The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

f 4 EGNOS. 276 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, he heard the crying and moaning continued with unabated fury. ‘Oh, Leicester! Leicester! and will they hang you ?”’ was cried in a loud tone; and then in a softer one came the question, “ Where’s the key ?” f Don’t ery; beheading isn’t much, and I'll keep up a good heart ;” here he handed the woman the key of the irons, and added, “‘ Make no noise.” “Oh! it’s sad! sad!” Here there was a perfect hurricane of sobs, amidst which part of the irons were removed without even a clink, ‘Do you feel content, Leicester?’ aaked one ; ‘are you prepared to die ?” “Not quite,” answered Leicester, ‘Ah! that is sad, very sad; you ought to be resigned.” * He ought! he ought !” cried the others, in a chorus, and the other portion of the irons came off, without attracting any more attention than had the first moiety. ‘¢ Do you feel happier, now that you have seen us?” inquired another of the women. ‘¢ Much,” said Leicester, “much, The inter- view is quite a relief to me,” The conversation went on, and at last Leices- ter had slipped off his coat and assumed the outer garments of a woman. A long wig was placed upon his head and his disguise was complete. The coat, stuffed with a variety of articles of clothing, to resemble the human form, was laid upon the bed, as if its owner had thrown himself there in an agony of grief, and then the women began to think of going. ‘Good bye,” said Leicester, muffling his mouth, as if his head was buried in the clothes of his couch, “ good bye! don't say another word, it’s more than I can bear.” The women, with Leicester in their midst, began to quit the cell. “Poor fellow,’ said the turnkey, rising, and casting a glance into the cell at Leicester’s coat, * poor fellow, it’s very trying to him.” “Very trying,” said one of the party, “the moment is more agonising to him than you can tell,” ‘‘ Ah !” said the turnkey, locking up the cell, “T know something of these matters—I’ve seen enough of them.” He Jed the way through the long passage, and into the deputy’s office. ; That little functionary was seated at his esa. “You have not exceeded your time, ladies,” he said. “No, sir,” one of them replied, “no, sir, we were not willing to take advantage of your goodness ; besides, Leicester was too overcome with crief to bear a long talk, so we have left him.” ‘‘ Poor Leicester, I pity him.” “Ab! sir, he is to be pitied—so good a heart, 80 trae | . friend.” ieve so,” said the deputy ; “ but you see the reward of an ill-spent life.” 4 “We do, indeed,” ** Well, good bye—good bye !” i Youn be kind to him, the few hours he has to live ?” ‘Oh | yes ; he will be treated with the greatest consideration.” ‘‘ Thank you, sir; that is a great comfort to us, Good day, sir.” The band of women now filed out of the office, and one of them, who appeared as if she wore a wig, turned and deliberately winked at the deputy. ** Curse the fellow,” said the deputy, as the last one quited the office, and stepped into the court- yard, “curse the fellow, he actually winked at me, and he had a broad grin on bis face, too, just as if he thoroughly enjoyed his awful position.” The deputy rose and walked to the window of his office. | He saw the party cross the courtyard. He beheld the wicket gate swing on its hinges, and the next moment Leicester was out of the Tower of London, having made his escape under the nose of the turnkey mm the broad daylight. ‘“ He’s gone,” said the deputy, “and a pretty go it would be for me, if they ever found out that I had had a hand in it,” CHAPTER IX. ALSATIA ONCE MORE--BLACKLOCK AND LAEI- CESTER—THE CONFERENCE. IT was to a house in Alsatia—in the depths of Whitefriars—that Lord Leicester repaired upon his escape from the Tower of London. Although feeling certain that this escape was due to Alicia's interference, he was selfish enough to forget her as soon as he was once more free. It was true, as I have shid, that he loved her; loved her, as far as his craven heart would allow, and so far that no other woman could have suc- ceeded in taking her place in his affections. But, self-preservation, in Ais mind, was the grand thing, and now that he had escaped from durance vile, he began to contemplate, in his own mind, the possibility of making a fortane by some atroke of villany which would enable him to quit the country in peace. In this emergency to whom could he better apply than to Blacklock ? Captain Lackland, the Alsatian, being dead, Blacklock was the most natural one for him to apply to; and in a dark and villanous houee in Whitefriars he found him. He was seated in an armchair, by a huge fire, smoking a pipe, .. Ha! ha!” he said, “ha! bal” my lord re 799 “ Nay—no names!” exclaimed Leicester, “I have made my escape,” ‘T know it, my hearty, I know it,” said the Alsatian, who was half-drank ; ‘“‘ but never mind, there is no fear of being discovered here; and if you were discovered, what then? The Lord Protector himeelf dare not invade our sanc- tuary.”’ “True, true,” replied Leicester, willing to humour his drunken companion ; “ but atill if it does not displease you I would rather not be called anything but simple Captain Lawrence. But enough at present. For the moment—no COMBE IOO O16S . ne 2 GR r, ‘i G -— RR CO