The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

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Va 2 . ¢ ll be en outs r.. i je as » ng i —_— », 4 he > 8 Piet am of a >> «4 * * os * — < - i" i = —_ a a -. tus - ~ * , * \ —* — e ~~ 4 ~~ 4 ey - —oe x , , —— ™ -~ - ~~ a oa y a *-* +" - © > * — rs _ ” » os -, ; — ~ > 4 - = Se o - = - ~ - " pt fe = pa © f * wn o- Wa Ss ~ ® -se - —s _— Se ed 7 oe - ol —_ - - ‘ ed >» a &® “* >_> st - Pot : - > ‘light. .g up its dead !” 308 the unpopular steward to office had fol- lowed close upon the sudden disap- pearance and alleged journey of Father ‘feracles, the multitudes snatched at the circumstance as a damning proof that Korali had been an aider and abet- tor with his master in the murder.— Then arose the furious cry of ‘*'T’o the Castle!’ and on: pressed the yelling, corpse in their midst, and with their ghastly weapons gleaming in the sun- The Baron of Iidegardo and the Lady Emilia were walking in the garden | at the time, unsuspicious of the evil that was brewing, and watching the lovely Gloria as with butterfly-playful- ness she was disporting amidst the flow- ers fragrant as her own breath, radiant as her own beauty, and pure as her own infantile thoughts: when sudden- ly the clamor of the approaching mullti- ‘tude broke upon the tranquillity of the scene. I was the first of all the depen- dants to rush into the garden and ac- quaint my lord and lady with the fact that the peasantry were advancing with a hostile intent, though on what ground I could not conjecture. The Lady Km- ijia, not for an instant imagining that any danger threatened her husband, at once declared that she was ready to go forth with him and meet the insurgents. Taking, therefore, her husband’s arm and leading little Gloria on the other side, the Baroness summoned all her ener- gy to her aid; and followed by myself and other dependants, the noble couple and their child passed out of the pos- tern and appeared in the presence of ~the armed crowd. ‘ At first there was a murmur of ap- ‘plause when the peasantry caught sight -of the young mother and her daughter, ‘both so radiantly beautiful; but in an- other instant a terrific cry of vengeance arose, and the sack was emptied of its ‘hideous contents at the feet of the Ba- ron! <A wild shriek of terror burst from the lipsof Emilia, although she knew not whose remains were thus flung forth to her view; and the little Gloria pressed more closely to her side, raising up her innocent countenance with an air of earnest inquiry towards | the horror-stricken features of her mo- | ther. As for the Baron—/e stood trans- fixed with a mute consternation which | lasted for nearly a minute : then throw- ing up his arms in a paroxysm of inde- scribable agony, he exclaimed, *‘It is the corpse of Heracles !—the river has giv- a 'from the incensed peasantry. a THE BRONZE STATUE. ‘+«¢Q God! protect us!” shrieked the wretched Emilia ;--then, suddenly turn ° ing towards her husband, she exclaimed in broken accents. ‘‘ But no—it cannot be—you did not do it—that good old man Oh! no—no— it isimpossible !’ + + Yes—it is impossble!’ | repeated, rushing forward and waving. my hand to impose silence upon the multitude, ‘howling, terrible peasantry, carrying the | ‘* Hear me, my friends—and whatever be your suspicions, I implore you not to judge hastily !”’ ‘©¢ We will have vengence upon the murderers of Heracles!’ was the ter- rific shout that rose in deafening peal The Baron of Ildegardo and his man Korali must answer for this !” + +¢ Speak to them, my lord—speak to them, I conjure you! ” said I to the Ba- ron. ‘Tell them that you at least are innocent——” — ‘© ¢ Yes—I am innocent—I take God to witness that Iam innocent!” cried Iidegardo, who in the meantime had raised his unconscious wife in his arms. ‘++ Tnnocent! Oh—thank heaven that you are innocent !”’ she exclaimed, coming to life once more just at the very instant that those words fell from her husband’s lips ;—and suddenly re- gaining all her wonted energy, the Ba- roness was about to implore the leaders of the multitude to give the Baron a hearing, when forth from the Castle rushed Korali at’ the head of the arch- ers, all armed to the teeth. .‘ A dreadful scene of confusion then followed: for a conflict instantaneously commenced between the peasants and the soldiers. With the greatest diffi- culty did I succeed in getting the Lady Emilia and Gloria away from the terri- fic scene; though if I were now asked to explain how I managed thus to res- cue them from the turmoil that opened with such fury, I could not give the de- tails of the incident. All was contu- sion, horror, and dismay; and my thoughts were a whirlwind until I found myself at a distance from the scene of strife, with the Lady Emilia hanging upon my arm, and the little Gloria cling- ing to my hand. We halted beneath the shade of a grove; and then the ba- roness wildly demanded of me, for the hundredth time, whether her husband was following. He was no where to be seen: and, in her frenzied grief, she vowed that she would return and seek him, or else perish by his side. But I placed the weeping Gloria in her arms, -and, covering the child with kisses, she comicbooks.com -. ti i