Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

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He shouted, and bawled, and ran until he was ont of oreatn, for it was no trifling achievement to run acr¢ess a ploughed fiald in such a condition as that was. The constable, indeed, iouoked as ludicrous as any sB e3 dignified personage possibly could do under any circk - : a* Sw he 3, eiances Every time he lifted his feet from the grouud he brought with hima huge mass of soil, which was so beavy and clung so pertinaciously to him that it threat- eaed to pull his boots off at every stride. Nevertheless, as he was making his way directly to- wards the highwayman, his slow rate of progression wus Bot of much consequence. _A meeting qaickly took place. TAT “Stop, you villain !” he roared, at length, when he found _ himself close to Black Bess—“stop, Isay! Are you deaf? Can’t you hear what I say?” _ While he spoke, he seized Black Bess by the bridle. ‘¢ What's the matter ?” asked Dick, calmly, yet he spoke the words in an absent manner, which may be accounted for by the fact that just then his mind was very “say occupied with a fresh idea that had jast entered t. ’ rs. 2. p> y ee “Matter?” said the constable, endeavorig to speak ealmly as well, but failing lementably. ‘“ Don’t you know ‘that you are trespassing, sir? No one is allowea to cross these fields, and so I must insist upom~making you turn back! Turn at once, and be thankful that you are let off 80 easily !” Dick took a glance around him, as the constable thought ___to ascertain his position in the field, for the next words he - gaid were: —_ * But look here, my good friend, don't you see that I’m already half-way across this field, and, so far as any damage I may do is concerned, it will be just the same thing whether you allow me to keep straight on, or whether you compel me to turn back.” - “Do you presume to dictate to me, sir?” said the con- stable. “ Isthat the return that you make for my leniency ? Consider yourself my prisoner! “Your what ?” “Prisoner. I spoke plain enough, didn’t I, stupid?” “ But do you know who I am?” “ No, nor care either.” “So it seems,” added Dick, who had already, while this brief conversation was going on, matured his plan of operations. “Still I think it rather strange that you | se presume to speak to me like this on my own Your what?” i “Vand,” said Dick, quickly. didn’t I, stupid ?” “Come—come,” said the constable, “none of your nonsense! I daresay you think yourself a mighty clever fellow, but there are others as clever as yourself. Oome this way. 1 won’t say another word to you.” “ But I shall to you,” said Dick. ‘I ask you again, do you know wholam? Of course you.do not, or eise you would not presume to talk to me about trespassing 9n my own land.” } “How can ft be your land,” said the constable, “ when everyone knows that it belongs to Squire Verrals? “nd he won't allow trespassers on his estate.” “ Well, it will be mine some day,” said Dick—“ ac ‘cast, {na manner of speaking. Come a little closer, and J will _~ tell you who | am.” _. “Sha’n’t!” was the answer. where you are, if you like.” “You will regret your behaviour,” sain Dick. “ Let | me tell you that you have been addressing yourself to - gne who will one day be your Sovereign. 1 am George Frederick, Prince of Wales.” The constable was greatly taken aback by this auda- s10us slatement. “I spoke plain enough, “You can teli me trom ¥ > +eiazed his bold upon the bridls of Bleck Bass at +. b* = ‘_ AS < ; ec —- [3 —— ee - “ Nonsense — nonsense,” be Ge . , self—“ nothing of the sort! Fudge! I don’t believe word of it.” ‘ | “ Very wall, then, in that case I shalt have to treat you gs I do everyone that I encounter who denies me as yoo have.” With these words, and before the constable could have the least idea of what Dick’s intentions were, our friend slipped from his hor“, and caught the constable by the throat. Hands off,” cried the constable—hands off, J aay }” ‘Ho, no,” said Dick——“ maxe a bird of you |” The constabie glared in surprise. Dick had been caretuf to assume in his tone and manner a certain amount of wildness, which began to impress the constable in a manner that he intended it should— namely, that the constable had a madman to deal with. © J will degrade vou from your office!” said Dick, with increasing wildness. ‘ You shall bea constable no longer. I will strir off your uniform! Hark! Did you hea that ?” “ \W-hat?” stammered the constable, in genuine alarm for, like most people, he had a great horror of lunatics, and by no means relished the prospect of an adventure with one in that lonely field. “ Hark !” repeated Dick. heer it ?” a ‘ Hear what ?” ~ “The moon,” said Dick, with deepsolemnity. “It tells me that I am right. It tells me to go on and punish you as you deserve.” As quick as thought, Dick produced a pistol—so quickly that the constable could not, for the life of him, make ou} where it had come from. No sooner, however, did Dick present it at him than hs dropped down suddenly upon his knees in the clayey mu, and roared lustily : “Oh, murder—murder! der!” ‘Tf you raise your voice again,” said Dick, in deter- mined accents, you are a dead man, so mind that! | tell you you shall suffer for your offence. Obey me-- refuse me if you dare! Off with your hat—pull it off ai once |” The constable complied with a quickness quite astonish- you skail be punished. I wi mee mmm ee oe ee ee ert Help—help! Here—mur ing. But the fact was he, fully believing Dick to be mad, had made up his mind to comply with every demand that he could, in the hope that by this means he should be able to get away. * Your wig as well,” said Dick, who noticed that the constable endeavored to fix this article properly in its lace, 4 It was given up without a murmur. “Quick!” he continued. ‘ Your cloak, coat, and waist- coat! Do you dare to hesitate and falter, villain? In another moment-——” Dick did not finish his sentence by words, but very suggestively brought his pistol to full cock. The clicking sound thus made immediately increased the terror under which the constable laboured. Never before had he divested himself of his apparol with so much dexterity and pooe Dick took the articles one by one, placing them care- fully across his arm. | he reader no doubt guesses what was his intea- tion. It was to obtain frem this man these upper oute! articles of clovhing in order to disguise himself, and yeé | to obtain them in a manner that would not lead any- one to suspect the pyrpose for which he required them. He bad now got all he wanted, and nothing remained but to frighten the constable away. | The poor wretch was now shivering, and his teeth were chattering, half with cold and half with fright. ‘Quick !” Dick continued—“ off with the rest of your tilings, then you shall rol! yourself over and over in the mud until I tell yon to stop. Hark again! Don’t you hear the moon that commands me to make a bird of ou ?’ If the constable bad had doubts lingering in his misd ias to Dick's sanity tmey no longer existed. = cComichbooks: >» -* " —- 7 be ° <- 5a aS A py Oni 54 Fee a * re * a & te Soph. tee: 9 So ~ -$ et ecovering Ui a ne “Tt Pe = — am « 7" x i oy yt. =e a = ata “Task you again, caa you = y we, ‘v Cm @ « * x a= 4 ees HA Nee