Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 348: what you’re looking at

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

* 3 LTz0 The positive tone in which Dick spoke— he anxiety which the ostler manifested to rush into the stable first-— And, above all, Dick’s offer to stake so large an amount - made so deep an impression upon the landlord that he began to waver in his disbelief and credit that @ horse could speak. “If there ig any suen contrivance as you say,” the landlord managed to say at last, ‘I beg to assure you it is aitogether against my knowledge. I would not wit- tingly a'low such a dishonost pre“tice to be followed on my premises.” _ “[ don’t say that you know anything or it,” cried Turpin, quickly—‘“‘in fact, I firmiy believe that you are euiltless of all complicity in the deed.” “Thank you for that, sir! I have always taken the utmost care that all should be square and straightforward. As you saw, I do not allow the horse corn to be kept in the stable, but serve it out in the house as wanted.” ‘Let us have a look,” said Dick—‘that is the best way to satisfy ourselves. If the bags are not there, I will never believe a word my mare says again.” Leaving Black Bess’s side, Dick took hold of the land- lord’s arm, and led him into the stable. They walked at once into the stall that had been occu- pied by Black Bess, because that was the only one that was vacant. Full of curiosity and amazement, the landlord ap- proached, and quickly discovered that what he had been so strangely informed of was perfectly correct. The proper end of the manger had been removed, and at this place the bag had been affixed. A sweep or two with the hand was then all that was required to empty the contents of the manger. In, fact upon further examination, it was found that this bag contained the whole of the corn. No one could have been more surprised at this dis- covery than the landlord was. Dick at once, and for ever, exonerated him from any share in the petty theft. | ‘“ Gonfound the rascal!” the landlord cried, after having exaniined all the other mangers and found them fitted with a similar appliance. ‘Confound him! I can un- derstand how it is that my trade has dropped off so much lately. But wait till I catch him, that’s all! I'll be even with him, I'll warrant !” With these words the landlord rushed hastily out of the stable into the yard with the full intention of visiting condign punishment upon the ostler. But that individual, finding that his cheat had been discovered, took care to make himself scarce, for he was nowhere to be found. For some moments the landlord's transport of rage con- tinued. Then it suddenly abated. His eyes fell upon Black Besa, who was still standing quietly in the yard. He gazed at her with a stare of so ludicrous a character that all the highwaymen were forced to laugh. But the landlord neither saw nor heard them. All his faculties were centred upgn Black Bess - With hesitating steps he ventured to approach her, but stopped short when some few paces distant, and gazed again with a look full of mute amazement. He was evidently fully impressed with the belief that Black Bess was gifted with the powers of speech—tnat he had really, for the first time in his life, looked upon the surprising and unheard-of phenomenon —a talking horse. He peeped at her inquisitively everywhere, as though anxious thoroughly to imprint her image upon his mind. At length he turned towards Dick, who was so amazed at tbe scene that he felt he could have continued to gaze much longer without tiring. “Sir,” he said, ‘this surprises me very much, It does indeed! I can’t reckon it up at all—no, not a bit! I never in my born life heard of a horse telling tales— never! Can you give me another proof of her powers in this way ?” Dick graveiy shook his head The landlord looked deeply disappointed. “ At least,” he said, “‘ you will tell me howit wasyou came cy — how it wae you found out that she could BLAOK BESS; OR, into consideration. : He felt no had been somewhat indiscreet thus to cali such public attention to his mare. It would have been most easy for him to have declined to answer these impertinent questions of the landlord but, then, Dick felt it would be far better to allay his cuniosity, if possible; otherwise, if permitted *9 exert it- self without restraint, it might pass all bounds. The highwaymen wished to stay for a few huurs—say during daylight—and be perfectly undisturbed the while. Now, if the landlord was not satisfied in some way, the secret would burn in his breast to such a degree that he would be obliged to ease himself by telling the whole ac- count to some one. All these considerations presented themselves to Dick ia a moment, but he could not so readily or so quickly hit upon the means of doing what he wished. Re therefore affected to hesitate,but in reality it was only to gain a little time in order to think. The landlord renewed his entreaties, and at length, as if suffering himself to be overpowered by them, Dick led him to one side with a very mysterious aspect, and then said, in a solemn whisper: “Tam going to tell you something which will have the effect of placing my life in your power. Don’t start, but listen.” The landlord did listen, with his eyes so staring that mney, actually seemed as though about to start from his ead. ‘‘Many years ago,” said Dick Turpin, in the same mysterious and solemn tones, ‘‘I devoted myself very closely to the black arts, and made such progress in magic, that I learned the secret of metempsychosis. Do you know what that is ?” The landlord professed his entire ignorance of so ab- gtruse a subject. _“ Then,” said Dick, speaking if possibly with addi- tional solemnity, “I must inform you that metempsy- chosis means the art of possessing the power to change the form of living creatures—that is to say, to change a cat to a rabbit, or a rabbit to a wolf, and so forth.” The landlord’s jaw dropped. “Tmade many experiments, by which I fully demon- strated that I possessed the power ; and now I can go no further unless you swear solemnly never to divulge toa ane what has taken place. Do you swear ?” cl do “That’s enough. Now, do not start! dulous. But you see that mare yonder ?” 1-00... “ Then that is my wife.” Hee what?” ejaculated the landlord, fairly staggering bac “My wife.” “ That—that——” “Yes. Or, rather, I should have said, she was my wife until I practised my art upon her.” “ Met—met——’ ‘* Metempsychosis.” “ Ah! that’s it,” said the landlord, drawing a breath of velit and wiping the drops of perspiration from his row. ‘‘ Now, that is all.” “ But—but——"” “ But what ?” “You have not told me what were your motives for transforming your wife into a horse.” “ Oh, I will tell you that.” “ Ah, do!” “Ste was a dreadful scold.” “ Yes—yes.” “So dreadful, that I never knew what it was to have a moment’s peace of my life. I triad everything I could think of. In vain. Indeed, I began to think that she graw more and more a vixen every day, so that at last,in sheer self-defence, I was compelled to practise my art upon ner.” © And you succeeded !” gasped the landlord. “Behold the result ?” Dick Turpin pointed to Black Bess as he spoke The landlord could not remove his eyes. Dick Turpin hardly thought the landlord would ve! Bight, enough to swallow so monstrous au invention as this. Don’t be inere- Now this was a difficulty which Dick had not atalitaken = (E() 200)