Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

17380 that I felt as though I should like to rush upon him aad fell him to the earth. * But I was too tightly held for that. “(My dear—dear sir,’ he said, smiling still, ‘Let me entreat you—let me implore you to drive this unfortunate hallucination from your mind, for such it is. If you thus persist init, you will be in great danger of becoming per- manently insane.’ “¢T)—-n you for a grinning, batter-brained fool!’ I yelled, unable to contro! myself any longer, ‘I tell youJ am being robbed—robbed in the most barefaced nianner ever neard of. It’s a swindle—sn awful swindle; I can see it all now! ‘This is a private lunatic asylum, ts it not ?’ “The doctor assented with a bow and arvther of his d—nably aggravating smiles. “*T know it—I know it; I comprehend the whole plan now. Seize her, I say—I give herin charge. Take her into custody. She isaswindler. Do you hear me?’ “T was heard, certainly, but no attention whatever was paid to my words. “The viper appeared to Le more and more affected every moment, and the doctor at length led her to the door. ‘‘ Tt was opened. “T saw them both descend the steps that led down to the graveled avenue. “‘ T saw the doctor hand her into tho carriage and cloze fhe door after her. ‘‘ A few more words were exchanged, the order given to the coachman to proceed, and away rolled the carriage, with the thief and my five hundred pounds’ worth of property in it. ‘My fury, then, I must admit was ungovernable. “But, gentlemen, I appeal to you. Does it stand to reason that any man could stand quietly by and see his wealth carried away from him in such a fashion ? ‘So frantic were my struggles that I almost broke away from my captors, strong as they were. ‘But the door was closed, more keepers were sum- moned, and I was finally overpowered, for my tremendous efforts greatly exhausted me. ‘You will be surprised, perhaps, but, gentlemen, £ can assure you I burst into tears. “Five hundred pounds is a very serious loss to me, especially at the present time, when many of my imost important ventures have turned out unfortunately. “«There—there, he will be better now, poor man,’ said the doctor. ‘Carry him to one of the dark cells, and be sure you are sparing with his diet. I will send the barber to him before long.’ ‘‘These words acted upon me like the contact of tre with gunpowder. ‘All my angry passions broke out afresh. *‘ Another furious struggle commenced. “¢T see—I see,’ the doctor ejaculated, ‘leniency will not doin this case—compassionateness is thrown away altogether! Drag him away; clap a strait waistcoat on him, and let him remain for twelve hours in the dark.’ “Tn spite of all my efforts to prevent it, this barbarous purpose was carried into effect. “‘T was confined in that atrocious instrument of torture called a strait waistcoat, and in this helpless condition was carried through several passages and down various flizhts of stone steps. ‘‘A door was opened, and I was roughly thrust into a kind of cellar that smelt for all the world like & grave. “The door was closed again, and { found myself sur- rounded by the deepest darkness you can ¢onceive—in fact, I never knew before what was expressed and meant by the word darkness. “There I was allowed to remain, as I suppose, for the time specified. { had no means of reting the flirht of tame. “No sound whatever penetrated to that dark and gloomy place ‘How I passed thosa sours I can scarcely descrive to you; certainly you can form no conception of them your- selves. I wept, prayed, raged all- by turns until come pelled to cease from sheer exhaustion. “JT now fully comprehended .by what a clever and er peed scheme | had been defrauded of my goods. * Nothing more ingenious I had ever heard of. ~ What puzzle. mo most was to know whether the BLAOK BESS; OR, LL CL ET e-! A tA Wie : Bie at MS Meeiy Ris pee ROB otek - = hee ee Bee ates $07 hah oa Pree Ree wea) 4! rie he A =e 4 yc iaw y'.? PrP east) ty SA aA hy) Nien eee © iy at ee one pit vee aA UR Bet ed ee “7 ‘ “5 _ Coens Pe ee ast a arek Wy ‘ “ 4 Moe 4 rea wp aeaee % 7. pe be Fe 2 ~tée as . ‘ ann , h a, eee #0 Te he Or ae te ia te Siéc: 7 Ka? - ¥ Sioy eshte =e, "1 Mee ea oe ; > . te?) * i ya iat A va wae Budo: Me aie in i. oe tas : 3 t ; - oy “fe 4 “Le 8 | > . d Ot y : - y > 7 f 7 . ’ not rr Nee en er ee eT nee venturess. ‘* Such a thing was far from improbable; but then, or the other hand, I could see kow very easy it would be for her to impose upon and make dupes of them. “My property was gone—of that there was no doubt— and 1 endeavoured, with what philosophy I ceuld com. mand, to reconcile myself to my loss, This I found @ difficult and almost impossible task. “| was determined that I would in the morning be as calm and quiet as it was possible for any human being te be, for I could see that was the only chance I should have of regaining my freedom—uniless, indeed, it was all a planned job to keep me there. ‘‘T suffered a fever of apprehension on account of my wife, who would, I knew, be tormenting herself to death on my behalf. “Atlast I heard the welcome sound caused by the removal of the fastenings of the door. | “T sat quite still. “‘ Several keepers entered. << He’s quiet enough now,’ said one, in a low tone. ‘We'll venture to take the waistcoat off him. If he’s obstreperous we can soon master him again.’ “While he spoke, this man very ostentatiously flourished and cracked a huge, heavy cart whip. “ A sympathetic shudder thrilled me. “T gat as stillas a statue while [ was unbound. od CHAPTER MXXVI. SLAUDE DUYAL AND SIXTEEN-STRING JACK OONTINUE THEIR SEARCIT FOR MAUD. Tue interest with which Claude Duval and Sixteen- String Jack listened to this interesting narrative was so great that they manifested great impatience while the poor man paused a moment or so for breath. “‘T suffered myself to be led to an upper chamber,”’ he continued, ‘‘and when there I was told to sit down ina chair that was placed near the centre of the floor- ing. ‘“‘T obeyed. “ No sooner did I seat myself, however, than, wit] great suddenness, several springs started forth and held me fast. ‘‘ One confined me across the chest, another clasped my legs, and so on, while two others held my headin such a manner that I could not move it in any direction in the least degree. ‘‘T wondered what was coming next. “JT was not kept very long in suspense. ‘‘ The door opened, and in stalked the doctor, who was followed by another individual wearing a white cap and & white apron. ““T euessed their purpose at once, and a cold sweat burst out all over me. ‘But I was as powerless as I should have been had I by some magical power been suddenly converted into stone. ‘'¢ How is the patient ?’ asked the doctor. “(Uncommon quiet,’ answered the keeper. ‘The doctor shook his head, and again felt my t.lse. a Oh, how I wished that one lim was at liberty. What intense delight it would have given me to have felled him to the earrc! “ But there I was, as I have described to you, unable to move a muscle. ““¢ His pulse is still very high,’ said the doctor, with the utmost gravity, ‘and therefore we may safely conclude that this present unusual calmuess of demeanour is only assumed, aud that immediately uyon recovering his liberty he would resort to deeds of violence, This isa very severe case, and I shall have to use unremitting care to bring about a cure.’ “T cannot give you an idea, gentlemen, of how much these words galled me. : “My indignation was something I cannot descrile, and { feel pretiy sure that had I at that moment beon released from iny fastenings I should have perpetrated some rash act or other. ‘* But I was not allowed the opportunity. “ «He must be reduced,’ said the docter, ‘and every com (E i wT ee ee ee io people at this asylum were in league with tne ad