An Encounter in the Dark

London—to a slave—was a sufficiently interesting place. It was merely a great big village; and mainly mud and thatch. The streets were muddy, crooked, unpaved. The populace was an ever flocking and drifting swarm of rags, and splendors, of nodding plumes and shining armor. The king had a palace there; he saw the outside of it. It made him sigh; yes, and swear a little, in a poor juvenile sixth century way. We saw knights and grandees whom we knew, but they didn’t know us in our rags and dirt and raw welts and bruises, and wouldn’t have recognized us if we had hailed them, nor stopped to answer, either, it being unlawful to speak with slaves on a chain. Sandy passed within ten yards of me on a mule—hunting for me, I imagined. But the thing which clean broke my heart was something which happened in front of our old barrack in a square, while we were enduring the spectacle of a man being boiled to death in oil for counterfeiting pennies. It was the sight of a newsboy—and I couldn’t get at him! Still, I had one comfort—here was proof that Clarence was still alive and banging away. I meant to be with him before long; the thought was full of cheer.

London was an interesting enough place for a slave. It was just a great big village, mostly mud and thatch. The streets were muddy, crooked, and unpaved. The people were a constantly gathering and drifting swarm of rags and finery, nodding plumes and shining armor. The king had a palace there, and he saw it from the outside. It made him sigh, and even swear a little, in a poor, childish sixth-century way. We saw knights and nobles we knew, but they didn’t know us in our rags and dirt, with our raw welts and bruises. They wouldn’t have recognized us if we had called out to them. They wouldn’t have stopped to answer, either, because it was against the law to speak to slaves on a chain. Sandy passed within ten yards of me on a mule. I imagined she was looking for me. But what really broke my heart happened in a square in front of our old barracks. We were watching a man being boiled to death in oil for counterfeiting pennies. Then I saw a newsboy, and I couldn’t get to him! Still, I had one comfort. The newsboy was proof that Clarence was still alive and hard at work. I meant to join him before long, and the thought cheered me up.

I had one little glimpse of another thing, one day, which gave me a great uplift. It was a wire stretching from housetop to housetop. Telegraph or telephone, sure. I did very much wish I had a little piece of it. It was just what I needed, in order to carry out my project of escape. My idea was to get loose some night, along with the king, then gag and bind our master, change clothes with him, batter him into the aspect of a stranger, hitch him to the slave-chain, assume possession of the property, march to Camelot, and—

One day, I caught a glimpse of something else that gave me a great lift. It was a wire stretching from rooftop to rooftop. A telegraph or telephone wire, for sure. I really wished I had a small piece of it. It was just what I needed to carry out my escape plan. My idea was to get loose one night, along with the king. Then we would gag and tie up our master, change clothes with him, and beat him until he looked like a stranger. We would attach him to the slave chain, take possession of the property, march to Camelot, and...

But you get my idea; you see what a stunning dramatic surprise I would wind up with at the palace. It was all feasible, if I could only get hold of a slender piece of iron which I could shape into a lock-pick. I could then undo the lumbering padlocks with which our chains were fastened, whenever I might choose. But I never had any luck; no such thing ever happened to fall in my way. However, my chance came at last. A gentleman who had come twice before to dicker for me, without result, or indeed any approach to a result, came again. I was far from expecting ever to belong to him, for the price asked for me from the time I was first enslaved was exorbitant, and always provoked either anger or derision, yet my master stuck stubbornly to it—twenty-two dollars. He wouldn’t bate a cent. The king was greatly admired, because of his grand physique, but his kingly style was against him, and he wasn’t salable; nobody wanted that kind of a slave. I considered myself safe from parting from him because of my extravagant price. No, I was not expecting to ever belong to this gentleman whom I have spoken of, but he had something which I expected would belong to me eventually, if he would but visit us often enough. It was a steel thing with a long pin to it, with which his long cloth outside garment was fastened together in front. There were three of them. He had disappointed me twice, because he did not come quite close enough to me to make my project entirely safe; but this time I succeeded; I captured the lower clasp of the three, and when he missed it he thought he had lost it on the way.

But you get the idea. You can see what a stunning dramatic surprise I planned to spring at the palace. It was all possible, if only I could get a thin piece of iron and shape it into a lock pick. Then I could open the clumsy padlocks on our chains whenever I chose. But I had no luck. Nothing like that ever came my way. At last, though, I got my chance. A gentleman came again after trying twice before to bargain for me. He had gotten nowhere, or even close to a deal. I hardly expected ever to belong to him. From the time I first became a slave, the asking price for me had been outrageous. It always made people angry or gave them a good laugh. Yet my master stubbornly stuck to it: twenty-two dollars. He wouldn't come down a cent. The king was greatly admired for his impressive build, but his kingly manner worked against him. He couldn't be sold because nobody wanted that kind of slave. I felt safe from being separated from him because my price was so extravagant. No, I didn't expect ever to belong to this gentleman. But he had something I expected would eventually belong to me, if only he visited often enough. It was a steel clasp with a long pin, which fastened his long cloth outer garment in front. He had three of them. He had disappointed me twice by not coming quite close enough for me to steal one safely. But this time I succeeded. I took the lowest of the three clasps. When he noticed it was missing, he thought he had lost it on the way.

I had a chance to be glad about a minute, then straightway a chance to be sad again. For when the purchase was about to fail, as usual, the master suddenly spoke up and said what would be worded thus—in modern English:

I had about a minute to feel glad, then a reason to feel sad again. As usual, the purchase was about to fall through. But the master suddenly spoke up and said something that, in modern English, would go like this:

“I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’m tired supporting these two for no good. Give me twenty-two dollars for this one, and I’ll throw the other one in.”

“I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’m tired of supporting these two for nothing. Give me twenty-two dollars for this one, and I’ll throw in the other one.”

The king couldn’t get his breath, he was in such a fury. He began to choke and gag, and meantime the master and the gentleman moved away discussing.

The king was so furious he couldn’t catch his breath. He began to choke and gag. Meanwhile, the master and the gentleman walked away, talking.

“An ye will keep the offer open—”

“If you'll keep the offer open...”

“’Tis open till the morrow at this hour.”

“It’s open until this time tomorrow.”

“Then I will answer you at that time,” said the gentleman, and disappeared, the master following him.

“Then I will answer you then,” said the gentleman. He disappeared, and the master followed him.

I had a time of it to cool the king down, but I managed it. I whispered in his ear, to this effect:

It took some effort to calm the king down, but I managed it. I whispered something like this in his ear:

“Your grace will go for nothing, but after another fashion. And so shall I. To-night we shall both be free.”

“Your grace will go free without payment, but in a different way. And so will I. Tonight we will both be free.”

“Ah! How is that?”

“Oh! How is that?”

“With this thing which I have stolen, I will unlock these locks and cast off these chains to-night. When he comes about nine-thirty to inspect us for the night, we will seize him, gag him, batter him, and early in the morning we will march out of this town, proprietors of this caravan of slaves.”

“With this thing I stole, I’ll unlock these locks and take off these chains tonight. He’ll come around nine-thirty to check on us for the night. We’ll grab him, gag him, and beat him. Early in the morning, we’ll march out of town as the owners of this caravan of slaves.”

That was as far as I went, but the king was charmed and satisfied. That evening we waited patiently for our fellow-slaves to get to sleep and signify it by the usual sign, for you must not take many chances on those poor fellows if you can avoid it. It is best to keep your own secrets. No doubt they fidgeted only about as usual, but it didn’t seem so to me. It seemed to me that they were going to be forever getting down to their regular snoring. As the time dragged on I got nervously afraid we shouldn’t have enough of it left for our needs; so I made several premature attempts, and merely delayed things by it; for I couldn’t seem to touch a padlock, there in the dark, without starting a rattle out of it which interrupted somebody’s sleep and made him turn over and wake some more of the gang.

That was as far as I went, but the king was delighted and satisfied. That evening we waited patiently for our fellow-slaves to fall asleep and give the usual sign. You shouldn’t take many chances with those poor fellows if you can avoid it. It’s best to keep your secrets to yourself. No doubt they fidgeted about as much as usual, but it didn’t seem that way to me. It seemed they would take forever to settle down to their usual snoring. As time dragged on, I began to worry we wouldn’t have enough left for what we needed to do. So I made several attempts too soon and only delayed things. I couldn’t seem to touch a padlock in the dark without making it rattle. The noise would disturb someone’s sleep, and he would turn over and wake more of the gang.

But finally I did get my last iron off, and was a free man once more. I took a good breath of relief, and reached for the king’s irons. Too late! in comes the master, with a light in one hand and his heavy walking-staff in the other. I snuggled close among the wallow of snorers, to conceal as nearly as possible that I was naked of irons; and I kept a sharp lookout and prepared to spring for my man the moment he should bend over me.

But finally I got my last shackle off, and I was a free man again. I breathed a sigh of relief and reached for the king’s shackles. Too late! The master came in, carrying a light in one hand and his heavy walking stick in the other. I tucked myself in among the snoring men to hide, as best I could, that my shackles were gone. I watched closely, ready to spring at him the moment he bent over me.

But he didn’t approach. He stopped, gazed absently toward our dusky mass a minute, evidently thinking about something else; then set down his light, moved musingly toward the door, and before a body could imagine what he was going to do, he was out of the door and had closed it behind him.

But he didn’t come closer. He stopped and stared absentmindedly at our shadowy group for a minute, apparently thinking about something else. Then he put down his light and walked thoughtfully toward the door. Before anyone could guess what he was going to do, he had gone out and closed the door behind him.

“Quick!” said the king. “Fetch him back!”

“Quick!” said the king. “Bring him back!”

Of course, it was the thing to do, and I was up and out in a moment. But, dear me, there were no lamps in those days, and it was a dark night. But I glimpsed a dim figure a few steps away. I darted for it, threw myself upon it, and then there was a state of things and lively! We fought and scuffled and struggled, and drew a crowd in no time. They took an immense interest in the fight and encouraged us all they could, and, in fact, couldn’t have been pleasanter or more cordial if it had been their own fight. Then a tremendous row broke out behind us, and as much as half of our audience left us, with a rush, to invest some sympathy in that. Lanterns began to swing in all directions; it was the watch gathering from far and near. Presently a halberd fell across my back, as a reminder, and I knew what it meant. I was in custody. So was my adversary. We were marched off toward prison, one on each side of the watchman. Here was disaster, here was a fine scheme gone to sudden destruction! I tried to imagine what would happen when the master should discover that it was I who had been fighting him; and what would happen if they jailed us together in the general apartment for brawlers and petty law-breakers, as was the custom; and what might—

Of course, that was what I had to do, and I was up and out in a moment. But good grief, there were no lamps in those days, and the night was dark. Still, I caught sight of a dim figure a few steps away. I rushed at it and threw myself on it. Then things got lively! We fought and scuffled and struggled, and soon a crowd gathered. They took a great interest in the fight and cheered us on as much as they could. In fact, they couldn't have been friendlier or more enthusiastic if it had been their own fight. Then a tremendous fight broke out behind us. As many as half our spectators rushed off to lend their support to that one. Lanterns began swinging in every direction. The night watchmen were gathering from far and near. Soon a halberd struck me across the back as a reminder, and I knew what it meant. I was under arrest. So was my opponent. A watchman marched us toward prison, one of us on each side of him. What a disaster! My splendid plan had suddenly come to ruin! I tried to imagine what would happen when the master discovered that I was the one fighting him. I also wondered what would happen if they locked us up together in the common room for brawlers and petty criminals. That was the custom. And what might...

Just then my antagonist turned his face around in my direction, the freckled light from the watchman’s tin lantern fell on it, and, by George, he was the wrong man!

Just then, my opponent turned toward me. The watchman’s tin lantern cast a speckled light on his face. And by George, he was the wrong man!