Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE Before he could utter another word, however, Leonora dashed away from him at the top of her speed, and ran towards the palace garden wall. “Well, I begin to think there is some mystery here,” said Blue Jacket, half-aloud, ‘“‘ and as this pretty little wench does not seem at all afraid of rushing into the august presence of royalty, why should 1? No one knows me.” So saying, he tied his horse to a tree, and ran after her, and caught her just asshe, faint and breathless, reached the gar- den wall. ; . “Ah! ’tis there !’ she exclaimed in delight. ‘They forgot to destroy the rope ladder... Thank Heaven !” * Nimbly as a sylph Leonora climbed the rope ladder that dangled over the wall, and descended into the orchard on the other side. “There is some adventure here, or you may shoot me,” thought Blue Jacket, and immediately followed Leonor4’s example, and clambered over the wall. He caught sight of the fair fugitive as she darted through the orchard, and quickly followed. He caught her by the sleeve, just as she was about to enter the small side-door through which the conspirators had but lately issued. ‘“Whither would you fly, my pretty maid?” said Blue Jacket, in a whisper. ‘Do you know the danger of what you are now doing? This is the king’s palace, and were you per- ceived the guards would shoot you down upon the instant, without a word of warning.” “Hold me not! Detain me not an instant!’ she sighed, struggling to free herself from his grasp. ‘‘Ob, in mercy’s aati, believe my story! A few minutes more, and all is ost !” So saying, she disengaged herself, and flew up the broad staircase to the chamber in which the king and Tippler were prisoners. His majesty, as we have seen, was still fast bound to his chair, and could not stir hand nor foot. His features were ghastly pale, and his eyes were almost protruding from their sockets. Poor old Tippler lay upon the floor moaning and groaning, not so much, indeed, trom bodily hurt, as from mental fright and excitement, for the wound that he had received was trifling, and not dangerous. When Leonora, therefore, rushed into the apartment looking wild and excited, both the king and Tippler stared at her as if she were but a creature of some passing dream or terrible nightmare. When they saw her closely followed, however, by the handsome, dashing form of Blue Jacket their amaze- ment was still more profound. Leonora flew to the king and shook him by the shoulder. “Up, up, and save yourself! Up, this instant, or ye perish ! There is a horrible fate awaiting you !” ““Tih? What? Who are you?” exclaimed the king, in surprise. Tippler rolled and groaned over the floor cursing and swearing roundly at everything and everybody. Leonora, however, stopped not a second to listen to their words, but seized a candle and rushed into ‘the distant chamber, Blue Jacket followed, but ere he had gone very far he stumbled over the prostrate form of the drunken courtier ; but he arose again hastily, and, after giving the unfortunate gentleman a hearty kick in the ribs with his heavy riding boots, followed after Leonora, who had now reached the Red Room, He was by her side in an instant, and was astonished to find a murdered man lying across the threshold. On the table was the horrible engine of death ! It was, as we have already seen, an immense bomb-shell. It was shaped like a human shuil! The fusee was still in it, and had almost burned down to its extreme end.’ It flickered with a deadly flash of flame. Another minute and that awful implement would explode and bury all in ruin ! “Water! water!” frantically gasped, Leonora cried. “Help! mercy |” she *‘ All is lost! Help! mercy! help |” TERRIBLE. 59 Overcome with intense excitement she fell upon her knees beside the table, and conyulsively sobbed, regardless, and, in truth, perfectly oblivious of all danger, At a glance Blue Jacket perceived the imminent peril, and, as nought else was at hand, seized a bottle, It was filled with brandy, Had he dashed its contents over the hissing fusee all would have been lost in a second ! He threw the bottle of brandy from him with an oath and seized a bottle of wine. He knocked off the neck of the bottle and poured its con- tents upon the hissing fusee. 1t was extinguished. “Saved, saved, saved!” exclaimed Leonora, who, having arisen from her knees, fell fainting into Blue Jacket’s arms. “Come, come, lass,” he said, “ don’t weep, my pretty one, Our danger is over, but we must see to the king.” So saying, he and Leonora retraced their steps. The first act of Blue Jacket was tio cut the cords that bound the king, and free him from the tortures he had long suffered. He next paid attention to poor Tippler, who was moaning and groaning piteously upon the floor. He gave both of the capuves along draught of good brandy which much revived them, ' After a time Leonora got a bowl of water and washed Tippler’s wounds, and with Blue Jacket’s help bound up his breast with strips of linen. “But who are you, sir?” the king at last asked, after he had somewhat recovered. ‘Well, your majesty, I am not a noble, therefore it is easy why you do not know me,” Blue Jacket answered, with some hesitation. ‘‘I heard that you were in danger, and, like any true Englishman, sire, I rushed to the rescue, and, if it had not been for the courage of this pretty maid and my own fore- thought, this palace would have been blown to atoms ere this.” “IT think I have seen your face before,” said the king, with a scrutinizing look ; ‘‘if not, I have seen pictures of you.” ‘‘ Likenesses of me, your majesty ?” said Blue Jacket, slightly colouring, S$ Yes:?! “What, in picture shops ?” ‘‘ No, notin picture shops exactly, young man, but at New- gate |” “Newgate, sire? In truth, I never had the honour of bein g there in my life !” said Blue Jacket, with a very low bow. “No; but if 1’m not mistaken you owght to have been there long ago.” “Why, sire, I’m a trueand loyal Englishman, and, as I have said before, had it not been for me and this fair one here, you and your palace would have been blown to atoms.” ‘1 will not believe it, sir, fluently as you speak. You, sir, are one of those ruffians that insulted and dishonoured me but half-an-nour ago, and, now I have you in my power, I will take good care that you shall not escape the punishment which your insolence justly deserves,” said the king, rising, and ad- vancing to touch the bell. “Oh, sire! believe him, believe him, I pray you! He is a stranger to me ; on my oath he is a true gentleman, brave and good as ever rushed to the rescue of hisking. He is not, believe me, one of those who maltreated you but a short hour since,’’ said Leonora, on her bended knees. The king coloured up to the temples and advanced to the bell, determined to arouse the guards and have Blue Jacket secured, 3 “Hold |” said Blue Jacket, advancing towards the king in a threatening attitude. ‘Ifyou touch that bell, you die upon the spot |” ‘““ What,” grunted Tippler, who crawled to a chair, “what, set upon a second time? Why, they are determined to mur- der us !” ‘“No, not exactly,” said Blue Jacket; “if you touch that bell, however, you will have to rue the consequences, mark me ; there is no joking this time,” he added, in a loud tone of defiance. | As he spoke, two courtiers, who had noiselessly crept up stairs, rushed in behind him and. seized icboolkesconn