Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

182 IVAN THE TERRIBLE. Turning to the trembling fat woman, he said, in solemn tones, - “ Do you know who I am?” : “ N-no,” she replied. “ Tam Black Bill! Ihave just come down out of the cup- board !” : “ Mercy, mercy ! Have mercy upon us miserable sinners |” ‘ Hush !? exclaimed Nat, with a grin. ‘‘ Don’t lie there mumbling, but listen tome. If you dare speak or move for the next half hour, I’ll come down the chimney, and strangle * you as sure as you live.” ' ‘ “Oh, please, Mr. Ghost, have pity upon me. Spare my sinful life, and I’ll be quiet, and confess all. John—that wretched husband of mine—I’m quite sure—no, I ain’t——” “Hush! Do you imagine that I want to hear what, as a | spirit, I know already?” said Nat, almost laughing out aloud, The lady of the house groaned. “Then you know all about the barber who once loved me How is it that a husband always submits to the clamour ‘of a wife’s tongue when he is the person of all others who has most right to controul its wagging ? ‘‘ Who is downstairs ?”? demanded the termagant, Only John, my love.” ‘“‘Tsn’t that lazy slut, Susan, up yet ?” ‘Qh, dear, yes !” «“ Ah! then I'll warrant you have been winking at her again. I'll box her ears and yours too when I come down. | It would make my poor mother’s hair stand on end to know what her daughter suffers !” | So saying, the fat lady turned herself in bed with such a pounce that Nat Fathom feared the whole structure would | fall upon and bury him.’ ! “This is a strange house,” thought he, as he meditated what to do next. “They certainly don’t seem like murderers, | yet how could that body come in the cupboard? Supposing | they don’t know it’s there, then, if I am discovered, it will be » dearly ?”’ said she. : ; laid to my charge. It would not be-very difficult for any | Nat Fathom deliberately turned up his sleeves, and said, one to bring it in through that window where [ crawled in.” } in quite a calm yoice, <7 For some little time he remained in thought, coming at ‘Now I am going to strangle you.”’ : | length to the conclusion that he must, as his only chance of Unable to speak a word from fright, the woman held up her escape, venture downstairs before the lady rose from her couch, | hands in mute supplication for life. Me “Only John downstairs,’ he said to himself. ‘Well, I After bestowing on her a look that almost froze her blood, don’t suppose John is much braver than the rest of his sex | Nat Fathom left the room, and commenced descending the —and a servant-girl. I mustmake the attempt at the back | staircase. Before he had got half way down, he heard some or front of the house, as fate and circumstances may direct,” | one coming up, and he paused to await the new comer, thought Nat, with a smile. His only chance now Jay in his own firmness and invention. He made a slight movement under the bed in his efforts to What little of other good qualities he had ever possessed crawl from under it towards the door. had nearly deserted him now, = The corpulent landlady heard him, and exclaimed, A. youth of seventeen or eighteen was coming up, but — ‘Why, there’s somebody moving under the bed! I’m all of | stopped as soon as he saw Nat Fathom on the stairs. a tremble. I shall get up and ring for Susan.” : “John,” said the latter, ‘‘Z am Black Bill! Will you ‘‘T shall be captured certainly if I allow her to call for | be kind enough to——” z, assistance,” thought Nat Fathom. John did not wait long enough to hear the request, but After a few seconds’ consideration, he suddenly rose up at | fully believing that the apparition of the hanged man stood the side of the bed, and said, before him, made a terrific rush down the stairs; never stop- = Tf you dare stir, or make any noise for the next half hour, | ping till he entered the kitchen, upsetting Susan and the V’ll cut your throat from ear to ear, if I don’t cut your head | breakfast tray by the force of his charge. off altogether. Mark that, my lady.” : The “living ghost ” then quickly descended the remaining The fat woman gave a slight scream, and Nat, with a broad | steps, and passing through a little door, found himself ina grin, sneaked under the bed again. € parlour, communicating with a doctor’s shop. ‘Beware |” he muttered. ‘‘Strict silence alone will pre- A cloak and a hat hung on a peg, behind the door, and serve your life.” Nat Fathom hesitated not to borrow them-for his own use. ‘‘ Oh, sp@Pe my life if you please, Mr. Murderer,” she gasped. Thus attired, he passed through a glass door into the shop, “ What is the matter ?” cried the husband, who had come | in which was a little girl, very energetically battering the * down the stairs at.a quick pace on hearing the scream, counter with a penny. ace - Beware |” muttered Nat. *“‘ Please sir, mother says——”’ “Nothing ; only a—a dream,” replied the lady to her hus- ‘Silence !”” exclaimed Nat, as he strode out of the shop, band’s question. leaving the girl perfectly convinced that the doctor had taken The fat woman in bed had been almost distilled with fear | leave of his senses. during the few moments taken up by this conversation with On reaching the street he glanced towards the spot where Nat. the officers had been. oa It seemed as though a mountain had been taken off Nat’s He had tired out the patience of most of the officers, how- breast when he heard the spouse retreat, muttering to himself | ever, but a very inquisitive baker’s boy sat upon his some words not intended to reach his wife’s ears, | basket of rolls, and informed every one that passed that a The corpulent lady then commenced a series of the most | man had been seen upon the roofs of the houses. alarming groans, which Nat felt it would be necessary to put ‘‘ Here comes the doctor,” cried the youth, ‘‘ Why, you’ve a*stop to unless he wished to have the whole household | got up the wreng end first, old cove.” attracted to her bedside. “Take that, you young imp !”’ said Nat, passionately, giving Appearing once more at her bedside, he said, him a back-handed smack in the face, which sent him sprawl- ‘“‘Tf you don’t be quiet this moment it shall be your ast !” ing into the gutter, from which the boy arose to find other ‘What shall I—I do?” moaned the poor woman. youths of his own age pilfering the rolls from his basket. . ‘Tell me instantly who is the dead body upstairs ?” Of course, it isone of the great privileges of humanity, “Black Bill. He—was—was—bought."’ more especially the ragged, tnwashed humanity which con- ‘What do you mean?” grecates in the streets and courts of London, at the slightest ‘‘Tle—was—hanged. He was one of Ivan’s gang, and my | sight or sound beyond those which ordinarily occur, to assert husband gave two gold pieccs for him,” the fat woman | the rights of might and manhood by taking advantage of any gasped, — mishap that may happen to a fellow creature. ‘What is your husband ?”’ The youths, and others, who had congregated to watch thé ‘‘ He’s a—a surgeon.” movements of the man who had been seen on the house-tops, The truth flashed across the mind of Nat Fathom in an in- | were so amused at beholding a baker in the gutter, that they stant. quite forgot the original object of their curiosity, while they He mentally cursed himself for having been so foolishly | hauled, pummeled and tumbled over the unfortunate boy, nervous. ] thus enabling Nat Fathom to quit the scene of action, as he At the same time he thought of a scheme which might | fancied, unobserved. nable him to e8cape from the house without molestation. . (Zo be continued.) Eomicbooks:com