The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

ss on ea aes fF ia 5 ad BEE ERE i ag i RA RI AN RET TN ere ie THE STRING OF PEARLS. Be eee ee ee you never heard me grumble at such little matters yet; and I’ll be bound never will, that’s more,” “‘T give you credit for that, Watson ; but between you and I, I think the dis. |} ease of that boy is of a nature that will carry him off very suddenly.” ‘‘T think so too,” said Watson, with a chuckle. “It strikes me forcibly that he will be found dead in his bed some morning, and I should not in the least wonder if that were to-morrow morning: what’s your opinion, Watson?” “Oh, damn it, what’s the use of all this round-about nonsense between us ? the boy is to die, and there’s an end of it, and die he shall during the night— J owe him a personal grudge, of course, now.” “Of course you do—he has disfigured you.” ‘“Has he? Well, I can return the compliment ; and I say, Mr. Fogg, my opinion is, that it’s very dangerous having these medical inspections you have such a fancy for.” «My dear fellow, it is dangerous, that I know as well as you can tell me, but it is from that danger we gather safety. If anything in the shape of a disturbance should arise about any patient, you don’t know of what vast importance a re- port from such a man as old Dr. Popplejoy might be.” ! “Well, well, have it your own way. I shall not go near Master Tobias for || the whole day, and shall see what starvation and solitude does towards | taming him down a bit.” “ As you please; but it is time you went your regular rounds.” *¢ Yes, of course.” Tobias heard Watson rise. The crisis was a serious one. His eye fell upon }} a bolt that was outside the door, and, with the quickness of thought, he shot it |, into its socket, and then made his way down the passage towards his cell, the door of which he shut close. His next movement was to run to the end of the passage and descend some stairs. A door opposed him, but a push opened it, and he found himself in a small, dimly-lighted room, in one corner of which, upon a heap of straw, lay a woman, apparently sleeping. The noise which Tobias made in entering the cell, for such it was, roused her up, and she |} said— : | ‘Oh! no, no; not the lash! not the lash! I am quiet. quiet, I am, although the heart within is breaking. me?’ ‘‘Have mercy upon me,” said Tobias, ‘‘ and hide me if you can.” ‘Hide you! hide you! God of Heaven, who are you ?” ‘¢ A poor victim, who has escaped from one of the cells, and [-——’ ‘ Hush!’ said the woman; and she made Tobias shrink down in the corner of the cell, cleverly covering him up with the straw, and then lying down her- self in such a position that he was completely screened. The precaution was not taken a moment too soon, for, by the time it was completed, Watson had || burst open the door of the room which Tobias had bolted, and stood in the narrow passage. ‘¢ How the devil,’’ he said, ‘* came that door shut, I wonder ?” ‘‘Oh! save me,” whispered Tobias. ‘‘ Hush! hush! He will only look in,” was the answer. ‘‘ You are safe. [|| have been only waiting for some one who could assist me, in order to attempt an | escape. You must remain here until night, and then I will show you how it may be done. Hush!—he comes.’’ Watson did come, and looked into the || cell, muttering an oath, as he said— : ;Ch, you have enough bread and water till to-morrow morning, I should say ; 50 you need not expect to see me again till then.” “Oh! we are saved! we shall escape,” said the poor creature, after Watson || had been gone some minutes. God, how || Have mercy upon || b “Do you think’ so 2” eeeae eemiaeitia aides iabehceiairi ach wean damatecaisi mater eetmtenevosiisians Limemnee, SS ee ee NT ee eT Si kp Fo A + ap 2 comicbooks.com