The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

- r ( ) wean { 4 5) 24 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. Harold had full time, therefore, to observe her beauties—the deep azure of her downcast eyes, the rich auburn of her hair, which waved down over her bare shoulders, the little hand which tremblingly held the doca- ments that were working such a change in her thoughts, At length she glanced up. “ To remain here is danger for you it seems, my brave boy,” she said, gazing with tearful eyes at Harold. “You may tell Lord Villiers that the proofs he has given me of Lord Ray- mond’s perfidy are beyond denial. If he can forgive me for the past and will aid me to escape, I shall be ever grateful, The past, before ever I saw Lord Raymond, has not left my memory, and I only blame. myself for ever listening to his falsehoods. How soon are we to prepare for flight?” ‘‘ To-morrow, I trust,” said Harold. “I will enter this room myself if I can, and lead you to my Lord Clement.” _” | So saying, he donned the cap which he had doffed gracefully a few minutes before, and left the room as he had entered it, by the The next night came. But there was still no sign of safety, Two more—still no sign. . “Ah! my lady, if you would only take my advice,” d Esther, “we should be as free as air.’ : ’ “What advice ?” ‘It is but to give ten gold pieces to the trooper who guards our door ; his honesty—a plague on him—is not worth half that sum, but he will take no less,”’ “You have sounded him, then?” “Yes; then the other churl at the end of the gallery is easily disarmed by a cup of drugged wine ; after that our only hindrance till we get to the private passage to the chapel is the sen- tinel below the first flight of stairs.” ‘* Consider once more, my good Eather, by what means we should escape—first by corrupting the fidelity of our keeper.” ‘‘Pardon me, my dear lady, the faith that is to be bought for ten pieces of gold is not worth spe aking of.” ° - ‘* Be it so then; but hark !” Both listened intently, and heard theee words in the lowest andible tone :— “ Fear is for the willing slave, Triumph waite the true and brave.’ Blanche grasped Esther's arm, while Esthe exclaimed, “It is the voice of Lord Clement Vidiers.” ‘‘ Hush! Esther, for the love of heaven, hush !” “ Ay, my lady ; but look, look!” At that moment a figure appeared at the case- ment, then throwing off the cloak which had enveloped him, he appeared in the welcome shape of Harold, the Young Apprentice. “ T have come to attempt your rescue. There is not a moment to be lost. Silence, caution, and quickness alone can save us. There is no time for words, Come!" They experienced no obstacle until after ae Nandi vy aa cme making two turns in the gallery, they descended a short flight of steps to a platform where there was a window that overlooked the street, and was some twenty feet above it. — This was a dangerous place, and it might have been supposed that our fugitives would have chosen the eastern side of the convent which overlooked the lovely sylvan scene we have before described. But the:e a broad deep moat, coupled with utter darkness, prevented the idea of escape. Harold cautiously opened the window and made a signal, which was returned from below. He whispered to Blanche, “ Dear lady, be of good courage. arm than mint -../aita us below.” He then drew a ladder of ropes from beneath his cloak, uncoiled it, and, having fastened it to a staple in the window, dropped it. It was received below, made fast, and Blanche descending, was in her lover's arms. The past, the present, and the future were blended in one brief instant of fear, joy, and A stronger ho . . Sach instants outweigh hours of peril and months of suffering. In the meanwhile Esther got on the ladder, which, though it had scarcely felt Blanche’s light form, yet trembled beneath LEather’s ponderous frame, and swayed backward and forward. ‘It’s the weight of my petticoat,” thought Esther, and most heartily she wished her riches had the usual quality of wings, and could fly away with ber or from her, ‘‘ Mother of mercy, save me! save me!”’ she cried, as the. ladder almost snapped beneath her weight. “ Be silent, woman, and hold fas',” said a stern voice from below. ‘Not a sound escaped hér till her foot touched terra firma, when her feelings were relieved by one long satisfactory groan. She and her‘ mistress were immediately en- ‘veloped in cloaks and hoods, similar to those worn by Lord Clement and his companion Harold. These disguises were the best security against dangerous scrutiny. Scarcely had the fugitives passed beyond the convent walls, when they heard issuing from the portals, the wordsa—— ‘6 Treason |—treason !” “ See to your pistols, Harold!” cried Lord ‘tement, “ we shall be in the thick of it ina moment.” ‘‘T am ready, my lord,” exclaimed the ap- prentice, boldly ; ‘‘ my pistols are primed, and my sword is in my hand beneath my cloak.” Their preparations were needed. An icstant after the convent bell sounded, and in the space of a few fleeting moments responsive alarms sounded from other points, NOTICE. With Number 5, will be given away the PRIZE CHEQUE: and with Number 6, ANOTHER SPLENDID PICTURE, PRINTED IN SEVEN COLOKS. CHOO