Mrs. Sheppard

“ I told him I would bring him to the gallows, and I was as good as my word."
"You were so," replied Mrs Sheppard; "and for that wicked deed you will one day be brought to the gallows yourself."
"Not before I have conducted your child thither," retorted Jonathan, with a withering look.
"Ah!" ejaculated Mrs. Sheppard, paralysed by the threat.
"If that sickly brat lives to be a man," continued Jonathan, rising, "I'll hang him upon the same tree as his father."
"Pity!" shrieked the widow.
"I'll be his evil genius!" vociferated Jonathan, who seemed to enjoy her torture. ”

“ Sheppard. “I alone am to blame.”
“Can I not carry you where you can obtain help?” cried Jack in a agony of distress.
“It is useless,” replied Mrs. Sheppard: “nothing can save me. I die happy—quite happy in beholding you. Do not remain with me. You may fall into the hands of your enemy. Fly! fly!”
“Do not think of me, mother, but of yourself,” cried Jack, in an agony of tears.
“You have always been, far dearer to me than myself,” replied Mrs. Sheppard. “But I have one last request to make. Let me lie in Willesden churchyard.”
“You shall—you shall,” answered Jack. ”

“ The latter looked very pale, either from the effect of his wound, which was not yet entirely healed, or from suppressed emotion,—partly, perhaps, from both causes,—and wore his left arm in a sling.
"Well!" cried Mrs. Sheppard, raising herself, and looking at him as if her life depended upon the answer. "He is respited?"
"Alas! no," replied Thames, sadly. "The warrant for his execution is arrived. There is no further hope."
"My poor son!" groaned the widow, sinking backwards.
"Heaven have mercy on his soul!" ejaculated Wood.
"Poor Jack!" cried Winifred, burying her face in her lover's bosom. ”

“ It's not very likely that a babby of nine months old will save my life, if I'm to be his friend, as you seem to say, Mrs. Sheppard. But I've not promised to stand by him yet; nor will I, unless he turns out an honest lad,—mind that. Of all crafts,—and it was the only craft his poor father, who, to do him justice, was one of the best workmen that ever handled a saw or drove a nail, could never understand,—of all crafts, I say, to be an honest man is the master-craft. ”

“ Sheppard; "he swears to save you."
"Well," replied her son; "and you spurn the proposal."
"No; she accepts it," rejoined Jonathan, triumphantly. "Come along, Mrs. Sheppard. I've a carriage within call shall convey you swiftly to town. Come! come!"
"Hear me, mother," cried Jack, "and I will explain to you why the villain makes this strange and revolting proposal. He well knows that but two lives—those of Thames Darrell and Sir Rowland Trenchard,—stand between you and the vast possessions of the family. ”

“ Sheppard opened startled eyes. "But, Maud----"
"I am going to marry Jake Bolton," Maud said, her voice very deep and quiet. "He will take me and Bunny too."
"Oh, my dear. That man!" Her mother gazed at her in consternation. "He--he is infinitely rougher than Giles," she said.
"I know he is rough. But he cares for Bunny. That matters most," said Maud. "In fact, I believe he likes Bunny best!"
"My dear, it's you he wants--not Bunny," said Mrs. Sheppard, with a rare flash of insight. "I saw that at the very beginning of things--at our wedding-party. He looked at you as if he could devour you." ”

“ Giles!
"Devil seize the woman!" growled the singer, as he brought his ditty to a close; "will nothing tempt her out? Widow Sheppard, I say," he added, rising, "don't be afraid. It's only a gentleman come to offer you his hand. 'He that woos a maid',—fol-de-rol— (hiccupping) .—I'll soon find you out."
Mrs. Sheppard, whose distress at the consumption of the provisions had been somewhat allayed by the anticipation of the intruder's departure after he had satisfied his appetite, was now terrified in the extreme by seeing a light approach, and hearing footsteps on the stairs. ”

“ The knife is at my breast. Stir a foot, and I strike.”
“Oh Heavens!” cried Jack, driven to his wits' end. “Mother—dear mother! Once again, I beseech you to listen to me. I am come to rescue you from Wild's violence. I must break open the door. Hold your hand for a moment.”
“You have heard my fixed determination, villain,” cried Mrs. Sheppard. “I know my life is valuable to you, or you would not spare it. But I will disappoint you. Get you gone. Your purposes are defeated.”
“Footsteps are approaching,” cried Thames. “Heed her not. It is but a wild threat.” ”

“ A narrow entry, formed by two low walls, communicated with the main thoroughfare; and in this passage, under the cover of a penthouse, stood Wood, with his little burthen, to whom we shall now return.
As Mrs. Sheppard did not make her appearance quite so soon as he expected, the carpenter became a little fidgetty, and, having succeeded in tranquillizing the child, he thought proper to walk so far down the entry as would enable him to reconnoitre the upper windows of the house. A light was visible in the garret, feebly struggling through the damp atmosphere, for the night was raw and overcast. ”

“ I sha'n't hinder him."
"You hear, my son," said the widow eagerly. "Choose between good and evil;—between him and me. And mind, your life,—more than your life—hangs upon your choice."
"It does so," said Wild. "Choose, Jack."
The lad made no answer, but left the room.
"He is gone!" cried Mrs. Sheppard despairingly.
"For ever!" said the thief-taker, preparing to follow.
"Devil!" cried the widow, catching his arm, and gazing with frantic eagerness in his face, "how many years will you give my son before you execute your terrible threat?"
"NINE!" answered Jonathan sternly. ”

“ Uttering a faint scream, she sank backwards, and would have fallen, if it had not been for the interposition of Blueskin, who, at that moment, staggered into the room with a candle in one hand, and the bottle in the other.
"Oh, you're here, are you?" said the ruffian, with an exulting laugh: "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"Let me go," implored Mrs. Sheppard,—"pray let me go. You hurt the child. Don't you hear how you've made it cry?"
"Throttle the kid!" rejoined Blueskin, fiercely. "If you don't stop its squalling, I will. I hate children. ”

“ We had met at Miss Lawrence's, and went together in her carriage. She wore a deep blue muslin dress,—blue as that summer heaven; her scarf was gossamer, the hue of the yellow butterfly, and her bonnet was crested with feathers drooping like golden hair. Laura was just in white; her Leghorn hat lined with grass-green gauze; a green silk scarf waved around her. Both ladies carried flowers. Geraniums and July's proud roses were in Miss Lawrence's careless hand, and Laura's bouquet was of myrtle and yellow jasmine.
We drove in that quiet mood which best prepares the heart. ”

“ Sheppard, eagerly.
“'Sblood!” exclaimed Jonathan, hastily thrusting the ring into his vest, and taking up a heavy horseman's pistol with which he had felled Blueskin,—“I thought you'd been senseless.”
“Is she alive?” repeated the widow.
“What's that to you?” demanded Jonathan, gruffly.
“Oh, nothing—nothing,” returned Mrs. Sheppard. “But pray tell me if her husband has escaped?”
“Her husband!” echoed Jonathan scornfully. “A husband has little to fear from his wife's kinsfolk. ”

“ Wood and several serving-men, all well armed, rushed into the room. A glance sufficed to show the young man how matters stood. He flew to the window, and would have passed his sword through the thief-taker's body, if the latter had not quickly interposed the person of Mrs. Sheppard, so that if the blow had been stricken she must have received it.
“Quilt!—Mendez!—Where are you?” vociferated Wild, sounding his whistle for the third time.
“You call in vain,” rejoined Thames. “Your assistants are in my power. Yield, villain!”
“Never!” replied Jonathan. ”

“ Sheppard, with an agonized look at Wood. "I know you'll not deceive me. Is Jack what Mrs. Wood represents him?"
"He's not exactly what I could desire him to be, Joan," replied the carpenter, reluctantly, "But a ragged colt sometimes makes the best horse. He'll mend, I hope."
"Never," said Mrs. Wood,—"he'll never mend. He has taken more than one step towards the gallows already. Thieves and pickpockets are his constant companions."
"Thieves!" exclaimed Mrs. Sheppard, horror-stricken.
"Jonathan Wild and Blueskin have got him into their hands," continued Mrs. Wood. ”

“ Sheppard.
“Bravo!” shouted Blueskin. “Tom Sheppard never said a better thing than that—ho! ho!”
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“Jack,” cried his mother, wringing her hands in distraction, “you'll break my heart!”
“Poh! poh!” returned her son; “women don't so easily break their hearts. Do they, Bess?”
“Certainly not,” replied the young lady appealed to, “especially about their sons.”
“Wretch!” cried Mrs. Sheppard, bitterly.
“I say,” retorted Edgeworth Bess, with a very unfeminine imprecation, “I shan't stand any more of that nonsense. What do you mean by calling me wretch, Madam!” ”

“ Wood, in a taunting tone. "Your son's father was a thief; and Jonathan Wild (unless I'm misinformed,) was his friend,—so it's not unnatural he should show some partiality towards Jack."
"Jonathan Wild was my husband's bitterest enemy," said Mrs. Sheppard. "He first seduced him from the paths of honesty, and then betrayed him to a shameful death, and he has sworn to do the same thing by my son. Oh, Heavens; that I should have ever indulged a hope of happiness while that terrible man lives!"
"Compose yourself, Joan," said Wood; "all will yet be well." ”

“ The gallows has groaned for him for years. As to his mother, I've no pity for her. She deserves what has befallen her."
"Dear mother, don't say so," returned Winifred. "One of the consequences of criminal conduct, is the shame and disgrace which—worse than any punishment the evil-doer can suffer—is brought by it upon the innocent relatives; and, if Jack had considered this, perhaps he would not have acted as he has done, and have entailed so much misery on his unhappy parent."
"I always detested Mrs. Sheppard," cried the carpenter's wife bitterly; "and, I repeat, Bedlam's too good for her." ”

“ Sheppard, who had been stricken down by the blow that prostrated her assailant, looked up, she perceived Jonathan Wild kneeling beside the body of Blueskin. He was holding the ring to the light, and narrowly examining the inscription.
"Page 50Trenchard," he muttered; "Aliva Trenchard—they were right, then, as to the name. Well, if she survives the accident—as the blood, who styles himself Sir Cecil, fancies she may do—this ring will make my fortune by leading to the discovery of the chief parties concerned in this strange affair."
"Is the poor lady alive?" asked Mrs. Sheppard, eagerly. ”

“ Every old country church is beautiful, but Willesden is the most beautiful country church we know; and in Mrs. Sheppard's time it was even more beautiful than at present, when the hand of improvement has proceeded a little too rashly with alterations and repairs. With one or two exceptions, there were no pews; and, as Page 200the intercourse with London was then but slight, the seats were occupied almost exclusively by the villagers. In one of these seats, at the end of the aisle farthest removed from the chancel, the widow took her place, and addressed herself fervently to her devotions. ”

“ Neither Maud nor her mother had been told much of the forthcoming festivity, and the girl's dismay upon learning that she was expected to attend it was considerable. She was feeling tired and depressed. Bunny was in a difficult mood, and she knew that another bad night lay before them. Still it was impossible to refuse. She could only yield with as good a grace as she could muster.
"Make yourself pretty, won't you, dear?" said Mrs. Sheppard as, her point gained, she prepared smilingly to depart. "Wear your white silk! ”

“ He brought me closer to his breast, and bowed his soft curls till they were wet with my wild weeping through and through. It heaved not. No passion swelled the pulses of that heart; still he shivered as if his breath were passing. In many, many minutes I heard his voice; it was a voice all tremble, like a harp-string jarred and breaking. "Carlomein, you will ever be dearer to me than I can say from this night; for you have seen sorrow no man should have seen, and no woman could have suffered. ”

“ Dear little Carl,—for I must call you little, you are so much less than I,—do you really think I would marry, loving music as I do, unless I really loved that which I was to marry more than music?"
So thrilling were her tones in these simple words, of such intensity her deep glance, with its fringe all quivering now, that I was alienated at once from her,—the child from the woman; yet could like a child have wept too, when she bent her head and sobbed. "Could anything be more beautiful?" ”

“ The mouth faint crimson, thrilling, spiritual, appalled by its utter reminiscence; the smile so fiery-soft just touched the lips unparted. No symbol strewed the cloudy calm below, neither lyre, laurel-wreathed, nor flowery chaplet; but on either side, where the clouds disparted in wavering flushes and golden pallors, two hands of light, long, lambent, life-like, but not earthly, held over the brow a crown. ”

“ Sheppard raised her eyes, and fixed them upon her interrogator.
"Are you not that man's mistress?" demanded Mrs. Wood, with a look meant to reduce her supposed rival to the dust.
"I am no man's mistress," answered the widow, crimsoning to her temples, but preserving her meek deportment, and humble tone.
"That's false!" cried Mrs. Wood. "I'm too well acquainted with your proceedings, Madam, to believe that. Profligate women are never reclaimed. ”