The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

= ly \ Ger 304 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. The waterman was one of that class, and he was much too prudent to let the cavalier in the boat hear him say what he muttered. ‘Have you any choice, noble sir, where you land?” ‘‘ None, none, so that it be in the garden.” “ Very good, sir; here we are ;” as he sprung from the boat and stood securely upon the stone pet that acts as a kind of screen for the gravel paths against the attacks of the water. “ Capital, Darvil ; you have done your duty well from Westminster; and now there are the gold pieces I promised you. Go, and remember that a wise head makes a still tongue, and that nothing in the world is so dangerous as talking about what don’t concern you.” The slight touch with his well-gloved hand that the cavalicr gave to the hilt of his sword added point and poignancy to his words, and the waterman, as he pocketed the gold that was handed to him, said, ‘T understand your worship; it is not the first time that I have taken your noble self from the little marble steps at Whitehall, and landed you somewhere hereabouta, and I hope my fidelity has been well proved, noble sir?” ‘Tt has, it has; get you gone,” The waterman pushed off his boat, and the cavalier, after lingering just long enough to see that he did so, went at a rapid pace across the broad grass plot of the garden. The night was not quite so dark that you could not see your hand before your face ; but still to all intents and purposes it was a dark night, and each moment the darkness was upon the in- crease, for the wind came in the direction over the Temple towards the river, and brought with it slowly, but surely, a dense bank of clouds, that for the last half-hour had been creeping over the whole sky. The waterman, after getting about twenty yards from the parapet of the garden, altered his course, and went with the stream to the extreme end of the walk. : Then he suddenly, by a few strokes of his star- board oar, shot the wherry right up to the corner of the garden and secured it to some railings that were very invitingly there for the “I will see what this fellow is about,” said Darvil, the waterman, “ if I die for it.” As he spoke, he sprang from the boat into the garden, and walked along by a hedge that was close at hand. The cavalier, inthe meantime, made his way toa clump of trees that were not far from an old mansion with bow windows, the whole of which were rather gaily lighted up. From that house came the sound of musicand of m voices, and it was quite clear that something in the shape of a merry making was taking place “ Ha! ha!” cried the cavalier, “Sir Henry Has‘ings is already preparing for his wedding, I resume ; he fancies she will readily become his ride, and that the protection of his name is all she requires. Oh, Alicia, Alicia, why are you so beautiful? If it were not for the jealousy which devours me when I fancy you the wife of another, I could allow you at once to become the wife of this man, and live myself in wealth for the rest of my existence.” NOTICH.—WITH NUMBER 33 WAS GIVEN AWAY COLOURED PIOTURS. Others He stopped for a moment. ** No, no,”” he added, “‘ no, no; it is madness to think of it. She must not, cannot be the wife of another. For years and years I have gazed upon her splendid charms—for years and years I have hoped and longed for the moment when she would be my own ; and now, after my terrible dangers, my wonderful escapes from death, how can I think, without horror and rage, of the fact of her yielding herself to another man? No, no, it shall not be. Oh! hateful fate, Alicia, that prevents Leicester from entering this house where these lights and songs and music might mean the celebration of your wedding, for aught I could know.” Again and again he walked up and down, this man of fierce ons and many crimes. Then at last a clock struck. “Ha! it is the hour,” he cried ; “it is time now ; and yet my heart beats with strange emotion. at can it mean? What can it portend? Oh! Heaven, if it does portend evil, let not that evil be the faithlessness of Alicia. Crimes, I have done many, and black ; but that misfortune would make me regret that I breathe the breath of life.” bine’ cavalier now, after some rummagi he cautiously sounded thrice, and then a voice above his head said, ‘‘ Lord Leicester !'' ‘¢ Hush, villain, how came you there {” ‘¢T was waiting for you, my lord.” ‘Waiting for me in a tree?” ‘ Yoa, my lord.” ‘¢ Silence, fool ; cannot you speak to me with- out my lording me each moment?! I would not have the very air of this place know I am here.” ‘* Yes, my lord—I beg pardon, I must say it again—and here I an, sir, at your service,” The man who thus spoke descended from the tree, and after giving himself a shake to settle apparel, made a low bow to Lord Leicester, who stood before him, maging in eta, found a small silver whistle, which ‘‘ Well, knave,"’ said Leicester, “ what news ?”’ ‘‘ How is the king, my lord?” “What ?” ; ‘*T only asked how his most gracious majesty Charles II. was since his flight to France.” “ Are you mad?” ‘‘ Ob dear no, my lord; [hope not. But how is the king ?” Lord Leicester was silent for a few minutes, Then he said, “The king is well, But now that I have satisfied you upon that point, will you be good enough to tell me that which I came to learn ?” “Twill, my lord. Now——” ‘Curses On you; don't begin a long-winded atory now, while time is everything to me.” ‘‘T will not, my lord. In the first place, then, Alicia, the supposed daughter of Frank Lealie, the armourer, was married this day in the Temple Church to Sir Henry Hastings,” “ Married |” ‘Yes, sir, am right; if there’s any truth in public rumour the lady has waited eighteen months for you, and cannot be blamed if she has at last consented to become the wife of another. The marriage is celebrated, and the feast is nearly over ; the minstrels are playing their last, and the guests are thinking of going,” ) Wil foliowinafow wea NG) COMBED O OKSEEOKM