Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

I selves, they sat down with their backs to the door, pre- pared to wait patiently till morning. ‘The Governor walked along the passage with a heavy j. tread, the echoes of his footsteps reverberating through the long, silent corridors. Dick observed his soming, ana as soon as the Governor passed his hiding-place, he stepped out on tiptoe. Then, guessing why the Governor was treading with such unusual heaviness, Dick cleverly and quickly fell into step with him, keeping such exact time, and allow- img his feet to fall so lichtly, that it would have required @® very sharp ear to distinguish that two persons were walking along the stone corridor instead of one. At every step they took the necessity for this caution abated, yet they did not venture to change their posi- tions. To what part of the prison the Governor was now about to conduct him, Dick Turpin scarcely knew, but contented himself with thinking that it would be to some place where, at any rate, they could sit down and hold a further consultation as to his future proceed- gs. In this he was not mistaken. Pursuing certain passages rarely used by anyone ex- cept himself, and which led directly to his own private apartments, the Governor hurried forward, nor dia he pause until the room was reached in which he sat down to transact his business. Dick Turpin entered closely after him, and, ia obe- dience with a sign from the Governor, closed the door and slipped a little bolt into its socket. Then the first thing that met their gaze was the frag- ments of the broken bottle of hollands, which were THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD, strewn in all directions about the carpet, while the room was filled with the overpowering odour of that spirit. Instead of manifesting any anger at making this dis- @overy, as one might have expected, the Governor placed his hands slowly together, and began to rub them one over the other with an air of great apparent satisfaction. , Nothing could be ‘Capital,’ he said—* capital ! ** Indeed !”’ said Dick. ‘‘ May I ask to what yourefer ?”’ better !’’ ** Why, this,’’ he replied, pointing to the broken glass. upon the floor. “I told you they would not fail to pay their respects to this bottle of spirits, and by some ac- eldent or other, you see, they have brokenit. They will now be frightened to death, lest I should expose what they have done, and cause them to be punished. They are now quite in my power, which, just at the present time, is quite a fortunate circumstance.”’ Again the Governor rubbed his hands, and Dick, leav- ang him to indulge in his felicitations, drew a chair close up to the fire and sat down. He spread out his fingers to the blaze, for his cell was damp and chilly, and the sight of a little fire was now quite a pleasant thing. Outside in the street the roaring and howling of the people could be heard with painful distinctness. It was a sound that Dick hated to listen to, and yet he could not close his ears to it, Little, however, did he think that his comrades formed a parcel of the disorderly route outside, ne>* did he guess how anxiously their eyes where fixed upon that portion of the prison occupied by the Governor. * Now,” said Mr. Bradbury az “ength, turning to the fire, “having accomplished our purpose so far, and having succeeded so well, let us have 2 little further consideration.” * With all my heart.” “Well, then, it seems to me the chief thing is to de- cide ‘where you are to remain concealed until night- Dick nodded. * well, continued the Governor, “I must confess that is a matter that puzzles me. I should be glad to place one of my private rooms at yor disposal, but,’’ he concluded, witha sigh and a shake of his head, “ that 38 impossible—quite impossible,”’ “Indeed!” said Dick. “I am very sorry & sear “Tt is no fault of mine,’ continued My. Bradbury— *noneat all, assure you. Itis Mrs. B.—a most in- @uisitive woman she is, [ can essure you; and as for va a 1445- trusting her with a secret-—— But there, that will do~- least said soonest mended.”’ : Vick laughed as he said: *I don’t want to cause you any troubls, Mr. Bead. bury. Iam much obliged to you for all you have done; but is there no cell into which you could slip me and keep me safe till the appointed time ?”’ Mr. Bradbury again shook his head. “ We are so uncommonly full,” he said—* I scarcely ever knew sach a thing, and, basides, you might be: liable to discovery in a moment.” “Thien what on earth is to be done P”” “ That’s just what I want to know, and I should be- giad if you would think the matter over.” Dick continued to warm himself by the fire, and for several momerts there was a profound silence, which was broken at length by the Governor, who asked : ‘Well, Dick, have you yet thought of anything ?”’ * Nothing particular,” was the answer. ‘To be sure there’s one idea; but then——”’ “Let us hear it, said the Governor—“ let us hear it, by all means!”’ “Well, then,” began Dick, “although you have been Governor of this prison for so short a period, yet you. must be aware that the present building is quite a modern structure.”’ “ Yes,’” said the Governor—“ that’s true enough.” “ Quite true,” replied Dick. “‘ Newgate was first built many hundreds of years ago, and from time to time the. place has been pulled down, and rebuilt and altered.” “Well, what of all this ?”’ said the Governor, growing interested, though he could not see what it had to do with finding a hiding-place for his prisoner. ‘Simply this,” was Dick’s answer. “In the course of this pulling down, and rebuilding, and alteration, some portions of the ancient edifice have been left, and, to cut short my remarks, I have been told that under- neath this present prison of Newgate there exists what one may term another prison, being the remains of the dungeons formerly constructed there.” “Yes,” answered Mr. Bradbury. something of the kind myself, though I never paid much attention to it. Still, even supposing such places as you mention to exist, they have not been opened for centuries at least, and itis very improbable that any com- munication exists between the old prison and the new.”’ “Yet such might be the case,” said Dick—“ indeed, I have. heard it confidently asserted. stand the drift of my remarks. If we can find out this communication, surely, if I conceal myself in under- ground Newgate, I shall never be discovered, not even if my presence in the building was guessed at, and a close search made.”’ & ’ The Governor shivered, and half unconsciously drew: closer to the fire. ** But just consider,’’ he said, “ what an uncomfort-- able place to be in. Fancy the idea of remaining in vaults or dungeons that have been closed up so long— alone, too! Should you not feel afraid?” CHAPTER DCCCLXXXV. THE GOVERNOR OF NEWGATE DISCOVERS THAT HE: HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS BLUNDER. AT these words, Dick Turpin’s lips curled with a eea*- temptuous smile. * Afraid,”’ he said—“*I afraid? No, fear and Dick Turpin have never been acquainted yet, and they will always continue strangers—least of all should I be afraid of darkness.’’ “It is not the darkness,” said the Governor, “ but the associations. However, not to go into the subject any further, just tell me by what means you hope te Bae &@ way of communication, supposing any te exist.’ . “Oh,”’ said Dick, “ that’s just the point.” wish I could give you some information upor it bet I can’t,” ‘‘ Neither can I,” continued Turpin, whose eyes had daring the last few moments been resting upon a ranges of shelves. ‘‘ Do you not think it possible that some of those volumes might give us the information we seck ?”” “They might,” said the Governor; “they are the annals of Newgate. thouch, to tell the truth, ever zizce I **T have heard’ Now you under-. EMONNIE OOO KS ) (E(@)