Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

to his love for her, she placed her hand in his, and felt her heart warm towards him. Never did spider lure the timid fly so artfully into the meshes of its web, as did Richard Clavering draw that trusting girl's soul to him- elf. He was rich, he was ‘handsome, and the firm belief of the mother soon tended to cause the daughter to think he was honourable, and day by day her feelings grew stronger towards him ; contempt’ gave place to respect, respect to love, ‘and, anxious to’secure for her aged mother, if not for herself, independence and comfort, she consented to become his wife. Oh! had she’ known he was already married, how that blushing smile would have changed toa look of horror! How that head which rested on his bosom as she murmured her consent, would have drooped in shame and contempt ! Too well he knew that no less title than wife could make her his, and he had determined upon a mock marriage, when he sought the mother, should he succeed, for mistress Mildred would a@ever be to ‘him.’ Oh! could that poor oirl have realized the truth as her. small white fingers trembled in his, and her timid» eyes: were raised’to his face— could. she but have suspected ‘that his object was to ruin her and: crush'the soul of his wife, she would have died/ere she uttered the words —‘‘T am thine, Richard, thine!” But she: knew it. not, ‘thought it not, and was happy, while» the: heart-broken and ill-used Jessie sat in'that sumptuous apartment, cursing the hour that she had ever listened to the tones of the betrayer, and regretting that heaven had not taken her from ‘this’ world :ere* Richard Clavering had gazed upon her beautiful features —had ‘seen the bright flower which: he breathed on but to destroy for ever. . Gold will: buy everything but happiness and a passage: to heaven. » It is the one’ great god which all men worship more or less... Its influ- ence is almost’ unbounded. At its chink the heart throbs, at its sight ‘the eye flashes, and: at its touch the: soul’ expands. Few, indeed, can resist its power. «It. isthe talisman to all hearts. Nothing can resist it savesthe grave. . There it 1s power rless—there and there alone. Applied’ for good: or ‘evil, its power is greater than all else in the world.’ *. It ‘can save, the soul from sin, dry. the: widow’s tears, ease the orphan’s pangs, shed happiness and joy around, make the sad gay, feed the hungry, and ‘clothe the naked ; * but when its:possessor scatters it for evil; it can plunge more souls to:perdition than all the hands in the world can save.’ 9 | Richard Clavering knew chis!-dleiete that aold could purchase him accomplices in his: wicked act—buy him a mock priest and witnesses for the sham ceremony, even though: those who ‘sold themselves to the guilty’ work knew that they were aiding a villain to plunge the soul of an innocent girl into a vortex deep as hell, and his own base soul to perdition. And not only could he buy their assistance, but their silence. Gold would do it all, and he ‘possessed it. So smilingly he went home, after pressing the innocent cheek, and murmuring how happy they would be:in a few days—smilingly he entered the boudoir of his suffering and heartbroken wife. SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. Nor did the smile fade from his cheek, or the joy he felt at. his success evaporate from his’ heart, as he looked upon the wreck he had made | which sat before him. 7 Rather was he the more gratified, for ney’ thought, one pang more and death will rid me of her. The poor woman gazed mournfully up in hia! face. It was then that a scowl darkened his brow. “ You have come, Richard,” she said at length. The libertine coolly drew out his cigar-case, lit. a cigar, and took no notice of her remark. wD Jessie heaved'a deep sigh. — Clavering puffed outa mouthful of blue tant and smiled again as he watched ib curl upraats in fantastic wreaths. © | That> sigh would have panned another. and. better man 4 pang, but it only made him feel more happy. It bespoke her sufferings, and her pain was hial happiness. | “Oh, Richard, i ote said at lencth, a Ory you: are altered !’ “Yes,” he drawled out, “1 think Lam.’ “Indeed you are.” ““T feel more happy to- night than : have done for some time past,” he said. ef ; “T am glad:to hear it.”. 4 « »/ “ You!’’«he exclaimed, opening his eyes. “Yes, Richard.* Iam.” ~ 7 “That's strange.” | é 3o doe6 Tai “Strange!” « | | | ‘¢ Why should you be glad? ie he questioned, fixing his eyes upon her.:: » “Ts it not natural that a wife abana feel glad when her husband is happy ?” she said. Again the brow of Richard darkened till ty was black as midnight. He dashed the cigar from his SA ‘and sprang to his feet.: , |. _ “ Wife !—curse the. word ! 12 he cried, stamp: ing his foot on the sumptuous carpet. cs Wherefore ? Oh! Richard,” sobbed the Mane) tityal Tt reminds, me Si my disgrace—reminds me me, of the fool I_haye been to make a wife of a’ _ The woman rose to - ues feet and held up her hand deprecatingly. » ~ © Richard - Clavering.” she Sntermunbed chaos “when you made me your wife you proved your- self to the world, at least, a man; but since you | gave me your name you have ‘been to me a wretch—a cruel; unfeeling wretch.’} “TI will bea devil yet,’ he exclaimed, wit not an executioner.” « “Oh! man, what have on become ! . ‘‘ A thing for my fellow-men to laugh and jeer r Speak the word no more ; lest in my am He raised his clenched hand. “ Richard,” she said, fixing her tearful eyes on his own fiery orbs, « your hand is powerless to inflict the pain upon my body which your: tongue does on my soul. The pangs of a bide- rated heart are more acute than those of a bruised skin, Strike if you will—a blow cannot inflict more suffering on me; but it will brand’ you as’ an ‘infamous coward, as well as a con- temptible villain.” } * @ -_— -— >: —/_ ee |: =— = - _— —« = & ff tj comiucboo m