Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

| Clavering. how I shall decrade myself by fighting a liar and eS == COMTI COOOKS.-COmM = 3 i ‘ it 136 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. c | ““ Speak!” cried Mildred, imperiously. He forced the certificate into her hand. 3 4 vas AY, speak, wretch, if ‘shame will permit| James sprang forward to tear it Aron hes A you!”’ exclaimed Jessie. when Jack dealt him a blow in the face, which _ With an effort to appear calm, the libertine | sent him sprawling upon the carpet at his feet. | said— Richard also dashed forward to seize it, but ‘‘ Hear me, Mildred. I know I have done Jack grasped him by the collar, and hurled pact: wrong in not telling you all. But the fear that I| back across the room. might lose you, held my tongue. This woman} ‘Stand back, scoundrel!’ | | | has been my mistress.” ‘Scoundrel in your teeth!” yelled Richard “ And is now your wife,” said Jessie. passion alone now consuming him. ef) ‘““ Is this so?” asked Mildred, with a sigh,and| As he spoke he struck Jack a blow in the aN looking at him fixedly through her tears. face. ae NOSE ps Our hero, who wore his mask, paled with vane * ‘“ Not your wife?” exclaimed Jessie. ©“ {and half raised his arm, but remembering that * ‘* Not my wife!” females were present, he suffered it to fallagain | “ Tis false!” cried a loud voice, and the next | to his side. 2 moment Spring-heeled Jack bounded into the| “ Enough, Richard Clavering, ” he said ; “you. room, followed by the servants of Richard shall answer to me for that blow, though I feel — The libertine sprang eee as the other |a villain.” | advanced. “Too true—two true,” gasped Mildred, letting Al His features were convulsed with terror and| the certificate fall from her hand. passion combined. “Wicked, unfeeling man,’ exclaimed the He trembled as if attacked by the ague, and | mother ; “ and I so believed him.” cold drops of persperation broke out upon his| “ And I, once,’ sighed Jesssie. | brow. Mildred rose, and DEEL her hand on the : arm Mildred uttered another cry and flew to the] of Jessie... | side of her mother, while James sank into a| “ Madam,” H an: said, “ oh, whata shone would chair, and his brother, uttering a wild howl,| I have done you ! Forgive me—oh, forgive flew from the room. me!’ ‘You here!” exclaimed Mrs. Clavering, while| I have nothing to forgive: you knew him Lizzie darted to his side. not. Believed him, as I did, to be the soul of The waiting-maid;did not fear him now, and | honour, pe alas! how have I »been deceived! | rejoiced in his presente. My poor girl, if I have pained your heart, I haye ‘Yes, madam, 1 am here—here to see that | severed you from a life worse than death—saved — justice is done to you—here to proclaim that| you from the villainy of a cold-blooded ‘and thing—for man he is not—a scoundrel and a| designing villain.” z liar!” “‘ Anéc glory in your triumph, ’ sneered Richa 5 ‘This to’ me!” shouted Richard, trying to| ‘‘Ay,1do. By one cruelty and another have assume a look and manner he was far from | you sought to free yourself from the bond which feeling. enchain us;-but so long as life remains Tn will” | - Py ‘* To you, rascal ncciver !__liar !—to you!” | foil your hellish desires.” | | eid “ By heaven, you shall answer to me for this!| “ Begone !’ | heitg ~. 05 a Mildred this is some plot concocted by a design-| ‘I will not obey you.” om wid sh | ino and cast-off mistress and that fellow yon der, “ ‘Will not ?” ay a to “prevent the consummation of our happiness.’ * No.” | ; , ae 7 if “It isa plot-of mine to save that girl from| ‘‘‘ Begone!” | ruin, and your black and craven soul from another and a deeper sin!”. exclaimed his wife. “I am his wife, as this girl here can Bs et true and lawful wife!” “Great God! how have I been deceievd!” eried Mildred. | “ Ay, girl,” said Jack ; “ but better that you learn the truth now, than time hence. § It may break your beating, heart, but it will save your honour? Mildred sank upon the lounge, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed aloud. Her mother and friend bent over her, and mingled their tears with her own. Tis false—all a lie!” roared Richard ; © “T fear not your threatening look, ‘babe! man. al As a wife, I know my duty is to obey you; but — as an outraged and insulted woman, I set ‘your | authority at defiance. The love Lonce bore you, | and which would have made:me your slave, a7 turned ito hatred., Richard Clavering, ee he despise and defy you.” He strode towards her eggs his face livid with passion. — , Jack stood before him. ‘“‘ Stand aside,” he cried. — | ‘“* Not at your bidding.” i oa Bs Stand from before Hes ; she says she 13 my be wife.” | ‘‘ And she s anaes truly.” " | | | | ‘| . L* »' * ~ ~~ o~e » la Pies le ee a CR — a ad = — Hn ¥ ‘ ‘* that woman is my mistress, not my wife.” ‘Then stand from before me.’ 1 * Behold the proof!” cried Jack, holding} ‘She is a woman, Richard Ne and as } up a copy of the certificate. “ Behold a copy of | such I protect her,” was the calm reply. } Oe the register you burglariously entered the} ‘Shall she defy me?” | ~~ church to destroy. Look upon this, Miss Hen- don, and then upon that man who would have] By heaven, she shall not! Begone—leave f: done you so irreparable a wrong—who would] us. To your own apartment, or I” have blighted your hopes and existence !” ev show the girl you would have lured to ak JA ‘* Yes, 1f she pleases so to do.” ; + | . q | ecw er’ oe