Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

p4i4 BLACK 6ESS; On, oe~ AD ae af Ae o OI A OLE, LE ~ ———— “Who and what are you? How came ou by thia ? b> “Dick Turpin.” _ ; Speak quickiy- tell me all. Yet stwy—folitw ms—th a i” Fom wstcke2, with some anxiety, to observe the effect ace sthiseray.” : | shat the pronunciation of this mame would have upoz his Fhe King kasti!y strode towards the furthe: ond of tha | 4..jesty. conservatory, and ‘Tom wondered greatly ot bis mol re Ife saw the King give a slight start of astonishment, fer so doing. Then he mechanically repeated his name. But his wonder soou ceased when he perceived ave y | That was all. pretty rustic-looking seat placed there for the ecarv-uies of visitors. On this the King sat, and, resting one of his <lbows or the arm of it, supporting bis head with his band, he sald : “ Now tell me, and as quick-y es you can. Use a more words than you are absoltt./> compelisd.” «“ Your Majesty,” T’om began, “as you seem to know, that locket was sent as a token.” “Poken—token of what? -How came it in your possession ?” Tom reflected a moment; tien decided that it weuld be best to let the King know the history cf the locket, as this would be more likety to 2zhievs his purpese. “The lady,” he said, “whose portrait is in tox locket * Here the King started violently, and glanced @ll around, as if he expected some eavesdropper to be near. ‘“ WYush—hush !” he cricd. “Dont name that—don’t name that—do not let any such words escape your lips.” His agitation was extreme. “T will be careful, your Majesty. The lady, then, found herself in a situation of much difficulty and danger. Your Majesty may perhaps remember a certain letter, on the outside of which appears the stain of blood.” The King started again, 3nd removed his hand from Looking evrutinisingly into J’om’s countenance, he SIC } “ Bat you have not yet told me who yon sr. In what way are you connecied with this matter? Screly you are no companion or associate of a desperado like Dick Turpin? Your appearanc and mode of speech are those of amsna of education, ant cre accustomed to a higher sphere of life. There is sons‘hing. too, ‘nu your counte- nance and in the tones of your voice that seems familiar, Where and when havo I seen .‘ou beicrs ?” These questions produced a inost embarrassing feeling upon T'’om King. How to repty he scarecly knew. But he saw tho King was watching him closely, and he felt that it would be unwise and dangerous to tamper with him in any way, for upon his breath hung the captain’s life. * Oircumstances,” he said, “have made me what I am. It is scarcely possible, however, that your Majesty can have ever seen me befere to-night; some accidental resem- Dick Turpin’s comrade and bosom friend, and ready at any moment to die, if by dying I could save him.” “ You the comrade ef a robber—a thief?” “ Your Majesty,” replied Tom, “I have said it.” Little was it guessed how great was the amount of humiliation that Tom ting felt at this moment. his face. “ust forcibly was brought back to him the unhappy Tom was sbeolutely startled by the expressicn of | past, ana the events whica had conspired to make him it. what he then was. The topic of conversation wss painful, and could only become more so by being prolonged. ‘'o Tom's great relicf, the King’s eyes happened just then to fall upon the locket, which still lay in his hand. Ho started, as if he haa suddenly recollected the busi- ness in hand. ‘‘ And this Dick Turpin is in Newgate, you say?” he resumed, in a different tone of voice. “ Confound the fellow ! there has been troui:le enough to cater him, and now that he is safe in custodyit seems the favcur you require from me is a free pardon,” “That is it,” ssid Tom, “if your Majesty will be se gracious. I leave it to you to decide whether the service of wresting that letter from Lord Spindelow is worthy of such a boon.” “Ttis.-it is. But yet—yet I am so hampered and fettered by one and another, that I fear I cannot grant your request.” ‘Your Majesty ?” “Ttis so. I know how strong is th. feeling of the ministers against this man—they would do all and every- thing to ensure his exceution. Weref to interfere, such an outery and bother would be made about it that I should know no further peace. No, no—it cannot be done.” ‘And must I take back thet answer?” said Tom, ir, tones of the deepest disappointment and regret. Yos; xzad yet Ido not ask youto abandon all hope— no, no, do not think so bad!y of me. I can be grateful, although it would not be prudent for mo to grant a pardon; yet, by some other means, I may effect his libera- tion Se Newgate—at any rate, his life shall ba spared.” “Oh, your Majesty,” said Tom, surprised beyond measure at this unexpected relicf, “would that I could find wor Is to express my gratitude !” “We, well—that wil) de—we will suppose them Been Now go—leaveme. Rest assured your comrade s sala,’ It was as white as marblo. Seeing that the King was struggling to speak, Tom remained silent, and at length his Majesty gasped forth: “Who and what are you, knowing all these things, which I believed. buried for ever in oblivion? Speak— explain vourse.t, 1 say!” “T will doso if your Majesty will permit me,” replied Fom, calmiv. “ But the letter of which I speak, and which, as you know full well, was highly prized by the lady, as it was necessary she should retain it in her pos- session—tbat ictter, I say, was stolen from her, and was held by a certain nobleman, whose uname perhaps I need not mention, who used it as a means of power over her, terrifying her inte compliance with all his wishes.” The King groaned. “Yes—yes,” he said, “I know aj! that—all that! Proceed.” “Your Majesty, the lady felt that, at all risks and nazards, that letter must be re-obtained. How to perform such a difficult task as this she had not the remotest idea ; but at last she thought cf one who, by his daring deeds and open defiance of the law, seemed likely to suit her purpose. ‘l'o this man she applicd herself, and he under- took to obtain the missing documeut, That undertaking be fulfilled—the letter was returned, and he was told to name his own reward. He refused, however, to take any- thing, but at last the lady forced this locket Into his hands, telling him to keep it carefully, and when in some great peril from which he could not extricats himself by other means, he was to send a faithful messenger to convey this locket and place it in your Majesty’s own hand.” The King remained silent fot 3ome moments after Tom King had ceased speaking. It was evident that he was deeply plunged in thoughe ; put asto the nature of his reflections, Tom Bing could only give a guess. Starting at length from his abstraction, es if only ; suddenly aware that Tom was present, he said ; “ Thambly taka my leave,” said Tom; “buat yet, your “Then this man who obtained the Ictter is nom tn-a | Mijesty’s Kindnees emboldens ms to mske oe more position of danger ?” jreguest.” ‘He is, your Majesty. Atthis moment he lies ina: ‘Sey on cell in Newgate, upon a charge affecting his life, anu if { “Jt is that you furnish mo with some kind of passport ee OE LLL LL LL ———_eea eee ee ee es enn immediate measures are not taken ho will be exccuted st | or watchword, in order that 1 may leave the castle tn- Tyburn.” safety. Your Majesty appears to have overlooked the “Indeed |” saidthe King, musingly. “ His name ?” fact that I have bafiied the vigilance of atl your offciais blance has misied you. Dut, to confess the truth, lam: Eomicbook: ra