The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-06-28
MISCELLANY.
A Flight IN tAe Dark.
(Cogcladcd)

only time 10 take one hasiy glance round.
and to observe that we had been driven
into small court or enclosed yard, over
looked by high gloomy buildings on every
side, when door ip front of us was 81
len,y opened, and we all went in The
door seemed to close Of its own accord
behind US and the next moment light
appeared at the further end of the long
passage in which we were standing. car
ricd by one of the most singular-lookng
beings these eyes have ever bcheId. He
seemed, at the first glance more like a
resusritated corpse than anything else ;
he was very old, and very withered, with
a wicked shriveled-up little face-thc
face ola century-old ape, lighted up with
two eyes, SO restless, cunning, and sus-
picious, that they seemed to dsrnst cv-
erybody, himsefincudcd He was dress
ed in an old red flannel dres,n1-robe.
which fell in voluminous folds to his slip
pered feet, while his cadaverous jaws
were bound up in dirty white hanIker-
chief, fastened in huge knot on the top
of his head, on which "A few spiky hairs
were still sparsely scattered. Holding
the lamp above his head with shaking
hand, he grinned hideous welcome TO
us, and addressed the stout man with the
familiarity of an old friend.
"We.come home again, Mr.. William
welcome home !" he mumbed. what
luck have you had, eh-what luck p
But who are these ? Strangers,
ehl Friends of yours did you say.?-
But are they safe, Mr.. William-are
they safe p
Chattcring thus, the old man led the
way into a large but plainly furnished
room, where table was laid ready for
supper, showing that the arrival of one or
more had been expected. Another plate
was quickly brought, and the slatternly-
looking, middle-aged woman who waited
upon us served up Il plain substantial sup
per, to which we all did ample justice. -
The slim man seemed, if such a thing
were possible, TO grow more moody and
Respondent with every mouthful that he
ate. Behind his chair stood Black Care,
the terrible, the unbidden, and poisoned
the contents of cup and platter with a
touch of its skeleton finger AS for the
old man, he jabbcred away in his apish
inane fashion, unheeded by everybody,
Mr. William being just then too much
preoccupied with his own thoughts to
pay the least attention to him.
When supper WIS over, Mr.. William
and the old man left the room together +;
but in few minutes, the former came to
the door and beckoned me to follow him.
| accordingly stumbled after him up a
long, dark fright OF stairs, and was finally
ushcred into room having camp bed
stead in one corner; while close to the
brightly blazing. fire stood large easy
chair ard small table, in the former OF
which tie old man had already seated
himself.
"fou will have TO make yourself com
Portable here for the night" sail the
stout nun, turning to M. "That bed is
at your service, and here" paiting the
old man on the shoulder, sis one who
will attend to your requirements Good
night, and pleasant Dire ims.'
SO saying, he quilted the room, lock-
ing the door behind him; aud was lett
alone with the old man who grinned and
nodded his withered head at me; and
pointing TO chair in the opposite cor.
ner, invited me, in a shrill. Quavering
voice, TO come and sit down by the fire,
unless felt disposed to 90 to bel at once
As ! never felt less inclined for sleep in
my life, | drew my chair up to the fire
and sat down opposite the Old boy, who
wa7 busy concocting a basin of cruel for
himself, he having taken no part in the
downstairs supper. l tried lin with 4
few questions, being especially desirous tc
know how long it was probable that
should be detained there against my will;
but at each Of my queries the old rasca
put on a vacant puzzled look, aud repli
en- with something altogether irrevelan
to my question, so that, after one ol
two futile attempts to get a sensible an
swer, l gave up the task in despair, and
watched him in gloomy silence while h,
took his cruel, seasoned largely with cog
nae.
Sitting thus, heard from some tarr
off steeple the faint tones of clock tol
the hour of three, and remembered fo
the first time that it was Sunday morn
ing 1t would not be daylight yet io
three hours. Following close upon tn,
! striking OF clock came the rumbling of A.;
distant cab or mail. cart, rattling over tn,
paved streets; there was a peasan
sense of companionship in the sound tha
spoke warmly to my heart, and brough
with it an intense longing to make my es
cape.
To escape was such thing possible
My heart throbbed and the blood rushed
TO my face when first asked myself th,
question so that when l looked up anC
saw the old mans suspicious eyes fxeC
upon me, / felt as if my hidden thought
were discovered. But | sat very still
and strove to look as unconcerned as pos.
sible; and when the old man was again
busy with his cruel, set to work t
evolve quietly out of my brain some plar
of deliverance The door, as l have al
ready said, was fastened on the outside
but even had it been otherwise, TO ventur,
down into the lower part of the hous,
would have been most dangerous pro
ceeding The window, then, was th,
point to be considered. This was secur