Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

(en ee er en ee BLUESKIN : Ves, sir. In one moment.” A ROMANCE. They watched the boat as far down the river as it was No!” roared Wild. ‘I don’t want him. How long | visible, and when it faded frem their sight, the two men have you been on dnty here?” Four hours, Mr. Wild.” ‘Have my men brought in a prisoner during that time —a young chap, slightly made P”’ ee “ Back Sheppard ?” ‘Curse you! What isit to you who itis! I asked you if any one had been brought in.” ‘SNo, Mr. Wild. I humbly begsyour pardon, J am sure. But there’s no one been brought in while I’ve been on duty, except an old man for an assault.” ‘You are quite sure of that, eh?” Quite, Mr. Wild, and Bill here will coberate what I say, because he’s been on duty too.” ‘No, Mr. Wild,” said the janitor, “* there’s only been an old man brought in this morning.” *‘Tt’s Little Newgate, then,” muttered Jonathan, as he moved off. The two turnkeys made some hideous grimaces behind his back, which, fortunately, the thief-taker did not per- ceive. A bare two minutes sufficed to take him to the door of his own domicil. He entered. He repeated the question, this time with a certainty that it would be replied to in the affirmative. But, to his horror, Tonks, who was on the lock, com- municated the startling intelligence that neither Jack nor the two men with whom he had been left in charge had been seen anything of. CHAPTER CXXV JACK SHEPPARD ENTERS INTO A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH JONATHAN’S MEN, THE current of events, though it has more than once carried us very near Jack Sheppard, yet has drifted us by him, and thus disenabled us from devoting our attention to him, as we should have wished, long ago. Our readers, we feel sure, must be deeply anxious to know what befel him after he was left by Jonathan Wild upon the old bridge at Blackfriars. Two of that worthy’s janizaries had taken firm hold of | i him, and had received the strictest injunctions to kecp guard over him. The moment, however, that the thief-taker disappeared round the angle of the bridge, all three, prisoner and captors, animated by one impulse, rushed to one of the recesses in the parapet which happened to be nearest to them. Mounting upon the stone seat, they bent over as far as they could without losing their equilibrium, and en- deavoured to pierce the thick white mist, and obtain a glimpse of the river below. We have already described the dispersion of the mist immediately after Wild’s arrival at the foot of the steps, and then they saw him draw a pistol, take a hasty aim, and pull the trigger. In their situation the report of the weapon was some- thing tremendous. The smoke, too, ascended, and for a moment hid the scene below from their gaze. But they heard the loud cry of pain which followed the report, and Wild’s triumphant assertion that he had hit the mark. By the time he had uttered it the smoke had cleared away. J Sols state of mind can be imagined. Fain would he have leaped over the parapet into the river himself, but the two men who held him iu their grasp were on the alert to prevent any such intention elng carried out. Jack made up his mind that this time his friend and companion was no more, and the conviction forced itgelf upon his notice that he had lost him at the time when he stood most in need of his counsel and assistance. Then there was the altercation with the boatman, and, in fine, they witnessed the whole of those occurrences which happened round about the old bridge, and with the details of which the reader has already been made acquainted. looked rather anxiously and curiously at each other to know what they had better do. Should they obey Wild’s commands literaliy, and remain where they were until he returned, or should they take their prisoner direct to Newgate-street ? Jack was not long in discovering that'they had some- thing on their minds. What that something was he knew not, but he trusted to his own acuteness to find it out, and turn the knowledge to his own advantage. He could not help observing, though, that, in spite of their indecision about something, they took good care to keep a tight clutch upon him. It should be premised that these two men had a very great idea of Jack’s prowess. Hitherto Jonathan had failed m all that he attempted against him. A thing unparalleled. lt should as well be borne in mind that there was nothing these men admired so much as true courage, and Jack they had frequently seen exhibit it under such cir- euaetanees as would have made the boldest hearted quail. But Jack had never done so, and had never failed in coming off victorious. ** Matthew !”’ said one of Jack’s captors, at length. “Yes,” You know Johnny’s instructions P ” * In course,” growled Matthew. ‘“ Don’t you ?” “Don’t you be a fool, Mat. You have couned the matter over, I can tell, as wellas 1 have. Now what do you think we had better do?” “What do you think P” “T asked you.” ‘Then I think the same as you.” “Do you?” ** Yes.” “Then we are off to Little Newgate ?” Just so. We can’t do wrong, and its a thousand chances if Johuny comes back here first. We'll chance *“* Agreed.” “But you do not ask me,” said Jack, with an assump- tion of good humour, as he saw they were about to move off, “ but you don’t ask me for my opinion!” (Ha! ha!” said Mat, “ that’s good.” “Oh! very,” said the other. ‘I’m glad you think so,” said Jack, forcing a laugh. “Oh! get out. What do you think we care for your opinion P” “ A great deal.” Not a bit of it. Now, Jack, look here.” “‘T am looking.” ¢ Just understand that meand Mat don’t intend tostand no larks. Do we, Mat?” “ Certainly not, Bill, and so I advises him not to try none on!” “Oh! thank you for nothing!” replied Jack. ‘Just wait till I begin.” ‘We gives you warning beforehand, that’s all, and if you don’t like to take it, why the fault’s not ours.” That's right; but just listen to me.” ** No—no.”’ ‘Then that’s not fair. I have fet you have your say, aud so you ought to let me have mine.” ‘We would, Jack, only we know you of old.” ‘¢ Tt’s all the same to me,” replied their prisoner, ‘‘ but you would find it much to your own benctit to hearken te what I was going to say.” * Are you sure of that, Jack ?” asked Matthew. “Quite,” said Jack. ‘‘ Now, look here. In the first lace, you won't be doing wrong by stopping here, because heard Jonathan give you orders to do so.” *‘ That’s true, to begin with.” ‘Of course it is, and so all I am going to tell you wall be true.” ‘Goon, then. If you’re long-winded I shant listen!”’ ‘*T want to say a great deal, and you necdn’t listen without you like.’ SS (SO) 5}