Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 337: what you’re looking at

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

This was no easy task, owing to the situation of the sluice gates, After a short delay, however, the miller succeeded in slipping a rope round Maud’s waist. ‘hen, crawling back to the shore, he, by means of it, pulled her towards him. When near enough, he stooped down and lifted her on to the smooth grass by which the pool was bordered, ‘* | fancy she is dead,’”’ he muttered, after gazing at Maud for a few moments. “Then if she is just let me ask you what is to become of us? We shall be found guilty of muyder! What is to be done P”’ “T should think we had better try all we possibly can to revive her; if we succeed there will be an e=d to that danger.”’ “Very well—do just as you like; I shall not have a word to say either way in the affair.” The fear these people had that a dead body would get them into trouble made them most anxious that Maud should revover, By the assistance of his wife, the miller carried her into the house, and every means was used to restore her to sensibility. But for a long time their efforts were quite in vain. In removing her apparel, the weight of her dress was noticed. The miller’s wife was curious enough to ascertain the cause, It was found to be the heavy purse which Maud carried, and the sight of which had excited the cupidity of the villanous innkeeper. Even the miller’s eyes gleamed when he caught sight of so much wealth, The interior of his dwelling did indeed present a melancholy spectacle, for on all sides could be seen un- mistakable tokens of the presence of the gaunt spectre Poverty. For a long time things had gone badly with the miller. The water which turned the mill had lately been very deficient in supply, and consequently his mill had rusted with disuse. ! To him the purse of gold that his wife held up before his eyes represented wealth—a fortune. “Put it away,” he said, averting his eyes— put it away! Do not tempt me with the sight!”’ It was at this moment that Maud showed some signs of returning animation. The woman's guilty conscience made her hastily secrete the gold, and immediately afterwards she was bending over thecold form with an appearance of hypo- critical solicitude, Wearily and heavily Mand opened her eyes. The daylight confused and blinded her, “What place is this?” she gasped. * What—oh, what has happened P”’ The utterance of these words proved too much for the slight amount of strength which she then possessed. Her eyes closed, and she again lapsed into uncon- sciousness, The fears which had hitherto animated the minds of the miller and his wife were fow at reat. an latter, however, fixing her eyes upon her husband, said ; ‘What think you now will be the reward we shall receive for thus restoring her to life ?” ‘“* Reward P”’ “Yes. How much do you think she will give us?” The miller shook his head. His wife stamped her foot impatiently, as she ex- claimed : “* Answer me, dolt that you are—answer me, I say!”’ “Something considerable, no doubt,” replied the miller, in a voice of restraint. ** Yes—yes; but how much?” S ‘The contents of that purse, perhaps.” ; “‘ Never fear; I’ll warrant that is all she possesses, and I don’t suppose, by the look of her, that she came by it honestly.” In good truth, poor Maud’s outward appearance at this time was far from being prepossessing. THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. 1709 Pere be at himeelé seriouely to the task of recovering the body | She bore upon her garments the marks of the many so pf Maud. vicissitudes she had lately gone through, and in particular this last adventure had by no means improved them. After a long discussion between tnemselves, it was determined by this precious pair that they would do the best they could for the stranger who had been in so peculiar a manner thrust upon their care, and that on her recovery they would trust to her generosity to reward them handsomely. Accordingly, she was laid upon the only bed the place © could boast, and it was not until this was done tbat the ~ wound in her side was discovered. The hemorrhage had for some time completely ceased. No doubt the sudden immersion into the cold water had had the effect of checking the flow of blood. The first shock of surprise being over, the miller’s wife set herself to work to examine it. She quickly found that the hurt was by no means a serious one, and certainly not beyond her own powers of surgery. With considerabe skill she bandaged up the wound, and then waited patiently for Maud to show some symptoms of returning animation. But she waited for a long and weary time—until, in- deed, the whole of that day had passed—until the thick shadows of evening began to fill the apartment. ° Suddenly, with a loud scream, Maud awokeas though from some dreadful dream, She sprang up at once into a sitting posture, and gazed around her with acountenance upon which alarm was most vividly depicted. | ‘* What is your fear ?”’ said the miller’s wife, somewhat gruffly. ‘* Keep still, or you will make yourself worse than you already are.”’ The voice caused Maud to turn her eyes in the direo- tion of the speaker. Her gaze was one of inexpressible surprise and wonder. It was quite evident that at present Maud had noides of where she was, nor any recollection of what had happened. ‘*'Tell me,”’ she said at length, speaking with a great effort—‘‘ tell me where I am and how I came here ?”’ ‘‘ Nay—nay,” said the woman. ‘Be calm—be still. You shall know all in good time.” “Calm P”’ echoed Maud—‘“‘ calm? You know not - whom you speak, or you would not address sucha word tome! Keep me not in suspense, I entreat you, but answer my question witnout delay !”’ As she proceeded, Maud’s agitation increased. By degrees recollection was coming back to her, and all this time her heart painfully fluttered with dis- may. With that rapidity of which thought alone is capable, she followed up all the different events which had oo- surred to her until the fall from her horse, of which she had only a very slight and dim remembrance, ‘Tell me,’ she said again, and with so much addi- tional excitement that the miller’s wife was afraid to withhold the information any longer. : Maud listened with a terror and alarm for which the narrator could not account. ‘* And—and,’’ gasped Maud, with parting lips and panting breath, ‘‘you say thatit was this morning— early this morning that you found me?” *“ Yes, bady, at sunrise ?”’ * And now—what is it now P” The woman looked bewildered. ‘*T mean, how long is it since then P?” ‘* About twelve hours,” ‘** Then it is close upon night P’’ ‘“Itis. Do you not perceive that the room grows darker every moment ?P”’ ‘“‘T must go—I must go at once,” said Mand, in shrieking tones. ‘I cannot stay here any longer—I must go this moment !”’ *¢ You cannot.’’ ‘¢ Woman, do not be so cruel ag to try to stop me! I tell you many lives hang upon my movements! Get iy horse, Fear not that I shall fail to reward you well !”’ ‘But I say again you cannot.” Maud, witk a cry of despair, slipped off the bed. No sooner did her feet touch the ground, however, ALC Cs7iGO | @ (E(0) 200