Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

246 7 prison of Newgate contiguous to the principal gate- way. This» spot was surrounded cn all sides*bywalls at least fourteen feet in height.) ) ~ 919° | It has' been’ already stated the ancient tower of | Newgate was at the south-east side, while the | fugitive had issued out-on the north. To gain the wished-for point, then, he must still traverse a considerable portion of the roof of the main building, Nothing daunted, he pushed onward in his direc- | tion ; but his progress was atrested by a massive door. | 929 J This door was studded with spikes; and. guarded by. & bristling chevaua de frite: Unable to force it, he mounted the door he had Jast passed through, placed his hands upon the wall encircling him, and drew himself up, Jael, the’ partner of his flight, being drawn up: afte him, ? Both had now reached the highest elevation of Newgate. | From this position the prospect that appeared before the eye was indeed sublime. The moon bursting from ths ebom bonds rendered cliscernible surrounding objectse) 9) fo First and foremost might: be ‘perceived the majestic dome of St; Pauls; hanging like some dark eloud from the heavens. z Beneath the foot: of the solemn: temple lay the city slumbering, one vast extent/of spire and»roof, pointed, countless, and crewded: together like the ripples of an ebbing rivers. Far off might be seen distant country, the heights of Kent and Surrey, the crowning woodlands of Highgate and the northerm eminences. Proceeding along the wall, Wirth and his: com- paition ‘soon reached the tower that) was: to’ offer themconcealment, * * * * “Er * On the eve of an eventful day, which had been spent in ‘a’useless search of the ftigitives, Dick Turpin ¢onfusedly returned to the neighbourhood of Newgate, | _On passing near the bounds of the prison he came upon the figuré of a man, apparently travel- ling. ‘in’ ‘haste and’ disguise, which riveted his attention, He felt Gonvineed that he had encountered him, before, though the individual in question had sera- pulously endeavoured to hide his features from the passérs By; Curiosity prompted him to follow in the direction he had taken. “Phe st¥anger, he observed} incessantly cast fur- tive’ glances around, as-if tu avoid the pursuit of some one He took a circuitous and tortuous route to his destination, which happened fo be no other than the chapel of Newgate. A sudden idea made the perspiration start from every pore of the Patrico Turpin. Strange noises seemed to ring in his ears. eh a fancies took possession ‘of his mind, He saw neither -houseés, pavement,’ men, or women jostling against him in the public path) all of which were as one confused chaos of objects, blending each with the other, . The hair of his flesh stood up'as he saw the man he had watched enter the chapel by ‘a disuséd door. Startiny from his reverie, thé patrico, with a silent footstep, advanced. | Pressing lightly against the panel, he found, to his surprise, that it opénéd. ; i her, a —s ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. The stranger in his haste had evidently forgotte to fasten the entrance after him, [ a Turpin now found himself in the sacred building. The facade was dark. The sky béhind it glistened with stars. The interior, solemn as a tomb, being impartially lighted ‘by the/crescent of the moon, which had not lung been above the lofty horizon. - With a’ hurried’ pace he passed through the lonely aisle. | . | At the extremity he beheld a reddish glare behind a cluster of pillars. He ran towards itas astar. " Tt was a small lamp burning, and must have recently been left in its position by the person he was following. ee He'took'the lamp, which had been placed oppo- site the door’of the Newgate Tower, which formed a portion of the chapel wall, and commenced an ascent of the staircase, winding through the: vene- rable pile. 3 \ His light attracted the notice of the passers by, who frém the roadway observed it mounting’ from window to window to the top of the column. | All at once he felt the cold night breeze upon his cheek, so knew at once that he had nearly reached its summit. fe He cast his eye down between the iron framework of the tower, and for'a time contemplated. | But to the ¢asual observer lie appeared neither thinking nor feeling, but as one passive in the Hand of ademon, ~ ( ort sagQ While in this attitude’a gust of wind extinguished his lamp, and at thesame moment he saw something white above him. | A shade—a human form—a woman’ appeared . ! through a veil of mist at the opposite angle of the tower, He trembled with emotion as he gazed upon ‘He fiad scarcely the courage to look at the spot upon which she stood. : She came towards him slowly as he remained like one petrified. He moved not, stirred not; while she advanced: Suddenly she turned backward, and again entered the dark vault of the staircase from which she had emerged. “Tig Jael |” exclaimed Turpin, She must not escape me a second time.” CHAPTER CX. PREPARATIONS FOR AN OUTBREAK IN THE MINT — ARMING FOR ACTION—BLADES, MUSKETS, AND) PIKES AT A PREMIUM AMONG THE: MEN OF CANT—THE SILENT MARCH. OF THE RABBLE THROUGH THE STREETS OF LONDON. WE must again turn to the Thieves’ Cave in the Mint. _— It was now’a monstrous hive where an incessant buzz was kept up night and day. . = One evening in particular, had the peace autbori- ties chanced to enter this resort, swarming witb the children of vice, they would have remarked that there was a great tumult, aad that the vagabonds or whatever other title may be applied to the inmates of this disreputable abode, weré both drinking and swearing more lustily than usual, 1 10 In an open space without were sundry groups. ~ 3 They were conversing in a subdued’tone. | | Tt' was evident’ that some important entérprise Eomichbooks, co