Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN: A ROM4NCE. CN TLL LOE OE = *Girence,’ said Wild, as ne carried his hand to his pastola. Pe. ‘Ves, Mr. Wild, oh! yes,” said Mr. Snoxall, precipi- tately retreating to the most distant corner in the room. ‘¢ Now, villain,” yelled Wild, turning towards Levee, ‘6 why do you hesitate P”’ ‘‘ Hicks and Noble, if you please, Mr. Wild” — Well ?”’ “They have pursued them.” €¢ h ! 33 But I don’t know whether they have found them.” ‘¢ Fifty pounds !—a hundred pounds for whoever brings them to me dead or alive! Do you bear that ? a hundred pounds! a hundred pounds—pounds !” Wild reeled and would have fallen to the floor haa not Nr. Snoxall darted forward and saved him. “Calm yourself, Mr. Wild, or I can’t answer for the consequences. Calm yourself, Mr. Wild, I beg.” _“ Brandy !”’ roared Jonathan, recovering from the ver- tigo which had seized him; “‘brandy! brandy!” ‘No, no, Mr. Wild,’ remonstrated the son of Galen ; “no, no, it would be certain death to you to drink brandy.” vite I master hereP Brandy, I say. Ha! that is well, Levee had taken from a cupboard in the room a bottle of brandy. Jonathan took it with a smile of satisfaction, and placing it to his lips, drank off the greater portion of it. The po ary stared aghast. Wild drew a long breath, and then he said,— ** Fetch me some more clothes instantly, and a hat and wig.” Leva flew, rather than ran, to do his tyranmical master’s bidding, anda few minutes after he had returned, Jonathan strode out into the hall, presenting something of his ordi- nary appearance. But though he carried things off with a high hand, he was in reality suffering the most intolerabe agony from the burts he had received. He had a purpose in view. Just as he reached the hall the front door was opened, and the two men, Hicks and Noble, entered. Well?” said Wild. ‘We can’t find nothink of them, Mr. Wild.” “Curse you both! After them again. I wouldn't have them escape for a thousand pounds. Curses! You shall have a hundred a-piece if you bring them back, dead or alive.” ** We're off, Mr. Wild.” *“The two men were only too glad to avail themselves of this loop-hole to get out of the reach of his brutality. Wild’s head pained him dreadfully. A rather desperate remedy came into his mind. * Levee,” he said, in a milder tone than be had yet used. ‘Come with me. I want you.” Trembling in every limb, for he did not know what uvil to apprehend from Wild’s pacific demeanour, Levee followed him into the little yard at the back of the premises. There was a pump here which supplied those in ae house with water, and Jonathan walked straight up it. ** Levee,” he said, ‘* I have had my head knocked about a good deal.” *S ‘You have, Mr. Wild.” ‘© How do you know I have, villain ?” ** Mr. Snoxall, if you please.” 6¢ Bah ! 3) “* Yes, Mr. Wild.” “ Now, look here. If I put myself in his cara, I shall be laid up for a month, so [ am going to try a cure of my own.” Yes, Mr. Wild.” ‘Tam going to hold my head under the pump.” ce pump, Mr. Wild?” repeated Levee, incredu- ously. “Yes, blockhead, and when I do, you begin to pump the water upon it. Very slowly at first, until at last yon get up to full speed, and don’t stop till I tell you to do so.” Levee walked to the pump in anything but an enviable frame of mind. He knew his master’s vicious temper, and that there was every reason, if he valued his skin, to be particularly careful. Ge rns natin 73 uy Jonathan put his head under the spout. Levee began at first very gently, and gradually in- creased. The pain which the falling water occasioned was so great that Jonathan almost uttered a shriek of pain, but he controlled that impulse. He knew that the result of the treatment he was undergoing would be a complete immunity from pain afterwards. Jonathan kept his head under for five minutes good, and then he snatched it away and stood upright. He was wonderfully better—well, indeed, in comparison to what he had been. So well satisfied was he that he resolved to try the pump discipline a second time. This time, of course, he did not feel it so much, and when he rose, with the exception of a kmd of numbness, he felt that all pain had gone. He returned to the hall. “ Send out all the men,” said Wild, “in pursuit. I can- not go myself, because I have even more particular busi- ness under hand.” What that business was the reader will speedily learn. It will be recollected that after Lord Ingestrie’s inter- view with him that morning, another visitor had been announced. What actually passed between them it is not necessary to relate. Its results will be seen in Wild’s actions. That it was no sight matter may be gathered from the fact of his abandoning the search for his two prisoners, and delegating that important matter to his subordinates. The fearfnl punishment which he had received, too, was not suflicient to make him postpone its execution. Jonathan Wild entered his office, and, going straight to his desk, unlocked it, and took out the blood-bedappled SE me tiara, which he had taken from the coffin of the ride. The business then was in connection with that. Hastily cramming it into his pocket, Wild left the office, and, after giving a few more orders, made his way in? the street. The continued absence of his lieutenant, Joseph Blake, or Blueskin, as he was called, puzzled and alarmed iim. He knew not what to think of so extraordinary a circum- stance. Wild went to the corner of the Old Bailey, and looked about him for some conveyance. A hackney-coach came blundering along. He hailed it, and told the man to drive to the nearest stairs where he could get a boat. “St, Paul’s-stairs,” said the jarvey, ‘‘ ain't the nearest eggzactly, but you re more likelier to get a boat there than at Blackfriars.” ‘Drive to St. Paul’s-stairs then, in the devil’s namie, and make haste about it.” The clumsy vehicle rambled over the stones. The swaying and jolting made Wild’s head none tho better, nor had his reflections a soothing effect upon him. “Curse that Sheppard!’ he said. ‘ He’s as bad as Lis father was before him. I can do no good with either. He'll come to the same end, that’s clear. Curse him! He shall suffer for the pains I am enduring. Sir Marma- duke, too. Just as I had accomplished that which had given me so much trouble. To have it snatched from me. The paper, too. Ob! they would like that, of course. Curse them both. As sure as my name is Jonathan Wild they shall rue this day.” At this moment the coach stopped. ; *‘ Here’s a public-house, sir, where the watermen waits. Shall I tell them there’s a job?”’ Yes; and be quick.” The man entered the house, which was only two streets eff the “Jolly Sailors,’ and found there two men, who went down to the landing steps with Wild in the manner we have recorded. CHAPTER XLIX. JACK SHEPPARD AND SIR MARMADUKE OSBORN GET OUT OF SIGHT OF JONATHAN WILD, BUT BY NO MEANS OUT OF DANGER. AND so after all it appears that the presence of Jonathan Wild at St. Paul’s-stairs was entirely owing to one cf those cross accidents and chance coincidences whieh ecca- sionally happen. COMmMIcbooOokS.€© 5}