Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Queenan ie a a pr ae me neo a Sent, BR _ee en BLUESKIN: “Yos, Mr. Wild.” Tf you had spoke ~ as you ought when you came in, I should have givcn ca som ‘hing worth having for the necklace, but Ho. ‘cred you fifty pounds to make you /now yourself better. Uo you hear ‘hat, Tom P”’ “ J does, Mr. Wild, I does.” Pinching Tom's voiee was becomius more submissive in its tone. Perhaps he had come to the conclusion that it wou be preferable to sacrifice some of his insolent bearing to losing his life on the scaffold, for he knew well enough Wild had the power to send him there. “JT hopes, Mr. Wild, as how you'll forgive me this time,” he said, “and I will bring you sumething worth your while to have. I’m sure that necklace 1s more than any one else has ever brought!” ‘Well, perhaps it is, Tom, perhaps it is! [ve got a tender heart, Tom, and I couldn't goand sit down leaving you here. You promise to do differently in future P ” ‘“T does, Mr. Wild; 1 does indeed, if you'll only let me out!” CHAPTER IX. GIVES THE READER A DEEPER INSIGHT INTO JONATHAN’S MODE OF LIFE. JONATHAN WILD unlocked the eell door, and flung it open upon its hinges. Pinching Tom came forth. Straws were entangled in his hair, and clinging to various portions of his apparel. Qu the whole, he looked much the worse for his brief gojourn in C. 7. e stood before the great thief-taker in an attitude pumble enough to satisfy him, and waited for him to speak. “This is an act more clement, I can assure you, than I renerally perform.” “1 knows it, Mr. Wild.” ‘Bat I like you, Tom! That’s why I give you a “Thanks, Mr. Wild!’ “Oh! stuff. Be off with you!” “Yes, Mr. Wild.” ** But mind you, if you don't act up te the square, so sure a3 I’m a living man I will have you convicted and executed; so mind that!” There was something very horrible in the vindictive way in which Wild pronounced these words. Pinching Tom shuddered. ‘* You may trust me, Mr. Wild, I ain sure.” ** Very well, come along, and say no more about it.” As he spoke, Wild fastened the door of No. 7, and pre- ceded Pinching Tom along the passage, who was glad enough when he emerged into Newgate-street—never ae it seemed to wear so bright an appearance as it did then. But at present it is not Pinching Tom with whom we have to do, but Jonathan Wild. Having thus released his prisoner, he ascended the broad flight of stairs in the hall, and entered a front room oo the first floor. This was his private apartment, where he repaired to solace himself with a glass, and coviiate upon the affairs of the day, and concoct new villainies for the morrow. When he opened the door there arose from the hearth a dog who, with lowered ears and tail, slunk across the room towards him. It was Jonathan Wild’s dog. Ike, with a sagacity that was almost human, had learned that submission was what hia master liked to see, and he exhibited it accordingly. Pat by no means was he a coward; he was cunnizg and ferocious as the thief-taker himself. Had any one seen him they would have set him down as an ugly customer. When m the streets—for he sometimes accompanied Jonathan in his excursions—he was looked at with sus- picion by the passengers, and cuildren ran terrified away, while other dogs, by various artifices, endeavoured to elude his observativ.. In his way he was as much feared as his owner. We do not know how it was that Jonathan Wild came = You are a elever fellow! chance for your hfe.”’ 3 _- ad —e —— vee A ROMANCE. ome ee to keep a dog, unless we account for it on the principle that all human natures, no matter how brutal, have a certain amount of affection which they find it is necessary to have some object to transfer to. But one would think there waa scarcely enough of this feeling in Jonathan Wild’s disposition to make it requisite that he should have something to carry it off. But, be that as it may, there was the dog, and one fact is worth a thousand theories. Very short in the nose, very thick in the neck, very broad in the chest, very slim in the body was Jonathan Wild’s dog. He looked up in his master’s face, and seeing there a rather more complacent expression than usual, ventured to prick up his ears, and in a feeble kind of way to wag his apology for a tail. But he did not presume upon any further demonstration of affection. He crept back to his position on the hearth. Jonathan’s face certainly did look calm and composed— wonderfully so. He was illuding himself with the notion that he had, by releasing Pinching Tom, done a generous and noble action. But it was policy alone that induced him tn do what he had done. Well enough he knew the value of him, and that it would be long before he found any one who could replace im. Still he thought the little piece of discipline he had administered would be beneficial. Whether it really was or no time alone can tell ua. Jonathan drew a chair to the table and sat down. He removed his hanger from his waist, and stood it up against the mantel-piece. Upon the table were a bottle, glass jug, a clay pipe, and several other articles. He took up the bottle, and poured some fluid from if: into the glass, which from its colour and odour was surely brandy. Then he filled his pipe, lighted it, and leaned back in his chair. Jonathan Wild was at ease. He smoked with great deliberation, fixing his eyes first on tho rude pictures, which certainly hid the nakedness of the walls, if they did no more, and then upon the smoke-begrimed ceiling. And this was what Jonathan conceived enjcyment to be. Some people have most eccentric ideas upon the subject. But much as may be said against Jonathan's mode of enjoying himself, surely it was not so bad as thoso who flocked by thousands to see a poor woman risk her life in Aston-park the other day by walking on a trail rope stretched many feet above the ground. They were gratified, doubtless, at the consummation of the tragedy—they were at any rate, if their behaviour afterwards be taken as a criterion. In our opinion they were just a triflo worsa than Jonathan Wild! And that is saying a great deal ! Wild grew still more and more composed. Things had gone well with him that day. And now we think that as he is in such a happy frame of mind, we cannot do better than take the opportunity, ag such a good one may never occur again, of giving the reader a yet clearer insight into Wild’sa household arrangements, and very questionable transactions. It will save much future trouble, and assist greatly to make the reader fully comprehend what follows. These detaiis too, will be interesting in an historical point of view, since the writer has taken the trouble to peruse the Old Bailey records, from whence he has de- rived the fallest and most authentic informatie relative to Jonathan Wild. In the course of the ensuing narrative, the whole of the facts he has gathered will be embodied, so ‘hat it may be relied upon as an authentic account of his entire career. ; The same remarks will apply also to the other two prominent characters—Jack Sheppard and Joseph Blake, alias Blueskin. 8 eee Se eS et a ta aaa tee ee <4 2 Wie eee sO eee prerereer 9 Fr ne CL ee OR EE oP Oi ey NTIS y These three individuals are nniversally allowed to be ; —-v ews COMmiIclooo Cc > (SO)