Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE « Jest so, and with pleasure,” said Sharkey, who, on the word, upset one of the officials in a twinkling. The governor was for a moment astonished and’angry, but the strangeness of the scene was so comical, and Sharkey looked so very innocent and child-like throughout it all, that the old governor turned away and smiled, “ Bristles ?” he said at last, with a stern look, that froze all around him, “ Bristles ?” ‘Yes, sir.” “You are a fool!” ‘My mother always told me so; but then, you see, your worship, Z couldn’t help it.’’ , ‘“ Enough, fool! You have seen these two runaways; you say ?” “Yes, most worshipful, I did.” “ How were they going, knave?” ‘“‘ Like the devil, my lord !” | “No, Imean not that, Which way were they journeying, sirrah ?”” ‘On horseback, sir.” . ‘¢ How came the horses there, know you ?” “No, most worshipful. Wi’ out they came in the usial fashion.” ; | “ How in the usual fashion, knave ?” ‘‘On their legs, my lord, I suppose.” _ “ Speak thus again, ass,‘and [ will ordér yon to be lashed !”’ “ Thank’ee, werry much obligéd,’ whispered Sharkey to himself, ‘Which way were they going I ask again; this way or the other?” said the old governor, pointing with his hands, “ Richt or left 7” : “Oh! the right way.” , “Why, I thought you told the officers just now that they were going /70y. London ?” 3 ‘So they was.” “ Well, that is not the right way ; that is the left.” _ “Well, Z thought it was the right way ; at least, the right way to get out of the way of the officers ; leastways, 7 should have been in the right way if Z was hunted by any one,’ “ Methinks you are a rogue and a vagabond, knave !” said the governor, “and I will take great caré you are treated as such, mark me !” “We have no doubt, sir, that this fellow is well ae- quainted with the lanes and alley ways of 'London, and all the resorts of thieves and rogues, dr he would not speak thus to your worship.” | “You speaks right this time; old ’un,” said Sharkey, ‘I does know all the lanes o’ Lonideii ; and more than that, if you were to send mé@, and one or two 0’ tliese heré Werry, werry clever officers wi’ me, I ain’t got a doubt but I could soon ferret out Nat Fathom, and this wench which he has run off with.” ‘“Oh, now I begin to think you are ot & fool,” said the governor. “ Thankiee, most worshipful,’”’ said Sharkey, bowing, “ I knows this Nat Fathom well.” "You do ?” “Yes; an’ no mistake. once, and I don’t forget it,” “ Wa! you hate him, then?’ “ Worse nor the devil, your worship; that I does, aiid no mistake.” “ Thisnow may be useful to us,” said the governor, in An under tone, to those around him, ‘“ Fathom and the girl must be recaptured at all cost,” Sharkey heard this; but did not pretend to do so. He began to think that he must invent some plan for getting out of the officers’ hands, or should they diseover Who and what he was, he knew that no punishment would be spared on him. ‘So you think, knave, that you could assist my officets in effecting the capture of this famous scoundrel ?” ‘Think, most worshipful ?” said Sharkey, with a smile of confidence, ‘ No, I don’t think anything about it; for I’m cock-sure, my lord,” ‘“Then we must proceed in this matter at once,” said the old governor, “ I would not have Judge Jefferies think I had allowed her to escape for anything,” 162 : He punched my head more nor ” - bowing, jaws TERBIBLE, : “ Judge Jefferies, did-you say, most worshipful ?” Sharkey remarked, innocently. “Yes, talkative fool! What of that ; surely'you don’t know him ?” | “ Don’t I, though ? Me not know that most marciful and ~ ‘lightened judge ?—in course I does, and he knows me, too.” * You, knave ?” ® | ‘Yes, your honour, me; dnd he knows me well, Z can tell er.” The old governor looked astonished ; but said, mechanically, “ How, sirrah, how ?” __ “ Why, he used to employ me once on a time to look arter thém Fly-by-N ights, and other chaps, which gave him trouble,” . ‘“ Why, Captain Blie-Jacket and his famous gang ?” “ Jest so; the wetty same ; and he paid me well.” “ And so will I,” said the old goyernor, “if you succeed in capturing Nat Fathom, or putting the officers on his track.” "Well, that’s what I calls straight-forward business,” said. Sharkey, with a look of great satisfaction. “We must proceed in this business at once,” said the old governor ; “ not a moment is to be lost.” | “ What must we do, sir?” asked the chief officer. *« Procure horses at once.’’ ** Yes, sir.” “Take Mr, Bristles with you,” on the ‘ Mr,’ once.” | “We will do your pleasure, he said, with a Great stress “and mind you take great care of him. Go at sif,’ the officers replied,’ = / “ But you ain’t a-going to ttn is ot in tliat way, is you, ; inost Worshipful ?” said Sharkey; bowiiig and siniling. “What does the fellow meah ?” said the governor, turning “ We wishes to speak {6 You a moment, sir, said the officers; “he has something to say to you he Will not trust with hs.’ “ Some gréat secret, perhaps 2” “We suppose 80.”’ ; ‘ That’s jest it, most worshipful,” said Sharkey, bowing, and playing with his cap. yi What im- Well; then, sirrah, what is it you wish to say ? oney !” said Sharkey, Whispering in the governor’s ‘3 port nt secret is it you wish to impart to me?” ¢ ear. “ Mofiey ?” he replied, ast6tinded. ‘ What mean ye, impu- — dent knave ?”’ | “ You Wants Naf Fathom, doean’t yer ?” / ‘' Aid you're werry particular abotit tliat ‘ere wench which bolted with him?” — q “Well, what thién ?” * - ‘‘Money,” said Sharkey, smiling. ‘“ Money is the word, most worshipful,”’ “Want money of me, say you? What mean you? I cannot, I really cinnot understand,” ; “Vell, then, I'll jest tell yer,’ said Sharkey, in a very con- fidential manner. ‘If you vants Mr, Nathaniel Fathom, you must do it with coin, fovernor.” ‘‘ But my oflicers can effect his capturé without it,” “No they can’t, most honourable.” “ But Z say they cat, sirrah.” “But Z says they can’t, and that’s fldt; leastways not wil’out havin’ of their heads broken.” ‘‘T begin to perceive your meaning.” “Jest so, and all I has to say, is, Mt, Fatlioin has got a ig uly lot o’ chaps around him, if you only knows if.” ‘ e Fe “Vell, if I goes in and treats him to 4 can make him drunk, aid then——” bs “IT see; I sce. How much will be sufficient ?' ‘‘As much as you chooses; tlie riore the better,” Vor a moment the governor reflected, and spoke With his’ officer in private, saying, | bottle or two, We - \ f “T leave this putse in your keepiie, Give Mr. Btistlés — What he needs when the time comes, but don't lose sight of him for a moment,” aes GComichoo S com 3%