The Argosy — page 385: what you’re looking at

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364 The Village Blacksmith. clothes as he always did before supper, for he had to go into the drawing-room to prayers before he went to bed. By the time he had made all these arrangements the bell rang for the servants’ supper, and he went down to the cellar to draw the beer. He filled a large jug and then took a long draught out of it, in- tending to decline any at supper. Then he poured a good dose of laudanum into the jug and refilled it, leaving the laudanum-bottle in the cellar, resolving that if they wanted any more beer they should also have some more laudanum. The beer was drunk without any comment, and none troubled themselves about Mark’s abstinence, cook cynically remarking : ‘‘ Tf he does not want any beer, there is all the more for them that does.” At prayers Mark had the satisfaction of seeing the butler nod two or three times in spite of the strenuous efforts he made to keep awake, and when they all rose from their knees, Mary had to be nudged to get up, sleep having overcome her devotion. ‘They none of them, however, suspected anything amiss, but attributed their sleepiness to their hard work, and hurried up to bed somewhat earlier than usual. ; Mark was obliged to go through the farce of undressing and getting into bed, but before his head was on his pillow the butler was sleeping soundly, as his snores testified. Mark put out the candle and redressed himself, taking care to put on the wig Freeman had lent him, and then he sat down to wait till he should judge it safe to make his escape. ‘The house was perfectly quiet, and soon after eleven o’clock had struck Mark determined to start. He had no idea how long the effect of the laudanum would last, and he wanted to be safely off the premises before it wore off. He crept across the room to the butler’s bed and succeeded in obtaining the key from under his pillow without waking him. He unlocked the door as gently as he could, and then, with his boots in one hand and his bundle in the other, he crept on to the landing. Not a sound except the butler’s snores was to be heard, but from the room at the head of the stairs, the door of which was open, streamed a light: this was the bedroom of the Fuchsia-bells, and had his case not been so desperate Mark would have hesitated to proceed any further; but the sword of penal servitude which was hanging over his head gave him courage, ®nd reflecting that Mary must be asleep since the Jaudanum had taken effect on her at prayers, and that if cook were awake he was probably a match for her and certainly would not scruple to silence her in the best way which suggested itself, he went on. « When he got opposite to the door he saw cook, still dressed, sitting by the bed-side, where she had evidently stationed herself to keep guard over him, but drowsiness had overpowered her and she had fallen face forwards on to the bed, and was sleeping soundly. In- Gomichbooks.co