The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

08 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. —_ were more thinly scattered, and where the path was ns yet unpaved and the road was thickly strown with flints. lt was now close upon nine o'clock; but the July evening was so beautiful that it was far from dark— only dimly obscure;—and thus, though there was no lamp in the neighbourhood where the old man was pursuing his way, yet was it sufficiently light for him ‘s obtain a good view of objects, and even of the suntenances of the few people whom he met. Not that he paid any particular attention to the atter:—still, a stranger just arriving in London, ora person who returns to the capital after a very long absence, observes and marks every thing and every body with an earnest scrutiny at first. The old man was passing by two small houses, forming one isolated building, and standing back from the road, when he encountered an individual whose face immediately struck him as being one which he had formerly known full well; and in the next instant a light flashed in upon his mind. “Yes—'tis he!” he ejaculated to himself; and, laying his hand vpon the other’s shoulder, he said, “Mr, Howard, we méet at Iast~after a separation of upwards of nineteen years!” “ Mey name is not Woward—and I know nothing of you, sir. Let me go!” was the impatient reply, delivered by the individual whom the old man had accosted, and who was himself well stricken in years —being now midway between sixty and seventy. “Were I on my death bed, I could swear that your name was once Howard, and that you were an attorney in London—an attorney who absconded, ruining thou- sands,” exclaimed the old man. “What means this insolence?” asked the other, affecting a tone of deep indignation mingled with surprise. ‘Pass on your way, sir—and Ict me pursue mine!” “Not till I have had recompense or vengeance,” growled the old man, ferociously. ‘Jor a sum of money did I sell myself to a vile and abandoned woman—a certain Mrs. Slingsby, whom you knew well;—and this money was deposited with you, vil- Jain that you are! Tor you fied~and the loss of that money was not the lightest of the myriad mis- fortunes that fell unon me at the time. Now do you know who Jam, Mr. Howard ?—for I know vou full well!”? “You have spoken of a number of unintelligible things to me, sir—mentioned names with which I never was acquainted—alluded to circumstances en- tirely unknown——” “Liar!” ejaculated Mr. Torrens—for he was the old man who had just now so wearily entered the suburb of Pentonvilie: “liar!” he repeated, seizing the other individual by the collar; “what should prevent me from raising an alarm and giving you into custody? For though years have elapsed, vet your offences have never been expiated——”’ * Softly—softly, my good sir,” interrupted the person thus addressed, and whose manner began to evince trepidation and alarm. “ Let us adjourn somewhere and talk amicably on this matter ” “No!” cried Mr. Torrens. “Wow do I know but that you intend to inveigle me into a den where you may perhaps silence my tongue for ever? ” “ Fool—dotard!” muttered the other between his lips: “does he take me fora murderer? ” “YT believe you to be capable of any villainy,” re- turned the now infuriate Torrens, whose ears had caught the sense of those low mutterings. “Buti } shall not lose sight of you until Ihave received full and complete satisfaction for the wrongs J endured at your hands many years ago. And that you are able to give such satisfaction, your appearance proves full well,” le added, as his eye caught a glimpse of the gold chain and massive seals which depended from the other’s fob. “ Mr. Torrens—I will no longer attempt to conceai a fact of which you are so well assured. I ain the Howard towhom you allude: but, in the name of God! do not ruin me—do not expose me. Here—this is my diwwell- ing,” he continued, pointing to one of the two houses in front of which this colloquy took place: “ walk in with me—and—and we will converse at our case——” ‘Yes—I will accompany you,” said Mr. Torrens, in a laconic manner: “lead the way, sir.” Mr. Howard drew forth a small key from his pocket, and with it opened the iron gate of the railings in front of the house. Torrens followed him across the little enclosure; and with another and larger key he opened the door of the dark and gloomy-looking dwelling. No domestic appeared; and the lawyer, entering the parlour, groped about in the dark until he found some lucifer-matches—Torrens remaining al] the while in the passage. At length a light was obtained; and the visitor was requested to enter the room, which, by means of the one pocr candle that now threw a feeble gleam around, appeared to be but indifferently fur- nished,—so that the aspect of the small and cheerless house somewhat damped the hopes which Torrens had entertained of compelling the individual whom he had thus accidentally encountered, to disgorge the sum embezzled by htm upwards of nineteen years pre- viously. * Do vou live all alone here? ” he demanded, taking the seat to which Howard pointed. “Yes—all alone,” was the reply. “Iam too poor to keep a servant.” “Too poor!” exclaimed Mr. Torrens, his heart sink- ing within him. “Yes, indeed! Wow should I be possessed of any money?” said Howard, glancing around with nervous anxiety, as if he were afraid of being overheard. “}rom the moment that J was forced, by unexpected reverses and sudden misfortunes, to fly from London, I have led a life of continued struggles; and although, a few years ago, I was venturous enough to return to the metropolis and settle in this little cottage, which J got at a cheap rent as if was only just built,—yet my aflairs have not improved ———”’ « But you must have some means of subsistence ?— you pursue some avocation ?—you doubtless continue to practisse———” “¢ No—no,” interrupted [oward, hastily. “I have been compclied to change my name—and itis as Mr. Percival—poor Afr. Percival—that I am known in this neighbourhood.” “You adopt strange precautions fur a poor mans” said Torrens, pointing to the strong iron bars that fastened the shutters of the window: then, turning a look full of sardonic meaning upon Uoward—or Percival, as we shall call him,—he added, “And me- thinks that when you opened your front door just now, a heavy chain rattled. Assuredly your little house is well protected.” “What would you infer from theso facts?” de- !, manded Percival: “that Ihave money—that I have ; turned miser?” he cried, with a foreed and unnatural laugh, “Absurd! The person who lived here before pt a ee ee EConnicloooks (CO)