The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

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I Rs ort re = , iA + >> @ > os *. . - Ein + os + oo, ° we . — r - a we 7 ‘ ~ ~ eo et. — ira “vy ot - -—— oo = a a — SE Ey ee eer: oe . ¢ te ‘ ~~ >. “ ~ ee c+ a, ~~. <<“ -~ =e * = w 2 a . —_ - ~ Ca ~ \, an | * * * 44 teem a ae ——-_ — | — = - a Seon F _— } Se — <= ctl ‘ o> eS ~The * —_ _-= = - = 228 THE BRONZE STATUE. you may obtain a complete view of your prisoner.’ ‘Thanks!’ exclaimed the ‘T'aborite,— ‘it is indeed necessary that | should be- come acquainted with her person, espe- cially as the magistrate has ordered me to allow free ingress and egress to every one save and except the Lady Gloria’ herself.’ ‘Ah! his worship has given you those “instructions 7’ observed Linda. ‘ He is a good, kind, benevolent old man. But now keep your eyes in readiness, for I am about to re-enter the chamber.’ Thus speaking, Linda threw the door wide open, tripped lightly back into the room, exchanged rapid glances of deep meaning with the Daughter of Glory ; and, having taken her handkerchief from the toilette-table, hurried back again into the passage, closing the door again behind her. This little seene occupied ea minute, uring which the ‘Taborite — soldier ‘plunged his eager eyes intently into the ‘chamber and obtained a full view of the beauteous Gloria as she sate upon her chair while Beatrice was combing out that luxuriant mass of golden hair which seemed to catch and imprison the rays that the morning sun poured through the open casement. ‘Well, now are you satisfied?’ de- -manded Linda, pausing in the passage to continue her discourse with the Ta- sborite sentinel. ‘Oh! what transcendent loveliness !’ «exclaimed the man, speaking with all -fhe enthusiastic sincerity of extreme wonderment mingled with a species of unknown pleasure; then, as a sudden expression of mournfulness appeared - upon his honest countenance, he said, ‘ But who could have fancied, who could believe that such a woman is capable of such a deed 7?’ which had just been made upon him hy Gloria; and, after a few minutes’ pro- found meditation, he said, ‘In one sense there is a remarkable reseinblance ; and in another there is the widest distinc- tion possible. ‘The resemblance exists in the outline of the features, the sta- ture, the shape, and the glorious eyes; but the difference is in the complexion and the hair. Yes, it 1s easy tu per- ceive that they are sisters ; but one ap- pears to be the child of darkness, and the other the ehild of hight.’ ‘Are they not called the Daughter of Satan and the Daughter of Glory ?’ said Linda, in atone of deep solemnity. ‘Ah! is your present mistress deno- minated the Daughter of Glory?’ ex- claimed the ‘Tl'aborite; then, after the pause of nearly a minute, he added,— ‘Yes, in beauty is she assuredly the child of heaven ; but, if we may judge by the deed of the past night, she must in her soul be the child of hell.’ ‘ Have I not besought you to forbear from prejudgment?’ demanded Linda, reproachfully. ‘True, maiden,’ answered the sol- dier, ‘ but the circumstances of the case force from me these remarks even against my will.’ . *You should endeavor to be more merciful and more just,’ observed Lin- da. ‘But tell me, good friend, how long you will have to keep your turn on duty in this passage?’ ‘In another hour I shall be relieved by one of my comrades,’ replied the soldier. ‘But wherefore that ques- tion 7’ ‘Simply through a passing sentiment of curiosity,’ answered Linda. +‘ You will, however, explain to your successor - on this post how different the Lady Gloria is from her sister Satannis, for I cannot undertake to throw open the ‘Ah! judge her not harshly, until; room door to afford a full view of my you are acquainted with all the circum- stances of this most lamentable and | fresh sentinel is placed on guard in this spot.’ | heart-rending case,’ excluimed Linda, in a tone of earnest entreaty. ‘ But tell me,’ she said, with a sudden altera- ation of tone and manner,—‘ tell me whether you think there is any resem- blunce between the Lady Gloria and the Lady Satanais ?° ‘ Resemblance!’ echoed the T'aborite, who was about to declare in a positive tone that there was not the slightest similitude between the sisters; but instantly checking himself, he began to compare in his own mind his reminis- eences of Satanais with'the impressions f unfortunate mistress, every time & ‘ Assuredly not, fair maiden,’ said the | Taborite, ‘nor would it be proper thus | to expose the Lady Gloria to annoyance, for we must all pity her for her sister's ‘sake, if not for her own. [ shall, | therefore, tell my comrade who comes | next, that every one is to pass out and ‘in this chamber, except such-and-such ‘a lady whom I shall describe to him, ‘for it will not be a very difficult thing to give a description of the Lady Gloria to any one who has ever seen the Lady Satanais, as all my companions have,’ comicbooks.com