The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 12: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. vindictive motives only. No;—for were I inclined to vent on you a miserable spito or a fiendish malignity, the means are not deficient. I might keep you without food for days together—but each day your provender is renewed ; or I might oven ki)l you outright—and yet I would not violently injure a hair of your head!) To-morrow evening I will visit you again: in the meantime endeavour to subduo your feelings so that you may then speak to mo without irritation.” With these words the Black abruptly thrust the door open, and quitted the dungeon; but at that instant Cresar, who had been pacing up and down with Wilton in tho immediate vicinity of that par- ticular cell, was so close to the entrance that the light of the lamp which he carried in his hand streamed full upon the countenance of his master ns the letter sprang from the deep darkness of Old Death's prison-house. Tho giaro for a moment showed tho interior of the dungeon; and the Black, mechanically turning his eyes towards the place where he presumed Benjamin Bones to be, caught a rapid glimpse of the hideous old man, seated—or rather crouched on his bed, his hands clasped round his knees, and his form so arched that his knees and chin almost appeared to meet. In another instant the dungeon-door was closed violently by the Blackamoor, who, as he locked and barred it, said in a low and somewhat re- proachful tono to Crsar, “You should not have been so incautious as to throw the light upon me just as I was leaving the cell. OJd Death had time, even in that single moment during which the glare flashed upon my countenance, to obscrve me distinctly.” “TY am truly sorry, sir, that I should have been so imprudent,” answered Czsar, in a tone of voxa- tion at his fault. ‘But it is impossible that he conid recognise you.” “T believe so,” observed the Black; “and therefore wo will say no more upon the subject. Tho old man remains obdurate and hardened,” he continued, still speaking in a low whisper ; “and yet I have hopes of him as well as of tho others.” / Wilton supplied Benjamin Bones with provisions through tho trap in his dungeon-door; and the party then quitted tho subterranean by the modo of egress communicating with tho houso in Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell—for the reader now per- ceives, 25 indeed he may long ago havo conjec- tured, that the Black’s dwelling was cstablished in tho quarters lately tenanted by Old Death. CHAPTER OXI. A CONVERSATION. Pass we ovor ancther month—cight weeks having now elapsed since the six prisoners were first con- signed to their dungeons, and four weeks from the dato of those visits tho description of which has occupied the two preceding chapters, It was between nine and ten o'clock in the cven- ing; and the Blackamoor was seated in his apart- ment, looking over some letters, when Cosar ushered in Dr, Lascelles. Good evening, my dear sir,” said the Blacka- moor, shaking the worthy physician cordially by 5 se the hand. ‘Bo seated—and Cesar will bring us a bottle of that claret which you so much admire. Tam delighted that you have at length found timo to givo me an hour or two, in order that I may enter into full and complete explanations of certain matters——~”" - ‘‘T understand—TI understand,” interrupted the doctor, good humouredly. “ Your theory has proved to ma more practical than I expected: but I shall not say any more about it until you have given me all tho details of its progress. And before you begin, I must observe that the case which took me out of town six weeks ago, and has kept at Brighton all the time, has ended most satisfactorily. I have effected a complete cure.” “Yam delighted to hear tidings so glorious from you, doctor,” said the Black. “ A case which had baffled all the pliysiciaus who had previously been concerned in it, is now conducted to a successful issue by yourself. It will wondrously and de- servedly increase your reputation, great as that fame already waa.” “Nfy doar friend,” replied the physician, “ with- out for a moment seeking to recall anything un- pleasant connected with the past, I must inform you that galvanism was the secret of tho grand curo which I have effected. But Jet us pass on to another subject,” exclaimed the doctor hastily, as if considerately turning the discourse from a disagree- able topic. “I bave been absent for six weeks— quite a strange thing for mo, who am so wedded to London; and you aro one of the very first of my friends on whom I call. All day long I have been paying hurried visits to my patients; and now I come to sit a couple of Lours with you. I suppaso you have plenty of news for me?” ‘None of any consequence beyond tho sphero of my own affairs in this place,” answered the Black, ‘You aro of course aware that the Earl has made Esther an offer of his hand n* “Fo be sure, my dear friend,” interrupted Lus- celles: “that engagement was contracted, you re- member, two or three weeks before I Ieft London, when summoned to Brighton. But I presume that the Ear] is still ignorant of " “ All my proceedings?” exclaimed the Black, finishing the sentence for the physician. ‘ Yes— he remains completely in the dark respecting every- thing. Tho time may, howover, soon come when he shall be made acquainted with all; and then I do not think ho will blame me.” ‘Far from it! cried Lascelles, emphatically : tho doubtless owes you his happiness, if not his life~—for thero is no telling what that miscreant, Old Death, might not havo dono to gratify his frightful cravings for vengeance. Tho monster!” exclaimed the physician, indignantly: “he wonld even have inflicted the most terrible outrages and wrongs upon tho amiable Esther and the gencrous- souled Lady Hatfield, in order to wound tho heart of the Earl.” “And yet I do not despair of reforming that mann, bad as he is,"’ observed the Black. Reform the Devil!” cried the doctor. “But I will not anticipate by any hasty opinion of mine the explanations which you sro going to give me. By tho bye, have you had any intolligence relative to that Mr. Torrens?” “Yes,” answered the Black. “ Esther received «letter from his daughter Rosomond a few days ago. The poor girl and her {father were on their way {o Switzerland, where they intended to scttlo (C(O) DOO SS (SO)