The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 297 CHAPTER LXXIV. Perhaps he had overheard all; and in this case the projected arrangement re- CONTINUATION OF BERNARD’S HISTORY. | lative to the as yet unborn child was already known to the enemy. Long ‘Tne Lady Emilia stood transfixed | and solemn was the deliberation which with terror—Father Heracles told his| ensued between the baron, the baron- beads, and the Baron of Ildegardo rush- | ess, and the worthy priest; but no bet- ed forward, threw open the door, and| ter scheme could be devised than the sprang into the passage with his sword | one which the holy father had sug- drawn in his hands, for he was deter-| gested; and moreover the votive for- mined to chastise the eaves-dropper, | mulahad been pronounced and the ante- whoever he might be. But observing | natal dedication to. heaven had been no one in the long corridor nor yet| made. It was, therefore, necessary to catching the sound of retreating foot-| abide by an arrangement so solemnly steps, he was struck by the consterna-| ratified; and as the reverend priest, tion of a superstitious awe; and sever-| true to the spirit of his pastoral mis- al minutes elapsed ere he could suffi- | sion, addressed the baron and baroness ciently compose himself to hasten into | in the consolatory language of religion, the hall and inquire whether any stran- | they grew more calm and derived com- ger had passed that way. The answer| fort from his words. At the interces- to this question was an affirmative: and | sion of Emilia he took up his residence it appeared from the statement of a | altogether in Iidegardo Castle, the Ba- age that a tall man, enveloped in a} ron Ge eorgey consenting to this step at cloak which reached to the ground. had | the request of his daughter. issued from the corridor and hurriedly ‘The occurrences which I have just left the castle about five minutes pre-| been relating took place about twenty viously. Farther inquiry elicited the| years ago; ‘and it was a few weeks fact that another page had seen him en- | afterwards that Lord Iidegardo received ter the hall and pass into the corridor | into his service a new page. ‘This was about half an hour before; but fancy- a young man of about four or five and | | ey ing that the individual was some friend | twenty years of age ; and his name was of the baron’s, the youthful servitor;|JoHn ZAirzKka! Yes,—the present. ruler of the destinies of Bohemia en- had taken no farther notice of the mat- ter. Pursuing his investigation, the| tered the household of my noble master baron ascertained from the warders at| as a humble servitor; indeed, it was only as an act of charity that the baron the gate that the cloaked stranger in question had ridden up to the draw-| thus received hin. Forthe young man bridge, left his steed in charge of a} was a houseless, starving, ragged wan- derer at the time; and he had nothing groom ; and, alleging that he had busi- | ness with Lord Itdegardo, was suffered | to recommend him save his dire penury and deep distress. He bore testimo- to pass into the fortalice. When he re- nials from no former master. nor would turned it appeared that he was pro- ceeding at a very harried pace; and on/|he give any account of himself that was issuing from the gate, he flung himself| considered at all satisfactory. The little upon his horse and gallopedaway. But} he said upon the point was to the ef- of all the persons who had thus seen | fect that he had experienced many and him, none had caught a glimpse of his| cruel misfortunes, that his friends had countenance, which was shaded by his| abandoned him, that he had powerful overhanging cap and sable plumes; the | enemies seeking to crush him, and that Baron of Ildegardo was, therefore, un-| his only crime was having loved a lady able to uscertain who this cloaked in-|far superior to himself in social posi- truder was, but he strongly suspected /tion. But he was eloquent for a mo- him to have been the Baron of Alten-| ment when he declared with a lofty dorf. pride that he had never done aught to ‘On returning to the room where he|stain his good repute; and then he had left his wife and Father Heracles, | threw hindelt upon the bounty and the the baron acquainted them with all the | generosity of Lord [ldegardo. Nor did facts he had thus gleaned; and the in-|he appeal in vain; but, as I have al- cident by no means tended to tranquil-| | ready stated, he was received into the lize their minds. If was clear that| service of my master. some one had been spying their pro- ‘At that time he had not lost the ceedings; and how much he might! sight of one of his eyes; and his coun- have lourtt could not be conjectured.— | itenance was re markably handsome, de- Ee ee comicbooks.com