The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

—\ << vw ye = am . Zz {gt . . & 240 THE YOUNG In this dark apot they placed masks over their faces, and then emerging once more, made for the road, and reached a row of deserted and dilapidated houses. This was their destination. The places were in a sadly ruinous state. They had been destroyed much during some skirmish, and were unroofed, and without windows and floors. The bare walls alone were left standing, and even these were in a very tumble-down cor. ition. The only part of them that had been ieft with a roof was a large chamber at the rear of the premises, This room was on the basement story, and was approached through a tangled labyrinth of fallen masonry and rotting timber, which, in the absence of a light, bade fair to break the neck of an unwary traveller. Towards this chamber, however, the two com- panions made their way, As they approached, voices could be heard, which showed that they were not proceeding upon any solitary undertaking. After stumbling and falling over a variety of impediments, they reached a high and iron- bound doorway, which seemed from its firmness and its dissimilarity to the rest of the building, to have been lately put into repair. Here they knocked. They had not long to wait, Almost within a minute the portal was opened, and a man in a mask appeared. ‘Whom want you?” he asked, in a solemn voice, at the same time earnestly regarding the new-oomers, : ‘The king and justice,” ** Good ; pass in,” said the man. Then as they did so, and disappeared within the inner chamber, he muttered to himself— “The king and justice, they say. I know what justice they want, and that is the hang- man’s rope. No two bigger vagabonds ever passed through this gate.”’ The two masked men, however, were evidently certain of a good reception. They swaggered onwards until presently reaching a part where a he 7 curtain hung down from the ceiling, they puahed it aside and passed in. Behind the curtain were assembled twenty or thirty men, all cloaked and masked, Their hats and plumes proclaimed them to be of the cavalier class, but their featuree were quite undistinguishable. , When the two men entered, they were en- gaged in an animated conversation ; but when they appeared, there was a sudden hush, and one of the masked conspirators rose. ‘‘ Here they tome,” he said, “ here they come. Now is our time for preparation. These men are willing to do all we wish; and nothing must be allowed to stand in the way of the king's safety.”’ “Joshua,” whispered the tallest man, to his companion, “do you hear that?” ‘Yes ; and what then ?” “ Why, we can ask what reward we please,” APPRENTICE. ‘* We have reasons for being 80; you have none,” “ Haven’t we? Well, then, we’d rather remain as we are, if it’s no offence. We're quite ready to do all that’s wanted, and don’t want to be paid till afterwards ; du¢ as you are all masked yourselves, I take the liberty of saying that there might be some of you that we shouldn't care abov+ meeting.” “ Very well; be it so, then,, if you decline,” said the chief ; ‘‘ we will now to business. Your name is Joshua Blacklock ?” é¢ It ig.”’ ‘* And your companion’s ?” ‘Is Hal Dennis.” “ Very . Now listen. To-morrow morm- ing His Most Gracious Majesty King Charles L is condemned to die.” ‘It is so, sir.” ‘‘ Well, and we have sworn that he shall not die—he must not, and he shall not.” ‘‘ Ave, he ‘must not, and he shall not,” re- sponded the assembly. They all spoke in deep, earnest tones, full of real emotion. Wrong as they may have been in resolutely upholding the cause of the traitor king, there was no doubting that their hearts were thoroughly engaged in the cause. Kach and all were cavaliera of the noblest families, Trained up to regard royalty almost as a divine institution, they looked upon the Round- heads with the greatest abhorrence and disgust ; and the very mention of King Charles, who was in their eyes the very easence of all that was noble and gentleman-like, and generous and regal (whatever that word may mean), was enough to excite within their bosoms an emotion of sympathy and reverence, ‘‘T understand you,” said Blacklock, bowing ; ‘a riot must be excited around tbe scaffold.” “Yes ; on a preconcerted plan.” ‘True, sir, And how would you have me act ?”’ asked the man. “In this way. You and your worthy friend here must gather together as many of your companions as you can, and must hasten to the open space in front of Whitehall, in order that you may surround the scaffold before others can reach there. Then when the king comes out of the window (through which he will have to from his palace to the platform upon which @ will shed his last blood), you must raise your musket, and fire at the executioner.” ‘That will be easy.” “True, if a good aim be taken.” “T will be close by the woodwork of the acaffold ; I will be so close, that to misa will be impossible,” . “ Good ; when the executioner falls—which he will do if your brain is cool, and your hand steady —then will be the moment for commencing the rising. The army will join you—the people also —and Cromwell's i will be swept like chaff from before Whitehall.” “ A very plan if it could only be carried out,” said Blac to himself pret “You may unmask, Joshua Blacklock,” said Inwardly he was by no means sanguine. the chief. But he betrayed to them no signs of un- Qi* “ And why, sir, when all else are dignised ?” easiness. 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