The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 283 murdered priest were deposited ; and | through a tear. by a natural transition of reflections, | our hero began to marvel wherefore | Satanais should have lively emotions and so painful an ex- citement upon hearing Bernard touch on that dark deed of assassination. And —he knew not why—but a feeling of uneasiness began sowlly to creep into his mind, as those thoughts led him to ponder deliberately and intently upon the strange eccentricities which marked the manner of Satanais from the very frst instant that she entered the circuit of this ruined castle; and now it sud- denly struck our hero, with the vivid- ness of an inspiration, that she had sought to lead him away so abruptly from the place in order to prevent him holding any farther discourse with Ber- uard. A vague and unknown terror caine upon the Austrian knight as he pon- dered on all these things—and he trem- exhibited such | bled—yes, his fine manly form trembled | from head to foot, beneath the influ- | ence of the presentiment which now struck him and made him feel that he was upon the eve of listening to strange revelations. And while this sensation of uneasi- ness was still gaining on him, old Ber- ——_—$— nard re-appeared upon the roof of the | Donjon; and after a few remarks re- specting the arrangements he had made for the accommodation of the kmight and his party, the venerable man com- menced his narrative in the ensuing terms. CHAPTER LXAXAI. THE COMMENCEMENT OF BERNARD'S HISTORY. ‘A more splendid feudal fortalice than Ildegardo Castle existed not in bo- hemia: and the vast estates belonging to the baronial stronghold were the fin- est specimens of agricultural richness ‘yn the whole kingdom. ‘The gardens, which are now a waste, were 1n those times when I first knew them, a perfect terrestrial paradise, uniting all that was most delicious in fruitage with all that ‘ } ! — , ¢9 ty ral . > > 1 Th “~~ > Was TriOsSt | y < i\ sid mora Vill it ve ALIS grounds were traversed by a pellucid stream branching off from the more stately Moldau; and that rivulet mean dered like distilled pearls or fluid crys- tai over its pepodly oe i, tne oottom of which was as visible as an eye-ball By the side of deli- cious arbors it passed—now winding beneath the dark shade of overhanging verdure or the fragrant drapery of rose- trees—then expanding its silver bosom to the sun-light once more—and then again creeping under canopies of eme- rald verdure variegated with flowers. Thus flowed the pure stream, like an innocent child at play, through the gar- dens: while the Moldau, like a giant journeying on with solemn pace, rolled through the fat meadows, the waving woods, the lofty forests, and the yellow harvest-fields. The territory around these ruins is still in verdure and still full of beauteous scenery, but its pre- sent condition is nothing compared with its productive luxuriance, its agreeable variety, and its general attractiveness in those days when the proud banner of Ildegardo floated over this Donjon, and the lord of the castle feasted in his spacious halls! The last Baron of Ildegardo was sur- named “ The Thunder.’ His father was a stern, austere, and morose man, who had lost his wife soon after their marriage, and who, for some reason or another, experienced a violent antipa- thy to female society. ‘Thus alienating himself from the civilizing influence of the fair sex, he grew ferocious in man- ner and brutal in disposition. But he was brave as alion; and if a neighbor- ing baron dared to insult even the mean- est of his vassals, Lord Ildegardo was wont to summon his warriors, buckle on his armor, mount his horse, and lead forth his gallant band to chastise the imperious offender. On this account was the terrible baron admired and eu- logised by his vassals, the farmers on his estates, and the inhabitants of his villages—and, although his feudal re- trainers. could not love him, they were at least proud of him as a master and a chief. An only son was the fruit of his marriage, and never was a child more deeply to be pitied on aecount of the loss of a tender mother. tor, ins of that ex- when ted to the care ‘GUCVS and valets. the OuUrses aud scarcely were the ren | rt ' . a4 , ow - t ; 1 cCelnent way deposited in t ie tomb. ; | roe po yr DOY was entir ; other female dependants all being ex- le. ° As he grew up, prisoner within and his father compelled him to devote nearly all his time to athletic exercises, martial games, and the use of the vaylous weapons Of at- tack and defence then in vogue. “he pelled from the Cast he was kept almost a : e — , « the walls: comicbooks.com co — . - ao - . i o> - s i as "te P i ‘i ae ie -* ‘ a - ™ es —e es ‘ae Li af = « > ad ed . 7 ane! —% ~~