon the value of your services, tuous principle and estimable quality. | good youth,’ said De Colmar. ‘ Low as Now, therefore, you understand my} may be the estimate which your modes- sentiments towards you. Unknown! ty permits you to place upon them, to though you be, shrouded in mystery as| me they were invaluable; and, in such ou are, I look upon you as a friend ;| a light, shall l ever continue to regard and although your features are as yet|them. But how say you with refer- . unseen by me, yet do I Jove you like a| ence to the proposal which | made you i= brother. For, oh! Iam well convinced| ere now? Will you be my companion 5 that unless you were all that is noble in| to Vienna? will you allow me to pre- nature, though humble in name, you| sent you to his Sovereign Highness and would not have succeeded in exciting| demand at his princely hands the re- in my soul this enthusiastic admiration | ward due to your generosity and your which I experience in respect to your| valor?’ character.’ ‘If my presence would not really ‘+A character with which you are to-| prove an encumbrance upon your ex- tally unacquainted,’ said Angela, in a| cellency’s travelling arrangements,’ said i ol ae. FO we ate low and tremulous tone. Angela, ‘I should cheerfully accept an ‘But of which I judge by the inei- | escort until within sight of the towers dents of this night,’ responded De Col-| of Altendorf Castle. For inasmuch as mar immediately. ‘Unacquainted | I may incur some danger, should it be with your character !’ he exclaimed— | in any way suspected that [ was instru- ‘Oh! no, no, it is now as well known! mental.in delivering the three nobles to me as if we had been friends from our childhood. For look you,—I am a young man, but [ have seen much of the world; and my experience has taught me that there are two kinds of valor. There is the courage which fights either for pay or in self-defence, and which is, therefore, of an egotisti- eal character; and this is not your cou- rage, brave youth. But there is cou- rage which pants to perform chivalrous deeds, and which is likewise ever ready to lend its succor to the victim of treach- from the Castle ‘And this panoply which you procur- ed from the armory!’ observed the knight, ‘is there no danger that it may be recognised? and would it not be bet- ter to lay it aside and assume a vesture that may serve as a disguise in case any of Zitzka’s agents should fall in with you?’ | ‘Il would rather incur that risk and retain my armor,’ was the response, de- livered in a low and unassuming, but decisive tone. ery or oppression ; and it was this cou-| ‘Oh! [ can comprehend the chival- rage, which belongs only to the loftiest|rous feeling which animates you, iny f natures, that prompted thee to rescue brave young friend,’ said De Colmar,— | the three nobles from the power of} ‘you are desirous to preserve that bril- + Zitzka, and to fly to my succor when) liant panoply as the trophy of an exploit you heard that foul play was in opera- | which will make all Bohemia ring with Such magnanimity ! the intelligence I mean the libera- tiun against me. i comicbooks.com