Tyburn was now at hand. Over the sea of heads arose a black and
dismal object. It was the gallows. Jack, whose back was towards it,
did not see it; but he heard, from the pitying exclamations of the
crowd, that it was in view. This circumstance produced no further
alteration in his demeanour except that he endeavoured to abstract
himself from the surrounding scene, and bend his attention to the
prayers which the ordinary was reciting.
Just as he had succeeded in fixing his attention, it was again
shaken, and he was almost unnerved by the sight of Mr. Wood, who was
standing at the edge of a raised platform, anxiously waving his hand
to him.
Jack instantly sprang to his feet, and as his guards construed the
motion into an attempt to escape, several of them drew their swords
and motioned to him to sit down. But Jack did not heed them. His
looks were fixed on his old benefactor.
“God in Heaven bless you, unhappy boy!” cried. Wood, bursting into
tears, “God bless you!”
Jack extended his hand towards him, and looked anxiously for Thames;
but he was nowhere to be seen. A severe pang shot through Jack's
heart, and he would have given worlds if he possessed them to have
seen his friend once more. The wish was vain: and, endeavouring
to banish every earthly thought, he addressed himself deeply and
sincerely to prayer.
While this was passing, Jonathan had ridden back to Marvel to tell
him that all was ready, and to give him his last instructions.
“You'll lose no time,” said the thief-taker. “A hundred pounds if you
do it quickly.”
“Rely on me,” rejoined the executioner, throwing away his pipe, which
was just finished.
A deep dread calm, like that which precedes a thunderstorm, now
prevailed amongst the assemblage. The thousand voices which a few
moments before had been so clamorous were now hushed. Not a breath
was drawn. The troops had kept a large space clear around the
gallows. The galleries adjoining it were crowded with spectators,--so
was the roof of a large tavern, then the only house standing at the
end of the Edgeware Road,--so were the trees,--the walls of Hyde
Park,--a neighbouring barn, a shed,--in short, every available
position.
The cart, meantime, had approached the fatal tree. The guards, horse
and foot, and constables formed a wide circle round it to keep off
the mob. It was an awful moment--so awful, that every other feeling
except deep interest in the scene seemed suspended.
At this terrible juncture, Jack maintained his composure,--a smile
played upon his face before the cap was drawn over it,--and the last
words he uttered were, “My poor mother! I shall soon join her!” The
rope was then adjusted, and the cart began to move.
[Illustration: 347]
The next instant, he was launched into eternity!
Scarcely had he been turned off a moment, when a man with swarthy
features leapt into the cart with an open clasp-knife in his hand,
and, before he could be prevented, severed the rope, and cut down
the body. It was Blueskin. His assistance came too late. A ball from
Wild's pistol passed through his heart, and a volley of musketry
poured from the guards lodged several balls in the yet breathing body
of his leader.
Blueskin, however, was not unattended. A thousand eager assistants
pressed behind him. Jack's body was caught, and passed from hand to
hand over a thousand heads, till it was far from the fatal tree.
The shouts of indignation--the frightful yells now raised baffle
description. A furious attack was made on Jonathan, who, though he
defended himself like a lion, was desperately wounded, and would
inevitably have perished if he had not been protected by the guards,
who were obliged to use both swords and fire-arms upon the mob in his
defence. He was at length rescued from his assailants,--rescued to
perish, seven months afterwards, with every ignominy, at the very
gibbet to which he had brought his victim.
The body of Jack Sheppard, meanwhile, was borne along by that
tremendous host, which rose and fell like the waves of the ocean,
until it approached the termination of the Edgeware Road.
At this point a carriage with servants in sumptuous liveries was
stationed. At the open door stood a young man in a rich garb with a
mask on his face, who was encouraging the mob by words and gestures.
At length, the body was brought towards him. Instantly seizing it,
the young man placed it in the carriage, shut the door, and commanded
his servants to drive off. The order was promptly obeyed, and the
horses proceeded at a furious pace along the Edgeware Road.
Half an hour afterwards the body of Jack was carefully examined. It
had been cut down before life was extinct, but a ball from one of the
soldiers had pierced his heart.
Thus died Jack Sheppard.
That night a grave was dug in Willesden churchyard, next to that
in which Mrs. Sheppard had been interred. Two persons, besides the
clergyman and sexton, alone attended the ceremony. They were a young
man and an old one, and both appeared deeply affected. The coffin was
lowered into the grave, and the mourners departed. A simple wooden
monument was placed over the grave, but without any name or date. In
after years, some pitying hand supplied the inscription, which ran
thus--
[Illustration: 361]
THE END.