The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

& 2 ‘THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. “You are sorry for that deed ?” inquired the Black, in a low and slightly tremulous tone. “Qh! God forgive me!” excleimed Tidmarsh, his voice expressing sincere contrition. “Ido in- deed deeply—deeply doplore my share in that awful business; and the ghost of poor Tom Rain used to haunt me when J was first hore. In fact, Tom Rain was ever uppermost in my thoughts ; and—strange though it may seem—it is not theless true, sir, that-your voice appeared to penetrate to my very soul, as if it was Tom Rain himsolf that was speaking tome. But I have got over all those ideas Mow—since I learnt to pray ; and when I grow _\ dull read the good books you have lent me. Some- times I study the Bible; and I find that if I poro over if too much, if makes me melancholy. Thon I turn to the Travels and Voyages; and I become’ tranquil again.” . Should you not rejoice at any opportunity of re- trieving your character—even in your oldage—and earning an honest livelihood for yourself?" asked the Black. “Oh! if such a thing could be!" cried the man, in a tone of exultation. “ But no—it is impossible, impossible!” ha added, after a pause, and speaking in an altered voice. ‘I-have sinned too deeply in respect to poor T’om Rain, fo be able to hopo for such happinoss. God is punishing me in this world, you being His instrument—and yet I can scarcely call it punishment, since you treat me with such kindness. There are times when I even wish that I was more severely punished here, so that I might expiate all my sins,and feel certain: about my fato in another world.” “ God is full of forgiveness, Tidmarsh,” said the Black: “TI feel that He is,” he added, in a somewhat enthusiastic manner. “Tho prospect I distantly hinted atin respect to yourself, may possibly be- come practicable. You are old—but you may still have many years to live; and it would be wrong— it would be detestable not to give you a full oppor- tunity, sooner or later, of enabling you to testify your conirition. But I cannot speak farther on this subject at present. I have brought you some more books: one is a tale—‘ The Vicar of Wakeyield'— the perusal of which will do you no harm. It will show you how virtue, though suffering for 1 time, was rowarded at last. Ina few days I shall. my- Belf visit you again.” The Black closed the trap, and stood away from the door, which Wilton now opened; and the basket furnished the prisoner with his provisions and also with some volumes of gobd and beneficial reading. , The visiting-party next proceeded to the cell in which Toby Bunce and his wife were confined to- gether ; and here, as in the immediat ly preceding instance, the Black spoke to {° »m.t¢h—- eh a sliding trap, from which a light alsot Cf p- “For three days have y(, W. de G together, after dwelling some time ° 16 Blacka- moor, continuing to speak i ° Larson, of,, ; tond I now conjure.you to tell mo“uldyXeriher you would rather be thus in each other's company, or separated as before ?” .- “Oh M leave us together, sir—leave us together, -I implore you!” cried Mrs. Bunce, in a vdico of , earnest appeal. “ We are now the best friends in the world; and I have promised my husband never to say a cross word unnecessarily to him again;” “She seems quite an altered woman, sir,” ob- served Toby. * But then——” = et 2 . ¥ s d 2 é = i “But then what? demanded the Black, “seeing the man hesitated. : “ Well, sir—I will speak my mind freo,” continued Bunce ; “ because I’m no longer afraid to do so. I was going to say that p’rhaps it is this loneliness in which we rre placed that makes Betsy tall as she does ; and that if we was to be again together out of doors——” | “You would not find mo change, Toby,” inter- rupted the woman, but not in a quertlous manner. T Jike to hear you read to me from the Biblo, and from the other good books that the gentleman has given us. I wish we hud passed more of our timo in this way beforo wo got into all this trouble. But pray, sir,” she added, turning towards the door, do tell me whether you mean to keep us here all our lives!” “You must ask mo no questions, remember,” | seid the Black, in‘ mild but firm tone. .“T have told you this before. Learn to subdue all impa- tionce, and to become resigned and enduring. You have made others suffer in the world;—you havo been the agents and tools of a wicked man: — and you now seo that heaven is punishing you through the means of one who has power thus to treat you.” : "Oh! how I wish that I had never known tha detestablé Bones !" exclaimed tho woman, covering her face with her hands. - ./ “And how I wish that I had stuck to my trado in an honest manner!” cried 'oby Bunco in n yoico of unfeigned contrition. “Think of all that—ropeat thoso sentences to each other—as often,as you can,” said the Blackn- moor. “In tho course of a few days 1 shall visit you again.” . With these words, ho stood back from the door, Which Wilton opened ; and tho two inmates of tho dungeon received supplics of wholesome food and moral or instructive books. ~The party then proceeded further along the sub- terranenn passage from which the various cells opened. 4 Do you mean, sir, to fulfil your intention of this night visiting him?” inquired Orsar, addrossing his master in a lov, faint, and tremulous tone, as if ho were & prey to some vaguo terror. The Blackamoor did not immediately answer tho |. question ; but, placing his hand upon his brow, ap- peared to reflect profoundly for almost the space of a& minute. Wilton—who seemed acquainted, ns wellas Crosar, with all his master’s secrets—likewise surveyed the Black with mingled curiosity and apprehension. “Yes !" at length exclaimed the mysterious per- sonage ; “I will now, for tho first timo since he has becn my prisoner here, hold personal communica- tion with Benjamin Bones !” The party proceeded in silence to a cell near tho extremity of the long subterranean passage ; and on reaching it, the Black handed the Jamp to Cmsar, at the same time making a sign to that youth and the other dependants to stand back so that no gleam of the light should penetrate into the dungeon when the door was oponed. They obeyed in profound silence ; and their master immediately entered the cell, closing the door behind him with that rapidity LT aS AS IR OS OO ee ar I ES ee Qe eee, 2 cee ee ewe ‘Which is exercised by a brute-tamer when intro- ducing himsdlf into the cage of a wild beast. The interior of the dungeon was as davis as pitch —so dark, that there was not even that greyish appearance which obscurity frequently wears to Ebooks 5} (CO) (CO) >