The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

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Then if an expression of|tain who it was that came to throw a anguish passed over his countenance, | heavy sack into the Moldau at the dead Emilia was not surprised ; for she knew | of night.” that he must feel acutely the inauspl- ‘**And now that thine impertinent clous circumstances of the innocent| curiosity is gratified,’ returned the ba. babe’s entrance into this life—and there | ron, ** thou wilt do well to take thy de- was consequently no reason to make} parture promptly.” her suspect the occurrence of any great- ‘++ Not so, my lord,’ said Korali ; er misfortune. Her husband’s visit to| ‘for as accident has thus thrown us to- her chamber was necessarily short, on| gether, we will not separate so easily. account of her delicate condition: and'Ina word, I am aman rendered despe- it was an indescribable relief to his| rate by misfortunes ; houseless, money- harrowed mind when he could with-| less, foodless, and in rags; whatever I draw to the solitude of his own apart- | do must improve my condition, for no- ment, and give free vent to that anguish | thing can possibly make it worse.” which it was maddening torture to con-|_ ‘** If you require gold, my purse isat ceal. your service,” said Ildegardo: * but on ‘Hours passed—and when midnight! the condition that you take your depar- came and all was still throughout Ilde-| ture this instant.” gardo Castle, the baron proceeded to} ‘** Your lordship’s gold will keep me the chamber of the murdered priest.|for a few weeks, or perhaps a few hrusting the mangled remains into a| months.” observed Korali ; ‘and when sack, he bore the grisly load down a} it is all expended, I shall be in as wo- private staircase, and passed with all, ful a condition as ever. No, I will not possible speed into the garden. His | accept the compromise.” purpose was to bury the corpse in some ‘**Compromise !”’ ejaculated the Ba- secluded nook within the grounds; but! ron of Ildegardo, sternly ; ** this inso- the nervousness arising from the dread lence to me! ButI warn you not to of interruption and discovery rendered | provoke me farther, or my poinard shall / i him incapable of hollowing the grave ;| drink your heart’s blood.” ’ and once more shouldering the burthen,| < « Pauper as I am, a dagger yet re- he hastened to the bank of the river! mains in my possession,’’ answered Ko- with the intention of consigning the! rali, with cool determination ; “and if. corpse to the tranquil depths that Jay | you draw your’s, it will be a struggle to beneath its moonlit bosom. But at the! the death '” very moment when, having put several} ‘** Then what do you require of me, large stones into the sack, he was about | villain?” exclaimed the Baron of Ilide- to roll.it into the Moldau, a man burst| gardo, scarcely able to subdue his wrath. forth from the shade of the tree over- Speak, and detain me not!” hanging the spot. The baron threw] ‘Give me a patient hearing, my down his burthen and turned to fly pre- | lord,” interrupted Korali; ‘* and I shall cipitately ; but the intruder caught him | not occupy your attention many min- roughly by the arm, and Tdedlieda. | utes. Know, then, that I sought the whirled round, as it were, by the force vicinage of your castle for the purpose and suddenness of the proceeding, | of presenting myself to your lordship found himself face to face with Korali, | to-morrow morning, and imploring your the unprincipled intendant whom bit saidol for the past and your counte- had banished from his estates immedi-| nance for the future. 1 should have ately after the defeat of Baron Man- besought you to receive me again into tredo. your service, even though it were to fill ‘**Ah! my late noble master!’ eja-| the most menial office in your house- culated Korali, the recognition being| hold. But since I have had the good mutual; ‘ this is indeed apiece of good| fortune thus to meet you, and under fortune PS such circumstance——” ‘** What mean you?” demanded the| < « Explain yourself!” cried the ba- baron, shaking him abruptly off; ‘and| ron, abruptly. wherefore did you thus lay a hand up-; <«*J mean, my lord,’ returned Kora- : li, nothing daunted, “that I find your st My lord, be not angry with me,’ lordship upon the bank of the river, at said Korali; “ for at the instant I knew midnight, and about to hurl into the si- not who you were. But perceiving | lent waters a sack containing something something strange and suspicious in; which fell ere now from your shoulders your conduct, I was resolved to ascer- | with a dull, dead, heavy sound . (oom comicbooks.com