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Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) AURIOL
OR
THE ELIXIR OF LIFE
... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Having accomplished his object, the mysterious plunderer thrust his
spoil into a leathern bag with which he was provided, tied its mouth,
and was about to take his departure by means of a rope-ladder attached
to the battlements, when his retreat was suddenly cut off by the
gatekeeper, armed with a halberd, and bearing ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
And so, in fact, it had
been. He had become little better than a pair of human bellows. In his
hand he held the halberd with which Auriol had been wounded. "So you have been playing the leech, Flapdragon, eh?" cried Baldred. "Ay, marry have I," replied the dwarf, with a wild grin, and displaying
a wolfish set of teeth.... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
I bethink me, the rabbi said
there was _one_ peril against which the elixir could not guard me--_one_
vulnerable point, by which, like the heel of Achilles, death might reach
me! What is it!--where can it lie?" And he relapsed into deep thought. "This uncertainty will poison all my happiness," he continued; "I shall
li... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Like the snake, I shall cast
my slough, and come forth younger than I was at twenty." "Meantime, I beseech you to render me some assistance," groaned Auriol,
"or, while you are preparing for immortality, I shall expire before your
eyes." "Be not afraid," replied Darcy; "you shall take no harm. I will care for
you prese... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Not a word passed between them; but keeping a vigilant look-out, they
trudged on with quick, shambling steps. A few sounds arose from the
banks of the river, and there was now and then a plash in the water, or
a distant cry, betokening some passing craft; but generally all was
profoundly still. The quaint, Dutch-lookin... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
His hat
was off, and his features, exposed to the full radiance of the moon,
looked deathly pale, and though handsome, had a strange sinister
expression. He was tall, slight, and well-proportioned; and the general
cut of his attire, the tightly-buttoned, single-breasted coat, together
with the moustache upon his lip, g... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
For years the evil was felt and complained
of, but no effort was made to remedy it, or to cleanse these worse than
Augean stables. As the place is now partially, if not altogether, swept
away, and a wide and airy street passes through the midst of its foul
recesses, a slight sketch may be given of its former appearance... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
The Tinker took a place beside him, and they waited in
silence the arrival of the liquor, which, when it came, was disposed of
at a couple of pulls; while Mr. Ginger, seeing they were engaged,
sauntered towards the card-table, attended by his four-footed
companions. "And now," said the Sandman, unable to control his cu... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Vell, she lost it; and, somehow
or other, I found it. She vos in great trouble, and a friend o' mine
calls to say she can have the dog agin, but she must pay eight pound for
it. She thinks this dear, and a friend o' her own adwises her to wait,
sayin' better terms will be offered; so I sends vord by my friend that
if s... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"He don't like to
talk of his age unless you can get him i' the humour; but he once told
me he didn't know why he lived so long, unless it were owin' to a potion
he'd swallowed, vich his master, who was a great conjurer in Queen
Bess's days, had brew'd." "Pshaw!" exclaimed Ginger. "I thought you too knowin' a cove, Tin... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
You should have seen the Strand then--a line of noblemen's
houses--and as to Lombard Street and Gracechurch Street, with their
wealthy goldsmiths' shops--but I don't like to think of 'em." "Vell, I'm content vith Lunnun as it is," replied the Tinker,
"'specially as there ain't much chance o' the ould city bein' rewived... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Persuaded this must be the draught of immortality, I raised
it to my lips; but apprehension lest it might be poison stayed my hand. Reassured, however, by the thought of the young man's miraculous
recovery, I quaffed the potion. It was as if I had swallowed fire, and
at first I thought all was over with me. I shrieked ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Concurring in which sentiment, they all descended to the lower room. CHAPTER IV
THE IRON-MERCHANT'S DAUGHTER
A week had elapsed since Auriol Darcy was conveyed to the
iron-merchant's dwelling, after the attack made upon him by the ruffians
in the ruined house; and though almost recovered from the serious
injuries he... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"If you must really go," said Ebba, looking up, after a long pause, "I
hope we shall see you again?" "Most assuredly," replied Auriol. "I owe your worthy father a deep debt
of gratitude--a debt which, I fear, I shall never be able to repay." "My father is more than repaid in saving your life," she replied. "I am
sure h... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Without pausing for further investigation, he took firm hold of the
leathern wings of the dwarf, and with his disengaged hand propelled
himself towards the shore, dragging the other after him. The next
instant he reached the bank, clambered up the low brickwork, and placed
his burden in safety. The noise of the plunge ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"But you neglected to tell me
how to acknowledge the gift." "I could not give an address at the moment," said Auriol. "Well, I am glad to find you have got the use of your arm again,"
observed the iron-merchant; "but I can't say you look so well as when
you left us. You seem paler--eh? what do you think, Ebba?" "Mr. Da... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"It's no gammon," said Ginger. "Look at them ears, miss--vy, they're as
long as your own ringlets--and them pads--an' I'm sure you von't say
she's dear at twenty pound." "She's a lovely little creature, indeed," returned Ebba, again patting
the animal's head. While this was passing, two men of very suspicious mien, ens... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"He'll turn up somewhere--never fear," rejoined the Tinker. "But now,
sir, that ve fairly understands each other, are you agreeable to our
terms? You shall give us an order for the money, and ve'll undertake, on
our parts, not to mislest you more." "The pocket-book must be delivered up to me if I assent," said Auriol,
... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
On the block is a
judge's wig, which Mr. Trigge has just been dressing, and a little
farther, on a higher block, is that of a counsel. On either side of the
fireplace are portraits of Lord Eldon and Lord Lyndhurst. Some other
portraits of pretty actresses are likewise to be seen. Against the
counter rests a board, disp... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"Sadly," replied Morse. "Well, then, follow me," said the gentleman, "and I'll see what can be
done for you." And they left the shop together. CHAPTER IX
THE MOON IN THE FIRST QUARTER
In spite of his resolution to the contrary, Auriol found it impossible
to resist the fascination of Ebba's society, and became a dail... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
[Illustration: Seizure of Ebba.] CHAPTER X
THE STATUE AT CHARING CROSS
One morning, two persons took their way along Parliament Street and
Whitehall, and, chatting as they walked, turned into the entrance of
Spring Gardens, for the purpose of looking at the statue at Charing
Cross. One of them was remarkable for his... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
ye're upsettin' me, an' all the fruits of my
industry," cried an applewoman, against whom the bricklayer had run his
barrow. "Divil seize you for a careless wagabone! Why don't you look
where ye're goin', and not dhrive into people in that way?" "Axes pardon, Molly," said the bricklayer; "but I was so inter_est_ed in
t... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
"As I said to you this mornin', Mr. Thorneycroft," pursued Ginger, "this
is a difficult and a dangerous bus'ness, and there's no knowin' wot may
come on it. But it's your only chance o' recoverin' your darter." "Yes, it's your only chance," echoed the Tinker. "Ve're about to risk our precious lives for you, sir," said ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
In this lamp were
several burners, which cast a lurid light throughout the chamber. Over
it hung a cap equally fantastically fashioned. A dagger, with a richly
wrought hilt, was stuck into the table; and beside it lay a strangely
shaped mask, an open book, an antique inkstand, and a piece of
parchment, on which some ch... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Nothing could be more dreary than the aspect
of the place. The richly-moulded ceiling was festooned with spiders'
webs, and in some places had fallen in heaps upon the floor; the glories
of the tapestry upon the walls were obliterated by damps; the squares of
black and white marble, with which the hall was paved, were ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
Undeterred, however, by this warning,
Rougemont placed the point of the lever between the interstices of the
broken stone, and, exerting all his strength, speedily raised the
fragments, and laid open the grave. Within it, in the garb he wore in life, with his white beard streaming
to his waist, lay the uncoffined body ... | Ainsworth, William Harrison - Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life |
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