Jonathan, meanwhile, maintained profound secrecy as to his hopes of
capturing the fugitive; and when Jack was brought back to Newgate on
the Sunday evening, his arrival was wholly unexpected.
At a little after five, on that day, four horses dashed round the
corner of the Old Bailey, and drew up before the door of the Lodge.
Hearing the stoppage, Austin rushed out, and could scarcely believe
his eyes when he beheld Jack Sheppard in the custody of Quilt Arnold
and Abraham Mendez.
Jack's recapture was speedily made known to all the officers of
the jail, and the Lodge was instantly crowded. The delight of the
turnkeys was beyond all bounds; but poor Mrs. Spurling was in a state
of distraction and began to abuse Jonathan so violently that her
future husband was obliged to lay forcible hands upon her and drag
her away.
By Wild's command the prisoner was taken to the Condemned Hold,
whither he was followed by the whole posse of officers and by the
partners; two of whom carried large hammers and two the fetters.
There was only one prisoner in the ward. He was chained to the
ground, but started up at their approach. It was Blueskin. When he
beheld Jack he uttered a deep groan.
“Captain,” he cried, in a voice of the bitterest anguish, “have these
dogs again hunted you down? If you hadn't been so unlucky, I should
have been with you before to-morrow night.”
Jack made no answer, nor did he even cast his eyes upon his follower.
But Jonathan, fixing a terrible look upon him, cried.
“Ha! say you so? You must be looked to. My lads,” he continued,
addressing the partners; “when you've finished this job give that
fellow a fresh set of darbies. I suspect he has been at work upon
those he has on.”
“The link of the chain next the staple is sawn through,” said Ireton,
stooping to examine Blueskin's fetters.
“Search him and iron him afresh;” commanded Jonathan. “But first let
us secure Sheppard. We'll then remove them both to the Middle Stone
Hold, where a watch shall be kept over them night and day till
they're taken to Tyburn. As they're so fond of each other's society
they shan't part company even on that occasion, but shall swing from
the same tree.”
“You'll never live to see that day,” cried Blueskin, fixing a
menacing look upon him.
“What weight are these irons?” asked Jonathan, coolly addressing one
of the partners.
“More than three hundred weight, Sir,” replied the man. “They're
the heaviest set we have,--and were forged expressly for Captain
Sheppard.”
“They're not half heavy enough,” replied Wild. “Let him be
handcuffed, and doubly ironed on both legs; and when we get him into
the Stone Ward, he shall not only be chained down to the ground, but
shall have two additional fetters running through the main links,
fastened on each side of him. We'll see whether he'll get rid of his
new bonds?” he added with a brutal laugh, which was echoed by the
bystanders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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