The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

b | \w” Oe Ye 54 ~~ Me - re THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, In one corner was a rack, in other parts a variety of strange-looking instruments: thumb- screws, spring casques, and things whose use the Young Apprentice could not comprehend. _ Lord Raymond sat down upon a thing which looked like an anvil. ‘‘Do you understand where you are!” he said to Harold. There was a sinister smile on his face as he spoke, Pal do,” said Harold; “it is a chamber for torture.” “It is,” said Lord Raymond, “and ere long you shall taste its meaning. Heatherley, light that fire.” The man obeyed. —- In a few minutes there was a fire glowing like that of a forge. ‘“‘ Heat the pincers.” See,” said Lord Raymond, “that is one way in which we extract secrets. Your flesh would be scarcely proof against that.” “ Against anything it is proof,” said Harold, “anything that touches treachery.” “Good. Do you see that bed to which your arms can be attached and drawn from their sockets ; see these gloves in which your hands can be crushed ; see that casque which gradually gets smaller and smaller, until the head is re- duced to a jelly and life is pressed out in terrible agony? Tell me that you can bear all this and not speak and I shall laugh at you.” | The Young Apprentice stood scornfully re- garding him. His folded.arms and his stern brow showed his determination. ‘‘ Laugh if you please, I say that I can bear all this and not yield up the hiding-place of those I have sworn to be faithful to.” Lord Raymond eyed him savagely and grasped his arm as in a vice, ‘Look in my face,” he said. Harold did so. A bitter, scornful smile was on his lips. “You can bear all this ?” ‘TI can.” “You think #0; but listen. Ettie Leslie is in my power?” “ You have said so.” “You know if. You saw her taken from her father’s house ?” ‘Yes, yes, I know it,” returned the Young Apprentice, impatiently. You can bear these tortures,” repeated Lord Raymond, “but can you bear to see her tortured Harold finshed crimson, “ You would not be so cruel !” he said. ‘Ha! ha!” laughed Lord Raymond, “I knew I would move you. Iam glad you understand me. If by to-morrow night you have not con- fessed where the Lady Blanche Marcheville is confined, I will order the tortures to be applied to you, all except theextremeone. Then, if that has no effect, I will bring down Ettie Leslie and we wt see if her delicate flesh will bear the hot steel. Harold shuddered. 4 There is a heaven that will punish yon,” he Bald, ‘ Raymond laughed as he rose. ‘“Leave him here,” he said to the soldiera, You know that “and one of you remain to watch him. Let the lamp be alight, so that he can feast his eyes upon the instruments of torture. Adieu, my brave apprentice,”’ he added mockingly ; “ adieu ; we will see if by the morning I do not learn the addreas of this fine lady whose brooch you wear on your coat.” - So saying he quitted the vault, There was no sleep for Harold. He truly felt deserted. Alone among these enemies he was indeed as it were forgotten and helpless. There was no possibility of communicating with those who could help him. There was no one to ask advice of, for the trooper resolutely refused to speak. The morning dawned once more. The day passed, Four times during these long hours Lord Raymond sent to Harold to learn if he would give in, Four times the messenger took back the same resolute denial to his master. At length night came. Nine o’clock tolled from the summit of the gate of Old London Bridge. As the sound died away the tramp of feet was heard, and in another moment Lord Raymond entered with a man dressed in black and two troopers, ‘“‘ Heat the pincers,” said he to the man in black, “this lad's insolence shall be checked, The pincers firat ; and if they fail—the rack.” Lord Raymond eyed Harold firmly—curiously, as the torturer approached him, The boy did not flinch. “Once more,” cried the villain, “once more I ask you, will you tell me where Blanche is con- cealed ?” “T refuse.” As he spoke a knock was heard at the door. ‘‘ Desist one moment,” said Lord Raymond to the executioners, Then, he added, in a louder voice to the third trooper, ‘See who knocks.” The man obeyed, A fourth trooper entered, and advancing to Lord Raymond whispered in a hurried voice, “Strange men are watching this house, and men and lads are landing from boats, I fear an attack, my lord.” Raymond frowned. “Are there any among them who are dressed in the garb of apprentices?” he asked eagerly. ° “ Yes, my lord ; more than half,” The Royalist traitor thought a moment. Then he beckoned to the man to bend down to him, and when he did so, he whispered a few words in his ear. The man nodded significantly and quitted the vault, Lord Raymond then turned with a cruel smile towards Harold. ‘“‘ Accident,” he said, “has saved you from bodily suffering ; but you will have to endure worse agony if you have a heart within your body. I have no time now to waste on you. Certain intelligence I have received prevents my delay- ing. Therefore, in order to hurry you into the confession which J am resolved to extract from you I have ordered Mistress Ettic Leslie to be brought down here into the torture chamber, and GOVE OO © 4