The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

wu THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, ‘Who's there?” he cried, savagely, as he sprang up. The door opened, and Peter Quelf the dwarf entered, “You are wanted below,” said he; ‘‘a mesa- senger has come with important tidings.” “ Whence ?" ‘‘From Lady Grace Cowley.” ‘Good! I will be with you in a moment.” Then, as Quelf departed, he turned once more to Ettie. “ Ettie,” he said, “fam sad at leaving you. Think over our conversation. Remember your promise, and understand that as surely as you = it so surely will Harold and your father e.” Then, with a wave of the hand, he quitted the When he had gone, Ettie Leslie burat into a flood of tears, which poured in a hot stream over her cheeka, and fell upon her heaving bosom. ‘Ob! Harold, Harold,” she murmured, aloud, “had you but seen me just now, where woald your true love have fied ?” A mocking laugh made her start and look up. Quelf the dwarf was peeping in at the door. “What want you ?” she cried. “ To answer you.” “I did not call.” __ “No, but you asked what would Harold say if he had seen Lord Raymond embracing you, and you unresisting. Ah! Ettie Leslie, I am going to tell him, and I will bring you baok his anther. la hi sh en laughing again mockingly as she stretched her arms imploringly towards him, he fled away. Ettie sank down despairingly. “Oh! Harold, Harold,” she cried, “I shall lose your love for ever; and yet—yet—it is to Bave you!" Dark night came on now apace. This was the time for action. Lord Raymond had evidently no intention of seeing her again that night. And yet how could she escape, unaided and alone? The place to whith she had been carried was perfectly unknown to her; in fact, she had not the least notion in which of the suburbs of London it was situated. Nor, indeed, was she aware in what part of the building her lover was. “If you were to go to him it would ruln all our plans.” . So the strange woman had said. Yet what was she to do? Could she remain quietly where she was, in the power of her greatest enemy f Would it not be better for her, even if she could not release her lover, to fly from the spot and hurry assistance to him ? The last action so impressed itself on her mind that she determined at once to put it into execution. Throwing open the window she gazed out upon the night. All was very dark and still, and the distance from the window to the ground was great. She shuddered as she glanced down with her bosom bare against the cold stone. There was no means of descent. Again despair entered her heart, and she closed the casement once more. “TI must trust in Providence and the assiat- ance of Lady Raymond,” she said, as she seated herself with a sigh, As she did so the door opened and a light step entered the room. he light of the lamp was somewhat dull, and ahe could not see the face of the new comer, but she saw that it was dreased in male costume and carried other things of the same kind over its When it came nearer to the light, however, she recognised the features of Lady Raymond. The wife of the royal apy looked magnificent in this drese, which set off her splendidly- moulded limbs to advantage. She did not, however, leave Ettie Leslie much time to admire her. “Here,” she said, “here is a disguise in which you can escape; be. quick, and clothe yourself, for there is no time to lose.” Ettie rose, * But Harold—where is he ?” ‘We will save him also. I will now un- dress, and while you are doing so I will tell you how I propose to act.” Ettie required no further persuasion. She at once commenced removing her clothing, and preparing to place upon her lovely limbs the garments of the sterner sex. ‘‘ As soon as we enter the grounds, we shall proceed towards that portion of the building where your lover is confined,” said Lady Ray- mond, “We will then break away the bars of his oell if we can, and when heis released, we must then return to the place where a high battlemented wall encloses the gardens, As soot as we arrive there, we must wait until we hear a signal from without.” * From whom ?” “From Lord Villiers.” ‘‘ Where, then,- is he, and how does he know that we are here ?”’ asked Ettie Leslie, ‘‘ He knows it from me,” said Lady Raymond ; ‘Shad he known ita day before, be might bave entered through the ruins, and Harold Fordyce’s escape would have been a matter of case; but Lord Raymond has been beforehand with us, and has had that entrance guarded and blocked up.” ‘‘When was this done ?” ‘This very day. But listen. Lord Villiers will cast a heavy stone over the wall. If we succeed in rescuing Harold ourrelves, you and he can scale the wall and fly. If, on the other hand, we do not, then, at a sign from us, Lord Villiers will come over to our aid. That is right. You have been very quick, and you look splendid in your male attire,” Ettie Leslie blushed as she glanced down at herself, “ Harold will never know me in this [dress,” she said. Lady Raymond smiled, ‘‘No matter,” she answered, “your voice and your face will be enough to show him who you are, In any guise he will be glad enough to welcome you.” ‘No doubt,” said Ettie; “let us go. all impatience to start.” I am GOVE OO ©