The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 309: what you’re looking at

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

1 {, 288 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. And he hastened towards the door. “ How |!” shouted the cavalier, “ would you betray me? Sacrifice me for a stranger !” Richard looked at him reproachfully, yet hesitated. “Der deyvil!” exclaimed the Dutchman, ** would’st pause and suffer him without to die? Shall we not be three to one?” he added, con- temptuously, as he rushed from the hut, “ Follow him, Richard, follow him, if you think it no deception, follow him in the name of heaven !” Richard waited no second bidding, but vanished instantly. Few moments elapsed ere the Dutchman and his companion re-entered the hut, accompanied by a stranger, He was a man of athletic yet finely formed figure, as near as might be judged from a person enveloped in the folds of a larze cloak. On his head he wore a broad-brimmed hat, with drooping feathers, which partly concealed his features. In his arms he bore a slight female figure closely enwrapped likewise in a large roque- aire. The cavalier advanced and tendered his ser- vices, but the arm of the stranger waved him away. The latter advanced to the hearth, and seated his fainting companion in the chair. In the action of stooping, the hat she wore fell off, and although rich clusters of ringlets fell over her neck and shoulders, enough might be discovered to prove her to be bewitchingly beautiful. The discovery of her face produced a great variety of feelings in the breast of the cavalier. His colour came and went with astonishing rapidity, and the look with which he turned to survey again the person of her companion, betrayed the mingled feeling which swelled his om, , His agitation, however, passed away un- noticed. | The Dutchman proceeded to open a cupboard, which would have defied the scrutiny of any aupervisor, and drew a bottle of Nantz from it, which he handed to the stranger. ‘*A thousand thanks, good fellow,” he cried ; “T will repay you for this kindness. But, tell me, have you any place in which this lady can re- pose for a short period? Your hospitality shall not go unrewarded.” “There is yonder room,” answered Hans, in his beat English, “but it has no better bed than straw.” The stranger had knelt by the side of the chair which supported the lady, who now seemed somewhat recovered from her exhaustion, “ Dearest Ettie, will a straw-bed content you?” ‘Oh, yes, Harold; grateful will any resting- place be, But you—you require repose.” “Fear not for me, deareat; a soldier is not accuetomed to sumptuous fare or lodging; the threshold of your door will well content me.” The lamp was re-lit, and Ettie, taking it in her hand, bent gracefully to those around, and, sup- ported to the door by her companion, entered the inner chamber. ‘Drink, friends," cried the stranger, handing the bottle to Richard, “and many thanks for your timely assistance,” ‘Name it not, sir,’”’ replied Richard; “the man who can hear the voice of distress, and not fly to the aid of the sufferer, is unfit for civilized society.” The stranger grasped the hand of the speaker, and shook it cordially. The young man who interpreted these words, however differently meant, as intended to satirise his suspicious tardiness, regarded the speaker with a scowl, which, however, passed unnoticed. He seated himeelt again in the chair, and apparently regardless of the ns around, or the conversation which ensued, appeared deeply engaged in thought. The stranger threw himself across the entrance to the inner chamber, and placing his cloak for a pillow, appeared fast resigning himself to slumber. Richard lay near him, and Hans Kreuger, with whom sudden impulses were rare, and conse- quently overpowering, when attended, as in the present instance, with physical exertion, lay sleeping on the bench, “The storm is dying away,” said Richard, ‘I think, sir, you buffeted the worst.” No answer followed, and after a time the re- flections of Richard, struggling with his curiosity, produced the following remark :— ‘Twas fortunate, sir, you had not horses; had you been mounted, the chances are fifty to one, the headstrong animals would have sprung from the cliff. ‘‘We were mounted,’ was the reply; “but terrified at the lightning, our jaded steeds re- fused to move, and fearful of goading, lest they should become desperate, and carry us to death, and likewise observing the light from this cot we determined to dismount, and seek shelter here until the dawn. “Fatigned before, the lady found herself in- adequate to the exertion of climbing the steep, and being unable to discover my way to this door, and not knowing likewise whether trenches crossed the path, I shouted loudly, and you kindly came to my assistance.” “Can, then, the light in this cottage be seen from the road to Brighthelmstone?” de- manded Richard, well knowing it might, but wishing to ascertain if that place had been the stranger's destination. ‘“ Plainly ; we were journeying to that village for the parpose of going on board a veasel which saila to-morrow. But you are, I presume, & stranger here, by that question ?” However willing to learn the affairs of others, it was by no means the intention of Richard to discover his own. He, therefore, mumbled out an inarticulate answer, and pretending to be overpowered with slumber, atretched himself on the ground, and counterfeited snoring, which speedily changed to real nasal oratory. One hour passed away, and then the cavalier, who had carefully replenished the fire, softly rose, took a fiaming brand, and advancing to the stranger, passed it repeatedly b2fore his eyes. C\ — NOTICE.—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL COLOURED PIOTURE WAS GIVEN AWAY WITH NO. 33. Others will follow ina few weeks. COMED OOKSEEON