Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

BULUESKIN: ET ip SSP ASS OE _ 8 So perpeme peer ee A ROMANCE, 93 rn A RR Lr "provided myself with one piece of candle. We should have | when one is thoroughly weary, that is but a slight incon- been starved to death in these passages, for to have cot out in the dark would be utterly impossible.” “ You recoucile me to our position,” replied Sheppard, “by showing me bow much worse it might easily have been. I shall never forget this.” ‘““Nor I. But before we go, let us look more atten- tively at the poor remains, which, by throwing me down, saved my life and yours.” Only a fow bones were on the floor of the passage, and they were in the last stage of decay. The least touch, and they weuld have crumbled into dust. There was nothing to indicate the age, sex, or position in life of this skeleton; and having convinced themselves of this, they made their way along the passage towards the octagonal-shaped room. How pleasant it was now, by an occasional inspection of the arrows Blake had drawn, to fecl sure that they were pursuing the right direction, and not involving themselves in the mazy intricacies of the place. Both drew a long breath of exquisite relief when they, after a little while, emerged into the octagonal chamber, from one side of which ascended the steps leading to the turret. “Thank goodness!” said Blueskin, “we are safe at last. It is by no means the first time in my hfe that I have had a narrow escape from death, but still it was always in some encounter. I fairly tremble now when I think we might both have walked into the abyss, and only become conscious of having done so when we found our- selves falling headlong down.” ‘“Such a death would be awful indeed. But the peril is over now. Let us ascend. I feel no desire to run any further risk by an exploration of this place.” “Nor do I. Besides which, we have been quite long enough absent from the turret-stairs. We ought to assure ourselves that all is well with our young charge.” ‘¢ You do not fear anything ?”’ ‘“ By no means; but that is no reason why we should leave her unguarded.” ‘‘No, no; we have been wrong, I think, to absent our- selves at all.’ As be made this remark, Jack sprung up the winding flight of steps, and soon reached the level of the earth. Blueskin was immediately behind him, and, as he emerged from the vaults, he shut the little door after him as he said— “J don’t think I shall be tempted to venture down there again.” Me 1am sure I shall not, and yet it would have been a great satisfaction if we could have found some sccret mode of entering and leaving the place.” “ You are right; but we must abandou the idea, at all events in that quarter. I think, too, that we may rest pretty well assured that we have nothing to fear in the shepe of attack. Few people would visit this place, and none less likely than Jonathan Wild.” “All seems right,” said Jack, after a pause, during which he had listened intently at the foot of the stairs. “ Yes, if silence is to be taken asa token of it. Let us go up. Bess must, by this time, have had sufficient rest.” Jack did not need to be told this twice, and he mounted with an agility and speed that soon left Blueskin iu the rear. On reaching the door he tapped gently at it, and said,— “ Bess—Bess! Is all well?” Jack heard a hasty movement, and then the door was opened. “Oh! Jack!” said the young girl, ‘Iam so glad you have come. I have sat here until I have grown quite frightened. I cameto the door once, and called, but I could not make you bear.” By the time this little dialogue was fimshed, Blueskin entered the turret-chamber. Edgworth Bess had suffered the fire to go out, and, as the evening was now creeping on, Blake thought the best. plan would be to light it again. This he soon did, and by the time it was fairiy dusk, they were all three seated in pretty near the same posi- tions as on the preceding night. Bess was refreshed by a long, deep sleep she had had, plbeit her couch was by no means of the softest ; but then, tee ———w an ar venience. As for her wound, it was now quite well. There was an ugly mark reaching across the back part of her shoulder, but she was quite willing to put up with that. when she thought of what a narrow escape she had had ef being dangerously wounded, perhaps even killed. The conversation, as on the preceding night, very { quickly turned upon her fortunes, and Blake was called upon to furnish yet some additional particulars, but as they were upon trivial matters it is not woartl while to repeat them here. However, from the narrations of all three a very good and distinct idea of her whole position could be obtained. There was one point, however, that would be rather difficult, and that was proving her identity. It was all very well for such facts to be asserted, but then something more was needed, and that was proofs. These it seemed pretty certain rested in the hands of the unscrupulous Lord Donmull, who would, of course, take every care not to do or say anything inimical to his own interests and friendly to hers. Jack and Blueskin, too, were so placed as to make it almost a matter of impossibility for them to give evidence, hesides which, Jack could only say that he overheard a conversation, which would amount to little or nothing. The people, too, who lved in Charles-strect, Drury- lane, into whose charge the heiress had been given, were dead, as was also the man who had so placed her. In fact, the more they considered and thought over the case, the more difficulties and obstacles presented them- selves to their view. Bess herself was quite dismayed, aud Blueskin would never have persevered hadit not been from a strict sense of duty. Many and various were the plans proposed during their long and important conference, but every ono of them, ares mature consideration, were abandoned as impracti- cable. And now, suddenly, as Jack was making some remark, he paused. He fancied a slight sound reached his ears from the direction of the staircase. He listened, but as all now was silent, he concluded that his sense of hearing had deceived him, and went on with the sentence he had begun. But before he reached its end, they saw most positive proof that some one was on the staircase. Blueskin and Jack sprang to their feet, and drew their swords. But before they could perform another movement, the little door leading into the turret chamber was burst violently open, and a party of men rushed in. CHAPTER LXIII. LORD DONMULL AND STEGGS ARE BENT UPON THE YOUNG GIRL’S DESTRUCTION. At the precise period of time at which the incidents recorded in the last chapter took place, there sat in a gorgeously-furnished apartment in a west-end mansion a well-dressed man. Without the air was chill, but within that chamber it was of an agreeable warmth. In the polished grate burned a sea-coal fire, and as its flickering light fell upon the fire-irons and thick crimson hearthrug, it produced an appearance of extreme com- ort. Tho room was furnished consistently throughout ; that is to say, the different articles in it harmoniz*4in their appearance and colour. That colour was the richest of all—crimson. Some would have said the effect produced was ratuer monotonous than otherwise, but that could be merely a matter of opinion. A rich, downy, velvet-like paper of the brightest crim- son covered the walls. It was relieved in places by gilt devices, while a neat gilt cornice running completely round the walls at their junction with the ceiling, pre- sented not only a pleasing contrast, but also gave an air of great magnificence to the whole. The chamber itself was spacious, but it lacked height, which was a great detraction; at any rate, it would be considered so to-day, though then they were considered “ the thing.” cComiclboooks (SO) >