Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 232: what you’re looking at

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

1804 A faint murmur alone came to the ears of Maud and Dick, who in vain tried to make out what was said. The young girl placed her clasped hands upon this man’s shoulder. but he instantly and roughly shook ber off. : At the same time, he turned his face towards a distant corner of the church, while, in those deep, stern tones which they had before heard, he cried: ‘Ts there to be no end to this delay? Oannot the ceremony at once be proceeded with ?’ A slight movement followed these words, aud then from out of a corner emsarged a white figure, which in a moment or so afterwards the two watchers had no diffi- culty in recognising as a clergyman. With an aspect of humility in his gait and deportment, this elergyman walked up the silent aisie, and then, open- ing the little gate in the altar rails, walked up t he communion: table, from which he picked up a book. The grief of the young girl was now something terrible to witness—she at times shrieked aloud in the bitterness of her anguish. Then the one with the stern voice—whc, from his manner, as well as from a certain distant resemblance be- tween them, Dick conjectured to be the girl’s father—ad- vanced, and, seizing her by the wrist, dragged her vio- Jently forward. At the same time, he took hold of the hand of one of his companions—a tall, thin young man, with dark, heavy, overhanging brows, which gave a peculiar appearance to bia countenance. His brow was now contracted into a frown, and so low did his brows descend that they seemed to reach his cheeks, leaving his eyes invisible. With unmistakable aversion, the young girl shud- dered and attempted to draw back; but her strength, compared with her father’s, was as nothing, and he com- gelled the couple to join hands. Slowly and reluctantly, the young girl was then literary dragged up to the altar. The clergyman, who should have interfered in such a case, and not have been a willing accomplice in such villany, appeared to be quite unconscious of what was taking place around him. He hela before his eyes a large book, from which he appeared to be reading devoutly. On reaching the altar, the young girl fell suddenly upon her knees, and with a rapid movement disengaged her hand from that of the intended bridegroom. Once more assuming her former imploring ettitude, she again spoke as well as her emotion would allow her. It was just when events had reached this poiny that Dick’s attention was distracted by another souad, coming from an altogether different direction, and yet a sound which, despite the interest he felt in what was going on before him, he could not disregard. This was the loud and rapid clatter of a horse’s feet. Some one intent upon making the utmost speed was galloping along the high-road. Maud heard the sound, and instantly forgot all that she was witnessing. ‘There is no need for alarm, Maud,” said Dick, in a reassuring voice—‘ from a single horseman we have no- thing to fear.” * Are you sure that only one is coming ?” “Quite sure, though the clatter is prodigimus,” Just as ke spoke, the sound of the horse’s feet ceased suddenly. : ; “ There’s an accident,” said Diex—"T feer sure of it!” He was deliberating whether to quit the churchyard, in the hope of being able to render some assistewce, when a hasty footstep became audible, and directly afterwards he saw @ slight, slim figure running at full speed up the avenue. This figure mado its way to the church dooy;-which gave way bafore the sudden impetus with which ke rushed against it. “He burst into the sacred edifice with the rapidity of lightning. At the same time, he drew his bright, p lished swora from its sheath, and whirled it round him. Maud and Dick were now once more gasing through the winder BLACK BESS; OR, ‘ on eee ee ee trance of the stranger, who, by the light which now filled the church, was seen to be @ young man of hand- some and imposing presence. Swords were drawn, but before one of them could make a movement, the intended bride, with a shrill scream that seemed to electrify all present, sprang from her kneeling posture, and, fleet as a fawn, hastened to place herselt be~ side the new-comer. : It was wonderful to observe rhat an eftect this action had upon him. He seemed at once to receive a tremendous accession — of courage. “Down with him!” eried the father of the intended bride—“ down with him! Let him not escape! I will aod a all harmless from the cansequeuces of the ee ” But these words did not cause the young stranger to lose his self-possession in the least. He whispered a few words to the companion at his side, then, presenting the same bold front, slowly re- treated, step by step, towards the church door. Up to now Dick had remained a perfectly passive spec- tator of the whole scene. He had not been able to find any opportunity for inter- fering. Now, however, the opportunity presented itself. His sympathies were fully enlisted on behalf of the young girl, and it wasa kind of instinct that made him resolve to side with the young stranger against 50 many ~ powerful enemies, and assist him to escape. There was nothing that Dick admired more than cou- | rage and true bravery, qualities which it was evident thie young stranger possessed in no common degree. Accordingly, without saying a word to Maud, Dick hastily stepped down off the tomb, and made his way to the door of the church. He entered quickly, and found that he had made his appearance not &@ moment too soon. “Cowards!” he cried, in a loud, ringing voice— “cowards! Would so many of you attack a single man ?” His words and his unexpected appearance for a brief space of time seemed to paralyse the young stranger’s assailants. The girl’s father, however, was the first to recover himself. : “This is only one of his vile associates!” he said. * Down with them both! Surely you can be a match fortwo! Drag Silvia from him !” ** Back—back !” cried Dick, addressing the young man, who gazed in wonder at this new and unlooked-for ally. ‘Get to the door as quickly as youcan! It is madness to contend against so many !” The whole marriage party—if so it may be termed— now attacked Dick and the young stranger. Had any of them been provided with firearms, then, beyond a doubt, the highwayman’s life would have been in great danger. The only weapons they carried, however, were swords, and under these circumstances there was just the chance that a skilful swordsman would be able for a second or se to keep them at bay. Few knew better how to handle this weapon than Dick Turpin, and on the present occasion he made a good pro- bation of his skill. 7 The bright steel weapons clashed together with a sound that brought out many a strange echo from odd nooks in the old church. Upon seeing the combatants engaged, Maud uttered a piercing shriek, and this sound added not a little to the confusion of all present. Silvia, for so she had been named, was unable to bear any longer the horrors of the scene, and gank off into a state of utter insensibility. The young man to whom she had flown go quickly for protection evidently thought Dick’s advice was good, for, icking up his inanimate burden in his arms, he ran achiy with her to the door of the church. Dick followed him closely, covering his retreat by con- sinually dealing circular sweeps with his heavy sword, which nothing could withstand, All this, that has of necessity taken us some time to describe, actually took no more than a few seconds in oo- Loud exclamations of rage and hate followed the en- - (E(0) JOOKS (E(o)