The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 324: what you’re looking at

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

ti me ow JI22 task of rearing her child. to escape any researches which the Ba- ron of Altendorf mignt set on foot, should he happen to discover that her- self and Gloria were still living, she adopted another name, and changed that of Gloria to Marictta. ‘Ywo years passed away in uninterrupted tranquil- liry ; and at the expiration of this pe- riod am incident occurred which was destined to produce no slight influence upon the future career of Gloria.’ Satavais paused for a few moments gather breath, and perhaps likewise to arrange her thoughts and reminis- cences in a suitable manner. She then vesuined her narrative in these terms: ‘It was on a fine summer evening that the Baroness Emilia was seated at her cottage door, imparting to Gloria— then, nine years old—such instruction as her tender age enabled hey to appre- ciate, when a horseman came thunder- to ing along the road which lay at a little ‘against a ‘Turkish -horde. distunce, ‘The maddened pace of the animal caused the baroness to start from her seat; and almost at the very next instant the steed diverged from the beaten track, rushed franticly towards the cottage, and threw its rider upon the low palings fencing the garden, The horse galioped away, and the ba- roness, assisted. by aun aged female do- mestic whom she kept, proceeded to afford the necessary succor to the stran- ger. But how great was the surprise of the baroness when she recognised in the thrown horseman her bhusband’s former page, John Zitzka! He was perfectly insensible; and thus the re- cognition was not immediately mutual, Raising him from off the, fence across which he had been so violently flung, the baroness and the servant conveyed Zitzka into the cottage and placed him upon a couch. Restoratives were ad- —— ——— ————Ee ee ee eee — THE BRONZE STATUE. But in order} nest de Colmar, ia amazement at this most unexpected revelation. ‘Yes—such wus indeed the case,’ replied Satanais; ‘and when Zitzka came altogether to himself, he not only recognised in his benetfuctress the lady of his Jate master, Lord Ildegardo, but received from her own hips the astound- ing avowal that she was his sister! ‘Lhe baroness had purposely sent the old do- mestic out of the way for a.short time, in anticipation of this scene; and you may. conceive better than I can describe how fond was the embrace in which that. brother and sister indulged—how interesting were the explanations they had mutually to give—and how pro- found: was the sorrow experienced, by Zitzka on Jearning the sad fate of his father and his self-immolated. sisters, Relative to himself it appeared that on quitting the service of Lord Ldegardo, he bad passed into ELungary, and joined an expedition that. was about to march In that cam- puign he had signalised himself in a manner which was rewarded with the rank of captain ;, and he had remained with the Hungarians until he rose te the grade of lieutenant-general. ‘The war with Turkey then terminating; he revisited his. native country and repair- ed to Prague, where his excellent tes- timonials procured him.a high appoiut- ment about the person of the King of Bohemia. | This. office he had held about three or four months, when the accident occurred which threw him in the way of the Baroness Ennilia in, the manner already related. ‘The. injuries which, he bad sustained by the fall from his horse, compelled, him to. stay for several weeks at the cottage, aud dur ing that time he conceivd a profound affection for lis little niece Gloria.’ ‘And did he not think of proclaiming ministered, and in a short time he be-| his high birth and demanding the. re- gan to recover. By his uneasy move- ments, it became evident that his right arin wus injured; and the old domestic proceeded to remove his doublet in or- | storation of his estates which the crown had confiscated?’ asked De Colmar. ‘No—far from it,’ replied Satanais: ‘For when he learnt from the lips of the ' fe. ae baroness all the terrible narrative of the Ildegardo family, be saw thatif he were to assert his claims to the peerage and i lands of Georgey, he must. produce his der to ascertain what ailment he had received. But surely the hand of Pro- vidence wasin all this; fur no sooner was the right arm thus laid bare, when + -_—~ é ~~ - 3 SS ~~ ae iP eS ~»* ow ohn. oe a _* 7 — ‘ ~ - » : - “ *~* - ’ - » aw 4 ™ #aty «a “"y * 7 s ‘ . a 2 » mM es re. ’ * é - - » «a*> =< . da. we a q i - > e@ “@n. fi é the baroness was transfixed with amaze-| sister as a witness in order to es- ah ment on beholding the mark of a tablish his identity with the lost son of i api mulberry on the upper part of the| the late baron; and by taking this step, vig limb! such publicity. would be given to the Bias ‘What! John Zitzka the long lost| whole proceedings, that, the formidable tie son of Baron Georgey—the brother of| Lord of Altendorf could_not fail to hear ate the Baroness Emilia—and consequently | that the Lady Emilia was still in exisr | Va the uncle of Gloria!’ exclaimed Sir Er-|tence. The tribunal of the Bronze | ‘ comicbooks.com