Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 388: what you’re looking at

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

a “Wwe — spre se i eS SEE EOS ER OE: “ENT Care EES =e A enema 386 BLUESKIN ;: And it had this advantage—it was not so likely to be seen through any erevice by those who were without. As an extra precaution, however, Blueskin took off lis hat, and held it with one hand in sucha position over the light that no rays proceeding from it wero permitted to fall upon the outer wall—indeed, it cast the majority of them down upon the step just beneath his fect. Swiftly, then, and with a feeling of greater confidence than he had hitherto bad, ho re-commenced his descent. In a few minutes his further progress was barred by a door, which was placed right across the sjauircase. A strong-looking door it was, too, and it threatened to put a stop to his going any further in that directio2. But the delight of our friend may be imagined whon ae found it give way to a touch. He passed through it and closed if after him. He then found himself in a small, square place, with two doors before him--one on his right hand and the other on his Icft. He ehose the former. But it was locked. The lock was, however, on the same side as himself, and of a very clumsy construction, as the locks are in most sacred edifices erected centuries ago. Such an obstacle as this would not stand long in the way of our friend Blueskin. After listening, to be confident that all was still, he took a litile steel instrument, bent at one end into a hook, from his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. The bolt of the lock shot back in a moment with a loud snap Eee CHAPTER CCLVII. BLUESKIN REACHES THE VAULTS BENEATH WESTMINSTER ABBEY, AND IS THE MEANS OF RENDERING AN IMPORT- ANT SERVICE. In reality the snap of the lock did not make much noise, but all Blueskin’s senses, and more especially that of hearing, were on the stretch, so that the sound came to his ears in what might be called an exaggerated fashion. So he shrank back with a look of alarm upon his coun- tenance, and the hand in which he held the little wax taper shook so excessively that it threatened every moment to extinguish it. But, after the elapso of a few seconds, Blueskin re- covered himself. He had listened intently, but all was profoundly still. As a measure of prudence, however, he extinguished the taper before he pnshed the door open. He had no idea where it led, nor what resuits the show- ing of a light would produce. Gently, then, he pushed the door a little way open. It creaked ominously upon its hinges. Blueskin projected his head through the crevice, and the first glance which he gave around served to show him what place he was in. Dimly lighted up by the rays of night, whieh pene- trated through the numerous tall windows, were the solemn-looking aisles and arches of the old Abbey. Blueskin drew in his head, and shut the door. “There is no luck that way,” he said; “I must try the other door. If I go out there, Jonathan will nab me, to a certainty. Ha! what’s that?” A faint sound came through the door, which wag aot closely shut, to Blueskin’s ears. He projected his head again, and listened. He knew what the sound was. Some one was rather roughly turning a key in a lock which was obstinate and would not act. “Jonathan is on my track,” he said; “I must be speedy. I hope the other door will lead me to some place ot safety, where I can hide myself from him.” As he spoke, Blueskin closed the door leading into the Abbey, and, by means of the same crooked piece of steel, locked it again, So no suspicions would be aroused if any who knew the door ought to be locked came and tried it; whereas, if he had leit it undone, he might have given a good cine to his situation. Having done this, Blueskin rapidly relighted the taper, and made his way to the door at the bottoin of the flight of steps, and which we have mentioned as being upon his left hand. —_ = ae Ses Hr = See a ey oS OF TF a a SE OL eee ~~ A ROMANCE, He cast a light up and down this door, but could see no other fastening upon it save a lock. He pushed the door, but it was fast. The services of the picklock- were again called into re- quisition, and, as the lock was of the same make as tha other, there was just as little trouble in opening it. With a great deal of curiosity—for, of course, a great deal depended upon what kind of placo it was beyond— Biueskin opened this door. As he had more t3an half suspected from the situation- of it, it disclosed a continuation of the staircase ho had just descended. “The vaults?” he said. ‘Yes, this must lead to the vaults beneath the old Abbey. I have bsard how vast is their extent, so vast that no man living is acquainted with all the ramifications. Surely, now, all will be well! I shall escape; but how I long to know the fate of Jack Sheppard and Edgworth Bess!” Blueskin might well feel anxious regarding the fate of his two companions, for their position was one of the greatest peril. . iho trampling of feet and the murmur of voices reached Blueskin’s ears, sometimes sounding quite elose at hand and then afar off, as though the pursuers were dispersing themselves over the building, which was indeed the fact. This warned him to be quick in selecting his place ol eoncealment, for how eould he tell how soon some one might try the door whieh he had relocked. Accordingly, he, without hesitation or delay, com- menced the descent of the winding flight of steps, first taking care to relock the second door. The damp, earthy sort of smell which now saluted his nostrils, as well as the sawdust on the steps, confirmed him in his previous supposition that he was going to- wards the vaults. An oppressive stilluess was around him. The stillness of the tomb. No sound from above was now audible, though fain would our friend have heard something to assure him that he was among his fellow-creatures. As he descended, the dampness of the air became more and more perceptible. The candle soon began to show signs of it, for it burned with a dim anil sickly lustre, and scarcely dispelled the darkness immediately surrounding it. The stairs, too, became slippery, and Blueskin, in order not to lose his footing, was compelled to keep as tight a hold as he could upon the stonework. The charnel-house odour increased, and made the air have a damp, sticky, sickening flavour when inhaled into the lungs. Such things as these, toa man who was flying for his life and seeking some place where he could be safe from the persecutions of his enemy, were minor inconveniences, and therefore Blueskin paid but little attention to them. At length the bottom of the steps was reached, and then Blneskin held the light as high up above his head as he could, and strove by looking round to ascertain what kind of a place he was in. He found that he stood in a small rectangular-shaped chamber. Advancing into the middle of this, he saw before him adcer deeply set in an arch, and having the appearance of great strength. Sawdust was thipkly strewn upon the floor of this chamber, and Blueskin, holding the Hght down, saw the traces of many footsteps, which clearly evidenced that the place had been visited quite recently. He saw this with alarm, because, although he had done so much, he had by no means reached a place of absolute safety. Some means must be found of passing through that door, which, doubtless, was In immediate connection with the vaults, of whose existence Blueskin had heard frequent mention made. This door, then, must be passed through. He listened, but not the faintest sound, save the hurried beating of his own heart, reached his ears. The influence exerted upon human beings by darkness iz as remarkable as it is universal, and Blueskin, strong minded though he was, eould not shake off the feeling which possessed him. He did not delay, however, except to listen in the man- ner we have deserlbed. es ee Lee EO DOO C SS} o(CO) 5} a