Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 56: what you’re looking at

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IVAN THE “Oh, no, upon my word, on the honour of a gentleman, I assure you,” ‘Tippler began. ‘‘Oh, yes; Ifully understand you. No, you do not catch old birds with chaff, my very imgenious fat friend ; I have you here, both of you, face to face, and I’m determined to keep my advantage. You shall fight me!” said Master Andrew, with a faint smile, “Me! fight me! you don’t mean that? Why, you were only going to fight him alittle while ago, and now you want to drag me into it! Me, a respectable father of a large family of mine own,” Tippler said, in surprise and disgust. “Hold your prattle, fat face. What I have said I mean; I will fight both of you. Do you hear that,eh? When I have “finished off one of you I shall have the extreme honour of beginning on the other,” said Andrew. “Then, sir,’ said the king, ‘‘you will particularly oblige me by first finishing off my friend here.” ‘Oh, no, thank you, sire, I beg to decline the honour; I couldn’t think of being so unmannerly as to go before you in anything. I won’t; indeed I won’t; in fact, I shan’t, and that’s flat,” fumed Tippler, trembling in terror, “Well, then, as neither of you seem inclined to take prece- dence it shall be decided by drawing lots.” As Andrew spoke he turned to a side table and took two small pieces of paper, on one of which he wrote “the king,” and, on the other, ‘‘ Lord Tippler.” He folded them up carefully and placed them in the palm of his hand and approached the king. “‘ Now, sir,” said he, “your name is on one slip of paper and Lord Tippler’s on the other ; if you draw your own name you fight me first,”’ ; “Oh, I protest against all this barbarous work,” gasped the king, “‘I do indeed.” ‘“* Tf he dares speak so loudly again,’’ he said to one of his attendants, “you will particularly oblige me by running him through the body with your sword,” said Master Andrew. The king’s eyes glared with terror, and his very nose turned purple with fear. ‘“*Come, sir,” said Master Andrew to my Lord Tippler, “I will trouble you to draw lots first.” *“Me? ~ Why, lor bless you, you surely don’t mean that ? I couldn’t think of -——”’ ‘Draw, sir, I command you !” “‘Upon my word, and on the honour of a man, I——”’ “Yes, yes, I know all about your honour long ago, my valiant friend. Draw, sir, I command you, or else——” “Why this is down-right cold-blooded murder !” “ All right, my dear friend, but I command you to draw.” “JT can’t, I won’t, I tell you; I'll see you damned first, there! Let the king have the honour of the first chance,” said Tippler, in a blustering rage. ‘You won't, you shan’t, eh?” said Andrew, turning to an attendant. “No, I won’t; I’ll see you in——” “Francois,” he said, pointing to Tippler, “you hear this man, eh?” “Yes, sir,” answered Franoois. “ Then finish him !” «Yes, sir, with pleasure,” was the cool reply. “Finish me! with pleasure! Ugh!” groaned Tippler, in sadness of heart, and beginning to wriggle and writhe most uncomfortably on his seat. Frangois took from his breast a small dagger and examined its point very carefully, He slowly approached Tippler with a wicked-looking, malicious, meaning eye, but before he got close to his intended victim Tippler groaned aloud, “Fight? Oh, yes, Pll fight till all’s blue, if you force me, only let thy bright little dagger keep a respectful distance, and I'll fight from now until this time next weck, if it’ll so please you !” “You act wisely,” said Master Andrew, who again pre- sented the two bits of paper to Tippler, in order that he might draw lots, With evident disgnst and reluctance Tippler put forth a trembling hand to draw one of the bits of paper. 52 TERRIBLE. CHAPTER XXVII, . BLUE JACKET’S TRICK UPON HIS LATE PURSUERS—THE FEAST AND WAGER—THE RESULT—A GANG OF CON- BPIRATORS CLAPPED INTO GAOL. WHEN Captain Blue Jacket had effectually aided the escape of young Harry Percy and Darby, it might have been supposed that he would have followed the dictates of prudence, at least, and secreted himself from the lynx-like gaze of Mr, William Barry and other very industrious gentlemen of Bow Street who were actively engaged with the “ Ferret” in unearthing him from his many hiding-places. Instead of this, however, he first went to one place and then another where he thought of meeting some of his old acquaintance, but found them not, ' ~~ He at last thought of old Aaron’s, the slop-seller, and ac- ° cordingly mounted his horse and cantered off in that direction. When he arrived there, however, he was much surprised to find the old haunt in a perfect uproar, and Aaron’s body gur- rounded by an angry mob of constables and others high in oath. Some of the constables were in possession of the house, others blocked up the streets from the fastly increasing mob that thronged towards the Jew’s. ‘‘ Hillo! what’s the matter?” asked Blue Jacket, with a very indifferent manner. “Matter, master?’ said one, “haven’t thee hearn of it? Matter, indeed! Lora mercy on us all, they have been and gone and done it.” ** Done what ?” _" Why been and gone and murdered old Aaron; but where all on ’em have gone to none of the officers know, no more than a child unborn, Every one thinks as how they are all leagued with the devil and been spirited away.” Blue Jacket laughed, and turned his horse homeward again, On the road he alighted and took his seat in the parlour of a public-house much used by constables, Having called for wine he intently listened to the conver- sation for some time. At last Bill Barry entered, looking red and much flushed. ~ He startled the company by narrating an account of Harry Percy’s escape, at which all present seemed much surprised, and held up their hands in wonder, yet no one then present appeared more astounded than Blue Jacket himself, who, with the boldness and effrontery of the very devil, spoke largely of — the various accounts he had heard regarding the wonderful doings of Blue Jacket and his friends, Not only this did Blue Jacket say, but went so far as to make a bet with several very zealous officers that he would discover the famous horseman ere morning if they would only accompany him. me The proposition was speedily entered into by some half- dozen officers, and, among others, by Bill Barry, who, though he conversed with Blue Jacket for ten minutes or more, was unable to detect him under the clever disguise he had assumed for the occasion. mt : ** But money will be required,” said Blue Jacket, carelessly, “at least, so much as will furnish a capital supper.” This was readily understood, and Barry, in the generosity of his heart, pulled out his purse and counted out fifty gold pieces, which Blue Jacket very carelessly picked up and put in his pocket, and was followed out of the tavern by the officers, who, anticipating a very large reward, were in high spirits indeed at the possible capture. Blue Jacket straightway went to a first-class hotel, and ordered supper, and, until it was ready he himself and the officers sat down to wine and cards, and, to their cost, the constables found that the stranger was very, nay extremely expert in all games of chance, either with dice or eards, for, ere long, he had won from them all they possessed. So exasperated were they all that when the supper was served they drank freely of wine and mixed liquors, and became lond and noisy and angry in their conversation. The dice which Blue Jacket had used, it must be confessed, were loaded ones, and, after play was over, he very adroitly dropped them into the pockets of one of them, iEcomicbooks:com