The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, Trevelyan did not choose to interrupt the ba- ronet’s reverie immediately; he comprehended the prudence of allowing him to collect his scattered ideas, and compose his thoughts, “Ts it really you, my dear young friend?” Sir Gilbert asked abruptly; and, starting up in the bed, ho seized Trevelyan’s hand, and gazed fixedly upon his countenance. “Yes, it is no dream,” responded Lord William, pressing the baronct’s hand with all the fervour of his generous friendship; “I am hero to. effect your escapo, and there is no time to be lost.” Still the baronet could scarcely belicre the joyful aunvuncement thus mado to him; and Trevelyan, duly impressed with the necessity of tranquilising and reassuring his friend’s mind as much as possible cre tho attempt at departure should be made,—fearing likewiso that the baronet’s intellect had been somewhat impaired by the senso of wrong aud the horrors of imprisonment in a-lu- natic asylum,—began to speak upon such topics as wero calculated to direct his thoughts into a salutary channel. “My dear Heathcote,” he said, “endeavour to call te your aid as much calmness and self-pos- session as possible; for a singlo inadvertence or false step may ruin our project by alarming the house. Remember that the place is as well pro- tected and defended, and probably as well watched, ns a gaol: and we must proceed with caution— courage—and coolness.” “But how did you find your way inte the estab- lishment?” enquired Sir Gilbert, his ideas becom- ing more settled. “By pretending to be insane,” answered Tre- velyan; “‘and I have succeeded in thoroughly duping the Doctor.” ‘‘Oh! my generous—my noblo-hearted friend !” exclaimed the baronct: “how can I ever sufficiently prove my gratitude i “FWush! speak not with excitement!” interrupted Trevelyan. “I am only doing towards you what you would umhesitatingly perform for me under the same circumstances. And now—as Iam anxious to relieve your mind as much as possible from any uneasiness or suspenso that it may experience—J must at once inform you that Mrs. Sefton is in good health, and at this moment in the happy expecta- tion of shortly sceing you again; for she is aware of the scheme which I have adopted to restore you to liberty,” “Heaven be thanked for these assurances !” ex- claimed Sir Gilbert: then, after a few moments’ pause, he said, ‘I need scarcely ask you to explain how you became acquainted with Mrs. Sefton. She Was no stranger to the friendship subsisting between you and me—and I therefore conclude that, alermed by my sudden and inexplicable disappearance, she sought your counsel and assistance.” “All has occurred precisely as you conjecture,” answered Trevelyan. ‘But do you now feel cqual to tho task——” “Of making an effort to recover my freedom?” ejaculated Sir Gilbert, leaping from the couch. “Yuet us not Jose another moment! The atmosphere of this place scems oppressive, and heavy to breathe. I pant—I yearn—lI long for liborty.” Thus speaking, the baronet began hastily to put on his attire, and in a few minutes he was drossed, “Now,” said Trovelyan, “we must decide upon the course to be adopted. Doubtless there is a S47 porter to keep watch all night in the hall?’ he added, interrogatively. “Yes,” answered Sir Gilbert: “and I am alsc certain that a man patrols the garden. Besides, the keepers inside the houso are as wakeful and ab watchful as the fiends ef Pandemonium; and the least noise will bring half-a-dozen strong and des- perato fellows upon us. For my part, I have not the slightest objection to embrace the alternative of fighting our way through all opposition——” “But the consequences of defeat would be most disastrous,” interrupted Trevelyan. “The Doctor would thereby gain an excuse for coercing both you and me; and although I am as it were my own pri- soner, yot I have sworn not to quit these walls un- less accompanied by you,” “Generous friend!” exclaimed Sir Gilbort. * Were we well armed, we might bid defiance to the Doctor and all his gang: but weaponless— powerless as wp aro ———~” . “Do not despond, Heathcote,” said Trovelyan, observing that the baronct spoke in a mournful tone: “tho task that I have undertaken, I will ace complish! There appear to me to be two modes of procedure. Tho first is to descend as noisclessly as possible to the hall—seize upon tke porter— master him~and then effect our cscape by tho front-door. The other is to force away the bare from tho window of this room—mako a ropo of tho bed-clothing—descend into the garden—and take our chance with the watchman, Either project is attended with the risk of creating an alarm: but itis for you to decide, from your knowiedgo of the premises and the habits of its inmatos, which scheme is the more feasible.” o ‘ The former,” responded Sir Gilbert, after a few moments’ deep reflection. “The watchman in tho garden would probably observe us at the window, removing the bars; and an alarm would thus be raised even before we were prepared to attempt an escape by those means. On the other hand, tho porter sleeps in the hall :—of this fact I am well as- sured, because I saw the bed temporarily made up for him there on the night that I was brought hither :—therefore our chances of success lie in that direction.” : «Such also is my idea,” observed Trevelyan. “ Lot us proceed at once—and permit me to take tho lead.” The young nobloman and the baronet stole cau- tiously forth from the chamber, treading so lightly that their steps ratsed not a sound to disturb the silence which prevailed throughout the establish- ment. They descended to the first floorin safoty: and there they paused for 2 few minutes on the landing, listening with suspended breath, The deep and regular respiration of the porter now reached their ears from the hall below; and they thus obtained the assurance that tho man slumbered. Exchanging looks of satisfaction, they descended the Jact flight of stairs ;—and, by the hall lamp, they perceived the porter comfortably ensconced in a truckle-bed that was made up for him in a con- venient corner. The Jight fell on his rubicurd countenance, which was surmounted by a cotton nightcap: but the brawny arm that lay outside tho coverlid, and the traciag of his form as sharfd by tho bed-clothes, showed full well that he wig } man of herculean stature and proportionate Aer th, ene (C(O) (C DOO SS (SO)