Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE TERRIBLE. suffocatingly close with the fumes of tobacco, spirituous liquors. There were four persons in the room, One was asleep on a long bench, and snored loudly, Two were playing dice, with many angry words. The fourth was amusing himself with some roast pork, and a huge flagon of foaming ale. and with strong As soon as he entered, the ruffians eyed him keenly fora moment, and laid their hands upon their daggers. When they perceived, however, who it was, they roused up the sleeper, who with many growls and stifled oaths, awoke in no friendly humour. ‘Well, and who the devil are himself like an angry bear. “ Who am [?” i$oey “Yes, Don’t you know that you’ve no business here? Who aré you?” i he am I? Why, your friend, Sir Humphrey Great- ead.” “Oh, ah! Now I begin to remember,” said Ivan. “ Well, Sir Humphrey, what do you want? ‘You seem in a dreadful rage about something,” . “Tam.” “Ts it any scrape that Z can get you out of 2” laughed Ivan. “ Perhaps you can.” . “Perhaps? Ha, ha, ha! Well, that’s cool, indeed. You come to the ‘Forge,’ and kick up arow; you come to see me, and then say can get you out of your mess, perhaps. Perhaps, then, ‘I’m not king of the ‘Forge ?’” “You are ; no one doubts it. Your assistance is invincible: ou are king of the ‘Forge!’ ” “Well, that’s beginning to talk sensibly,” said Ivan, quaff- ing off a draught of wine, “ Well, what now do you want?” “T want revenge !” “Revenge, on how many? A dozen?” _ * Sir Humphrey reddened deep scarlet, as he said, “No, not a dozen ; on one only.” “On one!” said Ivan, with distended eyes. ‘Is he a giant, then, or some wild man of the woods, that you cannot capture alone 1” ‘No, he is less than I am.” “Less than you? How long is it, then, since Sir Humphrey has learned to fear one man. Sir Humphrey, the great duel- list—one man !—afraid of one man! Why, surely I must be dreaming ?” ‘No more bantering words are necessary. When you have ‘heard a//, I would say, then, perhaps, you might understand as well as I, what it is for yow to fear one man.” The three ruffians looked at the speaker with looks of con- tempt and disdain. Ivan could scarce believe his own eyes or ears. He was astounded at what he considered to be the unpar- donable insult he had endured without avenging. Sir Humphrey saw this, and went on. “You have more than once offered me your aid, Ivan.” ~ “Thave, Sir Humphrey, for a price, you know ; never with- out pay. Blood is more precious than water.”’ * And what is that sum ?” “A thousand pounds, or more, according to the amount of service required,” “Tt is extravagant. Iwill not give it.” “Then get thee gone, Si# Humphrey. Let me enjoy my nap in peace. I have been busily engaged all night, and need repose.” ! “IT know you do, Ivan, and also know what has been the nature of your adventures during the night.” “Well, and what then?’ said Ivan, with a scowl. Sir Humphrey whispered, “ Let us be alone.” Ivan turned to the three villains, and motioned for them to leave the room. The three ruffians slunk out of the apartment, looking daggers at Sir Humphrey. Then they were alone, Sir Humphrey said, “ Your adventure of the night was unsuccessful,” 5 What know you of it?” you?” said Ivan, shaking | a 131 “Enough, Ivan, to have you andall your band hung, drawn and quartered !” “Ha !” said the terrible ruffian. ‘Came you here to tell me this? Does Sir Humphrey visit the ‘ Forge‘ to-night to beard the lion in his den ?” ‘No, but you who want pay for your services are in my power, if you only had sense to see it.” “Fool!” said Ivan, with a hissing tone, and then added, in a hoarse whisper, ‘‘ how long would it take me, think ye, to rid the place of one spy, eh, Sir Humphrey? Ila, ha! see you this pretty blade ?” he grinned, drawing his long dagger. “Put up your weapon, Ivan,’ Sir Humphrey said, with a smile. ‘‘I came not for myself alone. The business I wished you to do concerned you and yours more than me, and yet you ask a price.” “Ha! what mean ye?” “Is your dagger fit to encounter six or more?” “Six? Six what?” “Traitors | spies 1” Ivan was stung to the quick. Sir Humphrey was now his master. ‘Yes, spies and traitors, Ivan, who haye fought you once to-night and driven you off. Six or more of them, in dis- guise, have tracked you to the Forge.” » “Say you so?” ‘The girl has been discovered. I have been tweeked by the nose by a scurvy groom, named Darby.” “ Darby ?” ‘Aye. ‘Now, look ye, how you stand. Harry Percy, Darby, Red-Jacket, Handsome Ned, and others, are within a stone’s throw of you, under your very nose; the maid is in their power.” With a roar like a wounded bear Ivan dashed from the room. In afew moments all the Forge was alive with an angry mob of determined ruffians. “To old Mother Clinch’s!” cried Sir Humphrey, leading the way, sword in hand. | Then was the mob gathered ; their acts of violence we shall shortly see. CHAPTER ~° LXVIII. ESCAPE OF RED-JACKET AND HIS MEN FROM IVAN’S BAND —JESSIE AGAIN A GAPTIVE. THE position of Harry Percy and his friends within that house was most alarming and perilous. None of them knew which way to turn, and even Jessie herself-knew almost nothing about it, although she had heard several in the room speak of a secret stairway that led into the street in case the house should ever be unexpectedly attacked by the officers of justice. When, therefore, from the noise and shouts, loud oaths and imprecations, they judged the ruffians of the Forge were about to demolish the house, Red-Jacket and the rest decided upon a& hasty retreat. “°Tis useless to fight, Harry,” he said; ‘we are bit few, and all the Forge are out. We should be massacred !” ‘‘ What had best be done, then?” “Whatever we do mus be done quickly, for you may depend these ruffians know as much of the ins and outs of ’ this place—nay, more than we do, therefore, quick is the word.” Jessie persuaded the men to go on first, and ere many minutes they all had the gratification of finding themselves safe in a dirty narrow street. They were not many yards from the house and could plainly see Ivan’s villains scouring about and searching every- where, loud in oath, with torch and sword in hand. ‘‘What a miraculous escape!” said Red-Jacket. “Why, there must be fully two hundred of the ruffians surrounding the house—more than sufficient to eat us !”” ‘Let us hasten down to the river,” said Darby ; “it is. im- possible for any one to get their horses, now ; we will seize a boat, and then leave this cut-throat hole,” Goin “No,” said Red-Jacket ; “ mGO rail G boo RS