The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

44 THE BRONZE STATUE. -—to whose care was she left? inquired de Co!mar, anxious to learn, if possible, how fer the Carthusian priest's connexion with the late monarch and with the Prin- chivalrous disposition—although his better qualities were always mingled with strange eccentricities and peculiarities. It may therefore be that some private cause of @ cess Elizabetha might be generally known | domestic nature originally excited this ter or suspected. ‘All that concerns the unfortunate young lady is involved in mystery,’ answered the Jandlord. rible man to proclaim war against the Popedom and the priesthood.” _ | ‘It is believed, then, that Zitzka never ‘At the time when her royal| was married?’ said the Knight, interro- father died, the utmost excitement pre-| gatively. vailed in Prague—and the proceedings of | ‘Such is the prevailing opinion,’ an- the Tuaborites engrossed the public atten-! swered the landlord. tion far more than aught which took place | within the palace. King Wenzel breathed his Jast—his daughter disappeared ut the | same moment—confusion became worse confounded—and that isall I know. Alas! in spite of everything which your Excel- lency urged in his behalf ere now, Zitzka has much to answer for,’ added the land- | lord, who, although “an enlightened and | Mtelligent man in many respects, was wofully prejudiced against the Taborites. ‘Has it not been said that some private | injury first provoked John Zitzka to raise | the standard of hostility against the priest- hood ?’ enquired De Colmar. | ‘There is a vague rumor current to that. effect, Sir Knight, was the response: ‘ but I know not how true it may be—nor in- deed the precise detail of the report itself. ‘But it appears to be known that he has relatives—such as_ sisters; nieces, and cousins ¢’ observed De Colmar, still in an inquiring manner. ‘I am inclined to believe that even these statements are mere surmises, responded Templin. ‘In truth, little or nothing is known relative to his private history. Ifa near and dear relative of Zitzka were really wronged or outraged by a priest, rumor stops short with the mention of the bare fact and does not attempt to tell us who or what the lady was, nor even hints at the name of the offending priest. ‘Therefore, supposing that the flimsy report be based on truth, the deed itself must have been carefully hushed up at the time of the occurrence,’ ‘Has it ever reached your ears, good I believe, however, that a sister, or cousin | landlord,’ asked the Knight, ‘that a very —or at ail events, some relative of Zitzka | beautiful woman, of romantic name and —experienced -outrage or wrong at the| mysterious origin, dwells in the Taborite hands of a priest ;—but whether the offence | encampment and exercises no mean influ- bore so exaggerated a color as that of rape or whether it were the more ordinary tur- mots of seduction—I cannot inform you. | ndeed, the rumor itself is the veriest| skeleton and flimsiest outline of a legend | that ever obtained currency; and it is more than probable that there is not the. slightest truth in it. At the same time | should inform your Excellency,’»continued the landlord, ‘ that John Zitzka was always considered a strange, mysterious, and ac- | countable being, even while occupying the post of Lord Chamberlain to King Wenzel, and before he founded the T'aborite sect. It is sald that in early life he loved and was beloved by a beauteous lady of far higher rank than his own then was—and that | either she proved faithless to him, or that her relatives compelled her to espouse another. However this may be, certain does it appear that John Zitzka experien- ced in his youthful days some grievous dis- ee appointment of this nature, the influence | of which imparted a moody tinge anda misanthropic shade to his character. Brave even to the most wilful recklessness of | | Jevely incarnation. | ence over the Reformers ?” ‘ Your Excellency alludes to the strange and incomprehensible being called Satan- ais,’ said ‘emplin, his tone instantly be- coming subdued and his countenance assuming a solemn expression. ‘No one knows who she is—whence she comes— or how her mysterious connexion with the Taborites commenced. Whether she. be really a human creature of the same flesh and blood as ourselyes—or something more or something Jess than womean—who can say’ She may be an angel in mortal shape ;—but it is perhaps more probable that she is a fiend who has assumed a Some declare that she iS an oriental princess, profoundly read in the black art and able to work magic spells; others confidently assert that she is an enchantress who has sworn hostility against the human race, and that under her influ- ence Zitzka will become a scourge as ter- rible as was the Hun. Ihave never seen her—and I hope that I never Shall,’ con- tinued the landlord, crossing himself de- voutly: foram told that her eyes burn . =e, ? . , c rat] ¢ ] . life, he assuredly is;—and when Lord | with a light so unnatural—so superhuman Chamberlain to the King, he had the credit of possessing a generous heart and a —so overpowering, that their slightest glances fill the soul with trouble, perplex- COMICDOOKS-.-COoln