Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN some object, which, if he had come upon it unawares and suddenly, would certainly have thrown him down and made discovery certain. That object was one which, on the staircases of idle aud untidy people, is often found, to the great perl of those who might be ascending or desceuding. It was an iron paul. Jack could not at first make out what it was that stood in his way, but there came up suflicient hght from the hall below to show him upon a second glance. Then an idea darted into his head that he might with it disconeert his euemies, who, he could hear, had already commenced to mount the staircase. He put down the lantern, aud took up the bucket. By the weight it evidently contained some hquid, but what he did not care. To descend about half-a-dozen of the stairs and peep over the balusters took him but a second. “ Hoy!” he eried at the top of his vaice. The effect of this was to male those who were asceud- ing pause suddenly upon the impulse of the moment. Then, before they could recover from their surprise, he eanght hold of the bueket by the handle and the rim at the bottom of it, and flung the whole of its contents in their faces. The water came from a sufficient height to dash with a considerable degree of force 1uto their faces, and they staggered back. Then, to complete their discomforture, Jack threw the buckct down, and without waiting to see where or upon whom it alighted, sprang up the stairs, canght hold of the lantern, and seeing the staircase led up to another story, mounted it without hesitation. The eries of those who had had this nuexpected attack made upon them quickly brought others to the spot, and, iustautly surmismg what had happened, they rushed up stairs in a body after the escaping prisoner. Jack had just reached the landing on the second story when he heard them. He paused, undecided. *’ T shall have some trouble now,” be said: * IT am like arat ina large trap, and it will be no easy matter for me to find au outlet. What shall I do?” There were several doors opening from the landing upon which he stood, and also a narrower flight of stairs leading apparently to the top rooms in the house, for it | was In that part of Newgate which was specially set aside for the domestic requirements of the governor that he now found himself, Whether it would be better to ascend the remaining stairs, or to seek some hiding place in one of the rooms on the second story was rather a serious question. But he had no time for consideration. His pursuers in a moment or two would be upon him. Therefore it was necessary he shonld immediately decide. A httle circumstance occurred which at once caused him to make up his mind. The turnkeys who were pursuing him stopped on the first floor to search the rooms, so as to make sure their prisoner should not escape them by hiding in any one of the chambers. “They will stay to search these, too,” Jack said, alluding to those on the second floor, “and if I go up higher { shall have all the more time.” His premise was one that miglit easily be deduced. The attic stairs, for such they were, he reached the top of ina very short time indecd. Here he found the doors of two rooms ouly. b He looked up, thinking that in all probability he should | find a trap-door leading on to the roof, as is usual in all London houses. But nothing of ie kind met his view, so he opened the door nearest to him, and entering the room, silently clared it after him. His first care was to look to the fastenings of the wéor, so as to be ina position to guard against a sudden surprise. But he found the only thing that served to secure the door was a common latch—there was not even a bolt. “£ don't know that it makes much difference,’ he muttered; “sucha door as that would be no obstacle to therm.’” fe tumed round to see whether the place afforded any capabilities for concealment. gE ee ee > A ROMANCE. In one corner was a little bedstead with white hangings, such a one as would be used for children to sleep 1m. A few chairs were placed around the walls. Ou one side were several good-sized boxes. ‘I'he fireplace and the window completed the catalogue of visible oljects. . was not one to allow himself to be dismayed by a few obstacles. He set about making the best of his position. The window he thought would be the best chance for him, so he made his way to it. On the floor, however, he saw a piece of twine, which he stooped and picked up. Then, threading it through the ring at the top of the lauteru, he tied it round his neck. This left him with both his hands at liberty. It is necessary to caution the reader against falling into the mistake that these events, which from their nature have taken us some time to describe, were really long in happening. Jack was very nimble in his movements, and wheu he reached the window the men had just begun to ascend the attic stairs. Ii was a little latticed-casement with diamond frames set in lead, Ji opened with a touch. Outside all was darkness. N st oue single individual obiect was he able to distin- gush. There was nothing to guide him. He naturally hesitated, but he heard the men almost upon the threshold of the little room. ‘I must risk it,’ i. . °:. “I ecan but lose my life, and better be killed by a fall than swing at Tyburn!”’ This last consideration determined him, so he got on to the table, aud let himself shp feet foremost out of the window. He kept a firm grasp upou the woodwork. At last he lowered himself till he hung at the full exten of his arms. Then, cautiously shifting one hand, he clutched the out- side portion of the wimdow sill. The next thing was to close the window. This being merely like a door, was easily and silently done. The only thmg was he could not fasten it. To lis delight, however, he found that from some cause or other—damp, probably—it fitted tightly in its setting, so that the probabilty was that being shut they would not notice it was unfastened. Scareely was this done than the door was opened, and | Jack saw the room, as he thought, brightly illuminated. “ Not here,” said a voice, with a curse appended, which we do uot think it worth while to repeat. ‘* We shall lose hin, after all!” ‘Won't Jouathan be wild ?’’ said one who fancied him- self a wag, and in consequence never missed an oppor- tunity, no matter how unseasonable, of displaying his wit. L & eS RR RRR RR RITES NERA GERAIS, JSR SD, FE sail sees tse -~ CHAPTER LUXXXITII. JACK SHEPPARD IAS SOME HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES IN NEWGATE, AND MAKES A BURGLARIOUS ATTACK ON WILD’S HOUSE. Ir is scarcely possible, we opine, to conceive anyone 1n 1 more perilous position than Jack Sheppard. His life depeuded upon the grasp he kept upon the | window sull. To lose it was certain death. But there was little fear of this. We have before re- marked the extraordinary amount of muscular strength which Jack had in his arms, enabling him to perform many mountcbauk feats. His body, too, was only a ight weight to sustain. tle thought it would be most prudent to move along | the window sill, so that his head should not be m the way, in case the men who were searching the room should open the window. This he did easily, by moving one hand after the other. It was perhaps quite as well that he did not know the awful depth he would have fallen if he‘had chanced to miss his grasp. The knowledge would have unnerved hin, for the attis window looked out into a paved yard that was, at the very least. fifty feet below him. se LY ng me Tbe prospect was not encouraging, but Jack Sheppard | (©) comicooolkks