Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

the key with which you locke’ my dungeon door. 6 eae BLUKESIN “Speak,” said Sheppard. ‘* What is it ?” “This: I do not know whether there may or may not be in these dungeons some other unfortunates like myself, the victims of Wild’s brutality. You have in your nies t wi be the work but of a few moments to unlock all the other cells, and make sure that neither has an inmate.” ‘< Tt shall be done.” said Jack, “ T ought to have thought of that myself.” ‘It is rather surprising neither of us thought about it earlier than we did. But, however, we have thought of it in time.” ‘Just so, and if we find in the dungeons wnry one prisoner, our work will not have been in vain.” ‘*T am rejoiced,” said Sir Marmaduke, as they koth together made their way to the first of the cella, ‘‘ to hear you speak of the matter as you do.” ‘IT can feel for others in the same predicament as myself, and think what I should like some one else to do for me were they in my position.” “Exactly. That is a simple and a just method of look- ing at the matter.” ‘*Hold the lantern, Sir Marmaduke,” said Jack, “‘ and then I shall be able to see what I am about.” * Willingly.” Jack now, having his hands quite unencumbered, drew back the bolts at the top and bottom of the door. Then he fitted the key into the lock. Or rather he attempted to do so. He discovered that Wild had been too cunning to have the locks on the cell doors all made after one pattern. ‘“We are done,” said Jack, as he rapidly tried in suc- cession the other doors. “‘ It’s no go.” ‘TT am disappointed.” “© And I am vexed.” “‘ Let us tap at the different doors.” ** J don’t much like that. It can’t be an over-satisfactory way of assuring ourselves no one is within.” “ What else can we do?” * It’s rather hazaidous °’ ‘‘Then don’t attempt it.” “That would not deter me. The thought of what perl I might encounter never made me hang back.” ‘“‘There is a difference between despising danger and being temerarious.”’ “‘T tell you what [ am going to do.” ce Well 3) ‘Jonathan Wild, I have been told, has a master-key that will open every lock in his house.” ““Yes—yes. Go on.” “This key he wears always suspended from his neck by means of a steel chain.” * But—but’”? —— “But what P” *“ You don’t intend, surely, to run such a frightful risk as to re-enter the cell where the villain 1s, and attempt to take it from him ?”’ *“T do, though; and, what is more, will have it.” “Oh! my young friend, be guided by me in this matter.” “The danger is not worth mentioning. Jonathan cannot possibly, in this short time, have recovered from my treatment, and when he does I fancy he will be dis- abled a little.” While speaking these words, Jack boldly enough un- locked and unbolted the door, and then flung it open. Sir Marmaduke shrunk back. But feeling deeply ashamed of this manifestation of timidity, he came quite up to the threshold. ““Hold the hght, Sir Marmaduke,” said Jaak. ‘* Do not descend yourself, it is perfectly unnecessary.’ Jack jumped lightly down into the call, and nade his way direct to the spot where Jonathan was. Now, this fearlessness of demeanour was, tw a great extent assumed, for Jack knew Wild was quite cunnin enough, when he heard them coming, to be quite still and pretend to be insensible until he actually reached him, and, when quite off his cuard, to spring up suddenly aud take him by the throat. So, although Jack knelt down beside the thief-taker with assumptive carelessness, yet he was on the look out for some auch even’. Jonathan, however, lay atill perfectly insensible. « - profoundly still, and was | | would fit into a regular door lock. > AROMANCE., ° It was easy enough to find the chain that Jack knew he wore round his neck, and he pulled it otf rather roughly. Wild roused a little. But Jack, having the master key firm in his grasp, jumped out of the cell, and slammed the door. ingled with the sound, there came from the interior of the dungeon an awful sound, such as no human being could possiby be supposed to produce. “¢ All right,” said Jack, as he fastened the door care- fully. ‘* He will soon get tired of that sort of fun.” ** Yes, but think how jeopardous would have been our situation if he had recovered before you could have left the cell.” “Tt would, I confess,’ said Jack, ‘‘ but he didu’t, so it is not worth while to speculate about it.” ** You take things lightly.” ‘‘Sometimes. But let us, if we are to examine the other cells, begin at once, because every moment that we stay only increases the difficulty we shall find in leaving.”’ “There are two we shan’t want to look into at all,’ said Sir Marmaduke. ‘‘QOuo is the cell you have just ae and the other the one in which you wer con- ned.” The change that had taken place in Sir Marmaduke Osborn was really wonderful. eno longer looked the same being. The abject, squalid aspect that he had worn disappeared. He held himself erectly, and though very weak, walked with a firm tread. From the wreck he then was, after having survived the horrors of so long a confinement in a pestiferous dungeon, it was easy to see what he had been. The simple fact of his having borne in mind that Wild might have other prisoners besideS himself and the desire he expressed that they should be set free, suffices better than a whole page of laudatory matter to show the good- ness of his heart, the unselfishness of his disposition. Indeed, we think that under the circumstauces, few persons indeed would be found who would be able to think of what others were suffering at that very moment. *“‘ Let us go to the end of the passage,” said Jack. ‘“‘ You know where I mean?” ‘Yes, where the wall is, and the door I spoke to you about.” ** Just so. Let that be the first we open. We will then take the others in succession.”’ ‘* Agreed.” ** Tf we do this, 1t will leave us when we have done close to the secret door, which will save us going over the ground unnecessarily.” This was obviously a capital arrangement. So they aera straight to the door which the baronet had noticed. CHAPTER XOUIT. SIR MARMADUKE’S EVIL DESTINY STILL PREVAILS, AND HURRIES HIM TO DESTRUCTION. THAT they new stood upon the threshold of making some very remarkable discoveries in connection with the cells beneath Jonathan Wild’s house in Newgate-street, Jack Sheppard and Sir Marmaduke Osborn did not entertain a oubt. But Jack did not stop to speculate upon what was going to happen next, but proceeded to act without elay. Sir Marmaduke still had the lantern in his grasp. This, therefore, left Sheppard with both his hands at liberty. He held up the master key. Now, as this was rather a remarkable-looking instru- ment, we think 1t no more than right that a line or two should be occupied in its description. It was formed of two pieces of steel each about four inches in length. These two pieces had been law cre over the other, rectangularly, and then welded together so that it was in the form of a perfect cross. Kach of the four extremities of this cross were wrought into the shape of a key, but they all differed widely from each other, inasmuch as that one could only be used fox opening a very small box indeed, while the largest DN ES __, Ba ee ee ER Rae SE TO TE eR RETO ped es ES dk EE I” me oS, ae Pe POR ara POE a EN IE oa a 7 EEE OO AE conicboookks (SO) 5}