Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

THE HAMMER. 519 it has been the power which has made her speak the false confession.” “ Hear my voice also,” called Strochini. “For the sake of Peter Warburton’s fame, I have hoped against hope that there was truly enchantment in the madness which made him change the statue. Holy Father, in spite of the words which the girl has spoken, I do not believe her guilt!” “Guido!” said Beatrice in soft fury, “you shall live to count this the blackest day of your life!” “Is it marvelous strange?” said Leo. “Now, may God guide us rightly here!” “Holy Father,” said Beatrice, ‘‘ has not the woman spoken of her free will?” “Look on them now!” said Strochini, for Peter had raised Sonia, and she clung to him, weeping bitterly. ‘When has the black art taken on such a form? TH it has often, then I wish me bewitched!” “ Saint Peter witness me!” said the Pope. “Yonder is a theme for Raphael. Yet she ts damned by her own confession. Evil is still more fearful when it comes in a lovely form.” “ Hear me, Holy Father!” said Strochini. “Tf some evil force worked in him, it would surely show in the face of his statue. Let us go to the house in which it stands. And there it may be that you will arrive at a truer judgment.” ‘““True, Guido,” said Leo, “it may be well, and we shall go thither. But it would need a miracle to save this girl’s lost soul.” “You are ill, child,” Antonio della Marca was saying to Beatrice. “I shall call a horse litter and carry you home. You tremble, and your face is hot with fever.” “Nay,” she said, and her eyes held fiercely to Sonia and Peter, clinging to- gether, “1 shall go mad if I do not hear the Pope’s judgment with my own ears! Ah, I do not fear his wisdom so much as the voice of God against me.” The whole train was mounted in a few moments, a small squadron of the Swiss guard being horsed to escort them, and they hurried through the streets to the workshop of Peter. Pacing up and down before the shop, with his ominous bodyguard near, strode Lord Henry of Gilford. As Peter alighted the noble rushed to him, thrust aside Strochini as if he were a foot-boy, and caught the hands of his_friend. “Ah, Peter,” he murmured, “I have heard a fearful tale of your misfortune. It is not true! Nay, you need not answer, for 1 see you at liberty.” Peter smiled sadly. “Tt is true,” he answered. ‘“ This is the end of my brief day in Rome, Harry. They have brought me here to my last trial. The life of a woman now depends on the elo- quence of a dumb stone—the face of a marble statue which I have carved with my clumsy hands. Come and stand close beside me, for I need a friend.” But Gilford was staring, rapt and pale, on the face of Beatrice. During the next few moments he never moved his eyes. In the mean while, one of the Swiss, find- ing the shop. locked, shattered the bolt with a single stroke of his halberd. The double doors swung in under the impact of the blow, and the train dismounted and entered the shop. Outside the sun was bright. The very touch of the fresh air had been enough to banish all thoughts of enchantments and black arts. . Now, as they entered the shop, the spell of the artist fell truly over them. On all sides stood marbles and fragments of veiled statuary. Here lay a chisel, per- haps just as he had dropped it as he finished the last stroke. There lay the hammer with the handle polished by his grip. Peter strode to the Venus and seized the cloth. “It may be you will find little beauty here,” he said, “ but ah, sirs, if you look closely you will find an honest and mighty aspiration that could have no black art in it.” And he threw the covering from the white marbie. Through a crack in the patched roof struggled a single broad ray of sunshine. It had played unnoticed on the grimy sur- face of the veiling cloth. Now it fell as golden fire on the head of the statue, and gave it glowing life among the shadows of the room. Peter could not see this, for he stood too close beside the Venus. But as his eyes glanced quickly around the circle of faces he set his teeth in despair. They did not speak. They did not even ComnmiclooolkxS.comn