Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

Of course, the impossibility of having a single key that would open indiscriminately locks of all sizes, must bo at once apparent, but by having four master-keys of different sizes made into one instrument, Jonathan had every lock in his dwelling at his command, from the biggest to the least. ; . This instrumer: would of necessity be an invalnable auxiliary to the two prisoners in consummating their re- lease, as well as enable them to inspect the whole of the series of dungeons. A glance at the size of the keyhole was svfficient to show Jack which was the key to be used, so he fitted 1t an and turned it round. The bolt of the lock shot back with the greatest ease. Jack next proceeded to draw back the bolts, when he perceived to his surprise that they had not been shot into their sockets. ‘That doesn’t look as though any one wag in here,” said Jack, as he kicked the door open with his foot. ‘“ Stand aside a moment, Sir Marmaduke, and let the foul air, if there be any, escape before you attempt to enter.” - 1t was well Jack thought of taking this precaution, for though they both retreated to_the opposite wall, yet even then they were not free from the noxious vapour. The lamp which they carried burned dimly, and gave forth but little light. In a few minutes, however, the fresh air mingled with the foul, and when the lantern burned as it had done for- merly they ventured to enter the cell. Jack weut first. Sir Marmaduke, with some little difficulty, followed him. On reaching the centre of this place they both, by common consent, pansed to look about them. There was little food for curiosity. A glance showed them it was quite vacant. In shape and size it was in every respect similar to the one in which Sir Marmaduke had been confined, probably enough they had all been constructed after one model. ““There’s nobody here,”’ said Jack, *‘ that’s clear enough now, there hasn’t been for some time, J should say.” ‘‘No, as you say, there is no one here,” repeated Sir Marmaduke. ‘‘ Let us hope that we may find all the others without tenants.”’ ‘‘T do hope it, I ean assure you,’ replied Jack; “ not, however, from the same motive as you do.” “ What is it, then?” “ Why, there is no disguising the fact that the presence of one or two prisoners would be a greateimpediment to our ultimate escape.” “Do you think so, my friend.” “JT am sure of it. Nevertheless, the thought of that would never have sufficient weight with me tomake me leave any one here exposed to Wild’s tender mercies.”’ “That is right, that is nght. Iwill hold the hght so that we can take one last look around this dungeen, and then we will depart.” Sir Marmaduke elevated the lantern as he spoke, and directed the beam of light which issued through the lens, successively upon every part—floor, walls, and roof. Nothing but the bare damp walls met their gaze. “ Quick!” said Jack. ‘‘ We must be more expeditious with the others, or we shall not be out of the place before Wild is missed. ‘‘ Quick! quick!” Ue regained the passage as he spoke, and helped Sir Marmaduke to do likewise. The next cell to that which they had just visited was the one in which Jonathan was in durance. Jack could not resist the impulse to make some appeal to him. He knocked sharply therefore upon the door with the master key. A murmuring voice followed, as though Wild had made some verbal reply, but the door was too thick and strong to allow of the penetration of a human voice. It was succeeded by a furious hammering, that threat- ened to break in the panels. “Whata horrible noise,’ said Jack. “‘I wish 1 eor'd stop him. If he keeps that sort of thmg going he » | surely be heard by some of his janizaries.” ‘“ Come away—come away,” said Sir Marmaduke, x - + half-terrified voice. ‘‘ Come away at once.” It was a lucky thing for Jack that he followed his vcu.- \panion’s advice so quickly as he did, for the knocking more than guessed at what it was. BLUESKIN : A ROMANCE. ceased suddenly, and then a bullet came crashing through | the door. The report mingled with the sound, and if Jack had not just then stepped aside, the bullet would have assuredly have found a resting place in his body. As it was it flattened itself againet the stone wall op- osite. It is rather surprising that Wild did not tire a pistol through the door before, but his brain just then was not in a very lucid state. | Most unquestionably had he been in his ordinat'y state of mind, the first thing he would have done would be to reply to the knocking 5 firing his pistol in that direction. But the hard blows Jack had given him had deranged his head-piece not a little. Indeed, it is something to wonder at that he recovered at all. « Let us go, my young friend, let us go. Every moment now must increase the chance of our discovery. Indeed, the noise that has just been made cannot fail to have been heard by some of Wild’s men.” “Tf they don’t hear that,” replied Jack, with a smile, “*] ee think they won’t hear any other noise we cat make. ‘“‘Hasten, hasten,” said Sir Marmaduke, whose nerves seemed to be again uphinged, ‘‘ You don’t know what may be the extent of that man’s power even now.” “It strikes me,’ replied Jack Sheppard, “that it is confined to making a noise. But come, sir. Rouse your- self. Shake off your fears. Our danger now is very little, if any, greater than it was. We have yet to accomplish our task.” “True,” said the baronet, recovering himself by an effort, ‘this is your cell door, is it not, and so there is no need of our entering that.” ‘None in the least, I can assure you.” They walked on now until they came to the next cell. With all the speed possible Jack undid the fastenings. When the door was opened, they again took care to stand and let the pure air disperse. But this time they found mingled with it sucha frightful elt that it was fnll ten minutes before they could enter e cell. “ Hilloa!’’ said Jack, as he stood upon the threshold and peeped in, while Sir Marmaduke held the lamp over his shoulder. ‘‘ Hilloa! I say, is there anybody bere ?”’ A prodigious scuffling sound followed his words, and the.a all was still. “Hilloa!”’ said Jack again, “we are friends come to release you. If there is anyone here, let them speak,” The echo of Jack’s voice died away. The silence of the tomb succeeded. ‘*'This, too, is vacant,” said Sir Marmaduke. ‘“ Let us try the next.’’ ‘“No—no,” said Jack, ‘did you not hear that strange noise wheu I spoke? What can it be?” “ Rats, perhaps.” “ Most likely; but still,’ said Jack, “‘ I should not like to leave this place until I had first satisfied myself by a personal visit that there was no one init.” “Very well, my friend.” “Do not, however, Sir Marmaduke, I beg, fatigue your- self by descending too. If you will stand upon the steps with the lantern in your hand that will be all that I require. _ © Be careful,” said the baronet, as Jack jumped down in the dungeon, the floors of every one of which were between two and three feet below the level of the passage. Jack’s eyes were keen and accustomed to the very faint and dubious sort of twilight that filled the cell, and he uttered an exclamation as his eye fell upon some dark- looking object at its further extremity. “What is it?—what is it?’ asked Sir Marmaduke, hurriedly descending. ‘‘ What have you found ?” Jack pointed to the dark object, and then slowly they both walked towards it. There was something in both their 11 vasvs which seemed to tell them what this dark object was. But neither gave utterance to their convictions. A. few paces more, and they reached it. ° It was a dead body, but so horribly mutilated and dis- figured that, had it not been for the shreds of elothing on = which hung here and there about it, they could not have ’ (eee nr SP Sc SSS SRP PP SNS DCESSNSRVSNESESNENNESUNEnE~T-—Heer, <n —- le CoOmicloae Cc SS + i mn EO a ra