The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 397: what you’re looking at

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

CO Cale S Neither of the victims of this arrangement made any resistance or opposition to be s0 pecured, for they not only felt how utterly thrown away any such vould be, but they be- gan to have an idea that if their murder had been determined upon it would not be worth while to secure them in such a way, and so they gathered from that very circumstance a dim hope for escape with life from the very awk- ward circumstances in which they were placed. ‘Now, gentlemen,” said the stranger, “I purpose still to ask a question of this person.” He indicated the prince as he spoke, and the brother of Mercy bowed his head in assent to the proceedings, ‘‘ Tell me,” added the stranger to the prince, “and tell me truly, are we who are now in this room the only persons in this part of the palace of St. James's ?”” ‘‘No,” said the prince. “What other persons are there ?” ‘One only, a gentleman of my acquaintance, a colonel in the army. He is not far off.” “Not far off where ?” ; ‘In a room close to this, down the corridor,”’ said Sir Robert Fancourt ; “and I only wonder he has not been here to take part in the pleasure we enjoy from your kind and most affectionate consideration.” A sallow twinge came over the face of the stranger, and he glanced around him rather narrowly for a moment or two before he said— ‘‘This is worth seeing to; the person men- tioned may have given an alarm. Follow me, a couple of you. No, no, let me think.” The stranger clasped one hand over his eyes for a moment or two, and then he said rapidly to the prince— “One more question, and remember that your life depends upon your answering it promptly and with truth. ‘Ts there a chamber in the palace called the Black Chamber !” ‘‘ Eh! what did you say ?” eT really—” “'Yes—yes,” interrupted Sir Robert Fan- court, ‘‘ I dare say your highness knows it, but it is the second room after you pass the tapestry chamber, and it is now u as a sleeping chamber by the lord in waiting.” ‘Oh, yes, I have it called the Black Chamber,” * Has it a fire-place in it?” said the stranger. “Yes, a very large, old-fashioned one, and it is said that it is the chamber in which King Charles the First slept the last time he re- posed in the palace of St. James.” “Ah!” cried the stranger, “then it is the chamber we seek. You, Rivers, and you, Stan- bridge, stay here and keep guard over these two persons. The rest will follow me, saving you, whom, I presume, will stay with your sister till I return.” Be it so,’ said the young man. The stranger took hastily from his bosom a ache paper, and spread it open upon the table. It was an accurate plan of St. James's palace. After consulting it for a moment or two, he folded it, and placed it in his pocket, saying, as he did so— THE YOUNG APPRENTFICE. NOTICE.—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL COLOURED PIOTURE WAS GIVEN AWAY WITH NO. 33, Others will follow ina few weeks, ‘All is right; follow me, gentlemen, with what silence and caution you may.” It was now rather strange to see the stranger, with his six associates, leave the room as silently as 80 many spectres, for as they moved their footsteps made no sound. The fact was curing the scene that we have described they had each drawn on over their boots a pair of fine worsted socks, eo that their footsteps were as completely muffled as they could ibly be. In this way they then left the room, and the prince, with his dissolute friend, Sir Robert Fancourt, were in the care of two men, who, with poniards in their hands, stood ctose to them, while Mercy and her brother conversed together in low tones close to the window. One of the men who kept guard over the prince and his companion had thrown over his shoulder what looked like a small bundle of clothing, but that its weight refuted the idea of its being anything of that sort, Whatever it was, though, he evidently took great-care of it, and the pressure of the belt that supported the cloth in which the unknown object was wrapped, was evidently rather great on his chest, for at intervals he had to shift its place, There was a strange, sinister scowl upon the face of this man, and more than once he had caught the glance of the stranger while he was in the room, and each time that he had done s0 he had significantly with his thumb pointed over his shoulder to the burthen that he carried, and upon those occasions the stranger, with a grim smile, bad nodded an approval. Neither Mercy nor her brother took any notice of this person, and it seemed to be pretty clear that he was a stranger to them both, and, indeed, he did not seek their notice or atten- tion. “Oh | brother,” whispered Mercy, “my heart is 80 full of grief. I would that this night was passed,” “It soon will be, Mercy; be calm, and all will be well, I assure you.” “‘ But I dread-——"” “What do you dread? Do you think I cannot protect you ?” ‘Oh, no, no, I do not think that; but it is the superior, Father Ignatius, that I dread,” ‘Why, he is our chief.” “ Yes, but I cannot help the thought, brother, that he has some dark designs which neither you nor I am acquainted with, yet that is what. I dread.” “ Impossible.” ‘TJ am glad to hear you say that, brother, because saying, I know you think it.” ‘‘ Indeed I fio.” “Yes, yes, but you will yet—notwithstanding you do not suspect anything amiss—you will yet promise me not to permit anything in the shape of bloodshed or violence, will you not, brother ?”’ *©On my soul I will.” . “JT thank, I thank you, dear brother, I feel easier and happier in my mind now,” Mercy leant upon her brother’s breast and wept, but the tears relieved the heat of her brain, and she was grateful for them, GOVE OOO eS CO lin