Section 155. Providence⁠ Vindicating the Innocent

It is (S. 2, N. 1) recorded in history that a beautiful maiden named Blanche, the serf of⁠ an ancient nobleman, was wooed⁠ by her master’s son. Not⁠ admiring his character, she scorned⁠ his suit. Upon this his course of love turned⁠ to bitter hatred. Just⁠ then a precious string of pearls confided (S. 7, N. 3, B) to the maiden’s care was⁠ lost. Her pseudo-lover⁠ charged her with the theft, and, in⁠ accordance with the customs of that rude age, she was doomed to die. On the day of the execution, as the innocent girl knelt to offer⁠ her dying prayer, a⁠ flash of lightning struck a statue of Justice, which adorned the market-place, to the dust. From⁠ a destroyed bird’s nest, built (S. 7, N. 3, A, and S. 48, N. 6) in a crevice of the image⁠, dropped the lost⁠ pearls, thus⁠ declaring the maiden’s innocence. In a moment the exultant crowd rushed to the scaffold, demanding her release. There she knelt beside the block, pale and beautiful, and with a smile of peace upon her lips. They (S. 134, N. 4) spoke⁠—she answered not. They touched her—she was dead! To preserve her memory they raised a statue there⁠; and to⁠ this day, when⁠ men gaze upon her image, they condemn her oppressor; they praise her for the purity of her character; they recognise the justice of Him whose⁠ lightning testified her innocence.—W. Smith.

Say, ‘Providence (S. 3, N. 2) protects innocence.’

of — nobleman = of a nobleman of an old family (Geschlecht, n.).

umwer´ben, insep. comp. str. v.

= As his character displeased (mißfallen, insep. comp. str. v., governing the dat.) her.

verschmähen, insep. comp. w. v. tr.

sich verwan´deln in.

Just then = Just at this time.

was lost = one missed; care, Obhut, f.

= false lover.

in — customs = according to the law.

= to speak.

a — Justice ... to the dust = fuhr ein Blitzstrahl in die Statue der Gerechtigkeit ... und zerschmetterte sie.

Aus.

Bildsäule, f.

= missed.

Say ‘and testified (bezeugen, w. v. tr.) thus the maiden’s innocence’.

Supply ‘to her’.

daselbst.

bis auf den heutigen Tag.

Construe thus: ‘those who look at her image (Bildnis, n.) condemn her oppressor’, and consider App. § 14.

In order to avoid a repetition of the same form of pronoun, turn the last clause into: ‘who with his lightning testified her innocence’.