The pilgrim looked at her unperceived, and for a moment was about to
address her; but then, with a strange air of repulsion, dragged
himself on to the porch of the rising church, where, seated on a
block of stone, he could look into the interior. All was unfinished,
but the portion which had made the most progress was a chantry-chapel
opposite to the porch, and containing what were evidently designed to
be two monuments. One was merely blocked out, but it showed the
outline of a warrior, bearing a shield on which a coiled serpent was
rudely sketched in red chalk. The other, in a much more forward
state, was actually under the hands of the sculptor, and represented
a slender youth, almost a boy, though in the full armour of a knight,
his hands clasped on his breast over a lute, an eagle on his shield,
an eagle-crest on his helmet, and, under the arcade supporting the
altar-tomb, shields alternately of eagles and doves.
But the strangest thing was that this young knight seemed to be
sitting for his own effigy. The very same face, under the very same
helmet, only with the varied, warm hues of life, instead of in cold
white marble, was to be seen on the shoulders of a young man in a
gray cloth dress, with a black scarf passing from shoulder to waist,
crossed by a sword-belt.
Pages:
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490