The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

-. . 380 THE BRONZE STATUE. convey not only these provisions for her immediate comfort, but also this dis- guise to enable her to quit that appalling scene of famine, horror, and wretched- ness.’ Thus speaking, Angela Wildon emp- tied the contents of her parcel at Zitz- ka’s feet. ‘Excellent young woman, how gene- rous is thine heart! how hervic is thy conduct !’ exclaimed the Captain-Gene- ral, in a perfect enthusiasm of admira- tion. ‘But who is this lady that hath thus interested thee? She must be an estimable woman indeed, to have ob- tained so firm a hold of the sympathies of such as thou! ‘Tell me, then, who she is—and without an instant’s delay will [ send a herald to proclaim a safe and secure egress for her, should she choose to avail herself of that passport and quit the famine-stricken stronghold. Nay, more, [ will guarantee to her a full and complete forgiveness for the past, however deeply she may have in- trigued against the Taborite dominion, and however strenuously she may have abetted the cause of a royalty now de- funct and an aristocracy whose last hopes were ruined on this day’s battle- field. ‘J’ell me, then, young damsel, who is the lady that hath won thy re- gards, for right anxious am I to render thee a service by showing leniency to- wards thy friend.’ ‘QO, generous warrior—as _ noble- hearted as thou art brave—as merciful as thou art valorous !’ exclaimed Ange- la, the tears of gratitude rolling down her cheeks: ‘ great indeed is the favor which thou has proposed to confer upon me, and by the proffer of which thou hast anticipated the boon that I was about to supplicate at thine hands. And yet, O mighty chieftain! am I now more than ever the prey to a strong bewilderment and crue! perplexity ; for I know nothing—absolutely nothing— of the Jady in whom my soul’s tender- est feelings are so profoundly interest- ed! Her name, her rank, the nature of the misfortunes which envelop her | doom in so dense a mystery—all, all} are unkuown to me; and even should I now hesitate to venture upon the most distant allusion to her, were it not for a frightful presentiment which haunts me like a spectre, and depicts that lady in the endurance of of all the poignant miseries attendant upon fa- mine !’ ‘Your words are full of mystery and darkness to me, Angela,’ said Zitzka, : astonished at the strange and even ap- parently wild manner in which the for- est-maiden had been speaking. * Where dwells this unknown friend of thine? and by what denomination shall my he- rald describe her to the insurgents who still hold Altendorf Castle ?’ ‘Oh! generous chief, pardon me if I am doing wrong——~and thou, too, O lady, in whose behalf lam now taking this grand responsibility on myself pardon me, | say,’ exclaimed Angela, her whole frame trembling with excite- ment; ‘for heaven knows that I am acting for the best!’ p hen taking the little velvet bag from her bosom, she opened it and drew forth the ring which the White Lady had given her r; and, falling upon her knees at the feet of the captain-gene- ral of the ‘T'aborites, she held the jewel towards him, murmuring in a tone tre- mulous with anxiety as to the result of her proceeding—-* A secret voice whis- pers In my soul that this ring will tell thee more than my tongue can explain! ¥ Had a thunderbolt suddenly fallen by Zitzka’s side, it would not have pro- duced upon him an effect more startling than that ring which he snatched— greedily snatched— from Angela’s hand. A single glance was sufficient to show him that it was indeed a ring which he had seen before: and all in an instant did a thousand tender associations flame up in his memory and illume in his mind ail the incidents of the past, as a lamp suddenly lights up every feature of a cavern gemmed with stalactites. ‘Angela, speak—hold me not in sus- pense,’ exclaimed Zitzka, in a broken voice, While his whole frame trembled with a powerful excitement— the lady who gave you that ring lives she still ?” ‘She lives, a voluntary prisoner in the deep and dreadful subterraneans of Altendorf,’ replied the forest-maiden, in a solemn tone. ‘My God! she lives—she lives |. mur- mured Aitzka, clasping his hands to- gether ina violent paroxysm of emo tion; then, as an idea struck across his mind like a flash of lightning, he sprang towards Angela, seized her by the hand, raised her from the suppliant posture which she still retained, and, while ex- amining her features with the most ear- nest attention, exclaimed, ‘ Yes—Oh! yes, it must be so! This resemblance ———But let me not remain in suspense ! Maiden, didst thou ever know thy pa- rents!’ comicbooks.com