Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

76 IVAN THE No light was visible as the boat almost noiselessly ap- proached the shore ; but the bow had scarcely scraped the sand, and the oarsmen had not fairly unshipped their oars, when a gruff voice, as of some unseen sentinel, shouted out in an angry and menancing tone, * What boat is that ?” ‘‘ Mine,” was the gruff response, as the dark and ruthless Ivan sullenly stepped on shore. As if by magic, several swarthy, cut-throat looking fellows, advanced to the beach, and dofling their caps to Ivan, pulled the boat upon the sand. They followed Ivan, and whispered together in low tones. Ivan strode up the bank to a long, low, but strongly-built wooden house. The door was suddenly thrown open at the approach of his well-known footsteps, and the glare of a blazing fire within revealed a very large apartment, in which lay or sat in various groups, dark, swarthy, and determined-looking men of various ages, colours, and complexions. They would have arisen at Ivan’s appearance, but that chief made a gesture for silence, as if he would not have his slumbering followers disturbed. Ivan squatted himself in a large rude arm chair, beside the crackling embers, and presently an old hag, wrinkled and gaunt and grey, placed a bottle beside him. With an impatient wave of the hand, he motioned her from his sight, and as she left the apartment, her small, black, restless eyes, sparkled in the fire lightlike two live coals! — ‘‘ Where are the bags, Andy ?” Ivan asked. “ Here,” was the response. Andy and a companion placed several bags of gold coin on the rough, strongly-made table, and its jingle awoke and aroused the attention of all lvan’s followers. Soon Ivan and Andy at the table were surrounded by a numerous band of swarthy and delighted desperadoes, whose dark eyes twinkled with pleasure as they looked on the shining heaps of gold that lay spread out before them. Amid boisterous merriment and an unlimited supply of. smuggled brandy the story of the whole night’s proceedings was narrated to those around, and of the success which they had had at Michael the cloth-worker’s, When the name of Dreadnought was ever mentioned, how- ever, Ivan’s feature’s contracted in anger ; he bit his lips, and swore beneath his breath countless horrible oaths and threats against the Sorcerer. , To such a degree, indeed, did his passion rise against Dreadnought that none of his followers dared to repeat the Sorcerer’s name, except coupled with dreadful imprecations for his selfishness and deceit towards their leader, ‘“‘ Successful as usual,’ one muttered to a companion. “Well, and did ye expect anything alse? How could it be otherwise when Iyan and Andy go out together hand in hand to doajob? Did you ever know them to come back empty- handed ?” was the gruff response. ‘‘Whenever them two go out to do a thing they does it, and don’t talk about.” ‘‘ Any news since I have been gone?” Ivan asked, of one who seemed to act as secretary or general business man to the whole gang. “Nothing of consequence. I went over the river two or three hours since and found a letter for you in the usual place,’’ was the reply. He handed Ivan the letter referred to, who, looking at the writing attentively for a moment, said, with a peculiar smile, “Oh, it’s only another little job from the judge; he wants to see me immediately,” : The note ran thus :— ‘‘Something mysterious has happened at the palaco to-night. There is a female, a traitress, one Leonora Tempest, that I wish you to take care of, Meet at the usual place and time, ee 5B? While Ivan read this note, which had been sent to this notorious scoundrel by no less a personage than the world famous hangman, Judge Jefferies, one of his men hastily entered from the river bank. “Well, what brings you off your post ?” Ivan asked, ‘‘ Whats amiss ?” “For the past half hour, Ivan,” his follower answered, “I TERRIBLE. have been watching three black, almost undiscernible objects — that have been hovering near the ‘ Forge.’” “ Well, did you not make them out 1 i “Not until a few moments ago when the moon peeped out from the heavy clouds, and then I saw that they were three boats and well manned.” : “Three boats well manned hovering near us for a full half hour,” mused Ivan, with a very thoughtful expression. ‘“ How — long after I came here did you first perceive these three — objects ?” ie. ! . «One of them came within view a moment after you landed.” *“‘ And the second 2” “ About ten minutes afterwards.” “‘ How were they manned, say you?” , ‘When the moon suddenly lit up the river the boats darted away, but I could see that the swiftest of the three was manned ~ by six Watermen’s Apprentices, and had three strangers with them.” “ And the second ?” “That was manned by a crew of men in masks. He that stood in the stern, rudder in hand, appeared a person of noble form, and never moved his eyes from the spot whereon you © landed.”’ a. “Did this boat dash away likewise when the moon peeped out?” q “No; it hovered around the spot in an open defiant manner for a few moments, as if it wished to draw my atten- tion; but when I had turned my head for a single second, it disappeared as suddenly as if it had sunk. ‘‘ Which I hope it may have done,” grunted Ivan; “but of the third boat?” ; ‘‘That contained but two persons, evidently youths, and landsmen, I should judge, from the unskilful manner in which they plied their oars. This last one followed the first.” i “Three boats near us, and all at the same time? This bodes no good,” quoth Andy, ‘People more generally shun ‘The Forge’ than approach it, I wonder what they mean!” — “ Mean ?” said Ivan, with alow laugh. “ Why, they mean, perhaps, that there is mischief afoot against us, and that we must be prepared. Have you not heard anything of Blue Jacket and his ‘Fly-by-Night’s?’ Have they not vowed to exterminate us ?” re “Yes, yes! Vincento! Count Vincento! get,” was the angry response of all. ‘‘ Yes; true, men, they caused his death through the hands of young Harry Percy, who now lies buried at the bottom of the sea !” We don’t for-— “Bravo! How did this happen?” asked a dozen eager voices, : 2 “7 did it. My lights on a stormy night deceived the vessel ; it was wrecked off the coast of Cornwall !” ‘Bravo ! bravo !” . “ Have ye not also heard of our old friend, Aaron the slop- seller’s death ?” “ HTe dead ?’’ asked many, in surprise, “Nay, don’t look so fierce and ugly all of ye, but know that this was caused by Red Jacket and others out of revenge ~ for Scarlet Sam’s disappearance, Nat Fathom did it,” ** Vengeance |” ‘Revenge |” “Blood |” Such were the vengeful words that escaped Ivan’s followers when he had.thus spoken. ‘Tf, then,” Ivan continued, in fierce and excited tones, ‘if, then, those the best and cleverest of our band are to fall into Blue Jacket’s snares, and if our long-tried friends are to fall under our enemies’ knives in such a bold style as of late, think you we can long sit at ease in ‘The Forge,’ without being traced and tracked by the same bloodhounds? Shall we fall into Blue Jacket’s hands?” | ‘* Never ! never !” ‘Lead us against him |” Vengeance !”” ‘Quick revenge |” Were the uproarious sho ‘