Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

ne A Sa IE II Ve NE TI, Ae BLUESKIN ; —$<<$<— oe We ought, too, to explain how it was WM «explain how it waa that when he! The pive bent ald oava way at the amotn u when he looked out of the window he saw nothing. Few nights are so dark that one cannot distinguish large objects, how- ever dimly. But the fact was, the yard into which the window looked was only hke a square pit, of which the »rison walls formed three sides. These reached to a considerable height above the window, so that what he saw were the black stones which could not have been more than six feet from him. We mention these circumstances, which may be deemed trivial, but it is our desire to leave nothing unexplained. We now resume. Jack moved along the stone until he reached its extremity. There he stopped and waited. ' It was well he did, for the window was flung open. ** He’s disappeared, I tell you!” saida voice. “ What in the world’s the good of looking out there? You know it looks. into the’ little yard, and that’s fifty feet down, if it?s ‘an inch!”?. ~ So it: ag!” said another veice. ‘“‘ But don’t let us waste time here ;-he must be in the place somewhere, only we have missed him". Come on !? ‘* Perhaps he’s jumped into the yard.” *€ Not a bit of it!” “T don’t know that! yard with a light! Call out to know who itis! There was some one down in the yard, as the little Leok, there’s some one in the t 39 moving star-like light sufliciently evidenced, and a gruff voice replhed— * What’s the row ?” “Oh! it’s Clarke!” said one of those at the window, who happened to recognise the tones. “Clarke!” he aie in a Jonder voice. Tg: there anyone in the yard? Just look about you, and call out if you see anything suspicious; there’s beeu an escape !” These‘words filled Jack with dr ‘ead. He was fearful that the man in the yard would, when he looked-up, perceive him. He clufig as closely as he could to the wall, covering the lantem., with his body. He*was getting exhausted, too. Helding up his arms so Jeng‘had drained all the blood out of them. . “Big. next words he heard were a great relief to his “heart. *Tt was Clarke who spoke then. **There’s nothing here,” he said. J told yeu so!” eried the man, triumphantly, who had from the first disbelieved that Jack had jumped out into the yard. .“‘ He ain’t the sort te do that.” You think yourself d—d clever, I know!” replied the other. “ He aint here, but be can *: be far off.” Then, to Jack’s joy. they left the window. Clarke, too, had passed ont of the yard. But Jack’s position seemed scarcely better than it had been. In his exhausted state, how was he te leave the window-sill, except by letting go his held? He endeavoured to cast an anxious glance areund. Tt is wonderful how soon the eyes become accustomed to darkness. At first he was qwite unable to do so, but now he could define the gloomy prison walls. He Sound thatthe end of the window-sill upeno which he hung was close to one of the angles where the walls of the governor’s house joined that of the prison. In that angle was a leaden rain pipe. He found he could reach it easily. Then he leoked up. The roof of one part was only a few feet above hnu. Recollecting his perilous adventure at the Grange, when a similar pipe had been of such assistance to him, he resolved to try what he could do with this one. It was an awful and desperate attempt, but he resolved to make it. Very cautiously, for his arms were tired and stiff, he shifted his grasp from the stone to the pipe. Tt was about three inches in diameter, and fir crough from the corner to enable him to take a firm held of it. He clutched with his other hand. As he committed his whole weight to it, he felt for one moment the most horrible sensation imaginable. Hiis heart turned sick. TE TE Tn TIA A ROMANCE. 123 The pipe bent and gave way at the same time, creaking and cracking dismally. He made sure it would Bui it did not. It gave way so far, and then stepped. Finding this to be the ease, he took heart again and began to chmb. Che ascent was difficult. But he was chmbing for his life, and itis really wonder- iul what can be done under such a feeling. He felt himself endowed with fresh sirength when he tound he had escaped this great danger. Up he went with the agility of a monkey. The mest difficult part of his task was now before him. Hew would he draw himself over the parapet ? lt would have been utterly impossible had net fortune favoured him. The pipe did not come from the roof of the governor’s house, but trom the top of the prison, which, just in that part, was some feet higher. ' 4 precipitate him inte the yard. : So he was able to climb up until he could put his feet upon the parapet, which he was very glad to do. ile remained just in that position for a minute or two, in order te recover himself; a little more, and he would But his having so far succeeded in his hazardous attempt have been utterly exhausted. encouraged him to make fresh efforts. He stepped off the parapet on to the roof, which was flat and covered with lead. He still kept the lantern earefully concealed beneath the ample coat which he had taken from the turnkey. He would have extingnished it, only he did not know what cir- cumstances would arise to make it useful, and he had no means of rehghting it. He considered it would be best to run the risk of its being seen. What he should do next was rather an anxious question. He had escaped from his cell, it is true, but he had not got free from Newgate, ner was it very clear how he was going to de so. lt would do no good, though, to remain where he was. He could see a great deal of confusion was going on in the prison, and 1t weuld not be long before they searched the 'Toofs. In fact, they would have done so earlier only they knew there was ne means of reaching them, besides which, the idea had firm hold of them that Jack was secreted some- where inside. The reof was a flat one, and Jack crossed it without any trouble. Winding a place where if was practicable, he mounted to the higher portion. AAs he stood there he could see the dome of St. Paul’s cathedral towering above all objects, and locking nearly thrice its ordinary size in the marky light. That was the index he wanted to show him the direction he ought te take, for all that he had so far done had been performed with a definite object im view. What that object was the reader can no doubt guess. If he cannot, he must wait until events develop it. Hav’ , then, seen the dome of the cathedral, he made his way across the roofs to one particular point. Many obstacles ,-reseuted themselves before hin in his course, “but he ov ercame them, one and all. More than once he reached a mluce ‘rom whence a view o: some of the yards could be obtained, and eve: - time that this occurred, and he looked down, he saw people with lights hurrying backwards and forwards. At length Jack reached that portion of Newgate which abuts upon Neweate-street. An indefinable impulse made him prep over. Below him was the by day busy, but now silent street. In the centre of the road was a rew of officers, who had been placed there to insure the impossibility of his leaving the prison. Jecx smiled at the precaution, and moved onwards. Evidently he had no thought of descending into Newgate- strect. There could be uo doubt, now, as to his destination, for ou reaching that pertion of the parapet which runs trom Newgate-street at right angles, he first looked over care- ful , then climbed ever it, and dropped on to the reof of the adjoining house. That gloomy, rambling, dilapidated building. sumple peopic looked up to with a shudde* as they passe whic SS o(CO) (SO) 5}