Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 94: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

86 this second investigation. The prisoner was not however present at the inquiry: for many of our readers are doubtless aware that the Coroners for Middlesex have long been at loggerheads with the magistrates in respect to the right of having pri- soners under such circumstances brought up before them; and the Secretary of State has refused to interfere with the authority of a magistrate’s re- mand or committal. Thus, in consequence of this dispute, Winifred was spared the ordeal of being present at a second examination into her case; and we must now leave the unfortunate girl in Newgate. —_———— CHAPTER XVIL THE LEITEES. Ir was between eight and nine o’clock in the evening of the day on which Winifred’s examina- tion at the police-eourt had taken place, that Cicely Neale, dressed in very plain apparel, and with a thick black veil concealing her counte- nance, alighted from a cab in Fitzroy Square. She at once dismissed the vehicle, and bent her way on foot towards Norton Street, which is in the immediate neighbourkood of that Square. Norton Street is not famed for its exceeding respectability: indeed within the last year or two the nuisances occasioned by houses of evil repute in that thoroughfare, have been brought before the public through the medium of the newspapers, and have been rendered subjects of complaint on. the part of the tradesmen and the few respectable persons who dwell in the locality. Of an equally bad renown was Norton Street in the year 1848, of which we are writing; and yet Cicely Neale, in spite of having read in the daily journals that such was its ill fame, was now wending her way thither—unattended—between eight and nine o’clock in the evening. On entering the street, Cicely glanced, by the aid of the lamp-light, at the numbers on the doors of the houses, to see which way they ran; and having ascertained the point, she proceeded in the direction of a particular dwelling which she sought, She soon reached it; and she rang at the bell—for she would not use the knocker, for fear lest the sound might arrest the notice of the passers-by. The door was almost instantaneously opened by a middle-aged woman, somewhat flaunt- ingly dressed, although she was nothing but a ser- vant. She gave a certain significant leer—at once closed the front door when Cicely had crossed the threshold—and without saying a word, conducted her into a parlour, where the curtains were closed, lights were burning, and a fire was also blazing— for it was the beginning of October, and the even- ings were cold. “You perhaps expect to meet some one here, ma’am?” said the woman, with a half-fawning, half-familiar manner. “No,” replied Cicely, with a species of disdain- ful peremptoriness. ‘I wish to speak to the mistress of the house—Mrs. Maddox, I believe her name is ?” “Oh! vyery good, ma’am,” responded the woman. “ Mrs, Maddox shall be with you im- mediately.” AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. She then retired; and in iess than a minute Mrs. Maddox made her appearance. She was a woman of about forty: she had evidently once been handsome ; but her cheeks were now covered with rouge; and her figure had lost all its pristine symmetry in a gross embonpoint. She was ap- parelled with a mingled richness and tawdriness ; she had a bold insolent look, and a manner which was less fawning but more familiar than that of her domestic. Cicely had remained standing in front of the fire, with her veil still closely drawn over her countenance, and so disposed in several thick folds as to defy as much as possible the gaze of Mrs. Maddox from obtaining a glimpse of her features, The instant the woman of the house made her ap- pearance, Miss Neale turned towards her; and through that thick curtaining veil she surveyed her with 2 keen penetrating glance, as if to ascer- tain whether she were a person likely to fall into the views and object8 which had brought the young lady thither. “Pray be seated, ma’am,” said Mrs. Maddox, politely placing a chair for the accommodation of her visitress. “Tt is not necessary,” answered Miss Neale, disguising her voice somewhat. “My business will be soon explained; and you ean speedily state whether it isin your power to assist me in my aim. I may not take up more than half-a-dozen minutes of your time: but here are as many guineas to recompense you.” “1’m sure, ma’am, I’m exceedingly obliged,” answered Mrs. Maddox, accepting the coins which were thrust into her hand, and inwardly hoping that it might indeed prove in her power to assist the object of one who gave such an earnest of her liberality. * I shall speedily come to the point,” proceeded Miss Neale; “ but I may as well observe in the first instance, that if you be able and willing to render me the service I seek, double the amount which I have just placed in your hands shall be jours.” “Tam willing enough, ma’am,” rejoined Mrs. Maddox; “‘ and if I should be fortunate enough to find myself able But won’t you sit down, and take a glass of wine or some little refresh- ment ?” “* No,” answered Cicely, who perfectly well com~- prebended that the woman’s curiosity was piqued in respect to her countenance over which she so carefully maintained the folds of her veil. “ And now to the point. I believe it was in this house— at least so the néwspapers say—that Mrs. Chick- lade——” “ Ah, yes! poor dear creature!” said Mrs. Maddox, suddenly deeming it expedient to fall into the dismals, “As good a woman ig “ Nonsense!” interrupted Cicely: “none of this maudlin hypocrisy with me!” “Well, ma’am, I dare say you are right,” an- swered Mrs. Maddox quickly: “ for a more in- famous old hag than Mrs. Chicklade never existed : and perhaps it is quite as well Fe *T have not come to discuss the merits of thaé . question,” interjected Cicely, with a repewed peremptoriness of tone. “Have the kindness to listen, with as little comment of your own as pos- sible. Mrs. Chicklade lived here—and I suppose we we. we cee = ew es ——_wee- — 00 -© er ee = - conniclooolks (E(0) ay