Stranica 156 [156]
OCR
112 the previous day, and as shadowy people ‘passed them by, he felt the robber’s grasp upon his wrist. Suddenly he started back at the report of fire-arms, and there rose into the air loud cries and shouts; lights gleamed befdbre his eyes, and all was noise and tumult as some unseen hand bore him hurriedly away. Through all these rapid visions there ran an undefined, uneasy, consciousness of pain which wearied and tormented him incessantly. Thus he staggered on, creeping almost mechanically between the bars of gates, or through hedge-gaps as they came in his way, until he reached a road; and here the rain began to fall so heavily that it roused him. He looked about, and saw that at no great distance there was a house, which perhaps he could reach. Seeing his condition they might have compassion on him, and if they did not, it would be better, he thought, to die near human beings than in the Jonely open fields. He summoned up all his strength for one last trial, and bent his faltering steps towards it. As he drew nearer to this house, a feeling came over him that he had seen it before. He remembered nothing of its details, but the shape and aspect of the building seemed familiar to him. That garden wall! On the grass inside he had fallen on his knees last night, and prayed the two men’s mercy. It was the very same house they had attempted to rob. Oliver felt such fear come over him when he recognised the place, that for the instant he forgot the agony of his wound, and thought only of flight. Flight! He could scarcely stand; and if he were in full possession of all the best powers of his slight and youthful frame, where could he fly to? He pushed against the garden gate; it was unlocked and swung open on its hinges. He tottered across the lawn, climbed the steps, knocked faintly at the door, and his whole strength failing him, sunk down against one of the pillars of the little portico. It happened that about this time Mr. Giles, Brittles, and the tinker were reeruiting themselves after the fatigues and terrors of the night, with tea and sundries in the kitchen. Not that it was Mr. Giles’s habit to admit to too great familiarity the humbler servants, towards whom it was rather his wont to deport i gratified, could not fail to remind them of his superior position in society. But death, fires, and burglary make all men equals; and Mr. Giles sat with his legs stretched out before the kitchen fender, leaning his left arm on the table, while with his right he illustrated a circumstantial and minute account of the robbery, to which his hearers (but especially the cook and housemaid, who were of the party) listened with breathless interest. “Tt was about half-past two,” said Mr. Giles, “or I wouldn’t swear that it might n’t have been a little nearer three, when I woke up, and turning round in my bed, as it might be so, (here Mr. Giles turned round in his chair, and pulled the corner of the table-cloth over him to imitate bed-clothes,) I fancied I heerd a noise.” | At this point of the narrative the cook turned pale, and asked the housemaid to shut the door, who asked Brittles, who asked the tinker, who pretended not to hear. cc JT heerd a noise,” continued Mr. Giles. “T says at first, ‘this is illusion; and was composing myself off to sleep, when I heerd the noise again, distinct.” c What sort of a noise?" asked the cook. 6 A kind of busting noise,” replied Mr. Giles, looking round him. c: More like the noise of powdering a iron bar on a nutmeg-grater,” suggested Brittles. ; c It was, when heerd it, sir,” rejoined Mr. Giles; "but at this time it had a busting sound. I turned down the clothes,” continued Giles, rolling back the table-cloth, “sat up in bed, and listened.”’ The cook and housemaid simultaneously ejaculated § Lor!” and drew their chairs closer together. “T heerd it now, quite apparent,” resumed Mr. Giles. ‘Somebody,’ I says, ‘is forcing of a door or window, what ’s to be done! [711 call up that poor lad, Brittles, and save him from being murdered in his bed; or his throat,’ I says, may be cut from his right ear ‘to his left, without his ever knowing it.’ ” ; Here all eyes were turned upon Brittles, who fixed his upon the speaker, and stared at him with his mouth wide open, and his face expressive of the most unmitigated horror. c [ tossed off the clothes,” said Giles,
