The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 367: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 365 from many travellers passing this way,’ said Bernard, ‘and moreover it has been the talk of the surrounding vil- lages ever since. Great festivities took place for three or four successive days at Altendorf; then came the bridal evening,—and on this occasion some dreadful incident occurred. What it occurrences at Altendorf Castle fell upon her ears, did her imagination as- sociate the White Lady with those mysterious and apparently supernatural incidents. * No, question me not,’ she repeated, ‘but continue your recital, Messer Bernard, I beseech you.’ ‘Many and momentous things may was, has never been fully ascertained; | be summed up in a few words,’ resum- no doubt there was good reason, in more quarters than one, to hush it up. But rumor does say that an apparition arose | in a blaze of glory from behind the | altar-piece, that the form resembled a corpse dressed in its winding-sheet,— and that it forbade the alliance between Lord Rodolph and the queen. How true all this may be, | know not; cer- tain it is, however, that something ter- rible did occur in the chapel, and the queen was struck dead by sudden alarm,’ ‘This is strange and mouraful intel- ligence, good Bernard,’ said the knight, not knowing what to think of the mar- vellous tale just related. ‘Strange and mournful indeed!’ eja- culated Angela with so singular an ac cent that the looks of Bernard and De Colmar were immediately and simul- taneously turned upon her. ‘ But why have you never told me all this?’ she demanded of the old man. ‘ Because you were so unwearied and so constant in your attendance upon his excellency, that you never had lei- gure nor inclination to converse upon any subject that did not regard himself or the progress of his malady. And moreover,’ added Bernard, ‘I should not have thought that you were to any ex- tent interested in such matters as those whereof I have been speaking.’ ‘True! and it was natural that you should have deemed me thus indiffe- rent,’ said Angela, in a musing tone,— then she passed her hand in momen- tary consideration across her brow,— from her brow that fair hand reached her lip on which the fore-finger rested for a moment, and then it sank in a listless sort of embarrassment. ‘ Angela,’ said De Colmar, regarding the maiden with an earnest interest and profound attention, ‘the intelligence just imparted by the venerable Bernard has affected you strangely.’ ‘Oh! question me not?’ she cried, absolutely starting as if fearful that the secret which she cherished respecting the White Lady should escape her ina moment of self-forgetfulness, for the instant old Bernard’s narrative af the ed the old man. ‘Scarcely was the queen’s hurried funeral performed, when John Zitzka appeared at the head of twenty thousand men around the walls of Altendorf Castle.’ ‘ Not even this incident did you make known to me!’ exclaimed Angela.— ‘But pray proceed. What has hap- pened at Altendorf ?’ ‘The siege still continues,’ replied Bernard. ‘Numerous assaults have been made upon the stronghold; but the defence is gallantly conducted. The provision magazines were destroyed by a desperate achievement on the part of Zitzka; and it is generally believed that famine already presses the garri- son.’ ‘ Famine,—O God !’ ejaculated Ange- la, becoming deadly pale, for her pro- foundest interest was now awakened on behalf of the White Lady. ‘ But are you sure, Messer Bernard! are you certain that such is indeed the case ?” ‘] have no better authority than ru- mor,’ replied the old man, ‘ for if it be true that famine is an inmate of Alten- dorf Castle, the garrison keep the ap- palling secret to themselves. Never was a beleaguerment conducted with more perseverance or defended with more desperate valor.’ ‘ But the Captain-General of the Ta: borites will triumph at last,’ observed De Colmar, ‘for he is assuredly one of the greatest warriors of the age. And now tell us, good Bernard, what is the condition of the other parts of Bohe- mia ?’ ‘The T'aborites are everywhere do- minant, save in these southern dis- tricts,’ responded Bernard. ‘ Zitzka’s lieutenants rule the north, the east, and the west; and when the south is sub- dued, all Bohemia will be in the hands of the Reformers.’ ‘What other intelligence have you for me?’ inquired De Colmar, after a- long pause, duaing which he appeared. to be reflecting profoundly upon the words that had last fallen from the old man’s lips. ‘Ah! I remember,’ exclaimed Ber- nard,a sudden recollection flashing to ad eee ee ‘= 27- 2 am oe. * a? yet - Zz eS se 1s - + < , a ih hei . ; . “4 ; ’ . = a Ss oe - * «@—&, ou nm - . o ‘eae ees ome vo ~s - nites - ~~ a Be Ma ie =." = ee _ ¢ a fe 9 ~ ¥ ws es — Sn o/~ yatta Oe — - Was ag ao » > — ona ~ hail - 5 he . ae pee (See s 43 iy “- ll iv a . =~ = ye oe al ° co . | a - _~es oy = . ¢ ~a -~ A. z —_ . 1 ~ = es > vy, Wr . bane 39> ¥ . a te oe - a es * bd “ll ey 384 -; oe Sp *) « _. oe -- i. 4 Bete SH oa Aas ail - so 5 2 —4 <a at o Ps a - Ad ya SS : a, “ , 2 _ a > ~ + . fA 4 cA}. , <4 *« ove vw ce. ¥ c re ie , =. comicbooks.com _ < ate & > re" LAr