The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

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So abrupt was this little incident in its oc- currence, and so quickly was the appear- ance, that Sir Ernest de Colmar could scarcely believe it to be a reality, but was almost inclined to think that his fancy, powerfully acted upon by the wild and romantic incident of the last few hours, had, conjured up some strange delusion Turning his eyes, therefore, again in the direction of the altar, he perceived that the Lady Abbess was still continuing her ad- dress, the thread of which the Knight had momentarily lost. ‘Yes—thou art free, O sinful woman!’ excliimed the Abbess, while Gloria ap-' peared to listen with mingled contempt and disdain, and Zitzka was evidently laboring under the greatest difficulty to suppress a | violent ebullition of passion: ‘thou art free to follow thine own perverse disposition and the counsels of thine evil advisers. | But ere now thy tongue taunted us with the agreement which we had made to re- lease thee from thy vows on the payment of | a sum of gold. But know, O false-hearted heretic ! that it was in the light of an obla- tion to the Virgin’s shrine that we should have recived the precious metal which yon warrior promised.’ ‘Will this scene end speedily ?’ demand- ed Zitzka, with an abruptness which de- noted how completely his patience was worn out. ) ‘°T is ended now,’ said the Abbess, in a/ severe tone. ‘ Nevertheless, I have one word more to utter—and I crave your pa- | tience. The yellow gold which thou hast brought with thee, O ruthless man of war! and which was the stipulated price for the’ proceedings of this right,—that gold do [I refase—reject—spurn—shrink from, as if there were blood upon it!’ | ‘By heaven! ejaculated Zitzka, his’ countenance suddenly becoming purple | with rage: ‘this wanton insult i | ‘Peace—silence ? Remember thy vow, —thy solemn vow!’ exclaimed the Abbess, | extending her arm imperiously. , ‘Patience—a moment’s patience!’ said | Gloria, in a tone of entreaty, as she threw | = =e au .ware, Marietta—or Gloria—or by soever ral’s bounty has placed at my disposal to offer ; ‘We will not leave a finger upon that gold,’ interrupted the Lady Abbess. ‘ And now, lost—unhappy—wretched—perverse girl, we will leave thee even as thy God hath already abandoned thee. But, bde- what- name thou choosest to denominate thyself: beware, I say——for heaven’s vengeance will sooner or later overtake thee. It is not for my hand to grasp the 'thunderbolts of Jehovah, nor for a poor weak woman such asl to dare to wield bis lightnings. Nevertheless, do I now raise my warning voice to proclaim that a terrible retribution will be thy doom forthe sin which thou hast this night committed. Tremble, then, Marietta—tremble, Daugh- ‘ter of Glory, as thou hast insolentiy styled thyself! For even as thou hast claimed back the vows whereby thou didst dedicate thyself to the service of the Blessed Virgin —so shall the Madonna inflict with her own hand a due chastisement upon thee! Tremble, then, Marietta—tremble, Daugh- ter of Glory: for thy doom shall be ; ‘The Bronze Statue—and the Virgin’s | Kiss? exclaimed a loud sonorous voice ; and at the same instant the tall form of a monk, emerging from the tombs in the close vicinity of Sir Ernest de Colmar, stalked forth, with his right arm ominously extended, into the middle of the church. A wild and rending shriek burst from the lips of Gloria—and the Knight beheld her drop, as if struck by a thunderbolt, upon the velvet cloth which covered the steps of the altar. At the same moment the lights were extinguished, as if by magic: darkness—total darkness—fell upon the scene ;—and Sir Ernest de Colmar, springing from behind the tombs, rushed in the direction of the spot where he had beheld the radiant being suddenly sink down insensible. CHAPTER VIII. her burning and eloquent eyes upon the | Taborite chief: ‘a moment’s patience, she | repeuted,—‘ and all will be over! THE DAUGHTER OF GLORY S . . ,| 1 #£ shriek which burst from the lips ef ‘ sin 25 I will ast? ee Sa Gloria was the only indication that met the observed Zitzka, turning aside and avert-| Knijoht’s ear of an: ing his face from a ceremony which in-| ing felt at the sulden aie ti 7. ee en ten neg ae a | 108 udden apparition of the spired him wi cepest disgust, ane &t)monk—the strange words which he had which he was evidently no willing wit-| yttered—or the extinction of the light, > 5 ness. and the consequent plunging of the church ‘Have vou aught more tosay?’ demand-|into total darkness. Even Zitzka was ed Gloria, addressing herself to the Ab-| silent; but how this could be, Sir Ernest bess. ‘ Methinks that you act unwisely in| had no time to reflect—for there was a rash refusing the sum which the Captain-Gene-j| of many footsteps towards the door, as if tla ~ fhm | > te le ee ee —_ — a -* * as = ‘ enn COmMICDOOKS.COlm