Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

a ee a ite ee ante eegiinaatly maim, Jack obeyed his hastily-given instructions with great rapidity. He mounted on to the table, and made a flytog leap after his comrade. =a But Jonathan was now fairly in the room, and he saw Jack about to spring. His own pistols were all discharged, but he turned round swiftly, and took the one out of the hands of the man next behind him. Then he fired it full at Jack. But he was just a little too late. The report of the pistol mingled with the splash which Jack made as he entered the water. He felt bruised and blinded, and seemed to sink fathoms deep into the Thames. Jonathan ran hastily to the window, and, jumping upon the table, seemed almost as though he was going to follow those he was pursuing, and take a flying leap into the Thames. But a second thought seemed to come over him. He waved his torch in the air, and cast the glimmer of its light upon the surface of the turbid river. He placed, too, a whistle between his lips, and blew it shrilly, as a signal tu those men he had set to surround and watch the house. But this signal was hardly needed. Already had they heard the two splashes which followed Jack and Blueskin’s immersion in the Thames, and they jumped to the conclusion in a moment that their prey had taken to the water. Lights were seen moving rapidly upon the river bank, and pistols were continually discharging. ‘“A boat! a boat!” yelled Wild, as he stood on the window-sill, and waved his torch round his head liken maniac. “ A boat—a boat! Get a boat and row beneath thie window, and I will drop into it.” His words were heard, and, after some delay, were reaponded to. ‘The boat was atopped just beneath the window, and Jonathan lowered himself into it. Iie held by hia hands to the window-aill, and then he had but a few inches to drop. His first act was to seize a torch from one of the men, and make his way to the head of the little wherry, and take a careful look around him. But nothing save the black shining water met his gaze. There were no traces of either Jack or Blueskin, and ‘ though he rowed for a long time around the spot, and though be was aided by several other boats who put off to his asgiatance, he was anable to find anything that would serve as a clue. It seemed as though they had dropped intc the bosom of the river, and never risen again. CITAPTER CCIV. IN WHICH JONATIIAN WILD REACHES HIS OWN HOUSE tN NEWGATE-STREET THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED. ** BAFFLED once more by that devil’s cub!” said Wild, bitterly, when he found all his efforts to obtain a glimpse of his toes unavailing, and unwillingly had the boat’s heau turned to the land. ‘I should swear they were drowned, ony I feel confident that a drier death is decreed for et ed But this was but a sorry reflection to soothe Wild’s dis. appointment. ‘fo think that he should have taken such precautions. To think that he should have felt so sure that he had his prey at length in his grasp. ‘To think that when he would freely have wagered any amount that they could not escape from him, that they should after all, in such an incomprehensible manner, slip through his fingers. And yet they had done so. . ‘Stevens, the officer, who thought he had mangegeci things so cleverly, looked terribly chapfallen. : Silent and moody, Jonathan landed close to the thie. es’ a: , re ne, however, left the spot, he took one long lingering look at the river, in the hope that he should, perhaps, catch a giimpse of the forms of those he was so anxious to see. But uv, tne muddy waters fell plash, plash, against the A Seer Lt A armas NY I OO Ce SS ca BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, 398 wooden piies, which had been driven into the ground to prevent the encroachment of the water, and that was all. The dusky outlines of one or two boats at anchor could be seen, but not a trace of Blueskin or Jack Sheppard. In anything but an amiable frame of mind, he summoned his men around him, and going to the top of the street, mounted his horse, and bent his steps towards Newgate- street. The fact was, that what with his disappointment, and the fatigue which the weakness from his wound produced, Jonathan Wild was dead bent. The reader must not forget that he has made some rather incredible exertions considering the debilitated state of his body. Indeed, it would not be too much to say that no other man save Jonathan Wild could have eupported himself at all under such circumstances. At a elow pace he led the way towards Newgate- street. When he once more arrived at his door, the first faint flush of dawn from the new day was climbing up into the sky above the roof-tops. But he scarcely noticed this. He dismounted. The door was thrown open by Quilt Armold, who had been left in charge of the premises during the thief- taker’s absence. Jonathan staggered up the steps. Quilt said something to him. He waa just aware of that much, but what was the purport of hia speech he had not the remotest idea, and he felt too faint and languid to inquire. The stairs were straight before him, and mechanically he directed his steps towards them. Then arriving at the foot, he grasped the balusters with one hand, and slowly ascended step by step. Up to the first floor he went, and into one of the roome which were upon it. There was a bed which fitted into a little recess, and towards this he mechanically staggered, and threw hin. self at full length upon it. Searcely had he done so than he fell into a profound peta so deep that no ordinary sound or noise would awake him from it. Let not any one feel surprised that sleep should have conie upon him so suddenly. He was almost asleep when he came up the stairs. Nature was now having her due. Like a stern ereditor, who had for a long time been set aside, she asserted her rights at last, and had them. In his half-conscious state, Jonathan did not notice a face that peered over the balusters above, and watched his devious course across the landing. Nor did he hear the steps of the person who descended from the upper part of the house and stole into the bed- room after him. ‘he dawn became niore and more manifest. The different objecta in the room were being revealed by the slate-coloured light which fell upon them. The person who glided into the room, upon reaching the bedside, folded his arms and looked down upon the countenance of the sleeping thief-taker. That person was Steggs, who still kept hia watch at the door of the poor persecuted heiress. Eagerly and anxiously had he watched for Jonathan’s return, and now he came at last. Came, too, without bringing with him those of whom he had set out 1n pursuit. ‘* He sleeps,” said Steggs, in a atrange, hoarse whisper; ‘he is completely overcome. He is helpless, and at m mercy. What shall I do? Shall I slay him as he sleeps One blow, and then the persecutions of Edgworth Bess and Jack Sheppard will be over. I think I will do it. Such a chance may never occur again.” Steggs ceaged. ; He telt in his pocket and produced a knife, which he opened, and carcfully felt the point. But even at that moment a second thought swept through his mind, and the arm which he had raised in an attitude to strike dropped powerless by his sida. Jonathan Wild knew it not—never did know it—but that night he had the narrowest escape of his life that ever he had during the whole of his vicissitudinous career. Under circumstances of strong excitement peraozs wrll TS Sam SS EAT 5A, SRP” at Po an RENT Ren BEET RET SREY WRN FS IE SDE TF MICLOO Cc (SO) 5}