Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

———EE na 188 and all was still once more,—all save the convuls- ing soos which came up half-suffocating into my throat ! By degrees however I grew comparatively calm again: for I now felt convinced that my life was to be spared—or at least I clung desperately to this hope. The light had shown me that, as I had suspected, I was indeed in a narrow, vaulted, noi- some cellar. The quick frenzied look which I had flung around to obtain an idea of the actual state of my prison-place, had moreover revealed to me a grating in one of the side-walls,—no doubt com- municating with an adjacent cellar, and affording a passage for the air. Ah! if I could only remove that grating, it would afford an aperture large enough for me to pass myself through into the next place; and if the door of this next place should happen to be unfastened, I might escape. Escape !—there was a wild and frenzied joy in the idea. I felt the grating with my hands: the bars were thick, but covered with rust. I felt them more carefully still: they were firmly set in the solid masonry. I tore at them—I placed both my feet against the wall, and threw myself back while pulling with all my power at those bars—but in vain: I might as well have endeavoured to tear down the masonry itself with my nails. Again I sank exhausted upon the damp earth. Hours passed on—I grew hungry—but never- theless could not eat: my stomach loathed the food which*had been left me. Again and again did I deliberate upon everything that had taken place, in order to deduce thence, if possible, some clue to what my ultimate fate might be. . But all conjectures were vain; and there were moments when my brain seemed to turn in the bewilder- ment of its distracting thoughts. It however ap- peared to me certain that all Mr. Lanover’s stories of vicissitudes and poverty were but wicked in- ventions in order to excite my sympathy, and thereby lead me to this house, where he knew that there were agents and opportunities for accom. plishing whatsoever purpose he might have in view. Ah! as I recollected how he had turned his looks upon me when he spoke of his daughter Annabel, I felt, assured he was sounding me first of all to see whether I thought of her with affec- tion; and on perceiving that I did, he had found it easy to continue in a strain that irresistibly engaged my sympathies. And now I wecollected too that he wore a good suit of clothes, and that there was nothing poverty-stricken in his appear- ance—though these circumstances had escaped me at the time, in the excitement and affliction of my thoughts at the tale he narrated. Therefore [ came to the conclusion that this tale of adversity and penury was a mere wicked falsehood; and it was a solace for me,—even in the depth of that horrible place, and amidst the frightful ,uncer- tainty into which I was plunged in respect to my own fate,—to entertain the idea that, after all, neither Annabel nor her mother were suffering privations. Some hours had again elapsed after the visit of Mrs. Hartley and her two escorting ruffians,— when this visit was renewed, in the same manner, with the additional circumstance that the woman now threw into the cellar a couple of blankets, laconically bidding me make myself as warm as I could for the night. I renewed my entreaties that JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. mercy should be shown me—but all in vain. The woman, however, after whispering for a moment with Taddy, offered to leave me the light if I chose ; and Bill Blackbeard observed, with a brutal chuckle, that 1t would serve to scare the rats away. The mention of the hideous danger in which I stood with regard to vermin of that sort, sent the blood cold to my heart; and with grateful avidity I accepted the offer of the candle. The door was closed again: I was once more alone. I now forced myself to eat a mouthful of bread ; and being much exhausted in mind and body, I enveloped myself in the blankets and endeavoured to compose myself to sleep. I calculated that the candle might last about five hours,—as in addition to that which was burning, there happened to be another piece lying in the tray of the candle-stick ; and I thought I had better make the most of the time that I possessed a lght, to refresh myself with slumber, as I should not dare to close my eyes in the dark after the horrible allusion made by Bill Blackbeard. Physical and mental exhaus- tion soon wrapped me in a profound repose, which lasted for several hours; for when I awoke, the candle was just flickering in its socket. I has- tened to light the remaining piece; and feeling still wearied and able to sleep, lay down again. When I awoke for the second time, that other piece of candle was on the point of extinction; and so I resolved to sleep no more. Nor did I need additional repose: I was recruited in body—but my mind Ah! that was now again given up to anguished, torturing, bewildering reflections ! After the lapse of a considerable time—at least three hours, as near as I could calculate—Mrs. Hartley made her appearance, this time followed only by Taddy; but he pointed a pistol so signi- ficantly over her shoulder that I shrank with a ery of terror into a corner at the extremity of the cellar, where I fell on my knees imploring mercy. “You silly young fool you!” ejaculated Taddy ; “T am not going to do you any harm. This pretty little barker is only just to convince you that if you like to keep your head without a bullet in the middle of it, you will do well to be on your best behaviour.” . - The woman deposited another supply of food on the ground; and she again offered to leave me the candle which she carried. With a real gratitude . did I accept the proposal: for only those who have ever been captive in the dark, can form an idea of how welcome is the companionship of a light. Hour and hours passed on, interrupted only by the renewed visit of the woman with a fresh supply of food and another candle. This time Taddy like- wise accompanied her: but he did not appear to think it necessary to display his pistol. 3 After they were gone, I began to revolve in my head a scheme which, wild as it at first appeared, rapidly assumed the aspect of practicability: for under such desperate circumstances the imagina- tion clutches at the insanest hopes. “ When this woman comes again,’ I said to myself, “she will no doubt be accompanied by Taddy: for the man Blackbeard seems to think it unnecessary that he should form part of the escort. The first glance will show me, when the door opens, whether Taddy has his pistol or not. If he has not, I will make one tremendous bound forward: the woman will be dashed aside, or per- e CoRnnicaoolks (CO) im