Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 344: what you’re looking at

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

aa. Why, if it is like the description I have heard of 3t, we could hide there till doomsday.” * That is the very place I had myself thought of.” “JTsit? Then why did you hesitate about it ?”’ Why, a churchyard vault is not a very pleasans place to be in, that isgall.”’ * But that is nothing.” Well, perhaps not to you and me, but you must think who we have with us.” * Edgworth Bess?” “Yes. She may be alarmed and terrified at the idea of being in such a place.” ‘think not. At any rate, we can but ask her.” ‘Very true; but, before we do so, I should like to try and find some other place that offered equal chances of security.” © You had better abandon that idea at once, my friend, because I am quite sure you would not succesad. We ought not to lose any time, either. Look hov fast at is getting ght.” *¢ Tt is.” ‘And you must recollect that we have got the entrance to the vaults to find, and that may take some time.” “Veg, “wo heads are always better than one. I never gave that a moment’s thought.” “We may have some difficulty, you know, in getting into tho vaults, for they take care to make everything wonderfully secure.” “They do.” “ Let us start at once, tlien.” * And Edgworth Bess ? ” What?” ** Shall we wake her?” “© No, leave her where sl is.” ‘Then we must not go out of earshot.” “Oh! no; for if she happened to wake up and find we were not near her, she would be terribly alarme?; besides which, I should not like to go far away, for fear that something should happen to her.” Ah! acl. it is a thousand pities that you could not have been content with being a friend to her, without being a lover into the bargain. I can see how the land lies. She likes you as well as yon do her. <A blind man could seethat. Well, Jack, I must say again that it is a thousand pities, and I am heartily sorry for you both. Nothing but ill can come of it—I am sure of that; and, mark me, if my words don’t come true.” Don’t prophecy anv more evil for us,’ said Jack, forcing a light laugh, though in secret he was much moved by the forebodings to which Blueskin had just given utterance. ‘I am sure we havo got trouble enough !” “We have, indeed. I only wish I could see the end of it. How it is all to end is more than either you or I can see at present.” “We must not get upon that subject now. We agreed not to talk over our plans until Edgworth Bess was with us,and could hear and approve of them. You forget what we have to do.” ‘* No, I do not.” ‘Then come, Ict us at once set about fiuding some means of entering the vaults.” Blueskin rose, and he and Jack left the pew in which they had passed the night, but, before they went away, they were careful to restore it to its original condition, and close the door. Then on tiptoe they crossed the aisle and peeped into the pew in which Edgworth Bess was sleeping. She was all safe and well, so they set about their exploring expedition without further delay. The interior of the cathedral was now tolerably well illuminated, so that they were able to make their way about 1t without much trouble. They ran no risk of coming in contact with any of {he numerous objects in the interior. To any one coming into St. Paul’s, however, from the open daylight, the -xthedral would have appeared to be in total darkness. But to our friends, who had been there so many hours, and whose eyes had become accustomed to the gloom, the fhint twilight which was dispersed about tho sacred edifice seemed to them like broad day. Indeed, philosophers assert that on this earth no such thing as total and utter darkness ever prevails, and instances are on record where prisoners have been con- PCy TR Te ee op oe ee ree. Se See EE SE” CR DY Nae BLUESKIN : A ROMANCE, fined in dungeons, and who have been unable to distingnish anything, have by degrees, as their eyes have become accustomed to the obscurity, been able to discern the walls, and even the rats and mice with which the dungeon was infested. . So Blueskin walked about in ease and safety, and was able to see everything. But for a long time their search for some means of reaching the vaults beneath the church was an unsuccessful one; until at length Jack pointed out to his companion a smal] door set in a recess, and which had escaped DBlue- skiu’s eye. Jack’s younger and keener vision, however, detected it. ‘‘This promises to be the very thing we want,” he said; “but Low are we to get the door open?” ** Tt may be unfastened.” ; ra o, it is fast; and the only securement I can find is a ock.” ‘* Let me look at it.” ; * Tere you are, then.” Jack stepped out of the little recess in which the door was sitnated, and allowed Blueskin to enter it. It was a low, arched door, having all the appearanee of leading to the vaults. eit was strong, and crossed in many directions with bands of iron. Blueskin felt for the keyhole. It was of enormous size, for in those days the idea was in full prevalence that for a lock to be strong and secure it must of necessity be large. Indeed, its strength and security were always con. sidered in proportion to its weight and size. The key of this one, for instance, was so large that Blueskin was ablo to introduce his finger into it without any trouble. *T don’t know what to do with this, Jack,’’ he said. Why vote” *¢'T’ho keyhole is so large.” ‘But you have skeleton keys.” ‘Yes; but none anything like large enough for this rhe lf T had a good-sized nail, now, I might do some- thing.’ “'That would be a funny thing to pick a lock with.” “ Not at all. <A strong nail hooked at one end is the best thing in the world. I will show you the knack.” What with ?” Well, nst a nail, but the instrument that I hited the trap-door with that leads into Wild’s warehouse.” T know.” J had forgotten all about it, but it will be just the thing. Here you are.” Blueskin put the crooked instrument into the keyhole, A clicking noise followed, and then there was a snap, which showed that the bolt ofthe loek had been shot back into its setting. The door creaked open. What was beyond they could not tell, though Jack peeped over Blueskin’s shoulder and strained his cyes to the utmost. A damp earthy emell, however, saluted their nostrils, paris made them think that a charnel-house was not far istant. “Wo must light the taper,” said Blueskin, “ before we can see what this place is like. It may not lead to the vaults after all.” “T hopo so, after a)! the trouble we have taken.” “© So do I, but wo shall know in a moment.” Blueskin again produced his box of phosphorus and thieves’ matches, as they wore called, and ignited the little piece of wax taper. The fiame burst up slowly and steadily. A draught of cold air, which came from the open door, threatened every moment its extinguishment, but Blueskin soadee the flame with his hand and cautiously stepped orward, f e CHAPTER CCXXXYVI. EDGWORTH BESS IS UNFORTUNATE ENOUOH TO RENe COUNTER JONATHAN WILD IN ST. PAUL’® CHUBCH- YARD. By standing fairly on the threshold of the door, the current of air was in a great measure done away with, and then Blueskin saw that he stood at the top of a flight of stone * meg +e EO NOOl|KS ECO CG am