Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee eee Ae ONE RS STALIN LIRR 3 OO el ao @ Blueskin, the dangers of which, of course, he could not estimate ; fain would he, we say, have seen again for a brief moment the young girl he had rescued, and received an assurance that all was well. ®& But he could not gratify this desire. Blueskin was at the door of the inn waiting for him, and Jack feared to anger his new friend by delaying to come at his command. He was fearful, too, that he would consider he was hanging back from his word, and that was a thing Jack could not bear to have ascribed to him for anything. Therefore, he sacrificed his inclination and went to the front door. It must be understood that, although the street door of the “ Black Lion”’ was always left open, yet there was a half-glazed inner door, the panes in which were pro- tected by a net-work of wire, which swung shut after everyone who came either in or out. ; a ust as he pulled open this door, Blueskin again called o him. He was standing on the step, and near him was the landlord. ‘ ** What a time you have been,”’ he said, “ I thought you did not mean coming.” “I didn’t choose to come before,” replied Jack, sul- lenly; ‘‘and what business had you to think any such thing ? If I had not given my word no power on earth should make me go with you, but as I have promised I will perform.” ** Bravo, Jack!” said Blueskin, who was pleased at this manifestation of independency. “Saynomore. I was in a hurry, that was all.” This apology was sufficient for Jack. “Come along,” continued Blueskin; and then, turning towards the landlord, he added— ** Bear in mind what I have said, Johnson. Treat her wy every respect. I have my own particular motives or 1.’ ** You shall be obeyed, captain,” replied Johuson, “ rest assured of it. Good night to you! You will find every- thing for you at Greggs’.”’ Good night. I shall be back by * All right, Johnson ! four.” “Very good, I shall expect you.”’ ‘* And now, Jack,’’ said Blueskin, “just step out.” ** Have we far to go ?”’ Only to Greggs’.”’ ** Where’s that P” “In Long-acre. We shall get a horse and cart there, and then drive to Kilburn.” ‘* But tell me what it is you know or suspect about the girl,” said Jack. ‘You cannot imagine my anxiety to learn something further. What was the reason you acted as you did when we were in the tap-room ?” Blueskin made no reply. Jack repeated his question. ** I have said do not ask me for any reasons.” **I know you did, but surely there can be no harm in your telling me what you know?” “*I say again I cannot do it,” said Blueskin, almost fiereely. “‘ If itis as I have good reason to suspect, she is to some extent mixed up with my own fate—mniy own life, and that I never relate to a soul.” ‘ Your life P” repeated Jack, perfectly amazed. ** Yes, mine!” Jack Sheppard felt the curiosity he felt already, in- ereased a thousand times. ** For heaven’s sake,” he said, ‘*now you have said so much say more, for 1 am sure I could not bear the sus- pense. ‘Tell me—tell me at once.” But Blueskin relapsed into a moody sileace, nor could Jack by any means extort another word from him. He was aroused, however, from the conflict of hi thoughts by Blake coming suddenly to 1 halt. It was at the corner of King-street, Long-aere. Jack looked up and saw it was a livery stables. Blueskin simply made a sigu for Jack to follow him, and then passed under a gateway into a spacious yard, on every side surrounded by numerous buildings. Then Jack heard Bluesk*u blow a whistle, which had a pecuhar sound. = lt waa instantly responded to by &yer the stousy with which ths yard 7) EE wr wep ata a rattlos of wheele WAS PSyVSsy BLUESKIN ; enn LT TTY i HOY ne eee egg eect 27 A ROMANCE. But Jack’s thoughts were too much occupied to take more than a cursory notice of what was going on; he kept asking himself—Who was the young girl he had saved, aud it what way was she connected with Blueskin ? CHAPTER XVIII. FOLLOWS JONATHAN WILD UPON ONE OF IIIS NIGUT EXCURSIONS, AND RELATES THE DARING DEEDS WHICH HE COMMITTED. “ A LIKELY young fellow that!” muttered Jonathan Wild, after he had so cavalierly dismissed Jack Sheppard and Blueskin from his presence. “ A very likely young fel- low, indeed! I shall be able to make something of him in time, I daresay, so I shall begin with giving him plenty of eneouragement! That’s the way to do it!” Having come to this conclusion, Jonathan took a few whiffs at his pipe, and then pouring out a tumbler full of brandy, he drank considerably more than half of it at a draught. The spirit was strong, and it foreed the moisture into eas eyes, and for a second or two fairly took away his reath. “'That’s vetter!’’ he gasped. ‘I ought to take some- thing extra before I do what I intend to do to-night. It would not do to trust it into any other hands than my own. Just let me see that I have got the partieulars all right!” Hereupon, Jonathan picked up that day’s newspaper, and, in a low voice, read with great deliberation the fol- lowing extraordinary paragraph, as though he wished to impress every word of it upon his mind. The paragraph ran thus— UNPARALLELED OcCURRENCE.—We are indebted to a corre- spondent for the following particulars of an event we belicve to be without a parallel. It appears that Friday last, the 7th instant, was fixed for the celebration of the nuptials of H—n—y J—fi—s Esq., of E—n-hall, Tottenham, and J—e M—k—1, ouly daughter of G—e M—k—1}, Esq., of the L—e, Theobald’s-park. The union was brought about by love only, and a long and happy life was looked to as bemg the fortunate lot of the youthful pair, But, alas! as if to prove the folly of trusting to the stability of carthly things, an event occurred which has thrown the whole country-side into the deepest gloom. That cvent was death! While the bridegroom was in the act of putting the ring on the finger of the bride, in accordance with the terms of the marriage ceremony, he felt the hand of the bride become deathly cold, and ere he could scarce note this circumstance, she fell back upon the marble flooring of the church. The utmost consternation of course prevailed, and every means tried to restore the bride to fe, but in vain. The vital spark had fied for cver. The effects of this scene upon the bridegroom and the other relatives of the bride can be better imagined than described. But the strangest part of the affair remains yet to be told. It has transpired that for the three nights immediately preceding the wedding, the bridc-apparent dreamed that while the ceremony was being performed she fell down dead. That she should dream of the wedding for three nights running was in itself not very remarkable, but that she should dream the same dream, and that of so strange a kind, was exceedingly so. On the second occasion, while relating her vision, she declared herself firmly of belief that it was | prophetic, and that it would happen just as she had dreamed. The third occasion, which was on the night preceding the day of the wedding, she expressed herself still more confirmed in this belief, and requested asa favour, which she asked as a person about to die, that they would inter her in her nuptial garments, not removing a single article from her person. Every endeavour was made to dissipate this gloomy fore- boding, but without result, and her agitation at the refusal of her request rose to such a height that the worst consequenccs were dreaded, and at last, to calm her, they made the premise which she required. We have stated already the catastrophe. It turned out that her dream was fulfilled to the very letter. Of course nothing else is talked of for miles around. Tho funeral of the unhappy bride is fixed to take place to-day (Monday), and it is expected that a large number of people will assemble to witness the obsequies. We understand from the best authority that at the urgent desire of the bridegroom, who is almost crazed under his sudden bereavement, the bride will have her express wishes fulfilled; that is to say, will be placed in the coffin in her wedding-dress. <A tiara of diamonds, which is estimated at being worth two thousand five hundred pounds, and which had been presented to her by her father, will be buried with her, she having obtained a solemn promise that not one article which she wore should be removed. ; Altogether the affair is quite unprecedented, and caused the greatest possible excitement. Wo shall publish ir ~“"r next impression a full account of the funeral. ' i Such was the paragraph which Jonatha’, Wild so epres ; fully perused. , . da be inighed reading ik, he let the paper fai to the Beer, ] cComiclboooks (SO)