The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 37% prian learnt the intelligence (which had lately reached the ‘T’aborite quar- ters) that the Emperor Sigismund was dead. The tidings were forthwith pro- | claimed to the whole garrison, accompa- nied by an assurance which Father Cy- prian’s inventive brain had supplied, and which was to the effect that a new em- peror had already been elected, and was | the lowest menials, or became an easy / ’ / marching at the head of an immense. army to the relief of Altendorf Castle, and to the espousal of the aristocratic | cause against the Republican Reform- | ers. This mendacious rumor was greedily swallowed by a horde of des- | ferocity of wolves, the walls were still perate men who were ready to catch at straws; and the soldiers vowed to sub- | mit to any privations rather than submit to the ‘Taborites. But the pressure of famine soon be-| eame horrible—horrible! Day after day and hour after hour were the Baron of Altendorf and the Carthusian priest compelled to circulate all kinds of re- ports in order to cheer the garrison.-— Sometimes they had recourse to indl- rect intimidation, declaring that Zitzka had published decrees written in his own blood, and ordering no quarter to be given to any prisoners who might fall into the hands of the Taborites.— The result of this diabolical falsehood was to inspire the aristocratic soldiers with the courage of desperation, and make them not only defend the walls with fiend-like fury, but also put up as well as they were able with the awful pressure of want. ' / ' ’ | For the last week of the five during | which the siege had now been continu- ed, heaven only knows how the inmates of the castle subsisted! Even with the noble lords and high born dames it was | a quarrelling for the mouldiest crusts. that were raked up from corners and nooks—it was a constant groping here and there for anything in the shape of eatables—it was a scramble, a struggle, a conflict for the least morsel of food that could be found. rank, sex, and age was forgotten; de- pendants snatched the last mouthful from the grasp of their masters and mis- tresses; a horrible selfishness and an in- fernal egotism broke up all the decen- All regard for prey to the brutual lusts of a ferocious and maddened soldiery. Among the garrison itself all disci- pline was at an end; and the men would have surrendered the castle to the ‘Ta- borites, or sallied forth in the desperate hope of cutting their way through the besiegers, had it not been for the influ- ence of the reports which Father Cy- prian was constantly circulating through- out the stronghold. ‘Through the same cause, also, and likewise inasmuch as famine had sharpened the bloody in- stincts of the soldiery into the savage defended with desperation whenever the Taborites mounted to the assault. At length whispers of an appalling nature began to circulate throughout the castle: and those who listed to the tales that were thus breathed in subdued voices and horror-stricken tones were themselves paralyzed with a dread con- sternation. Men began to look sullenly and suspiciously upon each other—to avoid meeting only one or two together in dark places, and to walk about at night instead of repairing to the dormi- tories. A fearful sentiment had visibly stricken many in that doomed commu- nity ; and with the rapidity of the pes- tilence was it spreading! | And soon, full soon, was the hideous terror realised; and the most damna- ble scene in the whole drama of min- gled sadness and horror was placed upon the stage. The Famine had bred its invariable progeny; and Cannibalism was now raging, like a plague, through- out the vast stronghold of Altendorf. Yes, this was indeed the case! The mangled remains of young children and of women were found in various parts ‘of the castle : while the ferocious Jooks,. the infernal recklessness, the ruffian- like desperation, and the insolent bra- vado of some of the nobles and many ‘of the soldiers, stamped the Cain-brand ————I cies of society, and produced utter de-. moralization. ‘T'o drown their miseries | in. forgetfulness, the haughtiest dames | and the most lovely girls flew with avid- ity to the wine bin or the flask of strong waters; and, when wallowing In the filthy slough of drunkenness, tney either | upon those who had flown to this last and diabolical resource of human pri- vation. But none dared charge the cannibals with the deed; none ventured to ac- cuse them with murder and anthropo- phagism! For all human lies were broken in that doomed castle by the hand of Famine; and there was no law now in force—no authority exer- ‘cised by man—no fear entertained of ‘God! ‘The wretches who took the ini- voluntarily abandoned their persons to! tiative in the work of cannibalism as- sumed that bold front and adopted that comicbooks.com -_——e ham ee A — 4 = ee a. & —— teas a + = 72 ax Pater a2 > — ~ -, - Oe ee ee a a ae. — ee = w?. 2 ae ed .7 :—-- ¢ *- WAX @o- ’ J 4s 0) x. oF" ~ _——. ute eer? 4 > > e 44-5°%9 »* ** = & » 2? —S— =~ al S —- CPEP PL EF Ir tA TL ‘ “2 2? oe : . » - ~*~ : _ a 4 _ - os 5 es. = _t % ad 2 —s = AS te “ = . — 4 = < arp ae. — ~~ eee oo . « vg cm om ~ ‘ tech Seat ; ? - . - . ee . > none a «4 —, ata ® «£. ‘ > *-- * Lt wi SS? 9S . ~ a oe — = <— oo > -~ oe Py es 4 iTS 4 - ox eptaee Oo. : wll s —_— ~~ J. o* * « “3 %. - “5 ae . e . y ~~" =: 7 2 * o ¢ . o~ 4 on e . See ee ph Tea ee oo 3 ere 7 -* tog _ et. 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