GALVANISM.
By the time St. George's Church was passed, the drivers had whipped
their horses into a furious gallop;—and on—on went the mourning vehicles
like the wind.
The sleek and pampered black horses panted and foamed; but the coachmen
cared not—they were well paid for what they were doing.
Down Union Street rolled the chariot and the hearse—into the Blackfriars
Road—up the wide thoroughfare to the river—over the bridge—along
Farringdon Street—and through Smithfield to Clerkenwell Green.
In an incredibly short space of time, the two vehicles stopped at the
door of a house in Red Lion Street.
Dr. Lascelles was the first to leap from the mourning coach, and, taking
a key from his pocket, he opened the door of the house, into which,
quickly as active men could move or work, the coffin was borne from the
hearse.
Jacob Smith was helped out immediately afterwards, and he followed the
Earl, the physician, and the three servants into the house, while the
mourning coach and the hearse still waited at the door.
A quarter of an hour afterwards, the coffin, _with the lid now screwed
down_, was borne back to the hearse;—the three servants returned to the
mourning coach, and the funeral procession was set in motion again—but
with slow and suitable solemnity.
In another half hour, the coffin, with the name of "THOMAS RAINFORD"
upon the plate, was interred in St. Luke's churchyard; and thus ended
this ceremony.
But did that coffin really contain the cold corse of the once gallant
highwayman?
No: it had been hastily filled with stones and straw at the house in Red
Lion Street.
And the body——
* * * * *
The moment the coffin was borne into the house in Red Lion Street, in
the manner already described, Jacob Smith closed the door behind him,
and exclaimed in a triumphant tone, as he produced the silver tube from
his pocket, "It was in his throat! I took it out—and I rubbed his
temples with hartshorn and applied it to his nostrils the whole way from
the goal to this place! Oh! he will be saved—he will be saved!"
The lid of the coffin, which had not been screwed down, was removed; and
in the shell lay the highwayman—with eyes closed—and pale as death!
The Earl of Ellingham shuddered convulsively, and uttered a groan of
anguish; but Dr. Lascelles gave his instructions with so much presence
of mind and yet such rapidity, that the intensity of the nobleman's
grief was soon partially absorbed in the excitement of the scene that
now followed.
The body was removed as hastily as possible up stairs, and carried into
a spacious laboratory, where it was immediately stretched upon the
table.
The three servants then retraced their way down stairs, filled the
coffin with stones and straw, screwed the lid tight, and departed with
it, as already stated, to St. Luke's churchyard.
In the meantime, the physician, the Earl, and Jacob Smith remained in
the laboratory; and now was the profound scientific knowledge of Dr.
Lascelles about to be applied to the most wonderful act of human
aims—_the resuscitation of a convict who had been hanged_!
The poles of a powerful galvanic pile were applied to the body, from
which the animal heat had not altogether departed when it was taken from
the coffin; and the force of the electric fluid almost immediately
displayed its wondrous influence.
An universal tremor passed over the frame of Rainford; and ejaculations
of ineffable joy burst from the lips of Lord Ellingham and Jacob Smith.
Dr. Lascelles continued to let fall upon the body a full quantum of the
electric fluid; and in less than a minute the right arm of the
highwayman moved,—moved with a kind of spasmodic quivering: then, in a
few seconds, it was suddenly raised with eagerness and impatience, and
the hand sought the throat.
With convulsive motion that hand kept grasping the throat as if to tear
away something that oppressed it—as if the horrible rope still encircled
it.
Then Rainford's chest began to swell and work with the violence of
returning respiration—as if a mighty current of air were rushing back to
the lungs.
"He breathes! he breathes!" cried Ellingham and Jacob Smith, as it were
in one voice.
"He will be saved," said the physician calmly, as he again applied the
poles of the battery;—"provided congestion of the brain does not take
place—for that is to be dreaded!"
But the nobleman and the poor lad heard not this alternative of sinister
and dubious import: they had no ears for anything save those blessed
words—"He will be saved!"
And they were literally wild with joy.
Lascelles, without desisting from his occupation of applying the
electric fluid, and apparently without noticing the excitement—the
delirium of happiness and hope which had seized upon his two companions,
began leisurely to explain how it was necessary to adopt means to
equalise the reviving circulation; and though he called for hartshorn,
he was not heard. At length he stamped his foot violently on the floor,
exclaiming, "Will neither of you give me the hartshorn? Do you wish him
to die through _your_ neglect?"
The Earl instantly checked the exuberance of his joyous emotions, and
hastened to obey all the instructions which the physician gave him.
The hartshorn was applied to Rainford's nostrils; and in a few moments
his lips began to quiver:—then, on a sudden, as Lascelles let fall upon
him a stronger current of the electric fluid, a terrific cry burst from
the object of all this intensely concentrated interest!
But never was cry of human agony more welcome to mortal ears than now;
for it told those who heard it that life was in him who gave vent to it!
The physician felt the highwayman's pulse: it beat feebly—very
feebly—but still it beat!
And now his limbs moved with incessant trembling,—and he waved his right
hand backwards and forwards, his breast heaving with repeated sighs, and
gasps, and painful moans.
The doctor applied a small mirror to Rainford's mouth and nostrils; and
it was instantly covered with a cloud.
He now opened his eyes slowly; they were much blood-shot—but the pupils
indicated the reviving fires of vitality.
His breathing rapidly grew more regular; and though he retained his eyes
open, yet he seemed unconscious of all that was passing around him, and
gazed upwards with the most death-like indifference.
Lord Ellingham cast a glance of frightful apprehension towards the
physician; but the countenance of Dr. Lascelles wore an expression of
calm and complacent satisfaction—and the Earl was reassured.
Twenty minutes had now passed since the galvanic operation had
commenced; and at last Dr. Lascelles said emphatically, "_He is saved!_"
The Earl embraced him as if he were a father who had just manifested
some extraordinary proof of paternal love, or who had forgiven some deep
offence on the part of a son.
"We must put him to bed immediately," said the physician, with
difficulty extricating himself from the nobleman's embrace, and fearing
lest he should be compelled to undergo a similarly affectionate process
at the hands of Jacob Smith, who was equally enthusiastic in his
joy:—"we must put him to bed immediately," repeated Dr. Lascelles; "and
fortunately for us, there is a bed-chamber in the house."
The three then carefully lifted Tom Rain into a small room furnished as
a bed-chamber, and where they undressed him and deposited him in the
bed.
"And now," said Jacob Smith, "we should remember that there is one, who
will feel as much joy as ourselves——"
"True!" cried the Earl. "But where does she live?"
"I am acquainted with her abode," returned the lad. "If your lordship
will allow me——"
"Yes, my good boy," interrupted Arthur. "It is for you to convey these
joyous tidings. But perhaps she may have returned home to her
father—for, after all that has occurred, and considering Mr. de Medina's
affection for his daughter——But all this while we are talking
enigmatically in the presence of my excellent friend the doctor, from
whom there must be no secrets——"
"Never mind me," said Lascelles laconically, who perfectly well
comprehended the nature of their allusions. "I care little for your
secrets; and, even if it were otherwise, I am too much occupied with my
patient here——"
"Then we will not trouble you with explanations at present," interrupted
the Earl. "Jacob, my lad, hasten to the lady of whom we speak—break the
happy tidings to her gently—and bring her hither."
"Yes, my lord," answered the lad, delighted at being chosen as the
messenger of good tidings in such a case. "Fortunately, Miss de Medina
moved from Brandon Street into the heart of the City, by Mr. Rainford's
positive directions: and I shall not be long before I come back with
her."
The Earl put gold into his hand; but Jacob returned it, declaring that
he was not without money; and in another minute the front door of the
house closed behind him.