The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

( . oe , , © THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. To reach this you had to mount a winding staircase, trembling from the weakness of its support, even in quiet weather, but swaying to and fro perilously when the stormy winds howled around the bailding. On reaching this place, on the night of the attack on the hcuse of the mounteban¥, Quelf at once ascended the staircase, and placed his captive in this upper room. “ What hideous place is this?” exclaimed the girl, as he placed her on a couch, and then stood reganiin g her with a gloomy smile; “what abominable misery and shame am doomed to now ?” “You are my prisoner,” he said, gloating over the wietchedness she felt, | ‘I know it, I see it.” she cried,- “ yet will I die ere you alallkeep me here. I will destroy myself that I mav not be forced to gaze upon your hideous face,” “ And how, pray {” “IT will fling myself from yonder window.” ‘‘ It is atrongly barred.” “TI will; yet stay. I will not betray to you my means of safety. No. Keep me here as you ill; but remember, the first insult shall be my death warrant,” _ “I mean no insult,” said Quelf ; ‘‘ you shall be my wife, my own wife, and I will make you a fine lady instead of a street dancer, one who plashes through mud and mire to please the vulgar throng. Oh! Nelly, you do not know how I love you. Give me but one word of en- couragement and I will tell you that which will bring joy into your heart for ever.” He threw himeelf on his knees before her, and seizing her hand, pressed it to his lips. She tore herself from him. — ‘‘ Back !” she cried, “back |! I cannot and will not listen to you. I detest, I loathe the sight of you. Never will I breathe one word of en- couraygement, even if an abyss of ruin is yawning for me—never, if my fate is a death more terrible than my mind can well conceive. Mon- ater and villain!—mieshapen imp of Satan !|— assassin of my father ! leave me |” Queif The gin 2 face, a demon . distorted his hideous “You are complimentary,” he said; “but I trust that s little longer sojourn in this place will teach you better manners. And now fare- well, You see there is a bed, and a good one too, for your reception. I will send you some one. who ] attend to it. Remember, although you have used such offensive terms to me, I still repeat, give me one word of enco ment and I will tell you that which will give your heart joy for ever.” The girl did not condescend to reply. Quelf cast at her a glance foll of anger and hatred, and then silently quitted the little chamber. One look around it suffered to show Nelly Dyser the wretchedness of her new home. A dull and splattering oil-lamp, suspended in the centre of the room, showed her that the furniture consisted of a truckle bed, a small couch, a chair and a table, There was no t on the floor, and the window was, as Quelf had said, closely barred. © In thia place,” she murmured, “I shall soon die. Oh! would that I could let Max know ‘where I am; he would not only give me my ROTICE.—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PIOTURE. PRIN TED IN SEVEN OOLOURS WELL BE GIVEN AWAY WITH NO. 23. liberty, but avenge the murder of my father.” The attendant of whom Quelf had spoken was a negro girl, who though very little, had nearly attained the same age as Nelly herself. She was dressed in very gaudy colours, with huge rings in her ears, a yellow handkerchief tied round her head, and a red sash round ‘her wais t. She looked with an expression of pity and wonder at the beautiful young girl as she entered the room, but to all Nelly Dyser’s inquiries she vouchsafed no reply. On the evening before Quelf's expedition to Hurst Castle, which was some days after her abduction from her father’s house, the dwarf entered her room suddenly. She had seen nothing of him for some time previously. In fact, in spite of the frequent presence of the negro girl, she may be said to have been quite alone ; for, although the black attendant brought her meals regularly, and attended to all her wants, not a word passed between them. Either the negro refused to speak, or could not “Nelly,” said Quelf, “I shall leave London to-morrow. I may be detained some time, but, nevertheless, I shall not permit the negro or any one else to see you while I am absent.” ‘You are going to starve me then,” said y. ‘Such is not my intention,” said Quelf, “ pro- visions will be left with you sufficient for three or four days, but.you will see no one.”’ “Why do “What have I done that you should add daily to the horrors of my position ?” “T tell you,” said Quelf, with a malignant grin, ‘in order tltat you may not think I have eserted you.” The young girl remained silent. Her heart felt bursting with sorrow and anger, but she forced back the tears which were well- nigh bursting from her aching eyes, that he might not have the satisfaction of percciving how thoroughly heart-broken and miserable she WAS. Seeing that he could not extract from her any expression of fear, or any word of entreaty, he cast upon her a hideous scowl] of hate, and quitted the room. On the following evening the negreas brought . Up provisions sufficient for two days only. ‘What means this?” cried Nelly. ‘“ Your master promised me four days’ food, and here there is bat enough for two.” The girl shook her head, and made signs as if sho did not understand, at the same time point- ing downstairs as though to remind the captive of the presence of the dwarf. The next day, and the next day following that, paseed in complete silence. Not a human voice was heard even outside the building—nothing, in fact, except the plash- ing of the river and the rustling of the trees. Again another morning broke. Still there was no appearance of the arrival of any one. “He is leaving me here to starve,” she thought, as she sat half fainting on her couch, watching the sunbeams as they struggled in through her barred casement, . Others will follow in a few weeks. GOVE OOO ou tell me this?” said Nelly. "