Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 234: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE When she turned to go into the house she perceived the same old man who, on a former occasion, had spoken to Alf Godfrey’s apprentice. “ Alas, my fair girl,” said he, “ you little know the great dangers that surround you through those two men.” “ Danger? Wherefore speak thus, old man? Those two gentlemen are excellent customers.”’ And as she glanced at the gold glittering on the table in the shop, she sighed to think how many nice things could be bought for her with that sum, “Ah, let not your young eyes delight in gold,” he said. “Yet how can I speak to you, knowing, as I do,. how poor your father is, and how much he stands in need of money ? met my good girl, do you follow my advice, and all will be will.” Katerina, or Katie, as she was called for short, raised her eyes in wonder towards the old man. There was nothing in his countenance to indicate deceit or roguery. His voice was so solemn and musical that it fell upon the girl’s ears with a pleasant sound. “Now, be guided by me, my fair girl,” the old man said ; “they have given you a fresh order, I know, to make ten new rings,” Katie started back with surprise. “How could this be?” she thought; “this old man must surely have the power of divination, for he was not within doors when the two strangers spoke secretly to me.” “Nay, be not surprised, my good girl,” the old man said, ‘‘but follow my advice. If you do not, your father is a ruined man.” “What am I to do?” Katie asked, ‘The thing is simple enough.” “What mean you ?” ‘““Why, make eleven rings instead of ten—the odd one I want myself, If you do but this, no harm can befall either your father or yourself,” | Katie began to tremble for her father’s fate, for from the strange manner of the old man she felt convinced there was some great mystery attached to the possession of these rings, When she raised her eyes from the ground, however, the mysterious stranger had disappeared, nor could she tell whither or how he had eluded her curiosity. When her father, old Markham, returned, she told him that the two strangers had called and took the ‘rings away, and had paid for them, ‘And more than that, father,” said the daughter, “they have left another order.” ‘* Another order? What for, this time, Katie 2” “ Why, for eleven more rings, like the others in all respects, eae rene eoneeen the signet, in bold relief, must be the letters For a moment old Markham was full of joy at the prospect of another order from such good-paying customers ; but as he looked upon the heap of shining gold, his heart grew sad. He and poverty had, known each other for a long, long time up to the present, His debts, though small ones, were numerous, Directly it became known that he had received an order for expensive work from two total strangers, many of his creditors began to pester him with demands for immediate payment of their dues. This thought saddened the spirits of old Markham, who sat in his chair, and thought of Fitz-Maurice, to whom he owed the most, and of his threats in case of speedy non-payment to cast him into the Debtor’s Prison. Katie’s cheerful voice, and loving, child-like manners, how- ever, won the old man back to good humour again; and that night, once indeed for many a good month, the old gold- smith sang a merry song, and drank a draught of good old wyjne to celebrate his increase of good luck and trade. The next, and several mornings following, saw old Mark- ham early at work, and the smoke of his furnace attracted the attention of his envious neighbour opposite—old Godfrey, at the sign of the “Golden Shield”—and particularly of his squint-eyed apprentice, Alf, “There's a deal o’ smoke going up from old Markham’s,” 230 TERRIBLE. said Alf, “ I’ve noticed it for the past three days ; but I don’t see anything to show forit in his shop-wiadow,” ‘Ah! never you mind, boy; mind your work, and don’t trouble yourself about old Roger. He is up to his old tricks with Satan ; but he’ll never change lead into gold, with all his trouble, unless he sells himself body and soul to old Beel- zebub, I warrant ye.” i Alf, with his squint-eye, had been watching and dodging about old Markham’s premises in hopes of finding out what the old goldsmith ‘‘ was up to,’’ as he called it ; but all to no purpose. 5 Roger’s apprentice had given Master Alf more than one dig in the ribs for prying about; but still Alf could not find out anything to his satisfaction, and went to bed every. night vowing vengeance against Roger and his apprentice because they did not choose to reveal to him the secrets of his trade. A week passed, and still Roger seemed very busy both night and day. é ‘ But there was no show in his shop-window,” old Godfrey said, ‘‘and therefore old Markham in his private opinion had been holding court with the devil as usual.” wal Two weeks passed, and still nothing was exhibited in old Markham’s shop-window, although his apprentice boasted to Alf that he had been “amazingly ” busy for some great potentate unknown; but had not named the order or the articles. The bombastic style of talking used by Master Roger’s ap- prentice put Alf upon his mettle, and he determined to watch night and day but what he would discover who and what this ‘‘ great unknown potentate ” was, He watched in vain. But weeks passed, and yet no one called for the rings, Old Markham began to feel sad at heart on account of debts he had shortly to pay. ‘Perhaps they will not call at all,’ he thought, and as he did so he sighed“deeply. He had expended much, if not nearly all, his profits on the twenty rings to procure sufficient for the last order of eleven, and if they were not called for and paid for, old Roger felt certain that old Fitz-Maurice would not only sell him out of house and home, but also cast him, aged as he was, into rison, r Four weeks had passed, and yet no one called, Roger began to look thin, pale, and unhappy. Not the less desponding was Katerina, his daughter. The costly rings were done, and finished in the highest style of the goldsmiths’ and engravers’ art, but there they were, in a safe, useless and profitless, To console himself for his loss of time and useless expense —for such old Roger now looked upon his last order—he left the house one evening to have a quiet mug of ale and a pipe with some good neighbour, It was just past twilight. - The apprentice had gone home, and Katerina was alone. She sat in her chair deep in thought, and tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought of her father’s bad run of for- tune. At that moment three distinet raps were heard at the shop coor ! . CHAPTER CXI, As if those at the door had watched for Roger’s going out, the three distinct raps fell npon Katie’s ear, ‘is they !”? she murmured, and ran to the door and opened it, . The two strangers were there, mufiled up as all observation. They entered the shop the instant Katie ‘opened the door, so as not to be perceived by any one passing in the street, . i fair girl, is the order completed ?” asked Sir Giles, ‘It is,’ “We have been long in ‘coming, but there haye been good ; im reason for our delay.” EOmiIGE boo ‘Ss.co : i} usual, to escape