Chapter 70 - Page 2

their power to give, place him in a situation of great jeopardy; and to set them at liberty, first extorting from them an oath of secrecy and silence, was a thing not to be thought of. It was more, perhaps, with an eye to the danger which lurked in this quarter, than from his abstract love of conversation with the sex, that the hangman, quickening his steps, now hastened into their society, cursing the amorous natures of Hugh and Mr Tappertit with great heartiness, at every step he took.

When be entered the miserable room in which they were confined, Dolly and Miss Haredale withdrew in silence to the remotest corner. But Miss Miggs, who was particularly tender of her reputation, immediately fell upon her knees and began to scream very loud, crying, a€˜What will become of me!a€™a€"a€™Where is my Simmuns!a€™a€"a€™Have mercy, good gentlemen, on my sexa€™s weaknesses!a€™a€"with other doleful lamentations of that nature, which she delivered with great propriety and decorum.

a€˜Miss, miss,a€™ whispered Dennis, beckoning to her with his forefinger, a€˜come herea€"I wona€™t hurt you. Come here, my lamb, will you?a€™

On hearing this tender epithet, Miss Miggs, who had left off screaming when he opened his lips, and had listened to him attentively, began again, crying: a€˜Oh Ia€™m his lamb! He says Ia€™m his lamb! Oh gracious, why wasna€™t I born old and ugly! Why was I ever made to be the youngest of six, and all of a€™em dead and in their blessed graves, excepting one married sister, which is settled in Golden Lion Court, number twenty-sivin, second bell- handle on thea€"!a€™

a€˜Dona€™t I say I ana€™t a-going to hurt you?a€™ said Dennis, pointing to a chair. a€˜Why miss, whata€™s the matter?a€™

a€˜I dona€™t know what mayna€™t be the matter!a€™ cried Miss Miggs, clasping her hands distractedly. a€˜Anything may be the matter!a€™

a€˜But nothing is, I tell you,a€™ said the hangman. a€˜First stop that noise and come and sit down here, will you, chuckey?a€™

The coaxing tone in which he said these latter words might have failed in its object, if he had not accompanied them with sundry sharp jerks of his thumb over one shoulder, and with divers winks and thrustings of his tongue into his cheek, from which signals the damsel gathered that he sought to speak to her apart, concerning Miss Haredale and Dolly. Her curiosity being very powerful, and her jealousy by no means inactive, she arose, and with a great deal of shivering and starting back, and much muscular action among all