Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

tion, gives herself airs, and”’ ‘shall bind him to my purpose. ger - - ; | SPRING-HEEL’D JACK! THE TERROR-OF LONDON. 127 “Me, sir!—lor, sir. I hope not, sir,” stam- _ mered the man. | “Hope not! Why, I should have thoucht the hour of your departure would have been the happiest of your life.” “The happiest, sir ?” “When a man is about to be married ”—— * Married, sir! I’m not going to be married, sir, : “Not ?” “No, sir.” “You suprise me. I heard you were about to be married to Lizzie, Mrs. Clavering’s maid,” said Richard, looking eagerly at the man, and striving to discern the effects of his words. James turned colour, and set his lips hard, as he replied— “ Nothing of the kind, sir.” “You love the girl ?” “Me, sir 2?” Yes.” “No, sir ; I—I dislike her very much. She’s so proud since she’s been raised to her present posi- ‘Then you hate her,” interrupted Richard. “ Well, sir ’’—— “ Speak plainly, man.” “ Well, sir, I do ; for you see” “‘T have no wish to know your reason for the dislike. I simply wished to know if there was any truth in the report that you were about to wed her ?” “* None at all, sir.” Richard leaned back in his chair with a smile, and fell into a hurried train of thought. _“ This man,” he thought, “is not likely to in- form Lizzie of anything she would reveal to her mistress, and as the girl respects Jessie, this fellow doubtless detests her, for the ignorant are prone to dislike the friends of their enemies, albeit, they have done them no harm. I can judge from his looks and manner that he can be ought for any disreputable scheme, and gold I must not place myself in other hands. He would answer _ Iay purpose, and I can depend upon his secrecy.”’ _ A decanter of wine stood on a side table, and a Richard commanded the man to place before im. When this was done, the libertine poured out a couple of glasses. © Drink, James,” he said. The man opened his eyes and mouth very wide, but raised the glass, and, bowing to his master, swallowed its contents. As he placed it down, Richard filled it again on the instant. “‘ Come, James, another glass.” “ Thank you, sir.”’ Another and another was forced upon the domestic, and then Clavering, leaning his elbow on the table and stretching his head over till it almost touched that of his servant, said— “‘ James, I can commiserate with you.” “ With me, sir’? ” “Yes. I know what it is to meet with scorn where I expected love—know the pang it causes the heart; in fact, I know nothing which engenders a feeling of revenge so quickly in a man’s breast. And why should we stifle that > feeling ? Why should we not be revenged on those who have slighted our affection? Why not make the woman who has pained us feel the pangs she inflicts upon us ?” | ** You're richt, sir,” said James. “You would like to be revenged on Lizzie, would you not ?” ‘* Indeed I should.” ‘Then you can feel for me. can trust you, James ?”’ | ** Certainly, sir.” You will be silent ?” ‘* As the grave.” | Richard scanned the man’s face narrowly and half suspiciously. But he saw nothing there to cause him to hesi- tate, and he continued, in a low tone— ‘* James, [ have wedded a woman who despises me. ‘The girl you loved, I believe, has had much to do with bringing about this coldness. Her tongue has been too olib,I fear, and a look—a word of mine has been enlarged upon to her mistress.” ‘* Curse her,” said James, over whom the wine was beginning to have an effect. “Well, I-may be wrong, but I don’t think I am. However, it is enough for me to know that my wite hates me.” “Then I'd hate her, sir.” “You would ?” “Yes, sir.” “do. “And I'd be revenged on her, I would,” said the man, his eyes becoming bleared, and his voice thick. “T could, but’”—— | - “ But what, sir.’’ “It would require the aid of a friend, such a person as yourself, for instance, on whom I could depend—a man who, for past favours, would not mind straining a point in his conscience for a re- spected master, who in turn would reward him well.” ‘Eh 2?” said James, brightening up at the men- tion ofareward. “ "Tisdone, sir. I'd do anything for you—I wouldn’t care what, for you’ve been a good master to me, sir.” “‘ But suppose—mind you, I only say suppose— I was acquainted with a lovely girl who would love me as a man should be loved ; but that the only way to possess her was by marriage, and if thag marriage could be solemnized, I should be - made the happiest man in existence.” “Then I’d have a mock marriage, and say nothing about it. I wouldn’t lose the girl that did love me, if I loved her, because I was married to one that didn’t care for me, not I. Let a woman domineer over me, would I—Id see.” And the half-drunken James brought his hand down upon the table as he spoke. “Took here, sir,” he continued. “ Your wife don’t love you, and another girl does, but she won’t have you if you don’t marry her.” “ Exactly.” “You can’t, of course, marry two wives Wwith- out a chance of getting into trouble, but how’s the girl to know if you don’t tell her, that it ain’t all right. And if you don’t tell her, she’s none the worse; and I’m blowed, if I was like you, if 1 wouldn’t do it somehow.” i “Take another glass of wine, James.” comicbo —_ ———=§ = Se ee Listen. But I ’ ss ’ Sy{ Clo) | 8) en a ae ~