The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

THk BRONZE was now borne rapidly along. More- over, the most startling incidents were now succeeding each other with a be- wildering speed ; for in a short time the Baron of Altendorf’s band, debouching irom.a road leading into an open space which Manfredo’s troops were travers- ing in the supposed security of conquest fell upon that squadron of invaders with irresistible fury. ‘Lhe moon had risen to light the scene of carnage, and fear- ful was the struggle for upwards of two hours. But Iidegardo himself perform- ed prodigies of Altendort dealt destruction wherever his sword struck. A panic seized upon Manfredo’s retainers, the rumor spread like lightning amongst them that the chief of the ‘l’ribunal of the Bronze Sta tue was combatting on behalf of Ildecar do. ‘hey fled in confusion, and ere the clepsydra marked the hour of mid- night, Manfredo and the few survivors of his broken band were galloping away with the whirlwind speed of despera- tion ! ‘lhe deliverance of the estates and Castle of Ildegardo being thus accom- plished, the Baron of Altendorf would not even tarry to partake of the slight- estrefreshment;: but, leaviog his wound- ed retainers to the care of the young lord, he gathered the bulk of his follow-_| ers together, and led them away toward |s ‘the remainder of his own stronghold. that memorable night was passed in fes- tivity and re Tete in ry at lidegard o Castle: | and the y outhful baron became as effect- ually the hero of the scene as if he had not originally experienced defeat, and had subsequently been indebted to his own unassisted resources for the vic- tory. In the course of a few days Ba- ron Manfredo sent emissaries to pro- rable to my noble master. Korali, the unjust intendant, was released from his | dungeon and discharged from the ba- ron’s service; he was moreover com- manded to quit his lordship’s estates, an | injt inction which he speedily obeyed, inasmuch as he was too deeply detested to be able to find an asylum at the house of anv one ot the vassals :—and thus. stripped of his ill-gotten wealth, he was thrown «a mendicant upon the world. I privately gave him a small sum of mo- ney ere he took his departure; but I experienced an _ indescribable when his back was turned upon the cas- tle, inasmuch as I considered that man to. be my master’s evil genius. Indeed, valor, and the Baron of relief | it took two years condition; and I may declare without incurring the imputation of vanity, that at the expiration of this interval his re- venues were as free from encumbrance, ,| his estates as flourishing, his vassals as happy, and his tenants as prosperous, as — they were in the best days of his fa- ther’s litetime.’ CHAPTER LXAXITI. CONTINUATION OF BERNARD’S HISTORY, LHE two years which thus passed away, were spent by the young Baron xemplary man- ner. Dismissing his gallant ladies and of Ildecardo in a most e his dancing-girls, and making a proper |selection in the choice of his friends, ihe seemed determined to expiate all |his former misconduct. He visited his | principal tenants—saw that his vassals | were well cared for—and_ superintend- ed the various improvements which f£ suggested in respect to his estates. The hours which he spared from these use- ful occupations were devoted to hunt- ing; and in that sport his lordship speedily excelled his patrician neigh- bors. Thus the two years passed hap- | puy away. ‘It was about the expiration of this period that IL first heard the frends and dependents ot my noble master expressing their wonder and regret that he did not seem to think of ma- trimony. He was now ; years of age, and, as I have already stated, one of the handsomest men on pose terms of peace, and these were. granted on conditions particularly favo- | whom the sun ever shone. At length, yielding to the entreaties of those who wished him well and who knew that I jenjoyed some degree of influence with ‘him, I ventured to re port to his ear the observations that had been: made: but he treated the matter with an apparent levity—although he doubtless felt deep- ‘ly on account of the te rrible compact ' ' which he had made with the Karon of | Altendorf. and the dread of which was assuredly the cause of his forbearafice from matrimony, But that secret was ‘unknown to me at the time: the baron ‘locked it up in his own breast; and J, fancying that he thought not of mar- riage simply because he was acquainted with no lady whom he deemed worthy ’ ‘of his ha Ind. resolved to adopt s0me comicbooks.com STATUE. 287 of economy and pru- dential arrangements to enable me to restore the baron’s affairs to a healthy twenty-two -_— ~ -< ¢ - -% » ‘a th >-_-— he! i ~~ =™ 5 pam oe hs 4 ot ~ , aay > es ° ~ Lite. & pt # = z - = in - < A ver — - - * hie eF~ ee 2" » Ev ~“e