Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

Ve + eee IVAN THE as Have you damped the powder with the liquid I gave ou ” “Thave; but ’tis very dangerous to handle or use with powder,” was Ivan’s careless reply. “‘ How many pounds of powder have you used ?” “ Seven pounds,” ‘Seven! anddoes it hold all? Yes? Well, so far so good. There is enough in it to blow up the Parliament House,” said the old man, with a wicked chuckle. After Ivan had progressed with his work for some short ling longer the old man watched the process attentively, and said, ‘¢ Well, now that all is prepared, you may fill up the shell as quickly as possible.” Ivan produced a large bombshell, and having unscrewed the top, he poured into it a preparation of powder, moistened and mixed, as it was, with some strange and deadly liquid. All manner of missiles and combustibles were packed inside with the powder, each of which, if exploded, was capable of great destruction. Not content with this, the old man produced several small tightly-pressed packages, and thrust them also into the shell, so that altogether the shell contained not only seven pounds of powder, but several pounds of other explosive substances like- wise. When this operation was concluded, Ivan screwed up the top, and began to prepare a fusee. “How long do you want it to last?” he asked. or six hours?” “‘How many hours?’ asked the old man, and he began to think, At last he said, ‘Oh, two hours willbe quite sufficient time for us to do the deed. The bomb will finish the rest, We can never be discovered then.” When the bomb was fully prepared, and placed in asafe spot, the old man prepared to go. ‘“Come, Ivan, [want youwith me, Youslave,’’ he said, ad- dressing the other, ‘‘ remain here on peril of your life! I may want you at any moment, either night or day !” So saying the old man departed with Ivan, and they went forth together to finish all preparations for their fiendish designs. > What their awful intentions were will shortly appear ina succeeding chapter. ‘“One, two CHAPTER XIX, THE KING'S PLOT—THE EIGHT DARK CONSPIRATORS—THE ASSASSINATION IN THE PARK—THE ROYAL PASSPORT— ALARM AND DANGER OF LEONORA TEMPEST—DREAD- NOUGHT’S SECRET ENTRANCE INTO THE PALACE—THE KING’S FLIGHT, AND SEIZURE BY DREADNOUGHT AND IVAN, THE night which the king had appointed for the reception of the lovely Leonora at the palace was dark, rainy, and stormy, and as his majesty sat at the window, looking out upon the storm-laden clouds, and frequent flashes of vivid lightning that coursed across the park, he had many grave doubts whether the fair damsel would or would not come according to the old astrologer’s promise. My Lords Summers and Tippler had partaken of a magni- ficent supper, and it must be confessed that both they and the king were in the highest spirits, 1n anticipation of their triumph over the lovely maiden, “T fear me that she will not come,” said the king, “and yet all our preparations are complete. Do you think you can play the parson in this mock marriage, Tippler?” he asked. “Dol? Ha! ha! your majesty,” said Tippler, laughing, “if you were but to see me dressed up in my clerical attire, I should look so grave you might take me to be the Arch- bishop of Canterbury.” So saying, Tippler left the room, and soon returned dressed out from head to foot in parson’s clothes, and his red face and large wandering eyes looked so comically serious that both the king and Lord Summers burst out laughing, crying, TERRIBLE. 5 dela “Bravo, Tippler! Well done!” ae But while the king and his two friends were patiently.-- awaiting the arrival of Leonora, let us cast a glance at the: -: doings of those whose unwilling instrument and forced ac-. complice she was. ea ’Twas about half-past eleven on the eventful night- when: > four persons entered the park. They were masked and heavily cloaked, so that no one could tell who or what they were. That they wore long swords could be seen from the ends of the scabbards appearing from beneath their dark attire. They glided through the gloom like guilty things, and dis- appeared in the utter darkness. Presently four others appeared upon the scene, and they, like their predecessors, noiselessly and stealthily creptthrough ~ - the intense darkness towards the palace. a These eight armed men had not passed through the park . gates many moments when the last four whispered together’ -: for a moment, and looked around them asif watching the | approach of some one. “She comes. I can see her in the gloom,” said the voice: of an old man, with much bitterness; ‘‘we must watch her; _ she might escape !” ‘Ah! She dare not!’’ was the sullen reply of one, She knows that the moment her footstep falters will be her last } I know what women are,” “ Well, so that she well plays her part to-night,” said the old man, “‘I care not; then she may go adrift.” “True, go adrift with a dagger in her throat!” Jaughed one, hoarsely. ‘‘ You would not have her tattling, eh?” “No, no; truly, comes !” At the moment that the last speaker spoke a ninth person © approached, She was attired in a long cloak of dark green velvet, but her face and head-dress, though evidently costly, was, for the most part, concealed by her hood. te “th a She walked like one who trembled to go forward and yet dared not retreat. t BOienie) . This was Leonora Tempest. . ye She cast quick hurried glances from side to side, but, though she could not see any one, she felt certain that spies, dark, bloody and revengeful, were at her heels, ready to plunge their long daggers in her breast dared she to disobey. As she walked slowly to the palace, in doubt as to the true vest objects which her enemies had in view, she heard the voice of a gay cavalier approaching her, who, perhaps, returning ~~ across the park at that late hour from some uproarious wine party or supper, was singing loudly. Se 4* Oh, Heaven be thanked,” sighed Leonora, ‘this may be, some gallant friend, and I may escape from this band of . ruffians who thus force me to do wrong.” At that moment the thoughtless and half-tipsy cavalier ap- . - proached and attempted to kiss her and whisper in her ear. _ In a moment two men darted from the shadow of some trees near by, and rushing upon him suddenly from behind and before, plunged their poniards through his body, es “So much for intruders!’ whispered one to another, * as they wiped their gory weapons on their cloaks, and forced © = the unhappy Leonora forward. She reluctantly, nay, unwillingly, obeyed, and soon arrived at the corner of the palace wall. ee Here she was stopped by two of the party, who for a few moments whispered together in great secresy. ‘“‘T have the pass that was written by the king,” said the old man, ‘‘let me go in first. Mark me,” he said to the other, ‘“‘ when I am in the palace I shall enter the garden, and, wrap- __-, ping a pebble in the pass, will throw it over the garden wall where you now stand, Do you understand?” ‘st do.” ‘“‘ Well, then, when you have got the pass so conveyed to you, give it to the girl, and mind you see that she does not hesitate to enter the palace with it, When all things are - repared you shall know by a soft whistle ; throw your rope adder across the wall, and enter, Meantime, when I have entered one of the king’s private chambers, I will drop another CONMCOOOKS. CO But, hush, I hear her footsteps! She °°