"Describe the place," said I. Dawson paused, and seemed to recollect; I was on the very tenterhooks of suspence, for I saw with one glance all the importance of his reply.
After some moments, he shook his head; "I cannot describe the place,"
said he, "for the wood is so thick: yet I know the exact spot so well, that were I in any part of the plantation, I could point it out immediately."
I told him to pause again, and recollect himself; and, at all events, to try to indicate the place. However, his account was so confused and perplexed, that I was forced to give up the point in despair, and he continued.
"After we had done this, Thornton told me to hold the horses, and said he would go alone, to spy whether we might return; accordingly he did so, and brought back word, in about half an hour, that he had crept cautiously along till in sight of the place, and then throwing himself down on his face by the ridge of a bank, had observed a man, (whom he was sure was the person with a cloak we had pa.s.sed, and whom, he said, was Sir Reginald Glanville,) mount his horse on the very spot of the murder, and ride off, while another person (Mr. Pelham), appeared, and also discovered the fatal place.
""There is no doubt now," said he, "that we shall have the hue-and cry upon us. However, if you are staunch and stout-hearted, no possible danger can come to us; for you may leave me alone to throw the whole guilt upon Sir Reginald Glanville."
""We then mounted, and rode home. We stole up stairs by the back-way--Thornton"s linen and hands were stained with blood. The former he took off, locked up carefully, and burnt the first opportunity; the latter he washed; and that the water might not lead to detection, drank it. We then appeared as if nothing had occurred, and learnt that Mr. Pelham had been to the house; but as, very fortunately, our out-buildings had been lately robbed by some idle people, the wife and servants had refused to admit him. I was thrown into great agitation, and was extremely frightened. However, as Mr. Pelham had left a message that we were to go to the pond, Thornton insisted upon our repairing there to avoid suspicion."
Dawson then proceeded to say, that, on their return, as he was still exceedingly nervous, Thornton insisted on his going to bed. When our party from Lord Chester"s came to the house, Thornton went into Dawson"s room, and made him swallow a large tumbler of brandy; [Note: A common practice with thieves, who fear the weak nerves of their accomplices.]
this intoxicated him so as to make him less sensible to his dangerous situation. Afterwards, when the picture was found, which circ.u.mstance Thornton communicated to him, along with that of the threatening letter sent by Glanville to the deceased, which was discovered in Tyrrell"s pocket-book, Dawson recovered courage; and justice being entirely thrown on a wrong scent, he managed to pa.s.s his examination without suspicion.
He then went to town with Thornton, and constantly attended "the club"
to which Jonson had before introduced him; at first, among his new comrades, and while the novel flush of the money, he had so fearfully acquired, lasted, he partially succeeded in stifling his remorse. But the success of crime is too contrary to nature to continue long; his poor wife, whom, in spite of her extravagant, and his dissolute habits, he seemed really to love, fell ill, and died; on her deathbed she revealed the suspicions she had formed of his crime, and said, that those suspicions had preyed upon, and finally destroyed her health; this awoke him from the guilty torpor of his conscience. His share of the money, too, the greater part of which Thornton had bullied out of him, was gone. He fell, as Job had said, into despondency and gloom, and often spoke to Thornton so forcibly of his remorse, and so earnestly of his gnawing and restless desire to appease his mind, by surrendering himself to justice, that the fears of that villain grew, at length, so thoroughly alarmed, as to procure his removal to his present abode.
It was here that his real punishment commenced; closely confined to his apartment, at the remotest corner of the house, his solitude was never broken but by the short and hurried visits of his female gaoler, and (worse even than loneliness), the occasional invasions of Thornton.
There appeared to be in that abandoned wretch what, for the honour of human nature, is but rarely found, viz., a love of sin, not for its objects, but itself. With a malignity, doubly fiendish from its inutility, he forbade Dawson the only indulgence he craved--a light, during the dark hours; and not only insulted him for his cowardice, but even added to his terrors, by threats of effectually silencing them.
These fears had so wildly worked upon the man"s mind, that prison itself appeared to him an elysium to the h.e.l.l he endured; and when his confession was ended, I said, "If you can be freed from this place, would you repeat before a magistrate all that you have now told me?"
He started up in delight at the very thought; in truth, besides his remorse, and that inward and impelling voice which, in all the annals of murder, seems to urge the criminal onwards to the last expiation of his guilt--besides these, there mingled in his mind a sentiment of bitter, yet cowardly, vengeance, against his inhuman accomplice; and perhaps he found consolation for his own fate, in the hope of wreaking upon Thornton"s head somewhat of the tortures that ruffian had inflicted upon him.
I had taken down in my book the heads of the confession, and I now hastened to Jonson, who, waiting without the door, had (as I had antic.i.p.ated) heard all.
"You see," said I, "that, however satisfactory this recital has been, it contains no secondary or innate proofs to confirm it; the only evidence with which it could furnish us, would be the remnant of the broken knife, engraved with Thornton"s name; but you have heard from Dawson"s account, how impossible it would be in an extensive wood, for any to discover the spot but himself. You will agree with me, therefore, that we must not leave this house without Dawson."
Job changed colour slightly.
"I see as clearly as you do," said he, "that it will be necessary for my annuity, and your friend"s full acquittal, to procure Dawson"s personal evidence, but it is late now; the men may be still drinking below; Bess may be still awake, and stirring; even if she sleeps, how could we pa.s.s her room without disturbing her? I own that I do not see a chance of effecting his escape to-night, without incurring the most probable peril of having our throats cut. Leave it, therefore, to me to procure his release as soon as possible--probably to-morrow, and let us now quietly retire, content with what we have yet got."
Hitherto I had implicitly obeyed Job; it was now my turn to command.
"Look you," said I, calmly, but sternly, "I have come into this house under your guidance solely, to procure the evidence of that man; the evidence he has, as yet, given may not be worth a straw; and, since I have ventured among the knives of your a.s.sociates, it shall be for some purpose. I tell you fairly that, whether you befriend or betray me, I will either leave these walls with Dawson, or remain in them a corpse."
"You are a bold blade, Sir," said Jonson, who seemed rather to respect than resent the determination of my tone, "and we will see what can be done: wait here, your honour, while I go down to see if the boys are gone to bed, and the coast is clear."
Job descended, and I re-entered Dawson"s room. When I told him that we were resolved, if possible, to effect his escape, nothing could exceed his transport and grat.i.tude; this was, indeed, expressed in so mean and servile a manner, mixed with so many petty threats of vengeance against Thornton, that I could scarcely conceal my disgust.
Jonson returned, and beckoned me out of the room.
"They are all in bed, Sir," said he--"Bess as well as the rest; indeed, the old girl has lushed so well at the bingo, that she sleeps as if her next morrow was the day of judgment. I have, also, seen that the street door is still unbarred, so that, upon the whole, we have, perhaps, as good a chance to-night as we may ever have again. All my fear is about that cowardly lubber. I have left both Bess"s doors wide open, so we have nothing to do but to creep through; as for me, I am an old file, and could steal my way through a sick man"s room, like a sunbeam through a keyhole."
"Well," said I, in the same strain, "I am no elephant, and my dancing master used to tell me I might tread on a b.u.t.terfly"s wing without brushing off a tint: poor Coulon! he little thought of the use his lessons would be to me hereafter!--so let us be quick, Master Job."
"Stop," said Jonson; "I have yet a ceremony to perform with our caged bird. I must put a fresh gag on his mouth; for though, if he escapes, I must leave England, perhaps, for ever, for fear of the jolly boys, and, therefore, care not what he blabs about me; yet there are a few fine fellows amongst the club whom I would not have hurt for the Indies; so I shall make Master Dawson take our last oath--the Devil himself would not break that, I think! Your honour will stay outside the door, for we can have no witness while it is administered."
Job then entered; I stood without;--in a few minutes I heard Dawson"s voice in the accents of supplication. Soon after Job returned, "The craven dog won"t take the oath," said he, "and may my right hand rot above ground before it shall turn key for him unless he does." But when Dawson saw that Job had left the room, and withdrawn the light, the conscience-stricken coward came to the door, and implored Job to return.
"Will you swear then?" said Jonson; "I will, I will," was the answer.
Job then re-entered--minutes pa.s.sed away--Job re-appeared, and Dawson was dressed, and clinging hold of him--"All"s right," said he to me, with a satisfied air.
The oath had been taken--what it was I know not--but it was never broken. [Note: Those conversant with the annals of Newgate, will know how religiously the oaths of these fearful Freemasonries are kept.]
Dawson and Job went first--I followed--we pa.s.sed the pa.s.sage, and came to the chamber of the sleeping Mrs. Brimstone. Job leant eagerly forward to listen, before we entered; he took hold of Dawson"s arm, and beckoning to me to follow, stole, with a step that a blind mole would not have heard, across the room. Carefully did the practised thief veil the candle he carried, with his hand, as he now began to pa.s.s by the bed. I saw that Dawson trembled like a leaf, and the palpitation of his limbs made his step audible and heavy. Just as they had half-way pa.s.sed the bed, I turned my look on Brimstone Bess, and observed, with a shuddering thrill, her eyes slowly open, and fix upon the forms of my companions. Dawson"s gaze had been bent in the same direction, and when he met the full, gla.s.sy stare of the beldame"s eyes, he uttered a faint scream. This completed our danger; had it not been for that exclamation, Bess might, in the uncertain vision of drowsiness, have pa.s.sed over the third person, and fancied it was only myself and Jonson, in our way from Dawson"s apartment; but no sooner had her ear caught the sound, than she started up, and sat erect on her bed, gazing at us in mingled wrath and astonishment.
That was a fearful moment--we stood rivetted to the spot! "Oh, my kiddies," cried Bess, at last finding speech, "you are in Queer-street, I trow! Plant your stumps, Master Guinea Pig; you are going to stall off the Daw"s baby in prime twig, eh? But Bess stags you, my cove! Bess stags you."
Jonson, looked irresolute for one instant; but the next he had decided.
"Run, run," cried he, "for your lives," and he and Dawson (to whom, fear did indeed lend wings) were out of the room in an instant. I lost no time in following their example; but the vigilant and incensed hag was too quick for me; she pulled violently the bell, on which she had already placed her hand: the alarm rang like an echo in a cavern; below--around--far--near--from wall to wall--from chamber to chamber, the sound seemed multiplied and repeated! and in the same breathing point of time, she sprang from her bed, and seized me, just as I had reached the door.
"On, on, on," cried Jonson"s voice to Dawson, as they had already gained the pa.s.sage, and left the whole room, and the staircase beyond, in utter darkness.
With a firm, muscular, nervous gripe, which almost shewed a masculine strength, the hag clung to my throat and breast; behind, among some of the numerous rooms in the pa.s.sage we had left, I heard sounds, which told too plainly how rapidly the alarm had spread. A door opened--steps approached--my fate seemed fixed; but despair gave me energy: it was no time for the ceremonials due to the beau s.e.xe. I dashed Bess to the ground, tore myself from her relaxing grasp, and fled down the steps with all the precipitation the darkness would allow. I gained the pa.s.sage, at the far end of which hung the lamp, now weak and waning in its socket; which, it will be remembered, burnt close by the sick man"s chamber that I had so unintentionally entered. A thought flashed upon my mind, and lent me new nerves and fresh speed; I flew along the pa.s.sage, guided by the dying light. The staircase I had left, shook with the footsteps of my pursuers. I was at the door of the sick thief--I burst it open--seized the sword as it lay within reach on the chair, where Jonson had placed it, and feeling, at the touch of the familiar weapon, as if the might of ten men had been transferred to my single arm, I bounded down the stairs before me--pa.s.sed the door at the bottom, which Dawson had fortunately left open--flung it back almost upon the face of my advancing enemies, and found myself in the long pa.s.sage which led to the street-door, in safety, but in the thickest darkness. A light flashed from a door to the left; the door was that of the "Common Room"
which we had first entered; it opened, and Spider-shanks, with one of his comrades, looked forth; the former holding a light. I darted by them, and, guided by their lamp, fled along the pa.s.sage, and reached the door. Imagine my dismay! when, either through accident, or by the desire of my fugitive companions to impede pursuit, I found it unexpectedly closed.
The two villains had now come up to me, close at their heels were two more, probably my pursuers, from the upper apartments. Providentially the pa.s.sage was (as I before said) extremely narrow, and as long as no fire-arms were used, nor a general rush resorted to, I had little doubt of being able to keep the ruffians at bay, until I had hit upon the method of springing the latch, and so winning my escape from the house.
While my left hand was employed in feeling the latch, I made such good use of my right, as to keep my antagonists at a safe distance. The one who was nearest to me, was Fib Fakescrew; he was armed with a weapon exactly similar to my own. The whole pa.s.sage rung with oaths and threats. "Crash the cull--down with him--down with him, before he dubs the jigger. Tip him the degen, Fib, fake him through and through; if he pikes, we shall all be scragged."
Hitherto, in the confusion I had not been able to recall Job"s instructions in opening the latch; at last I remembered, and pressed, the screw--the latch rose--I opened the door; but not wide enough to scape through the aperture. The ruffians saw my escape at hand. "Rush the b--cove! rush him!" cried the loud voice of one behind; and at the word, Fib was thrown forwards upon the extended edge of my blade; scarcely with an effort of my own arm, the sword entered his bosom, and he fell at my feet bathed in blood; the motion which the men thought would prove my destruction, became my salvation; staggered by the fall of their companion they gave way: I seized advantage of the momentary confusion--threw open the door, and, mindful of Job"s admonition, turned to the right, and fled onwards, with a rapidity which baffled and mocked pursuit.
CHAPTER Lx.x.xIV.
Ille viam secat ad naves sociosque, revisit.--Virgil.
The day had already dawned, but all was still and silent; my footsteps smote the solitary pavement with a strange and unanswered sound.
Nevertheless, though all pursuit had long ceased, I still continued to run on mechanically, till, faint and breathless, I was forced into pausing. I looked round, but could recognize nothing familiar in the narrow and filthy streets; even the names of them were to me like an unknown language. After a brief rest I renewed my wanderings, and at length came to an alley, called River Lane; the name did not deceive me, but brought me, after a short walk, to the Thames; there, to my inexpressible joy, I discovered a solitary boatman, and transported myself forthwith to the Whitehall-stairs.
Never, I ween, did gay gallant, in the decaying part of the season, arrive at those stairs for the sweet purpose of accompanying his own mistress, or another"s wife, to green Richmond, or sunny Hampton, with more eager and animated delight than I felt at rejecting the arm of the rough boatman, and leaping on the well-known stones. I hastened to that stand of "jarvies" which has often been the hope and shelter of belated member of St. Stephen"s, or bewetted fugitive from the Opera. I startled a sleeping coachman, flung myself into his vehicle, and descended at Mivart"s.
The drowsy porter surveyed, and told me to be gone; I had forgotten my strange attire. "Pooh, my friend," said I, "may not Mr. Pelham go to a masquerade as well as his betters?" My voice and words undeceived my Cerberus, and I was admitted; I hastened to bed, and no sooner had I laid my head on my pillow, than I fell fast asleep. It must be confessed, that I had deserved "tired Nature"s sweet restorer."
I had not been above a couple of hours in the land of dreams, when I was awakened by some one grasping my arm; the events of the past night were so fresh in my memory, that I sprung up, as if the knife was at my throat--my eyes opened upon the peaceful countenance of Mr. Job Jonson.
"Thank Heaven, Sir, you are safe! I had but a very faint hope of finding you here when I came."
"Why," said I, rubbing my eyes, "it is very true that I am safe, honest Job: but, I believe, I have few thanks to give you for a circ.u.mstance so peculiarly agreeable to myself. It would have saved me much trouble, and your worthy friend, Mr. Fib Fakescrew, some pain, if you had left the door open instead of shutting me up with your club, as you are pleased to call it."
"Very true, Sir," said Job, "and I am extremely sorry at the accident; it was Dawson who shut the door, through utter unconsciousness, though I told him especially not to do it--the poor dog did not know whether he was on his head or his heels."
"You have got him safe," said I, quickly.
"Aye, trust me for that, your honour. I have locked him up at home while I came here to look for you."
"We will lose no time in transferring him to safer custody," said I, leaping out of bed; "but be off to--Street directly."