Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 31 “The door was locked, but the key was outside. I stole upstairs while father was away, to have a look at you.” * As it is open now, and he away, why should I not escape 2” ** Escape?” “Yes. I have lately suffered so much, passed through so many dangers and perils, that I have be- come quite brave.” “‘ But—but where would you fly 2” Where ?”’. ““Yes. Where would you be safe from him ?”’ “My dear girl, I do not understand you. Of course I should be safe anywhere if I got out of the house.” 6° Anywhere 2?” ‘Yes. I should only have to appeal to the police.” *¢ Would they protect you ?”’ “Of course. The law allows no one to be op- pressed.”’ ** Does it not ?’’ ‘* No, nor you among the rest.”’ “Oh, if I could believe you !’”’ cried the Jewess, clasping her hands, the tears as she spoke welling up into her beautiful blue eyes. ** You can believe me, for I speak the truth.”’ *‘ And would you, is it possible that you would kindly aid me also ?’’ ** To escape?” eCYess™ 5 *¢ Willingly.”’ “When 2” ‘Why not at once, as your father is out ?” ““ Why not at once?’’ repeated the Jewess musing. ‘¢ Suppose we try ? But stay, the old woman is down stairs. I must make sure that she is asleep. She generally takes a nap about this time.’’ ‘* Go and sée, but do not be long. I shall be dying withimpatience until you return.” _ Rose gently squeezed her new friend’s hand as they parted, and the beautiful young Jewess stole on tip- toe towards the door. Noiselessly she opened it and closed it again, Rose listened intently. A moment afterwards she heard a suppressed scream. Then the sound of a scuffle. more scuffling. Then the banging of a door on the same landing. Holding her breath, and trembling with fear, Rose still listened. Then low sobbing and CHAPTER XII. THE MYSTERIOUS DEPARTURE—THE DEATHLIKE SILENCE—TIIE DOUBLE DOORS—THE OLD HAG AND HER VICTIM—MIRIAM FLOGGED TO DEATH —THE MURDER—THE GRAVE—A MOMENT OF TERROR, - For a few moments there was a deathlike silence, unbroken by the faintest movement within the house, Rose, in indescribable alarm, remained in the sitting posture in which the young Jewess had left her, won- dering what had happened. One thing it was easy enough to suppose must have taken place. She had been discovered coming out of the room by some one in the house. The question was, Had the conversation that had taken place between her and Miriam been overheard ? If it had, any hope of escape was for the time heing one. But the silence still continued. What did it mean ? As minute after minute passed away, and still no sound reached her ears, Rose grew more and more terrified, The unknown cruelty, if any were being perpetrated upon the young Jewess, seemed by its perpetration in nie deathlike silence to become ten times more horri- e, , Much more terrible was this dreadful uncertainty than it would have been had the victim’s cries been heard— Had her shrieks of agony rent the air— Had the heavy thuds of the cruel whip been audible as they fell upon the palpitating flesh, But the time passed slowly, and yet no sound reached the anxious listener. At length she could bear this state of suspense no longer. “‘ Gracious Heaven !’’ she exclaimed, ‘‘what horrors are being perpetrated ?”’ She felt that, though curiosity should cost her her life, she must know what had happened. Yes, she would learn the truth, however great might be the danger she would find in her path. With this intention she prepared to rise. But she was faint and weak. With the greatest difficulty she managed to gain her feet. But her frame reeled and she staggered forward. Had she not clung to the wall for support she must have fallen headlong to the ground, To some extent, however, conquering her weakness, and guiding herself by the wall, she slowly and labori- ously moyed to the door. She tried the handle. It turned. The door yielded to a gentle pressure. Without was pitchy darkness. Rose, however, still guided herself by the wall, and slowly progressed with tottering footsteps. All was yet silent. | As yet she had made no discovery. Presently, however, her hand rested upon the handle of a door. She turned it and the door opened, But all was dark within, Dark as a pool. Closing the door again gently, she continued her journey. She felt all round the wall, She reached another wall running at right angles. That was the end ofthe passage, She came to another wall again. She was now on the opposite side of the passage. She still journeyed wearily along, but found no other doors. While thus engaged, the moon, which hitherto had been obscured, shone brightly forth, and its rays penetrated between the bars of a small grating, serv- ing as a window, and fixed high up against the ceiling. Its light revealed: to her the topography of the place in which she found herself, There were only two doors. One led into the attic wherein she had been a prisoner, the other was the one that she had just now opened, It was this she must have heard slammed to. There could be rio doubt of that. But what was the mystery connected with the darkness within ? Urged on by a devouring curiosity respecting the fate of the beautiful young Jewess, she summoned up all her strength, crossed the passage without support, and approached the door in question. Again she opened it. Again she found all pitchy dark within. But the moon assisting her at the moment, she comicboooks CO