The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

a or 19) ~" ((” 7 t ~ Ne , - 4 ~ o \x2 Jf j THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. BOOK III. THE MYSTERY OF THE EMERALD RING! neg nh. - CHAPTER I. THE DARK HOUQEH BY THE TOWKB—THE §LEEP- ING CONSPIRATOR~PEACE FOR A MOMENT— THE ROCKET~-THE SUMMONS, . IN a room fear the Tower of London, a woman was sitting with a baby at her breast. The house in which she gat waa not a poorly- furnished oné, but it was dark and gloomily situated ; wedged in, ag it were, between two higher bnildings, go ag to be almost lost at night in their shadows. | The room was comfortably and evan luxu- Yiously furnished, though small, .. The woman—on whose white ,bosom the child’s little face rested—was dréssed in the height of the prevailing fashiod ; and every thing, in fact, showed that there was no lack of convenience for gdod living. Extended:on a couch near her was a man whose. form was of a stout and nervous build, but’ whose face was pale as ashea—rendered more pallid and unhealthy-looking, in fact, by the black hair that coiled around it, It was Simon Lawless, The man of many sorrows was asleep, Before him aat the one whom alone in the world he loved—save the little wee thing that nestled to her warm, white breast. Oh | these were blisaful times for him. Hixoept at these moments his cold, dark soul scarcely a moment's rest, Impelled onwards by the great wrong which was aa yet a mystery to all, this man had gane- rally but one hope—one idea. This hope was the destruction of the king. Only when he looked upon his wife and child, or laid bis head to rest upon her gentile bosom, only at such moments as these did he forget for awhile the one great object of his life. . Revenge } The terrible word burst from him in the dead of night ! The word trembled forth frem his Nps sud- denly when his wife's soft arms encircled him, and the baby crawled upon his knee. Terrible, indeed, and biteer must Nave been the sorrow which produced such feelings as these. His wife looked now upoh him with a tender look in her mild eyes. “Poor Simon,” she murmured, “ thank Heaven. he sleepa! Oh! would he forgive mo did he know how I drugged his wine that he might for once seek rest !” Hardly had she spoken, when a bright light inundated the room from without, Only for an instant, It was but a flash, and in a moment all was dark again. “Surely that was some signal,” she said, rising, and laying the baby down in its cradle, Then shé approackéd the window.’ Nothing seemed stirring without. All was black and dismal as ever, and éven the high turrets of the Tower appeated nothing bat shadows in the distance. “ There is nothing here,” she said ; that light must have been some private signal.” Hardly, however, had this thought béen framed in her mind when a loud knocking was heard at the door. Simon's wife clasped her hands together. ‘Oh! if this is some important message and he cannot go because of the drn wine | What will he think of me? What will he say to me?" In another moment the servant knocked at the -door, “ Mr, Lawiess is wanted at once,” she said, as she entered, ‘Who wante him ?” “ A measenger from Oolonel Ireton.” “ Request him to wait a moment,” sald the lady. Then approaching the couch on which her husband lay, she knelt down beside it, and kiss- ing him shook him gently, | Upon his strong nature the drug had not taken a very potent effect. After a few gentle shakings, therefore, he awoke, and glancing round him and seeing his wife so near hini, he caught her to his breast. “Ah, Jalial” heeaid. ‘I awake to find an angel watching over me. No wonder my dreams were 80 good; no wonder that, instead of the fatal mystery of my life which clings to me night and day, I saw nothing but forma of beanty and regions of bliss, What can it be that has banished these thoughts from my head? Oan it be that now at last the consummation of my wishes is about to be attained ?” “7 fancy the explanation is more simple, if I dare to tell you.” “Tell me—fear not.” Then nestling up to him, she whispered to him the fact of her having drugged this wine, to enable him to obtain a little rest. “It was a dangerous experiment, but it suc- ceeded well, and I am giad of it, dear wife,” he said; “but was it fancy or did I hear a knook- ing ?" i Yes; a messenger from Colonel Ireton waits for you, dear husband. Shall I ask him up to this room P” “No; I will go down to him. He may have that to tell which wil! not be for your ears,” Then kissing her again he left her and de- acended the stairs, In the doorway stood a gigantic figure, . ae a l(2) a ’ a