Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

=O peeves See eis © SS 6 =e ae -- SET ATES RS SS SL SECIS SOE MR GES OED Oy AR EES ES ES ge _ eh re, ER, en ay, eee BLUESKIN: A * You wowld drive him before you, I presume, as far as Newgate P” *?Pon honour, yes.” ‘Then you have got the chance now,” said Jack. “Phe” “T say, if you want to see Jack Sheppard, you have got a chance.’ ; In his fright, the boasting traveller forgot the cus- tomary ejaculations with which he interlarded wnat ne aaid, and merely gasped— ‘© How ? where ?”’ ‘Here. For lam Jack Sheppard!” It is out of our power to describe the effect which these words had. At first he stared at Jack with undisguised amazement, for he could not realize what he had just heard. Then he uttered a howl, similar to the one to which he gave vent when in the coach. His next attempt was to fly. But Blueskin was on the watch for that, so he merely ran into his arms. **One word,’ he said, in a stern voice, very different to the one in which he had previously spoken. ‘ One word, or the least cry for help, and I will blow your brains out!” This threat did not have to be repeated. The valorous gentleman collapsed at once. ** Put your hand in my coat-pocket, Jack, and you will find a coil of thin rope.” The word rope seemed very suggestive to Mr. “ Pon honour,” and he uttered a groan. But Blueskin’s next words took a load off his mind. “Tie bim to this post, Jack, and then we will see what he is worth.” There was a post on the footpath close to where they stood, and it was to this that Blueskin alluded. The traveller was quite helpless in his hands, and he placed him against the post, while Jack firmly bound him to it with the rope. Their next proceeding was to search his pockets, but all they could find were some trifling toilette articles and some coppers. At this the rage of our two friends can be imagined, though Jack from the first had formed a tolerably accu- rate 1dea of who he was, and how much he was worth. ** Villain!” said Blueskin, “is this all the money you have about you? Tell me the truth, or so sure as I speak, I will scatter your brains upon the pavement!” “*’Pon honour, yes.” **Then what do you mean by talking about riding on a bay horse that you paid three hundred guineas for?” The traveller made no reply. “Who are you?” asked Blueskin, “tell me this moment.” The traveller hesitated. * What is your name?” ***Pon honour, sir.” ‘That is not your name.” **?Pon honour, no.” ** Cease your foolery. What is your name, I say ?” ** Peter Grig.”’ ‘Ha! ha!” Neither Blueskin nor Jack could refrain from laughing at this Indicrous name. ** Is that your rea] name ?”’ asked the former, ‘**Pon honour, yes.” ** And what are you?” ** A professor.”’ ‘‘ Professor of what? Answer me at once; don’t keep me here waiting.” ** Professor of the tonsorial art.” ** Professor of the what art?” **' Tonsorial art.” *¢ And what art is that ?”’ **In plain language ?”’ ‘* Yes, of course, and without any ’pon honour or very extraordinary.” **Then the tonsorial art is the art of removing hirgute appendages from the face.”’ ** What ?” iy a said Jack, * 3 know what he means.” a Pd ‘* He is a barber.” “A barber P”’ ROMANCE. 317 NE RES ce en spenareernesPreessuneeceaaenstee t¢ Yes.” “Is that the truth ?” he asked, in great disgust. ** It is so called in vulgar lau, wage?” “Then do you mean to say you had the infernal im. pudence to sit in a atage coach and assume the airs you did, and talk in tae manner you did, when you were only a, barber ?” Mr Peter Gng said never a word. “Ta tell you what you are,” said Blueskin; “ you are a har and a coward, and which predominates is more than I can tell. But you shall suffer for your foolerv. Here, Jack just help me, and then we will be off.” * What are you going to do ?” ** Just follow my example.” As he spoke, Blueskin whipped off the barber’s hat, and then stooping down, took a handful of mud from the kennel, and plentifully bedaubed his face with it. In this Jack willingly enough assisted. Once the unfortunate barber opened his mouth, either to cry out for help or else to expostulate. But Blueskin had a handful of unsavoury mud ready, and in it went. “Come on, Jack,” he said, ‘‘ we will leave him now.” Accordingly they both hastened down the street, nor did they pause until they were some distance from the post to which the barber was tied. “We have lost a great deal of time with him, Blue.” ** We have, Jack.’ ‘Did you ever know such a lying coward? I really thought when I was in the coach, and he told his ‘ extra- ordinary ‘pon honour’ story that I should burst.” “It was very rich. But if I had known, I should not have wasted so much time as I did. I made sure he would have something about him that would repay us for our trouble.” “Well I didn’t, do you know. I fancied all the time the fellow would turn out to be something like he has. But we have not lost so much time. The night is young yet, and if he has done no more, he has afforded us some amusement, and chased away some unpleasant thoughts.” “Perhaps it is as well. But let us make the best, of our time now. It will be late before we reach West- minster.”’ “So it will; but I cannot help fancying the tinv will be well chosen. Just before daybreak nearly everynody slumbers.” ** So they do.” ** How do you imagine we shall carry off the swag ?”’ “I shall get a horse and cart close by the Horseferry.” ‘* Can you trust the people ?” “Oh! yes.” “ Well, I shall leave that to you, but we shall be obliged to have something, for if I recollect right, all that I saw when I went there was heavy articles. I wonder whether we shall find a cartload of those little ingots of silver P”’ a) CHAPTER CCXXI. BLUESKIN AND JACK SHEPPARD MAKE A SUCCESSFUL ATTACK UPON WILD’S WAREHOUSE IN THE HORSEFERRY, WESTMINSTER. “ THaT is more than J can tell,” said Blueskin, “for I have not been to the plsce since the time when I was there with you. But I hope we shall be well rewarded for our risk.” “They say the third time pays for all, Blue, and I hope the proverb will hold good in the present instance. It will be our third adventure to-night, and the two we have had have been unprofitable in the extreme.” “So they have. We are going to doa daring thing, Jack. If there is anything of value in the warehouse, you may trust to Wild for leaving it well guarded.” ‘Well, we are at Westminster now. Whereabouts ara you going to find the horse and cart ?” . 7 lose here; I think it is the next turning on our right and.” “* This one ?” ** No, the next.” They reached this corner, and then turned down it. Blueskin halted before a public-house, or rather before a gateway that adjoined it. There was 2 boll-bandle concealed in the door-post, COMICLOO© iC) SS (SO) 5}