The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

o6 THE COURT OF LONDON One of the postilions was completely stunned by the fall, and with regard to him, therefore, the warning was unnecessary, but the other was less hurt, and in piteous tones he promised to remain quiet, imploring that his life would be spared. At the same moment that the postilions were hurled to the ground by two of the assailants, the traces were cut by a third, and the horses at once stood still. Simultaneously also were both the doors of the chaise hastily torn open, and at each door appeared an individual thrusting pistols into the interior. The sudden movement which the two police-agents made to tear open their coats and draw forth the weapons with which they were armed was instantaneously frustrated by Jocelyn, who threw himself with all his force upon them, and thus succeeded in encumbering and restraining their actions for a few moments, while the two individuals who appeared at the doors aided him in completely overpowering them. To drag them forth into the road, bind them with stout cords, take their weapons from them and toss them to a distance, — all this was now the work of a minute; and no sooner was it over when Jocelyn’s friends hurried him along with them up one of the branches of the cross- road, where the two saddle-horses and the dashing phaeton appeared. ‘““ Now away, with the speed of the whirlwind! ’’ exclaimed. one who seemed to be the leader of the party, and who by the hasty glance which Jocelyn threw upon him in the moon- light seemed to answer to the old nurse’s description of the. elderly gentleman with the brown wig and the red whiskers. ‘Up into the phaeton,”’ he cried, seizing Loftus by the arm and literally thrusting him on to the front seat. ‘‘ Now, Captain, where are you? ”’ ‘“‘ Here, my lord,’ instantaneously responded a stentorian voice; and the individual who thus spoke sprang at the same time upon the back of one of the saddle-horses. Then, in a still louder tone, he cried, ‘“‘ Robin? ”’ | ‘“ Here, sir,” was the reply; and the person who now spoke. leaped up behind the phaeton, where another of the band also ensconced himself. All was haste and bustle, but no confusion. The Captain, be it remembered, had mounted one saddle-horse; the other was at the same time bestridden by its owner. The Gomicbooks (E(0)