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52 BRADSHAW THE BETRAYER.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
.+. " Oh Doricles ! Your Praises Are Too...
to draw tlie counterpane up over niy head , and count scores of imaginary sheep till I fell asleep .
I dreamt ; but , except that it was painful and confused , I have no recollection of my dream . Neither do I know how long I slept . It
may have been but a few ininutes , and it may have been an hour ; but when I woke , it -was with an instantaneous summoning of all
my self-possession , and with the consciousness of a human presence in the room . To lie quite motionless , and to leave the counterpane
still shrouding up my head and face was the result of my first impulse—to listen breathlessly my second .
A heavy footstep crossing the floor—a candle set down roughly on the table — the drawing up of a chair beside the fire—and
a prolonged yawn , convinced me that the intruder was alone . Presently he threw a fresh log on the fire , and soon after that an odour
of coarse tobacco _fiHed the room . At this ' point , having overcome my . first terrors , I felt a strong inclination to make known my
presence ; but , somehow , I hesitated , and half in curiosity , half in apprehension , lay still , and listened .
Thus a quarter of an hour or more 'went by , and some revellers from the inn parlour went out , singing , and shouted a noisy farewell
to those who remained behind . Then a clock struck on the landing , and my unknown visitor , after shuffling restlessly in his place , got
up , and paced to and fro between the window and the door . By and bye he opened the casement , and leaned out ; whereupon I
ventured to lift a corner of the quilt ; for what with the mildness of the night , the heat of the fire , and the oppressive closeness of my
concealment , I was almost smothered . A breath of cool air , however , and one glimpse of a bulky , broad-shouldered man in a loose
pea-coat and woollen cap , was all that I could obtain . Scarcely had he looked out when he exchanged a hurried greeting with some
one down below . " Come up , " I heard him say . " Gome up . All ' s safe here ! "
With this he closed the window—I cowered down beneath the counterpane—a second heavy footfall came creaking up the stairs ,
and another man entered the room . " All right ? " asked the first comer , eagerly ; and , strange to say
I seemed to have heard his voice before . , " All right , " replied the other , depositing some heavy burthen on
the floor , and drawing a deep breath of relief . " But I ' ve had to ¦ walk more than a mile , et ga pese comme le diable ! "
" And you met no one ?" " Parbleu ! I came face to face with a sergent de ville just
against the landing-place yonder ; but I touched my cap , and he said ' Good-night , ' and I went my way , and he went hisand
there's nothing to fear if we can only drop out to sea before , daybreak !"
" 5 _Tes—but it wants an hour still to high tide , and they ' ve moored
52 Bradshaw The Betrayer.
52 BRADSHAW THE BETRAYER .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), March 1, 1858, page 52, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01031858/page/52/
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