Читать книгу The Collected Novels - William Harrison Ainsworth - Страница 162

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Jack Sheppard’s escape from Newgate on the night of the 15th of October was not discovered till the following morning; for although the intelligence was brought by several parties to the Lodge in the course of the night, Austin, who was the officer in attendance, paid no attention to them.

After pursuing the fugitive as before related, Jonathan Wild returned to his own habitation, where he was occupied during the remainder of the night with Quilt Arnold and Obadiah Lemon in removing everything which, in case of a search, might tend to criminate him. Satisfied in this respect, he flung himself into a chair, for his iron frame seldom required the indulgence of a bed, and sought an hour’s repose before he began the villanies of another day.

He was aroused from his slumber, about six o’clock, by the return of Abraham Mendez, who not choosing to confess that Jack had eluded his vigilance, contended himself with stating that he had kept watch till daybreak, when he had carefully searched the field, and, finding no trace of him, had thought it better to return.

This information was received by Jonathan with a lowering brow. He comforted himself, however, with the certainty which he felt of capturing his prey on the Sunday. His breakfast despatched, which he ate with a wolfish appetite, he walked over to Newgate, chuckling as he went at the consternation which his appearance would create amongst the turnkeys.

Entering the Lodge, the first person he beheld was Austin, who was only just up, and whose toilette appeared scarcely completed. A glance satisfied Jonathan that the turnkey was not aware of the prisoner’s escape; and he resolved not to destroy what he considered a good jest, by a premature disclosure of it.

“You are out betimes this morning, Mr. Wild,” observed Austin, as he put on his coat, and adjusted his minor bob. “Something fresh on hand, I suppose?”

“I’m come to inquire after Jack Sheppard,” returned Jonathan.

“Don’t alarm yourself about him, Sir,” replied Austin. “He’s safe enough, I assure you.”

“I should like to satisfy myself on that score,” rejoined Wild, drily.

“So you shall, Sir,” replied Austin, who at this moment recollected, with some uneasiness, the applications at the lodge-door during the night. “I hope you don’t imagine anything has gone wrong, Sir.”

“It matters not what I think,” replied Wild. “Come with me to the Castle.”

“Instantly, Sir,” replied Austin; “instantly. Here, Caliban, attend to the door, and keep the wicket locked till I return. D’ye hear. Now, Sir.”

Taking the keys, he led the way, followed by Jonathan, who chuckled internally at the shock that awaited the poor fellow.

The door was opened, and Austin entered the cell, when he absolutely recoiled before the spectacle he beheld, and could scarcely have looked more alarmed if the prison had tumbled about his ears. Petrified and speechless, he turned an imploring look at Wild, who was himself filled with astonishment at the pile of rubbish lying before him.

“‘Sdeath!” cried Jonathan, staring at the breach in the wall. “Some one must have assisted him. Unless he has dealings with the devil, he could never have done this alone.”

“I firmly believe he has dealings with the devil,” replied Austin, trembling from head to foot. “But, perhaps, he has not got beyond the room above. It’s as strong, if not stronger, than this. I’ll see.”

So saying, he scrambled over the rubbish, and got into the chimney. But though the breach was large enough to admit him below, he could not squeeze his bulky person through the aperture into the Red Room.

“I believe he’s gone,” he said, returning to Jonathan. “The door’s open, and the room empty.”

“You believe — you know it,” replied Jonathan, fixing one of his sternest and most searching glances upon him. “Nothing you can say to the contrary will convince me that you have not been accessory to his flight.”

“I, Sir! — I swear ——”

“Tush!” interrupted Jonathan, harshly. “I shall state my suspicions to the governor. Come down with me to the Lodge directly. All further examinations must be conducted in the presence of proper witnesses.”

With these words, he strode out of the room, darted down the stone stairs, and, on his arrival at the Lodge, seized the rope of the great bell communicating with the interior of the prison, which he rang violently. As this was never done, except in some case of great emergency, the application was instantly answered by all the other turnkeys, by Marvel, the four partners, and Mrs. Spurling. Nothing could exceed the dismay of these personages when they learnt why they had been summoned. All seemed infected with Austin’s terrors except Mrs. Spurling, who did not dare to exhibit her satisfaction otherwise than by privately pinching the arm of her expected husband.

Headed by Jonathan, all the turnkeys then repaired to the upper part of the jail, and, approaching the Red Room by a circuitous route, several doors were unlocked, and they came upon the scene of Jack’s exploits. Stopping before each door, they took up the plates of the locks, examined the ponderous bolts, and were struck with the utmost astonishment at what they beheld.

Arriving at the chapel, their wonder increased. All the jailers declared it utterly impossible he could have accomplished his astonishing task unaided; but who had lent him assistance was a question they were unable to answer. Proceeding to the entry to the Lower Leads, they came to the two strong doors, and their surprise was so great at Jack’s marvellous performance, that they could scarcely persuade themselves that human ingenuity could have accomplished it.

“Here’s a door,” remarked Ireton, when he got to that nearest the leads, “which I could have sworn would have resisted anything. I shall have no faith in future in bolts and bars.”

Mounting the roof of the prison, they traced the fugitive’s course to the further extremity of the building, where they found his blanket attached to the spike proving that he escaped in that direction.

After severely examining Austin, and finding it proved, on the testimony of his fellow-jailers, that he could not have aided Jack in his flight, Jonathan retracted his harsh sentence, and even went so far as to say that he would act as mediator between him and the governor.

This was some satisfaction to the poor fellow, who was dreadfully frightened, as indeed he might well be, it being the opinion of the jailers and others who afterwards examined the place, that Jack had accomplished, single-handed, in a few hours, and, as far as it could be ascertained, with imperfect implements, what it would have taken half a dozen men several days, provided with proper tools, to effect. In their opinion a hundred pounds would not repair the damage done to the prison.

As soon as Jack’s escape became known, thousands of persons flocked to Newgate to behold his workmanship; and the jailers reaped am abundant harvest from their curiosity.

Jonathan, meanwhile, maintained profound secrecy as to his hopes of capturing the fugitive; and when Jack was brought back to Newgate on the Sunday evening, his arrival was wholly unexpected.

At a little after five, on that day, four horses dashed round the corner of the Old Bailey, and drew up before the door of the Lodge. Hearing the stoppage, Austin rushed out, and could scarcely believe his eyes when he beheld Jack Sheppard in the custody of Quilt Arnold and Abraham Mendez.

Jack’s recapture was speedily made known to all the officers of the jail, and the Lodge was instantly crowded. The delight of the turnkeys was beyond all bounds; but poor Mrs. Spurling was in a state of distraction and began to abuse Jonathan so violently that her future husband was obliged to lay forcible hands upon her and drag her away.

By Wild’s command the prisoner was taken to the Condemned Hold, whither he was followed by the whole posse of officers and by the partners; two of whom carried large hammers and two the fetters. There was only one prisoner in the ward. He was chained to the ground, but started up at their approach. It was Blueskin. When he beheld Jack he uttered a deep groan.

“Captain,” he cried, in a voice of the bitterest anguish, “have these dogs again hunted you down? If you hadn’t been so unlucky, I should have been with you before to-morrow night.”

Jack made no answer, nor did he even cast his eyes upon his follower. But Jonathan, fixing a terrible look upon him, cried.

“Ha! say you so? You must be looked to. My lads,” he continued, addressing the partners; “when you’ve finished this job give that fellow a fresh set of darbies. I suspect he has been at work upon those he has on.”

“The link of the chain next the staple is sawn through,” said Ireton, stooping to examine Blueskin’s fetters.

“Search him and iron him afresh;” commanded Jonathan. “But first let us secure Sheppard. We’ll then remove them both to the Middle Stone Hold, where a watch shall be kept over them night and day till they’re taken to Tyburn. As they’re so fond of each other’s society they shan’t part company even on that occasion, but shall swing from the same tree.”

“You’ll never live to see that day,” cried Blueskin, fixing a menacing look upon him.

“What weight are these irons?” asked Jonathan, coolly addressing one of the partners.

“More than three hundred weight, Sir,” replied the man. “They’re the heaviest set we have — and were forged expressly for Captain Sheppard.”

“They’re not half heavy enough,” replied Wild. “Let him be handcuffed, and doubly ironed on both legs; and when we get him into the Stone Ward, he shall not only be chained down to the ground, but shall have two additional fetters running through the main links, fastened on each side of him. We’ll see whether he’ll get rid of his new bonds?” he added with a brutal laugh, which was echoed by the bystanders.

“Mark me,” said Jack, sternly; “I have twice broken out of this prison in spite of all your precautions. And were you to load me with thrice the weight of iron you have ordered you should not prevent my escaping a third time.”

“That’s right, Captain,” cried Blueskin. “We’ll give them the slip yet, and hang that butcherly thief-taker upon his own gibbet.”

“Be silent dog,” cried Jonathan. And with his clenched hand he struck him a violent blow in the face.

For the first time, perhaps, in his life, he repented of his brutality. The blow was scarcely dealt, when, with a bound like that of a tiger, Blueskin sprang upon him. The chain, which had been partially cut through, snapped near the staple. Before any assistance could be rendered by the jailers, who stood astounded, Blueskin had got Wild in his clutches. His strength has been described as prodigious; but now, heightened by his desire for vengeance, it was irresistible. Jonathan, though a very powerful man, was like an infant in his gripe. Catching hold of his chin, he bent back the neck, while with his left hand he pulled out a clasp knife, which he opened with his teeth, and grasping Wild’s head with his arm, notwithstanding his resistance, cut deeply into his throat. The folds of a thick muslin neckcloth in some degree protected him, but the gash was desperate. Blueskin drew the knife across his throat a second time, widening and deepening the wound; and wrenching back the head to get it into a more favourable position, would infallibly have severed it from the trunk, if the officers, who by this time had recovered from their terror, had not thrown themselves upon him, and withheld him.

“Now’s your time,” cried Blueskin, struggling desperately with his assailants and inflicting severe cuts with his knife. “Fly, Captain — fly!”

Aroused to a sense of the possibility of escape, Jack, who had viewed the deadly assault with savage satisfaction, burst from his captors and made for the door. Blueskin fought his way towards it, and exerting all his strength, cutting right and left as he proceeded, reached it at the same time. Jack in all probability, would have escaped, if Langley, who was left in the Lodge, had not been alarmed at the noise and rushed thither. Seeing Jack at liberty, he instantly seized him, and a struggle commenced.

At this moment, Blueskin came up, and kept off the officers with his knife. He used his utmost efforts to liberate Jack from Langley, but closely pressed on all sides, he was not able to render any effectual assistance.

“Fly!” cried Jack; “escape if you can; don’t mind me.”

Casting one look of anguish at his leader, Blueskin then darted down the passage.

The only persons in the Lodge were Mrs. Spurling and Marvel. Hearing the noise of the scuffle, the tapstress, fancying it was Jack making an effort to escape, in spite of the remonstrances of the executioner, threw open the wicket. Blueskin therefore had nothing to stop him. Dashing through the open door, he crossed the Old Bailey, plunged into a narrow court on the opposite side of the way, and was out of sight in a minute, baffling all pursuit.

On their return, the jailers raised up Jonathan, who was weltering in his blood, and who appeared to be dying. Efforts were made to staunch his wounds and surgical assistance sent for.

“Has he escaped?” asked the thief-taker, faintly.

“Blueskin,” said Ireton.

“No — Sheppard?” rejoined Wild.

“No, no, Sir,” replied Ireton. “He’s here.”

“That’s right,” replied Wild, with a ghastly smile. “Remove him to the Middle Stone Hold — watch over him night and day, do you mind?”

“I do, Sir.”

“Irons — heavy irons — night and day.”

“Depend upon it, Sir.”

“Go with him to Tyburn — never lose sight of him till the noose is tied. Where’s Marvel?”

“Here, Sir,” replied the executioner.

“A hundred guineas if you hang Jack Sheppard. I have it about me. Take it, if I die.”

“Never fear, Sir,” replied Marvel.

“Oh! that I could live to see it,” gasped Jonathan. And with a hideous expression of pain, he fainted.

“He’s dead,” exclaimed Austin.

“I am content,” said Jack. “My mother is avenged. Take me to the Stone Room. Blueskin, you are a true friend.”

The body of Jonathan was then conveyed to his own habitation, while Jack was taken to the Middle Stone Room, and ironed in the manner Wild had directed.