Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

2628 “T am staying at the Regent’s Hotel in Piccadilly, and the head waiter there was kind enough to mention your name tome as being a gentleman likely to do what I required.” | 7 “ Indeed |” said the lawyer. “Iam rather surprised at that, for at the moment I cannot recollect such an hotel as that in Piccadilly, nor can I say that I am acquaiated with any head waiter either.” “Well, sir, such . jhe fact,” aaid Dick, with unbiusaing effrontery. ‘I am quite a stranger in London. and when tis dreadful affair happened to my friend [{ posted up to town at once. I always stop at the Regent’s Hotel, and as the head waiter was the first person | saw f asked him what I had better do.” “But what do you want me to do?” said the lawyer, with a bland smile, for he began to third that so excit- able a personage as Dick seemed to be would prove a very good client. ““T have some property in Berkshire,” sald Dick— “freehold, and of considerable value. I have brought the title deeds with me, and I want to know whether a mortgage can be executed upon it for about one half of its value, which will enable me t© set my friend at liberty.” “Yes, certainly,” said the lawyer. ‘TI often manage matters of that kind—not that I have money myself, but many of my clients have, who are anxious to lend it out fa’ mortgage.” “That is just what the head waiter told me,” said Dick, with great assurance. “Would you be good enough,” said the lawyer, “to let me look at the title deeds you spoke of ?” Dick placed his hand in the breast pocket of his coat, then exclaimed: “Dear me, sir, would you believe it? In my great state of excitement I have left the papers in my portmanteau at the hotel? What is to be done ?” “Just what you please,” said the lawyer, in an altered tone. “Well, then,” said Dick, “suppose you call a hackney- coach: wecan then both go to the hotel together, and drink a glass of wine: you can look over the title deeds, and the matter put in a fair way for settlement.” “Oh, certainly,” said the lawyer; ‘I have no objection to that at all; we will go at once, if you are willing.” “Yes, [am quite willing,” said Dick—how willing, the lawyer little thought. They stepped out into the passage, on a peg against the wall of which some cloaks and hats were hanging. The lawyer selected one of each of these articles, ““My dear sir,” said Dick, “ would you mind doing me the iavor of lending me one of your cloaks? Now that [ have got over my excitement I feel the cold strike with quite a chill.” “Oh, certainly,” said the lawyer, “with very great pleasure! Take this one. In your present condition you are likely enough to take a cold that will result in your death.” _ _ Dick took the proffered cloak gladly, not that he cared about his heated condition, but he knew very well that wrapping this garment around him would greatly change his outward appearance. “Mary,” said the gentleman, “just call a hackney- coach.” The girl opened the door and stood outside, and just as ave did so, the very vehicle they wanted came rolling vit was stopped at once, and thu. with a heart which it must be confessed beat faster than usual, Dick followed the lawyer across the threshold into the streat, Here many people were assembled sesretizg in all directions. It was pretty clear that they had formed e» toleravly good guess as to the exact spot where the highwayman had disappeared. “What's the matter?” asked the lawyerof some oue standing near. “They’re after Dick Turpin, the highwayman, sir.” was theanswer. “ He was chased to somewhere hereabout and disappeared.” ‘‘f)h, indeed,” said the lawyer, “then I hope ke will be caught, for nothing would please me better than to hear the last of him, I have been twice robbed by his rascally associates.” ’ BLACK BESS; OR, While these few words were passing, Dick had entered the hackney-coach, the door of which was held open by the driver. Mr. Cartwright followed, and as the door was closed Dick said: “Drive to the bottom of Piccadilly ; I will call to you when to pull up.” Mr. Cartwright was about to make a remark, but just then the coach was set in motion, and such a jolting and such a horrible rattling noise ensued that he gave up in despair the attempt to make himself heard. At last Dick felt that he had reached the end of his troubles, and therefore he leaned back in the coach with a contented air. Fo be sure there was the little aifficulty to be got over, that it was necessary to dispose of the lawyer somehow. But Turpin considered this such a trifle that he hardly bestowed a thought upon it. Over and over again he congratulated himself upon his good fortune in having so availed himself of the strange turn that events took. His object in deluding the lawyer with the story about the mortgage of the estate was simply to find a means of reaching the bottom of Piccadilly, which it will be re- membered was the place where he had left his mare Black Bess. Certainly the ingenuity of the plan deserves commen- dation as well as the successful manner in which it was carried out. The distance to Piccadilly was not very great, and the two horses which were harnessed to the hackney-coach quickly brought thein there. “Now, my dear sir,” said the lawyer, confidentially, “here we are in Piccadilly. Be good enough to point out the hotel.” “Tt is a little lower down,” said Dick, looking carefully through the windows, for he was in search of the narrow turning in which stood the stable where he had left his mare. But while doing so, he became conscious of the fact that it would be impolitic in the extreme to quit this lawyer hastily, or in such a manner as to give an imme- diate alarm. To spoil so good a piece of work by a little bungling at the end was what Dick was very disinclined to do. Therefore, he again set his brain to work, and this time with as much success as before. ‘‘ There it is,” he exclaimed, pointing to a well-lighted building which actually stood at the very corner of the thoroughfare he so much wished to réach—‘there it is.” “Why, that’s not the Regent’s Hotel!” ejaculated the lawyer. ‘ That’s the Royal.” “Of course it is!” said Dick. ‘“ What an absurd mis- take for me to make! Did I really say Regent’s ?” “ You did indeed, and repeated it many times.” “Then you must attribute that mistake to my state of excitement. However, I am calmer now—much calmer.” I'he lawyer smiled, and then said: “Still I am puzzled about this head waiter. I most cer- tainly don’t know him, for I never was across the thres- hold of this building in my life.” ‘You will see directly,” said Dick, “for nere we are.” He called out to the driver, who at once stopped oppo- site to the entrance of the hotel. Dick alighted and gave him so liberal a fare that the coachman actually said: “Thank you, sir!” a piece of civility he had never been known to vouchsafe to anybody before. The lawyer knew that he had given this man about six times his proper fare, and smiled again, for he thought a man who was so liberal to a hackney-coach driver would be equally so with himself, and so on this very ground was not disposed to say a word about his extrava- ance. : Scarcels anyone would have had the audacity to walk up the spacious stone steps leading to the fashionable hotel as #urpin did, but he had already found that wher- ever he had dared the most there he had succeeded the best. On reaching the top of the steps, the massive slate elass door was opened by an obsequious attendant Coffee-room,” aid Dick, laconically, Comicbooks.com * Oe A ae be oy a a 4 ,