Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

; —_ —e — a Se ee LE ee —————— _ e “ But, my good sir” “We are close to the station. If the inspec- tor on duty feels disposed to let you go, all well and good; but, sir, in spite of all bribes or offers, I shall do my duty.” “And take me to the station?” “ Exactly.” ~“T will give—ah !” The officer’s knuckles sank so deep into the Jew's flesh, that Levy gave up in utter despair any further attempt to prevail upon the guar. dian of the peace to suffer him to go his way. Inwardly cursing the girl, the shirts, our hero, and the officer, Levy suffered his saturated beard to fall on his bosom, and tottered with trempling gait alongside of the officer. A short time brought them to the station, before which Levy raised his eyes to the police- man’s face with an imploring look. The man understood the mute appeal, but he only seized the Jew’s wrist tighter in his’ grasp and hurried him over the threshold. ‘It did not take long for the officer to state his case to his superior. The mspector, learning how affairs stood, offered to accept bail for Levy, and that person- age having given the required sureties, was suffered to go his way. : | So Levy hurried away from the station, and called a coach, with the driver of which, despite _ his saturated condition, he could not help waiting several minutes in bating down in his ‘price’; although the man objected for some time to take him at all. At length, things being arranged, the Jew got into the vehicle, and was driven away. | The spot where the coach had pulled up was -avery dark corner, Levy having taken advan-’ tase of that circumstance, thinking that if the driver had noticed the state in which he really was, ;with the green slime from off the sur- face of the pond, he would not’ get a seat in his vehicle at any price, consequently, when the Jew got in he could see nothing, and had sat himself own with a deep sigh, before he discovered that there was something bulky on the opposite seat. When the vehicle had driven off, Levy ex- tended his arm to discover what it was, and to his surprise found it moved. He sprang up on his seat so suddenly at this discovery, that he struck his head a violent blow against/the roof, which caused him to sink down acain in an instant ! Then up before him on the opposite seat rose a tall human figure. A glare of light being passed at that moment, lit up the interior of the cab, and revealed to Levy the masked face of Spring-heel’d Jack. He was about to give utterance toa sharp cry, when Jack’s hand was placed upon his mouth. _ “Silence, my worthy Israelite,” he said, in a harp tone. Help! Mur—” | “ Peace, Lsay. .I desire you to be silent. I thought you did not know me and intended to tive you a fright ; but as you do, and our roads Ee the same, we well travel together !”’ The Jew sank back on the cushions, and trem- bled in every limb, t SPRING-HEEL’DEJACK : THE TERROR OF LONDON. CHAPTER XLIL THE ITINERANT DEALER AND MARTHA SCRIVENER— A BULLY PUNISHED—FLIGHT AND PURSDUIT. THE motley group of tradesmen who inhabited Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, something over a quarter of a. century since, were thinking of closing their shops for the night, as not a few of the double-wicked oil lamps had exhausted their brilliiancy, and, were giving unmistakeable indica- tions of going out. Of course, at that period gas was not so much used as now, and from the houses of many of the inhabitants the stinking wicks extended their unpleasant vapours as they burned with a dull red glare from want of trimming. Here and there was a brilliantly-lighted shop, but the generality of them were dingy and offen- sive to the nostrils. The smell of old shoes, perhaps, after the lamps, was predominant, for in no locality in London were there so many persons who dealt in second-hand boots and shoes as there. | Old shoe shops were in abundance, still there were many other. callings, and not a few stalls for the sale of vegetables, fish, and other com- modities graced the kerb-stone of this thickly- populated locale. | “Now then, there!’ cried the angry voice of a man who had charge of one of those fish- stalls, and supplied at a low figure bad fish to those whose poverty compelled them to deal in the cheapest and worst market. ‘“ Can’t you see where yer are going to, or did yer want to nail that ’ere plaice? ” The person thus addressed, a poor-looking, thinly-clad female, with features pinched by want and suffering, turned, and stooping, picked up a not over-fresh member of the finny tribe, which in her hurried walk she had knocked off the} barrow of the itimerant vendor of any- thing that bespoke quick profits and ready. sale. | ‘““{—I beg your pardon, sir,’ she-said meekly, as the man savagely snatched the fish from her hand. ‘fT am very sorry that I knocked it down in my burry.’’ : , ‘Ver knocked it down in yer hurry? Il bet a shilling you’d have picked it up ina hurry too, if I hadn’t have seen you. Wanted a supper on the cheap, didn’t yer? I know yer. You've been and spiled- the look of it, so perhaps you'll buy it now you was bowled out in trying to pinch it.’’ 3 A flush ran over the pale features of the woman thus addressed. Her sunken eye kindled for a moment, but as quickly her glance faded, and the tears gushed forth. Poor thing, sufferings had broken her once proud spirit, and the angry retort was stifled ere it could burst forth. _ “*T wish to steal it!” she half sobbed. no; I never saw it till you called to me. poor and ill-clad, but I am honest.” “Gammon! Take in the flats with- that. Now, aint you going to pay for the fish after you spiled it?” inc “T have no money.” Tam | ON ONO) (E(o) AMIE ‘No, . (E)