The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. hear, he will retire,’ said the baroa.— ‘But you know, good father, that there are few secrets of ours with which he is unacquainted,—and that he has been | make some communication relative to the sworn custodian of the Bronze Sta-| this youth. tue for. upwards of five and twenty | that you have sought me now 2” years.’ ‘I am fully aware of all Hubert’s | «Learn, then, that the being. who ef- eminent services and of the implicit | fected your liberation from the Castle confidence which may be put in him,’ | answered the priest. ‘Nay, more, I would trust my very life to his keeping. But as I would fain converse with your lordship on family matters , ‘Be it so,’ exclaimed the baron.— ‘Hubert, you may retire.’ The old steward bowed and quitted the apartment; but, instead of hasten- ing away from its vicinage, he passed into an adjoining chamber, or small cabinet, which was separated only by a wainscotting from the baron’s room.— He was, therefore, enabled to overhear the greater portion of the dialogue which now ensued between his master and the Carthusian. i ' ‘Now that we are alone together,’ said the baron, ‘ your reverence may speak fearlessly.’ ‘IT sought your lordship thus early,’ observed the priest, ‘because | was fearful that the various avocations which the number of your guests and the pre- paratives for the war will necessarily entail upon you, might preclude the possibility of our finding an opportunity for private conference when once the bustle and business of the day shall have begun.’ ‘I presume, then, that you wish to give me some details of that expedition which you undertook the day before yesterday, and the failure of which you took occasion to intimate to me ina word last night ?’ said the baron, inter- rogatively. + No, I did not intend to trouble your lordship with a long narrative on that head,’ responded the priest. ‘Suffice it to say that my purpose was defeated by the sudden appearance of that same person who rescued your lordship, the Marquis of Schomberg, and the Count of Rosenberg from the Castle of Prague.’ ‘And five of our gallant fellows were lost-——was it not so?’ demanded the ba- ron. ‘Alas! such was the case,’ replied the Carthusian. your liberator in known to you.’ ‘The liberator of myself and fellow- ‘The Austrian and | dread engine of punishment in the sub- the bright armor |terraneans of your castle, as he is un- fought like demons,—and the result 1s | aware of what is passing at this mo- 329 prisoners was a certain Angelo Wildon was he not?’ said the baron. ‘ And now I remember that you promised to Is it for such a purpose ‘ Partially,’ answered the Carthusian. of Prague and who fights with all the prowess of a man, is a woman, a lovely young woman r ‘A woman!’ exclaimed the baron, starting up in his couch with amaze- ment. ‘Impossible! And yet—now that I recollect—the countenance which that bright vizor revealed, when raised, was of a delicate complexion and femi- nine cast ‘It is as I have told your lordship,’ interrupted the priest. ‘ That being is a woman, a beauteous woman; and, for aught I know, a virtuous one too. But what is more important than all, is that your son has conceived a violent passion for her.’ ‘Rodolph in love with my liberatrix !’ ejaculated the baron. *'Then he knows her? he sent her to deliver me from captivity ? he was at the bottom of it all ?’ | ‘ Nothing of the kind, my lord,’ said Father Cyprian coolly. ‘ Angela Wil- don is the adopted daughter of Lord Rosenberg’s principal forest-keeper ; and your son, having seen her, fell des- perately in love with her. On one oc- casion he endeavored to carry her off, when she was rescued by the Austrian, who was on his way hither at the time. Hence the hostility which Lord Ro- dolph conceived for that personage,— hence also the vindictive letter which he wrote to you concerning him. Sub- sequently, your son succeeded in get- ting Angela into his power; and for some days she was a prisoner in the State Chamber.’ ‘In the State Chamber!’ repeated the baron, his countenance becoming livid with indignation. -*Oh! if Roaolph dared to do this, and if Hubert permit- ted him ‘ ‘Tranquillise yourself, my lord,’ said the priest. ‘Remember that your son knows nothing respecting the tribunal of the Bronze Statue—that he is as far from suspecting the existence of the MO po s s = anal Fa. tS } - a ~ — : ~ z _— a -e “ 2 a . - en ae ee P, bs ° pa pe Fl PP: 2 ti. a ® . . : < — « — -_ ~ * ow 4 i % ‘ - ~ = 4a, 4 , . - 4 ' - > Fe 4 : * a , ; » ee a > ad - a, 2kur * ™ ee ~~ 2 - eo + « ~~ x atl — ment a thousand miles off; and that if he choose to gratify a whim or caprice eS te ote 2 és aarti i i ‘ - 7 i mnt » 4 Y ~~ pane vere tee comicbooks.com