The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 97 let, he presented it to the White Lady, and then he glanced from her to Ange- la, and back again to the former, as if there were something weighing upon his mind, but to which he felt disinclin- ed to give utterance. ‘The.maiden murmured words of deep gratitude, alike to the mysterious Car- melite and the old steward, for the as- sistance which they had rendered her ; and when she beheld the glistening tears rolling down the colorless cheeks of the lady, she threw herself into her arms, exclaiming ‘Oh! I have known you but for a short hour, and I love you as if you had cherished me from my birth !’ ‘ Dearest Angela,’ murmured the Car- melite ; and the next instant they were straining each other in a fond embrace. ‘In the name of heaven! waste not the moments which are now so pre- cious,’ cried the old steward, at length breaking silence, and passing his hand rapidly across his eyes as he beheld this affecting scene. ‘I conjure you not to yield to any weakness Lady! beware,’ he ejaculated, pulling the Car- melite’s loose hanging sleeve with some degree of violence, ‘this is a period when you have need of all your strength —for I have evil tidings to communi- cate ‘Oh! can there be fresh miseries in store for me?’ exclaimed the. White Lady, suddenly withdrawing herself from Angela’s embrace and turning to- wards the steward. ‘Speak, delay not, keep me not in suspense ‘ ‘il implore you to tranquillize your- self, lady,’ said Hubert, in an emphatic tone, ‘and | will tell you alll know.— On quitting the State Chamber this evening, after his interview with you,’ and he glanced towards Angela, ‘ Lord Rodolph was preparing to retire to rest, when a messenger who had travelled with headlong speed from Prague, ar- rived at the Castle. He had quitted the capital in the evening of the 2d; and he brought word that the Baron of Altendort, the Count of Rosenberg, and another noble whose name I forgot ‘Oh! heed not the name,’ cried the White Lady, now powerfully excited. What has occurred? what has hap- pened to those noble ‘They have been arrested by the Captain-General of the ‘l'aborites!’ re- sponded Hubert, in a tone which evinc- ed his knowledge that he was proclaim- ing intelligence of a most painful cha- racter. ‘Arrested!’ exclaimed the White Lady, with a convulsive start. * Then all our plans, all our designs are frus- trated, Angela!’ she added, in a voice of despair. ‘ Not so,’ said Hubert hastily. ‘On the confrary, ’tis more advisable than even at first that the young lady should repair to Prague.’ ‘I do not understand you, my good friend,’ observed the Carmelite, who, as well as Angela herself, surveyed the old steward with mingled amazement and anxiety. ‘One word is as good as twenty to explain my meaning,’ resumed that functionary, speaking hastily but im- pressively. ‘The mighty Zitzka is omnipotent at Prague; and he has im- posed upon the three nobles whom he has placed in custody, certain condi- tions the failure to comply with which will cost them their lives! Let the young lady, then, hasten to Prague; let her exercise all her ingenuity with a view to effect the escape of those no- bles; and who can tell but that she may become the heroine of as fine an epi- sode as ever belonged to Bohemian his- tory ?’ ‘ You are raving, Hubert !’ exclaimed the White Lady, almost reduced to des- pair. ‘ What can a weak, defenceless, unfriended girl accomplish towards the unravelling of so tangled a web ?’ ‘Girl!’ cried Hubert, emphatically, although respectfully, ‘she is a young woman of strong mind and excellent sense ; and a presentiment inspires me with the conviction that she will achieve all she undertakes. But should she fail; and should matters reach that pe- rilous crisis in which the headman’s axe will be sharpened or the gibbet raised to wreak the vengeance of the T'aborites upon the Baron of Altendorf, the Count of Rosenberg, and the Mar- quis of Schomberg, for this is the name which I had forgotten; then, all other means of saving them having been inef- fectually tried, as a last resource, and only asa last resource, observe—she can deliver into the hands of Zitzka some unmistakeable token, or else a note con- taining a few hasty but impressive lines penned by you ; ‘Ah! I comprehend you now, good Hubert,’ said the White Lady, inter- rupting him with almost an expression of joyfulness in her tone. +‘ But that this suggestion should emanate from you—you, who are generally so timid and full of apprehension comicbooks.com ry em .4 *, aT S ya +. ; <x =——-_ -— = — 42. o# yt . . a3 t ts A, a FS I i yaa ag P= SS. 2927, a ~ re Re Tr rea * al ae al ~ *, -% .” = / v- + * - 25 pe ~ 4 <: = ag ae F x ~ ~# a ee oo oe *. = “2, a tne ee Ca é * her, ‘ee i a bi. ¥ Ps > a fh. - e soles * a El tte