Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

164 : ° © cé “By heavens!” he said, in a deep, rough veice, “as pretty a face as ever IT have seen! Beautitul! Who 1s she, I wonder? and how shall I restore her to her senses ? Well made she is, too,” he continued, as his eyes roamed over her person; “ what a beautiful hand! If love her already! Twill take her where she can be attended to. Tia! what is that P”’ For the first time, he nolieed that blood was tlowing from her in many places. a “Ts she dead?” he asked; “why the villains have wwounded her! What did it mean, [ wonder? £ will be off with her at once, or may be £ shall now be too late to save her.” Thus speaking, he made his way at an easy canter along Pall-mall to St. James’s-street. At the door of one of these houses he paused. It was an imposing, aristocratic-looking edifice, and | such as any nobleman might be proud of as a home. His retnrn seemed to have been expected by some one, | for as soon as his horse was brought to a standstill, the door of the house was opened. A man eanie forth. Ile was dressed like a gentleman's servant, out of livery, but somehow he did not lock to lave either the lace / form of one. “ Wennell!’’? eried the man ou horseback. Yes, sir.” © Send Waldron to hold the horse, and call Mrs. Lovat.” * Yes, sir.” The man who had been called Fennell re-entered the - house. A moment afterwards another emerged, whe took the horse by the bridle. Making nothing of his burden, and holding it a dis | arms, the unknown dismounted with ease, and strode into | the house. The door was closed behind him. Tturriedly crossing a large hall, he kicked open a door, and entered a room furnished in the most luxurious fashion eoneeivable. A large bright fire was burning in the grate, while on the table was laid a slight repast. The shutters were closed, and the eurtains drawn, so that no trace of the faint daylight entered. A eandelabra standing in the centre of the table, and earrying about a dozen wax eandles, brilhantly illuminated the apartment. eapacions and comfortable fashion of our ancestors. With more eare and gentleness than one would have thought such a huge specimen of humanity possessed, the unknown laid Edgworth Bess upon it. As he did so, she uttered a faint moan. Just then some one tapped gently at the open door. “Come in, Mrs. Lovat.” In obedience to this command, a thin, plain-leoking woman, apparently fitty years ot age, entered. “Attend to her,’ said the unknown, in the manner of one used to commanding others. ‘ You will know best what todo. If necessary, send tor a surgeon.” This said, he at once lett the room without vouchsafing the woman the least explanation. But she was used to his ways. The tirst thing she did was to make an examination of ner charge. Her pale and marble-like face attracted her attention for a moment, but it was quickly diverted to her body, from which the blood in many places was oozing slowly. But the alarm she first felt was quickly dissipated, for she found the hurts to be all of a very superticial character. She had her then earried upstairs into a bed-chomber, where her first eare was to arouse her from her swoon, and then to wash and dress her wounds. No words ean depict the poor girl’s astonishment upon opening her cyes. She did so with a shudder, for she feared to cee around her the fieree faces of the Mohawks. lustead of that, however, she found herself environed by Inxury, such Juxury as she Lad never seen, perhaps even ever dreamed of. But it was in vain she asked for some explanation; the woman, Mrs. Lovat, persisted in remaining silent. a a | Near the window was a large eoueh, made after the | | | Eee’ «eee ee eee ee A BLUESKIN: A KOMANCE., a er =. Wearied out at length, Kdgworth Bess fell into a deep slumber. It was an unrefreshing sleep, and haunted by terrible creams. How long it lasted she knew not, but it must have been many hours. When she awoke and looked around, she found herself alone. The pain from her wounds had sensibly abated. But she eould tell she was fearfully weak. It was only by making a great effort that she could raise her hand. The windows in the chamber were faeing her. They were covered with thick eurtains, and through them penetrated a very faint, subdued light. Wondering whether it was morning or evening, she was startled hy a shght sound. She turned her head in the direetion from which it came, and saw the man who had reseued her from her great peril enter, and approach the bedside. CHAPTER CXIIT, BESs, WEEMTOUP DUE CAUSE, FORMS A BAD OPINION OF COLONEL THORNE. }r would seem that he had expeeted to find her sleeping, tor when he saw her Jarge, full eyes fixed upon Lim, he gave a start, anda partial air of confnsion was visible in his manner. And now, it must be borne in mind that Edgworth Bess did not catch the imest transient glimpse of her preserver’s tace. She saw he wus a man, and that was all. So, with suspense and alarm struggling in Ler mind, she guzed upou the intruder. The first sight she caught of his countenance repelled her. Why it was she knew not. As the poct says— EDPGWORTH * Ye who know the reason, tell me, How if is that instinet still, Prompts the heart to like, or like not, At its own capricious will ? Tell me by what hidden magie, Our impressions first are led Into liking, or disliking, — Ott betore a word be said. Ts it instinet, or some spirit, Which proteets us, and controls Every impulse we inherit By some sympathy of souls P Ts it instinet ? is it nature ? Or some freak or tault of ehanee, Which our hking, or disliking, Laimits to a single glance ?” Be the power what it may, it unquestionably exists, and Edeworth Bess felt 19 a moment that she was looking upou one whe would prove no friend of hers. But on the other side quite a different feeling took place. As the unknown gazed upon the free of her whom he had saved, and saw how very fair and beautitul it was, a wild and passionate love sprang up in his boson. Finding he did not speak, dgworth Bess commanded her voice sufliciently to do so, though the etfort was almost beyond ber strength. “Is this your house ?” she asked, ‘Fhe stranger bowed as he rephed— Vtas.” “Vor what reason, then, am J brought here?” “Is it possible you eannot guess ?” * 1] canned.” Think haek a little, then. ean recollect ?”’ Bess was silent a moment, during which she was en- deavouring to separate what had really lappened from the oceurrenees she had dreamed. “T remember,” she replied, slowly, ‘ that [was hunted through the streets by a number of men—by their dress, gentlemen. They caught me ueur St. Clement’s Chureb, and tried to murder me.”’ What is the last thing you ne ee ClooolkkS.Gcorm an (SO)