Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

. a, eee JOSEPH WILMOT ; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 109 “There are thieves, sir, breaking in at the back!” I immediately said, before Mr. Tiverton had time to utter a word. “ Hush! make no noise, sir—but hasten with John, and you will secure them.” “ But who are you?” quickly asked Mr. Tiverton. “ Joseph ?” “Yes, sir. For heaven’s sake delay not! I will tell you all presently—I shall not run away.” The window was closed again that moment. Scarcely a couple of minutes then elapsed ere the front-door was opened; and Mr. Tiverton in his dressing-gown appeared with a light in one hand and a pistol in the other. Jchn Robert, who had only just huddled on his breeches and thrust his naked feet into his shoes, was likewise there, carry- ing another pistol; and both master and man looked very much excited and alarmed. “The pantry, sir!’ I instantaneously said: “the burglars are breaking in! If you go round by the back and scale the garden-wall by any means “No, nonsense!” ejaculated Mr. Tiverton, but in the same whispering tone that I myself was adopting. ‘ Come—this way!” I entered the house: the front-door was noise- lessly closed; and Mr. Tiverton, leading the way across the hall, reached the stairs conducting down to the kitchen-premises. John Robert followed— I brought up the rear; and I should add that my master still carried the light. With the utmost caution—indeed, quite noiselessly—did we descend; and on gaining the passage which sepa- rated the kitchen on the one side from the domes- tics’ room and the pantry on the other, we paused to listen. Then we distinctly heard a noise as if of the wrenching away of one of the iron-bars from the pantry-window. Mr. Tiverton flung a hasty but significant look upon John Robert, as much as to imply that the information I had given was indeed correct ;—and making a sign for us to follow, he continued to lead the way, his pistol levelled ready to be fired. We reached the pantry- door, which was shut; and Mr. Tiverton was about to open it, when I clutched him by the arm and pointed to the back-door at the end of the passage which led into the yard. He instantaneously comprehended my meaning, and adopted the sug- gestion thus conveyed. With the same caution which had hitherto characterized all our move- ments, I drew back the bolts of this door. Mr. Tiverton had the keys with him: it was quickly opened—and then we all three rushed forth into the yard. At that very moment one of the burglars was about to introduce himself through the pantry- window; and this was Bill Blackbeard : for it was from the lips of Taddy—who was standing by, preparing no doubt to follow,—that the first ejacu- lation of alarm thrilled forth. “Villains!” exclaimed Mr. Tiverton, firing his pistol: but quick as the eye can wink, the two rascals rushed away, and plunged into the utter darkness which prevailed between the coach-house and the exterior wall. John Robert also fired his pistol after them—but without effect: for when we sped in pursuit, we caught the sounds of the two burglars alighting heavily, one after the other, ta the ground on the opposite side of the garden- wal, “Tt is useless to attempt to pursue them,” said Mr. Tiverton, as he stopped short. “Get the light out of the passage, and let us examine the pantry-window.” I hastened to fetch the candle, which had been left in the passage; and we now found that the shutter had been forced open and two of the bars wrenched away. The work must have been accom. plished with a marvellous expedition; for not more than five minutes had certainly elapsed between the issuing forth of the two burglars from the coach-house to commence operations, and their precipitate flight on our bursting out upon them. It however transpired that even if they had made their entry undisturbed, they would not have found the expected booty: for Mr. Tiverton had taken up all the plate to his own room when he retired thither—a precaution which it was only natural he should adopt after the incident of the morning. CHAPTER XXIV. CHARLOTTE MUREAY. My master bade me enter the house with him, instead of consigning me to the coach-house again; and we ascended to the parlour. The alarm had in the meantime spread throughout the dwelling, —Lady Georgiana having rushed to the various chambers to summon her sister, Miss Dakin, and the female servants, with the startling intelligence that thieves were breaking in. Accordingly, as Mr. Tiverton, John Robert, and myself, ascended to the parlour, all the other inmates were hurrying down with such clothes as in their terror and con- fusion they had managed to huddle on. My eyes swept over the group: but Charlotte Murray was not amongst them. So soon as the excitement had somewhat abated, I was called upon for explanations. I accordingly stated how the key had been left in the coach- house door—how I was awakened up at midnight by hearing two persons enter—how I crept out of the carriage, while they ensconced themselves within—how from their conversation I gleaned their intentions—and how I likewise ascertained that one was called William Blackbeard, while the other answered to the appellation of Thomas Taddy. But I did not think it necessary to mention that I ever had any previous acquaintance with the latter. I went on to observe that I was restrained by terror from taking any step till opportunity pre- sented itself, as already explained to the reader ; and that then I adopted the course with which the listeners were acquainted. “ And now,” I said, continuing to speak all in the same breath, “tell me whether Charlotte Murray has returned ?” “No,” quickly responded Lady Calanthe; “and I am dreadfully alarmed on her account. Tell me, Joseph—tell me, why you put the question ?” “ Because, my lady, as sure as I am here, those two villains have helped to place her in the power of another villain of a different class: for in addi- tion to all the cenversation which passed between them in the chariot, and which I have already related, I overheard them chuckling at an achieve- ment of that kind.” ElO@QO) S (CO) AA