Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

< s Jonathan scowled at the man for a moment, but as the man looked perfectly grave, he added— “ Begone wretch! Tell Pinching Tom to come in.” y The man, who was one of those belonging to Wild's gang, withdrew his head and closed the door. _ Then he went through some remarkable pantomimic evolutions, caused by the endeavour to laugh heartily, without allowing the sounds of mirth to escape from his Ce aad lips. "He distended his cheeks until one would have thought the skin would have given way, and for so long that he grew first red, then purple, then black in the face. He waved his arms in the air. His legs, which were long and thin, cut the most fan- tastic capers imaginable. But he was destined to receive a summary punishment for thus indulging in clandestine laughter. No sooner did the door shut than Wild took up his eudgel, and, with the stealthiness and silence of a cat, got down off his stool. On tiptoe he crept across the floor. With the greatest imaginable caution he slowly turned the handle of tha door, and opened it a little way. Then he saw the man in the attitudes we herve de- seribed. He opened the door a little wider, and waited. Waited until he imagined his officer’s jocularity had reached its culminating point. Whack !—thud ! With two just such sounds did Wild’s pet come down on the back of the unfortunate officer. Of course, no one could stand up after receiving two such sudden and unexpected blows, so the officer fell to the ground at once. “ Murder!—murder! Oh! Mr. Wild!—Mr. Wsld! please, sir! No, sir!” he yelled, as he writhed about on the floor. Jonathan was quite delighted, and so overcome with his own cleverness, that he actually laughed aloud. An essentially brutal disposition was Jonathan Wild’s, and nothing afforded him greater pleasure than inflicting pain upon others. It had grown with lim. When a boy he was always playing some diabolical trick, and torturing any living creature that was unfortu- nate enough to get into his clutches. Now he tortured human beings. Oh! Mr. Wild—Mr. Wild, sir! Oh! if you please, you ve broken my back! Oh! murder! murder!” “Get up!” said Wild. “Get up! I hope it will prove a lesson to you! Get up at once, I say, or you *shall have some more! ” “No, Mr. Wild, please dou’t! up, Mr. Wild! Iam, indeed!” With many contortions of his body, and groans and lamentations, the officer rose to his feet. He stood in a doubled-up sort of fashion. The blows were doubtless severe, for Wild had dealt them with the whole strength of his arm. The officer had much ado to stifle the yells that rose to his lips; he knew he did not dare give utterance to them, or if he had, that he would have received some further ill usage. “Ya-a-ah!”? said Wild, in a voice like a hyena’s. “Laugh again, Tonks! laugh again! Ha! ha! why, it’s quite funny! Tonks, you villain, why don’t you laugh! ha! ha! You don’t half take a joke! ha! ha! Tonks distorted his mouth, but he Jooked about as unmirthful as any one well could. “Hal ha! That's right, Tonks! that’s right! Trv it again ou the other side of your face, and then tell Pinclhing ‘Tom I am waiting to see him.” Glad of the chance to escape, Tonks hobbled off to the hall, where Jonathan’s visitor was waiting, while the thief-tuker reseated himsclf at his desk, aud propared to receive him. N Merey! I am getting oot ay CHAPTER ITT. PINCHING TOM AND THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.—WILD DOES A CAPITAL MORNING'S WORK. ' PincuiInG Tom was one of the most enterprising and suc- cessful members of that large community of thieves who ‘ookea up to Jonathan Wild as their chief. eget ree pe BLUESKIN : See on wi es — A ROMANCE. oman J Searcely had the great thief-taker adjusted himself aud composed his face a little, than Pinching Tom entered. There was not much respect visible in the way he walked up to the desk, and looked through the little gap in the railings. But he had an eye to business and dispatch. He dived his hand into his pocket, and produced a magnificent diamond necklace, such only as one of very high rank conld wear, and worth probably some thousands of pounds. *“‘ Here’s a sparkler, Johnty!” he said, as he laid the bauble on the desk. ‘* What do you think of that, eh ?” Wild glared at the speaker. In common with those base spirits who find or conceive themselves to be in an elevated position, Jonathan had a very exaggerated idea of the importance of his situation, and of the amount of deference that ought to be paid him. Hence he was deeply offended at the manner in which Pinching Tom had chosen to speak to him. But Wild never allowed his anger to interfere with his interests. The diamond necklace, he saw at a glance, was a very valuable booty. He dissembled. He stretched out his hand and took the necklace. It underwent a close examination. PP? ) petite | “You needn't be so blessed particular,” said Pinching ~ Tom. “ There’s no paste about that!” Wild growled. “Hold your row, will you?” he said. you want for this kickshaw ?”’ He flung it negligently upon the desk as he asked this uestion, but he took good care it should fall where, if om felt ever so inclined to take possession of it again, he would find it beyond the reach of his fingers. Well,” said he, in reply, “it’s rather hard to estimate. You He that is a kind of heirloom, or what-you-call-it.” ah!” ** Tt is, indeed, and belongs to Lady Ingestrie.” “‘ Tiady Ingestrie! the deuce it does! ”’ Wild took up the necklace, and it underwent a second examination. Pinching Tom grew impatient. ‘Come, come, Mr. Wild,” he said, “this here ain’t business, by no means. How much will you give me for it? Ineedn’t tell you that Lord Ingestrie will be here before the day is ou* and he will give a good sum to have it back again.” Yo-ah!” We use these letters to express the wild beast sort of noise Wild made when anything was not just agreeable to him. * Fifty pounds,” said Jonathan. Pinehing Tom looked aghast. “Fifty pounds ?” he repeated. “Yes. Here you are.” Wild produced a bulky pocket-book, and began to rummage over its contents. “No, I’m blest if Ido! Why, Johnty, you must be clean off it to offer me fifty pounds for a necklace worth five thousand. It really isn’t enough, Mr. Wild.” Jonothan reflected, or rather appeared to do so. ‘Well, Tom,” he said, at length, ‘‘ you are a good hand, and deserve to be encouraged. Now, I'll tell you what I’ll do. Ill sacrifice my own profit, and give you a hundred pounds for it.” “ Confonnd you for a downright rascal!” said Pinching Tom. You won't let a fellow live, you won’t. I leaves you at once. Give me the necklace back again, I’m off!”’ Jonathan looked at him with one eye. ‘* Are you, indeed ?” ; © Yes, you come it too strong! I shonldn’t mind taking a small sum, because you save all the trouble, but I won't part with a valuable thing like that for nothing. Give it us back.” Tom made a sudden grab at the diamond necklace, but Jonathan had put it just out of the reach of his fingers. ‘Ya-ah—ya-ali! Will you take the hundred pounds, Tommy P” ‘No, never! J”’—— 4 “Very good—very good. Hi! hi! Blue! Blue! shou ild, banging the desk all the while with hie cudgel. ** How much do ~~ FERC nee gates ee gE See ence ; oe fai ee eee! GOnlGaoOokSneo mn