Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

= if \ IVAN THE and you take the gentleman’s horse,” he added, addressing his companion rather roughly. Leaning on the arm of the man who had addressed him Blue-Jacket slowly, and with difficulty, walked to the main road, though the return of hope to his breast caused his half- congealed blood to circulate more briskly. “How did you find me?” he asked, when they had gone a little way. “By looking after you. We heard the noise you made calling to the echo, and knew pretty well where to find you.” “Are we near a house 2” “Yes ; about half a mile on is a public-house.” “ Thank heaven !” ejaculated Blue-Jacket, fervently, and he once more pressed onward, his guides seeming to be well acquainted with the road. Turning a corner of a path a light was seen a short distance ahead, which soon proved to be the inn spoken of. A signboard swung in front of it, on which were the words, i ane ‘Red House,’ Good accommodation for man and east.” , The door was opened as the party drew near by a jolly- looking landlord. r ae eer ‘*T want a bed,” said Blue-Jacket, “For three ?” asked the host. ‘“‘T don’t know whether these good men live in the neigh- bourhood, but if not they will require some kind of accommo- dation.” “- “IT have only one room,” said the landlord; ‘‘I dare say,- though, these gentlemen can make themselves comfortable before the fire.” “Oh, yes,” replied the two strangers; “let our new-found friend have the bed by all means.” Orders were then given to have the bed prepared. Blue- Jacket’s steed was attended to, and he himself seated before a blazing fire, round which were assembled the landlord, his wife, a servant, and the two men who had conducted Blue- Jacket to the roadside inn. A good glass of brandy and water, together with the warmth of the fire, soon began to thaw his limbs, and he looked _ towards his preservers. “Gentlemen,” said he, “ I can hardly find words to express my thanks ; but be assured if I can in any way be of service to you I shall be most happy to do so.” “We are much obliged to you, but feel quite repaid in having been able to save your life,” replied the senior of the party. Ah ! a merciful providence watches over us!” exclaimed the landlady. “Tndeed, it does over both great and small, thank Heaven !” chimed in the landlord. “Amen!” said the younger of the two strangers, with a most sanctimonious look. : “Tucky for you that you were so near this house. There have been a great many robberies lately,” said the host. “ Indeed,” exclaimed Blue-Jacket. “ Aye, twas but last Thursday a gentleman was murdered only about a mile from here.” “And another nearly killed the week before that,” con- tinued the landlady. ' _ “Then I may consider myself very fortunate?” cried Blue- Jacket, smiling. ‘You may, indeed,” said every one present. Blue-Jacket fancied he saw a wink pass between the land- lord and his unknown friends. “Thank Heaven,” continued the landlady, “we're simple, honest people, and put our faith in the Bible, so the thieves never harm us. There’s not a better house to be found than the ‘ Red House. ’”’ ‘Praise Heaven for all mercies !” said the landlord. ‘‘ Amen !”” responded the others. Blue-Jacket, fancying he saw the suspicious wink once more, could not but doubt that he had fallen in with a queer set, some kind of Puritan fanatics, perhaps, who would keep him up half the night discussing doctrines or singing psalms. To escape, therefore, from this infliction he pleaded intense fatigue, and haying thoroughly warmed himself desired to be shown his chamber, r TERRIBLE. 189 He was ushered into a little room at the top of a flight of stairs, in one corner of which stood a small, rough-looking bedstead, the rest of the room being almost destitute of fur- niture. However, Blue-Jacket was not so much disposed to quarrel with the accommodation, and, casting himself on the bed, soon fell asleep. - LORE How long he slept he knew not. ae He was aroused by a sound of stealthy footsteps on the creaking staircase and confused whispers outside the door. Then an attempt was made to open the door, but it was prevented by a chair which Blue-Jacket had placed against it in a peculiar manner. e) Blue-Jacket started up, and listened with breathless anxiety while the remembrance of the affected piety and suspicious signals of the landlord and his companions at once rushed to his mind. A whispered conversation seemed to be going on. Then the footsteps began to descend and die away in the silence. All was dark and calm, and the stillness afforded Blue- Jacket a moment for reflection. There could be no doubt now that this inn was the rendez- vous of a gang of thieves, with whom the landlord was leagued, and that they intended to add their guest to the numbcr of their victims. Blue-Jacket cursed his folly in having lost his pistols in the storm on the moor, for he was now perfectly defenceless, having left his sword in the parlour below, a fact which made him wish he had remained on the bleak moor rather than have ventured into this den of thieves, Suddenly the bed began to move ! Without hesitating a moment, he sprang to the floor. Groping round the wall, he endeavoured to find the door. Confused by the darkness, he returned inadvertently to the spot where the bed had sunk through the floor. A fearful accident befel him. Headlong he fell for some distance to find himself on the floor of a dreary vault, where the remains of human beings lay scattered about in every direction. : Here was a body without a head, there a head detachea from the trunk, while a little further off was a confused heap of arms and legs. “Wis Scarcely had he time to look around him ere the door opened, and the landlord, together with the two others, en- tered. Each bore in his hand a glittering knife. “Villains! assassins!” cried Blue-Jacket. Ere the words had echoed through the vaults, the three men threw themselves upon him, and thrust a gag between his teeth. : In vain he struggled, as desperate men can when driven to the depths of despair. In vain he struck with his fists and kicked with his naked feet. - His foes were too numerous and powerful for him. In less than five minutes after the entrance of the perfidious host and his associates, Blue-Jacket was powerless and at their mercy. t ‘No law for him,” muttered the landlord, “He is one of Blue-Jacket’s band, I'll be bound. To the bench with him. We are Ivan’s sworn friends. To the bench with him?’ The two then lifted him from the ground, and laid him on a wooden bench deeply stained with blood. It was the blood of former victims. His neck was bared, and his two preservers, as bold Blue- Jacket had shortly before thought them, knelt on his legs, and arms, and chest, while the landlord prepared to cut his throat in the most butcherly and scientific manner that can be imagined. Like Richard, he could ‘Smile, and murder while he smiled.” The knife flashed in the dim light, and Blue-J acket imagined that his moments were numbered. Suddenly a strange noise at the extreme end of the vault arrested the attention of the three murderers. GEoOmichoo nn SCO)