The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

‘ THE BRONZE STATUE. 43 «the presence of the nobles and theirretain-}another. Then you declare that the Ta- ers and troops having the effect of maintain-}borites have abilished titles of nobility: ing order. A\l the Huassites, R. formers and | well, you must first show that there was @ T’aborites—or at least those who avowedly |} virtue in their abolition. Again, you belong to those sects, have left the capital; | charge the Taborites with having threat- and the Roman Cutholic worship is resumed | ened a divisionof property which you yonr- in our churches. Bat trade and commerce |self call more equitable; ii, then, it be have suffered sadly ; and we are all waiting | equitable—where is the wrong or the error? anxiously for the grand day—the second of | Lastly, you aver that the Taborites have August—when the cvounci! is to meet. The | spread terror throughout the country: but, fate of the country may then be decided— | you should remember that had not mo- —either by the supremacy of the Aristoc- | narchs and prelates, in couneil assembled, racy or the Republican party.’ doomed John Huss to the stake, Ziuzka ‘And in the province—what 1s the state | would never have raised his arm against of opinion ?’ demanded the Knight. the established institutions of Bohemia— ‘The priesthood is almost stronger m the | nor would such a name as that of ‘Taborite provinces than in Prague,’ returned Temp-|been known, Can you not, therefore, per- lin; ‘and thus the T'aborite cause has a/|ceive that these Reformers are not so very powerful influence to contend against. ‘Oh: | far wrong as prejudice and wilful exagge- Sir Ernest de Colmar,” exclaimed the land-| ration wou!d fain represent them 2’ lord, with an outburst of sudden feeling—| ‘Holy Virgin! Sir Knight, exclaimed ‘if civil war should arise, it will be dread-| the landlord, crossing himself devoutly, éul in the extreme: forit will beareligious |‘one would almost be inclined to fancy warfare—and such a contest will turn both | that your Excellency is a Hussite and sides into ferocious, rabid, raging fanatics.’ heformer.’ ‘You are right—you are right” said Sir| ‘No—tIt am a Catholic, and not by any Ernest de Colmar, emphatically : ‘and every | means likely to jom the Taborites or pro- humane sentiment demands that such a/claim myself.a Republican, answered Sir warfare shall be prevented. But ere now | Ernest, with a peculiar smile of covert sig- you spoke bitterly of Zitzka and his Tab-|nificancy: ‘ but I love to be just and im- orites.’ partial towards all sects and classes—and ‘Yes—because they despoiled the|I[ am well assured that the Taborites are churches of their ornaments—persecuted | not such ruffians, nor is their leader such a the priesthood—shut up. many monasteries | ferocious savage as they are commonly and many convents—turned monks adrift | represented to be. That they may become and compelled nuns to go back to their|so, if goaded to desperation by the resist- parents and homes—destroyed the monar-/ance of the Aristocracy, i8 only too pro- chy—proclaimed Republicanism---abolish- | bable,’ added the Knight, in a tone of deep ed titles of nobility—threatened a more | conviction. equitable division of property—and spread| ‘What, then, would your Excellency terror, in fine, throughout the country. | recommend ?’ inquired the landlord. This is the sum of their wickedness, added | ‘Mutual concessions, which alone can the landlord. lead to a good understanding and avert the ‘Let us look calmly, fairly, and deliber-| imminent horrors of civil war,’ was the ately at these proceedings of which you | prompt reply. complain,’ said de Colmar. ‘The Taborites| ‘Ah! fortunate is it that one of your despoiled the churches of their ornaments, | Excellency’s wisdom should have been you say: but the spoliation consisted only | sent to assist at the approaching council of the Catholic symbols and emblems, | exclaimed the landlord. ‘There is a good which they converted into coin and dis- | feeling in Bohemia towards Austria; and, tributed amongst the poor. The Taborites|as the representative of the great Duke have persecuted the priesthood, you ob-| Albert, your Excellency will have no small serve: they have certamly levied contribu- | degree of influence with the robles. tions on the rich ecclesiastical institutions;| ‘I shall endeavor to do my duty,’ ob- but they have iil-treated no individual |served the Knight. ‘Know you what has minister of the Catholic Church. They |beconie of the late King Wenzel’s only have shut up monasteries and convents: | child. the Princess Klizabetha ? yes--those which were in a state of demo-} ‘Alas: the distracted state of the country ralization and disorder of scandalous no- | has compelied that orphan princess to con- toriety. The ‘’aborites have destroyed the | ceal hersei! in some impenetrable’ retreat,’ f monarchy and have proclaimed Republi- |answered the landlord ; ‘and even her best canism; and this you allege against them |friends and those most devoted to her as acrime: but there can be no crime in| cause are ignorant of her present abode.’ opposing onepolitical system and advocating | dn whose guardianship is she, think you ? comicbooks.com