The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

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But the past cannot be recalled,’ added the Count of Rosen- berg, his voice suddenly sinking into a solemn lowness; ‘and not even to this unhappy man will [ murmur a syllable of reproach, since remorse has already touched him so profoundly!’ As he uttered these last words, the nobleman bent his eyes upon the Baron of Altendorf, who was standing with folded arms and looks fixed downward— the image of despair |! Presently the door opened, and one of Zitzka’s favorite attendants entered toannounce that all the prepurations were completed for the funeral of the Baroness of Altendorf. The Captain- General glanced inquiringly towards the Baron, and this miserable noble- man, stricken with compunction for the past and well nigh broken-hearted by the loss of his son, raised his eyes and intimated by a look that he still ad- hered to his promise of taking part in the mourntul ceremony. Then Hubert led the way, holding two wax tapers in his hand. ‘The ba- ron of Altendorf went next; and Ange- Ja, leaning upon the arms of her father and her uncle, followed, Along the corridor did they proceed: a private staircase was descended, and the party entered the castle chapel. <A door be- hind the altar-screen opened on the stone steps conducting down into the subterraneans ;—and a circuitous ruvute of winding passages led the party into the place of tombs without rendering it necessary for them to pass through the hall of the Bronze Statue or the chamber of the machinery. The principal avenue of the vast ce- metery was lighted with wax tapers burning in iron branches fixed to the vaulted roof, and the two lines of light extended up to the grating of the mar family died, ere the coffin was borne down into the vaults to be consigned to but | whose present appellation of Ziizka has | ‘the large iron grating leading thereto, from the oratorio—down the ble staircase which led to the oratorio. | This subterranean chapel was used for the performance of the burial service, whenever a member of the Altendorf | THE BRONZE STATUE. the sepulchre prepared to receive it: and the moment that Angela reached and which now stood open, she remem- bered that it was from the lips of her own departed mother she had first re- ceived the explanation of the purpose to which that oratorio was appropria- ted. Attendants stood ready with mourn- ing cloaks which were instantaneously assumed by Zitzka, his daughter, the Baron of Altendorf, the Count of Ro- senberg, and the old steward ; and this preliminary step to the still more so- lemn ceremony was performed in the midst of a deep silence. ‘I'he party then ascended the marble staircase and entered the oratorio, which was hung with black drapery and purposely ar- ranged with so few lights that the as- pect of the place was that of funeral dimness. The coffin, covered with its sable pall, stood in the middle of the little chapel. On one side the male mem- bers of the late Brotherhood were rang- ed as mourners : on the other stood the females. The former still wore their black cloaks, the Jatter their white dress- es of the Order of Mount Carmel. A Catholic priest stood at the altar ;—for the Captain-General of the ‘Taborites had commanded the funeral service to be performed in accordance with the Romish ritual, as a delicate and feeling homage to the religious faith of her ‘husband, the brother, and the daughter of the deceased. Nor did the Count of Rosenberg fail to appreciate this gene- rous concession on the part of the stur- dy Reformer and stern Republican who had waged so resolute a warfare against the church of Rome and all superstiti- ous traditions as well as feudal.pomp ; and if anything had been wanting to convince the Count that Zitzka was in reality a noble-minded man, this cir- cumstance would shave confirmed the fact. The ceremony was commenced : the De Profundis was chaunted with a sub- lime solemnity by the priest and the : members of the. Brotherhood ;—and solid stone pillars that supported the | when the usual prayers had been reci- ted, the coffin was borne slowly away marble steps—into the place of tombs. ‘There it was consigned to the monument which had been raised to the memory of the deceased twenty long years before, and |which was now opened to receive in ‘reality the remains of the lamented la- comicbooks.com