Penny Dreadfuls, 1866 · page 381 of 400
Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 381: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Victorian Penny Dreadful Page Analysis This page contains both an illustration and running prose text from a serialized story titled "The Knight of the Road" (No. 220). The engraving depicts a scene where a well-dressed woman confronts two men and a woman on a country road; a figure on horseback appears in the background. The text describes a tense moment where police officers arrive at a dwelling searching for a "desperate character," and a prince and highwayman named Tom pass through undetected despite their close proximity to the officers. Tom deliberately positions himself outdoors to improve his chances of escape should his disguise be discovered. The page costs one halfpenny and advertises that No. 221 will publish the following Monday.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THEE EWTGHT OF THE ROAD. EE ge a a aD > SE re re Fa \\ 24 CBs | Pa ISS INS SS = nr ¥ Un — RES § PAS WS f PULAU | ~ Py j aon i; eer yj T1103 | eh jf zea ‘ oie <: as ‘ SS SS . -$AUD BEVANDS BERSSoR YROM THE MECLER AND 38 With } Aightly uneasy at the conselousness that the eyes af 36 many of his foes were upon him. But of this Tom admirably coneedled mavifestation. Watching the movements >f ihe prince very closely, he imitated them as well as he was able. He succeeded muck better than he dared to flatter bin- wlf he did. he foremost officer involuntarily made an awkward a when he saw Zariel epproach, and as he did so he said: “ Bee pardon, sir, I am sure—very sorry l—but we have traced a desperate charactcn to the neighbourhood of your dwelling. We are most anxious to capture him, and wish for your permission te make a thorough search about these premises.” “You sre welcome,” said the pense— go where you Hs waved his hand as he spoke ‘the police officers mechavicafly stood asite tv sliow ak outward | him to pass. ‘Yom accompanied. as before. So elose did he pass to his foes, however, that his ample dress almost touched them, But no suspicion of his identiy was entertained. ~4 was easy enough to see that, and besides, nad there teen, those officers must have bee," gifted with an almest supernatural share of cleverness. The prince and the highwayman passed out vf the doorway together, descended the steps, and strolled into the grounds. Tom bad not been candid enough to yive the prince his principal reason for wishing to be in the open air. It was because he knew full well, in case of his disguise being penetrated, he should then have a ten times hotter _—-shease.” - chance of making his eecape Wo 220.—Brack Bass boi ¥ ~ No. 221 will be Published next Monday. ce Prick One HALFPENNY. Eomichbooks (E(@)