A Silver Brand — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

ap 7 ee oto inte A SILVER BRAND. | 437 And Seippel’s poor hands tremble over every cruel stab they are obliged to give me. Come, let us fly, all of us. I know.he is wily and powerful. But surely Heaven will protect us. We may hidein the wilds of the forest until escape from the country is possible. And hereafter, at the great judgment bar, think, Lisbet, what a glory it will be that you have helped one so forlorn and miserable. Oh, woman, woman, what will avail there the guilty wages, however generous, from that man’s wicked hand.” “Oh, my lady, don’t think it is the wages,” burst forth _ Lisbet, piteously; ‘‘don’t think Seippel and I are so wicked. We would fling the last kreutzer at his feet, we would save you without money and without price, if we could—if we only dared.” : ‘Well, he is great and powerful, I know. But he is not the king yet. And, methinks, his royal father must know something of his wickedness, enough to shield innocence when it is proved before him. I could not ask you to risk your own safety for my sake.” “Nay, not even for that should we care,” pursued Lis- bet, with increasing vehemence. “Oh, you think too ill of us! I can hide it no longer from you. He has our boy’s life in his power—his life and his honor. Oh, my lady, he is cruel, and crafty, and pitiless, and Konrad is our only child.. Can we give him to a cruel death, our handsome boy? Oh, my lady, it is against nature! But it wrings our hearts, day by day, to see you here, and to know that we cannot lift a finger to help your escape. Do not blame us, I beseech you.” And Lisbet, crouching atthe lady’s feet, shed her hot tears and her agitated caresses there. The noble heart of Lady Pauline could be generous, even atsuch an extremity as hers. She bent down and raised the crouching, quivering form. | “My poor Lisbet! I also have been cruel to you, with- out knowing it. I exonerate you from every blame. I will spare you any further entreaties. You are right, you are perfectly right to shield your boy, it is a mother’s sacred duty.” | And then she lifted up her hands toward the sky witha mute but piteous entreaty. , ‘Lisbet’s heart was much lightened, but she still sobbed and trembled, and could hardly speak plainly when she again took up the glass, and entreated : ‘And you will take the wine, and will not lose courage. (ele) comicbooks