Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN:? violent-as she was, than he did for either Susanna or Charles. ‘¢T will tell you,” she said, struggling to appear as calm as she could. ‘‘ Come nearer, so that you can hear me better.” They obeyed. “When you hear what I have to relate to you,” she continued, ‘‘ I feel sure that you will take part with me. In the first place, that is my hushand!” As she said that, which she did in a most contemptvous manner, she pointed to Charles. Our friends waited in silence for her to continue. **T feel almost ashamed to confess it, but I have loved that man—I am afraid I still do love him. Time was when he was worthier than he is now, and returned my affection. But there came into our house that hussy who sits yonder. She was perishing from want and cold. I took her in, even as the man 1n the fable took the viper. Like the viper, she turned against me. She showed her gratitude by practising innumerable arts to win my hus- band from me. Not that she loved him, but because he was rich and could indulge her in every species of extrava- gance. She succeeded in ensnaring him, and from that time happiness and myself have been strangers. Day after day i saw him sinking still deeper and deeper into difficulties. Shewas the cause. At length it came to my ears that he was about to raise all the money he possibly could, and then fly with his mistress to the continent, leaving me to misery and poverty, and to fight my way through the world as best I could.” CHAPTER CVI. BLUESKIN AND JACK SHEPPARD WITNESS A SINGULAR DUEL. THE outraged wife paused a moment for breatu, but it was only for a moment Then she went on. ‘* As soon as I discovered this, I set out in pursuit of them, determined to punish her with my own hand. The laws will allow me no redress, so J am driven to do so, for I will never allow her to go free. By what means their flight has been arrested I know not, nor do I care. I rejoice at the chance, whatever it may be, which has placed her so completely in my power. And so I call upon you both to render me what assistance I may require. Will you do so ?” ** We will!”’ said Blueskin; “ I don’t like to interfere in other people’s quarrels, but, under the circumstances, I think they fully deserve some retribution at your hands!” ‘* They do.” What must we do?” ‘* Allow me to be uninterrupted.” “In what way ?” ‘* Hold my husband here, and keep him from interposing between his minion and myself.” ““ Agreed! We'll manage that. Lay hold, Jack!” As he spoke, Blueskin suddenly bent down in the saddle, and caught the unfortunate hushand by the collar of his coat, and being a powerful man, he, by exerting all his strength, pulled him to his feet. Jack then caught hold of him on the other side, and so, between the two, he was held there in a perfectly helpless condition. No sooner did she see that her husband was perfectly secure than, with great speed, she ran back to her own carriage. But she was back again in a moment. In her hands she carried two long glittering rapiers. Matters began to assume a serious aspect. What was she going to do with those weapons ? They soon saw. * Choose!” she cried, ina bizh-strained tone of voice, as She went to the post-chaise in which Susanna still sat, though half-dead with fright. ‘Choose! Will you remain _ there and be slain, or come forth and have a chance ef your life!” “Mercy! mercy!” shrieked Susanna. ‘ Save me, oh! save me from this dreadful woman. Help, help!” “Choose!” said Julia. ‘I shall not ask again. Will you come forth ?”’ “Yes, yes! Have mercy upon me, and I will do all ghat you ask! Mercy! mercy!” 355 A ROMANCE. With screams and tears and sighs, and wild cries Susanna alighted from the post-chaise. But she sank down immediately upon the ground. Then Julia took one of the swords, and laid it down hy the side of her rival. The other she grasped firmly in her own hand, and held in a posture of attack. “ Take up that sword,” she cried, “and defend yourself! I give you that chance of your life! Take it up, I say, or, so surely as there is a- heaven above us, I will slay you as you are!” Btueskin could not help feeling a great amount of ad- miration for this singular being, who in so masculine aud self-reliant a manner set about the redressment of her wrougs. To be sure a great deal of exception can be taken to what she did, but then there was every excuse for her, for people under the domination of a powerful rage will do what, under less exciting circumstances, they would never dream of doing. That she felt the injury which had been done her most keenly there can be no doubt, and she happened to pos- sess sufficient spirit to take the affair into her own hands. The girl Susanna shrunk and trembled when she saw these terrible preparations on the part of the justly-in- ceused wife. She did not attempt to take the weapon which had been put with the hilt so conveniently to her grasp, but seemed to try to shrink down into the earth. expression of contemptuous disdain was upon Julia’s — as she turned towards Blueskin and Jack, and spoke. “Let me intreat you,” she said, ‘‘to leave this guilty coward in my hands. Will you promise me that you will not interfere, but stand and see fair play between us?” “We will,” replied Blueskin. ‘And my husband,” she added, as that individual made a desperate but unsuccessful effort to get free, “keep him as well from interfering with us.” ** Don’t be afraid,”’ returned Blneskin. “And you,” coutinued Julia (who became caliner every moment), as she turned to the postilions, ‘ will find it your best policy to remaiu neuter.” Things were now coming to a climax. The greatest violence of her passion, now that she saw her victim fully in her power, abated, but it left behind a cold-blooded feeling of determined revenge. With the manner of one who was by no means a stranger to the use of the rapier, she held hers in her hand, and pointed it at the breast of her rival. “Rise, hussy,’ she said; “I will give you a chauce of your worthless life. Rise and defend yourself with the weapon at your side, or, if you do not, I will, as surely us there is a sky above us, slay you where you are.” Up to this moment Susanna seemed to be overcome with the most abject terror, but now a sudden and re- markable alteration took place. It was the courage of desperation. She was, indeed, like one of those wild animals who, as long as they are able, will fly from danger, but who at the ork when forced at bay, will turn round and defend them- selves. Uttering, then, a scream of rage, she, by a sudden movement of her arm, took hold of the rapier. She rose to her feet, and, with great speed, threw off pe hat and cloak, in order that they might not encumber er. “Now,” she cried, “ you have forced this quarrel on me. I avoided it as long as IJ could, but now that you have forced me to it, woe he to you!” And no sooner had she spoken the words than, shortening her arm, she made a furious lunge at her adversary. It was parried, though somewhat unskilfully. A terrible and vindictive earnestuess wag now apparent in the eyes of both women. It was, as they knew well, a life and death conflict. The ghttering blades twisted and twirled about in every imaginable shape. Then a slight scream was heard. Susanna felt the point of her opponent’s weapon enter her left arm. . The wound was a trifling one—a mere puncture, in fact for help, © © agate: — — 8 cComicboooks (SO) 5}