Jack Sheppard: A Romance, Vol. 3 (of 3)

he scarce knew whither (for there was such a continual buzzing in his ears and dancing in his eyes, as almos

e deep note of Saint Paul's was plainly distinguishable. A feeling of inexplicable awe crept over the carpenter as the sounds died away. He trembled, not from any superstitious dread, but from an undefined sense of approaching danger. The peculiar appearance of the sky was not without some influence in awakening these terrors. Over one of the pinnacles of the tower a speck of pallid light marked the position of the moon, then newly born and newly risen. It was still profoundly dark; but the wind, wh

on foot, Wood endeavoured to find a tavern where he might warm and otherwise refresh himself. With this view he struck off into

of brandy," said he

mpeter, in a surly tone, for he did not much like t

know your old friend and countr

t. "What the devil makes you out so late? And what has

y, and I'll tell y

avid, pouring out a glass of the spirit, and offering it to the carpenter, "that'll warm the cockles of your hea

n of the Mint; whereupon Mr. Pugh, who, as well as the carpenter, was a descendant of Cadwallader, waxed extremely wrath; gave utterance to a number of fierce-sounding imprecations in the Welsh tongue; and was jus

mething was coming on; for when I looked at the weather-gl

in that way, d'ye see, without a hurricane follerin', I've knowed it often do so in the West Injees. Moreover, a souple o' porpusses came up with the tide this m

the better," cried Wood

question," returned the landlord; "hadn'

d Wood. "Enough's as good

leep on that bench will help you to as tidy a craft as any on the Thames. Halloa, Ben!" cried he, shaking a

y!" cried Ben, st

ts a pair of oars,"

" asked Ben, touch

ied Wood, "the nearest

master," said

hes from his pipe upon the hob; "you may try, but das

ter?" inquired Ben, turn

g up as'll perwent you, young

e never yet blowed as could perwent my crossing the Thames. The weather's bee

or you to-night, anyhow. Howsomdever, if you should reach t'other side, take

n, "I'll lay you my fare-and that'll

"But vere'll be the use o' vin

d or alive I'll pay you, if I lose. Ther

enishing his pipe from a huge pewter tobacco-box, as the waterman

peter. "I'll run and bring him back. He's a Welshman, a

lazing coal with the tongs, and applying it to his pipe;

op of Winchester (whose palace formerly adjoined the river), called the Clink, which gave its name to the street, along which he walked: and noticing, with some uneasiness, the me

, having assisted Mr. Wood to a seat within it, immediately pushed from land. Ben had scarcely adjusted his oars, when the gleam of a lantern was s

voice, which Mr. Wood

in one of them ere craft, if you look about,

ake it well worth your while. I've a child here whom I

ve Darrell. "Hold hard," cried he, addressing

ve a reg'lar squall afore we gets across. D'ye hear how the wanes creaks on old Winchester House? We shall have a touch on it ourselves presently. But I

aring another waterman busy himself in preparation for starting; and,

. "One'd think it rained fares, as well as blowed great guns. Why, there's another party on the st

d his eyes to catch a glimpse of the flying skiff. But he could only discern a black and shapeless mass, floating upon the water at a little distance, which, to his bewildered fancy, appeared absolutely standing still. To the practised eye of the waterman matters wore a very different air. He perceived clearly enough, that the chase was moving quickly; and he was also aware, from the increased rapidity with which the

interest, and strained every sinew in hi

se, Sir, arter the gemman

rse, I fear,"

as how they're crimps,

; and he bent his eyes upon the water, as if he wi

ent hurrying by-the indistinctly-seen craft, of all forms and all sizes, hovering around, and making their way in ghost-like silence, or warning each other of their approach by cries, that, heard from afar, have something doleful in their note-the solemn shadows cast by the bridges-the deeper gloom of the echoing arches-the lights glimmering from t

to become more stormy and more terrible. Not a bark could be discerned on the river, except those already mentioned. The darkness was almost palpable; and th

the carpenter's ears; and, raising his head at the sound,

upon the waterman who rowed the chase. He had abandoned his oars, and the boat was drifting with the stream towards the enemy. Escape was now impossible. Darrell stood erect in the bar

y shipped their oars, grappled with the drifting skiff, and held it fast. Wood, then, beheld two persons, one of whom he recogni

the better of every personal consideration; "some one is overboard.

at, and rowing swiftly towards the scene of strife; "but d-n him, he was the chap as h

temming the force of the torrent, and endeavouring to keep the boats, they had lashed together, stationary. Owing to this circumstance, Mr. Wood's boat, impelled alike by oar and tide, shot past the mark at which it aimed; and before it could be again brought about, the struggle had terminated. For a few minutes, Darrell seemed to have the advantage in the conflict. Neither combatant could use his sword; and in strength the fugitive was evidently superior to his antagonist. The boat

y; and though mortally wounded, made

" he groan

ed vengeance; "I had forgotten the accursed imp in this confusion. Take it," he cried, lif

out in that direction, and caught it before it sank. At this juncture, the sound

med the benevolent carpenter.

plied Ben coolly. "We must keep still. T

ong by the current, Darrell wa

r," vociferate

ll, holding up the infant, and clin

carpenter; "all's safe. N

"I cannot climb the boat. Take my child to-

" shout

ter an inarticulate exclamation. The next moment

torch from his attendant, and holding it over the sid

Size -- M

n our wake. They have rescued the child. Loose

, and the men resumed their seats. Rowland's purposes were

foam, scattered them far and wide in rain-drops, and left the raging torrent blacker than before. The gale had become a hurricane: that hurricane was the most terrible that ever laid waste our city. Destruction everywhere marked its course. Steeples toppled, and towers reeled beneath its fury. Trees were torn up by the roots; many houses were levelled to the ground; others were unroofed; the leads on the churches we

er the rescue of the child; and, in consequence of this movement, she received the first shock of the hurricane, which blew from the southwest, upon her stern. Her head dipped deeply into the current, and she narrowly escaped being swamped. Righting, however, instantly afterwards, she scudde

s Ben's lips approached close to his ear. The waterman sheltered his mouth with his han

l o' the bridge; and if she 'scapes stavin' above, she'll be swamped to a sartainty below. There'll be a

hink of it, an

med; "we were mad to neglec

nate nor I am, and get ashore, give old saltwater your fare. I pledged my thumb that, d

y. "Was that thunder?" he faltered,

h gale," Ben returned

culated Wood, as a fearful gust dashed the water

from his grasp. It penetrated the skin; benumbed the flesh; paralysed the faculties. The intense darkness added to the terror of the storm. The destroying angel hurried by, shrouded in his gloomiest apparel. None saw, though all felt, his presence, and heard the thunder of his voice. Imagination, coloured by the obscurity, peopled the air with pha

used from the stupor of despair into which he had sunk by the