The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 155 aS ie ee ee ee Warner pushed it open, It led to an intricate winding passage just large enough to admit a person on his hands and knees. A faint glimmering of the blue nee served to show the nature of the place, Warner entered. A deep, hollow groan resounded from a distance through the dark apartment. He went forward, and, proceeding beyond the first turning, he discerned the same blue flame which had before conducted him, He followed it. The apartment, at length, suddenly opened into a lofty gallery, in the midst of which a figure ap- peared completely armed, frowning, with a menacing gesture, brandishing a long sword in his hand. Warner sprang forward, and, aiming a fierce blow at the figure, it instantly vanished, letting fall & massive iron key, The flame now rested upon a pair of ample fold- ing doors at the end of the gallery. Warner went up to it, and applied the key to the brazen lock. With difficulty he turned the bolt. Instantly the doors flew Open, and discovered a large apartment, at the end of which was a coffin resting upon 4 bier, with a taper burning on each side of it. Along the room on both sides, were statues attired in knightly habits, and holding enormous swords in their hands, Each of them raised his arm, and advanced forward, as Warner entered. At the same moment the lid of the coffin flew open, and the distant bell tolled again. The flame still glided forwards, and Warner fol- lowed till he arrived within six paces of the coffin. Suddenly a lady, in bridal robes and veil, rose up in it, and stretched out her arms towards him. Af the same time the statues clasped their swords and advanced, The lady rose from her coffin, and threw up her bridal veil, and revealed a deep red mark around her neck, as if it had been severed. Instantly the old building shook as with an earthquake. “This is my burial,” said the spirit bride, in awful chilling tones. ‘“ "The knights you see around me are my ancestors, and former lords of Bromley in times of old; they will yet avenge me, who was the last of the race.” Warner, with horror and amazement in his heart, was thrown into a sudden trance, so it seemed to him, and on recovering found himself seated on a velvet sofa, in the most magnificent room he had ever seen, lighted with innumerable tapers, in lustres of pure crystal. A sumptuous banquet was set in the middle. The doors opening to soft music, a lady of incom- parable beauty, attired with amazing splendour, in bridal robes, entered, surrounded by a troop of young bridesmaids fairer than the Graces. She advanced to the festive board, and said, as she raised a glass of wine to her fair ‘lips, “Man of blood and crime behold, this was the bridal banquet prepared for one who never lived to partake of it. You_came for plunder, but all is now rust and worthless,” CHAPTER LYII. PURSUIT OF JONATHAN AND FLINT—STRANGE AD- VENTURES—THE PROCLAMATION—£200 REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE MURDERERS.|! “ Srop thief ! stop thief! stop thief!” Such were the horrible sounds which assailed the ears of old Flint and Jonathan as they sped away with all haste out of the way of their pursuers. They had got such a long start of the police, however, that there was every chance of their effecting an escape. Up one street and down another they ran like frightened hares. A dark, dirty, and narrow lane was entered, and for a time they felt safe. “T cannst run any more,” gasped Flint, out of breath. “But you must,” said Jonathan. give yourself up 2” “ Oh, terrible! No, death rather than capture !” Js Then hasten onwards ; we have given them the slip.” Jonathan forced old Flint along as best he could, but every moment the old lawyer’s legs began to get weaker and weaker. The dirty, narrow lane they were in led neither of them knew whither. Yet onward they ran and groped their way in the dark. They could hear the barking of dogs and dante of voices all round them. And yet they were safe. “ T cannot run any further,” Flint gasped. “ Leave me to my fate, and flee away yourself. I will hide in some doorway.” “Leave you,eh? Ha, ha! that is very likely,” old Jonathan remarked. ‘“ Not after having had ‘so much trouble to find you, I think. Come, come along.” SO saying, he seized Flint by the coat collar, and forced him along at an increased pace. Both Jonathan and Flint were now exhausted. They could not run much further if their lives depended upon it, As they were trotting through the dirty, dark, and narrow lane, the gutters of which were like rivers of stagnant filth, both flint and Jonathan stumbled upon the trap- -door of an underground cellar. The door gave way, and both gentlemen fell right into the deep cellar upon some straw. The trap-door above, by some invisible means, was closed again upon them. Here they were in a cellar some twelve feet below the surface of the lane, They began to curse each other’s stupidity with great heartiness, one blaming the other, when—— Overhead in the lane was heard the tramp of policemen. Their footsteps crossed the trap-door. But the trap-door did not give way then, How was that ? It was fast, and policemen were heard moving about over if. Jonathan and Flint held their breath. “We are entrapped,” whispered Flint. “ Hu-s-s-h!” said Jonathan. “ Listen to what they are saying.” “Do you think they have giyen us the slip ?” said one. “Tt looks like it.” “Has any one been seen to go out of the other end of the alley way through Cribbage Court ?” WANG “ Would you COM oO conmiclooo S