The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 163: what you’re looking at

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156 THE MYSTERIS: OF LONDON, aes 6 oe meat aoe “Just so: but it was o’ny to make a few civil en- quiries consarning your missus’s lodgers. I s'pose they ’re at home; and so me and my friend will just walk up, my dear—’cause our business is partickler.” “Well, then, it ain't of no usc to go up now,” said the servant-girl: “for Mr. Curtis has gone out, and the captain is n't out of bed—ieastways, he hasn’t left his room yet; and he brekfusted there.” “ Never mind, my dear,” persisted the man with the hoarse voice: “we “Il just walk up and pay our re- speks to the captain, whois a wery nice genelman no doubt.” From this conversation the gallant officer learnt that there were two persons enquiring for him, although one only appeared to speak in the matter. Ilis worst suspicions were confirmed: they were bailiffs, come to arrest him on the cognovit given jointly by himself and his inseparable friend Mr. V’rancis Curtis to those astute gentlemen, Messrs. Rumrigg and Kaysay, What was to be done? He must dress himself in all possible haste, and fight his way desperately out of the house! This was lis first ides But it was so easy to think of dressing—and so difficult to carry the scheme into execution: for, alas! the gallant officer’s unmentionables were at the tailor’s ; and he knew that Frank possessed not a second puir! What, then, was to be done ? Should he surrender himself into the hands of the officers, and be borne ignominiously to Whitecross Street? ‘The thought was ridiculous with such a man as Captain O’Blunderbuss! Locking his own door, and taking the key with him, he scud up to the top storey, and sought refuge in the bed-chamber of Mrs, Rudd, who, he felt assured. had gone mit to market as usual—otherwise she would have been certain to emerge from her parlour below and join in the conversation which had taken place between the bailiffs and the servantegirl, The captain's first thought, in thus flying to his landlady’s bed-chamber, was merely to seek refuge there, and Icaye the officers to suppose that he had gone out. It struck him that they would knock at his dvor—would force open that door on nut receiving any answer—and would then conclude that he really was not at hume. In the meantime he should have leisure {o decide upon the best means of ultimately avoiding she bailiffs altogether, But scareely had he entered Mrs. Rudd’s room, when a new and truly magnificient idea suggested itself—or rather, was suggested by the fact that an vpen cupboard revealed the worthy landlady’s best silk gown, while upon a chest of drawers stood the good woman's Sunday bonnet, to which she had been putting a new ribband that very morning before she went out. The bonnet, which was of fine straw and ofa large shape, was provided with an amplo blue gauze veil; for Mrs. Rudd liked to be smart on tho Sabbath—if it were only to compete with her female neighbours who attended the “ ministry” of the Reverend Emanuel Flummery. The appearance of the two articles of dress just apecified, determined the gallant officer how toact; and his arrangements were made with almost lightning, speed. The reader will recollect that he had no clothes at the moment to put off before he put others on—he having sought the landlady’s roum in his shirt, stockings, and slippers. To slip into the silk dress vas therefore the work of an instant: to assume the —— 8 re ee 5 ee or eee geek ——s em, eee ee eet oe oe —~—— ee Leghorn bonnet was an affair accomplished with equal speed ;—and to ransack the widow’s drawers for a shawl was a matter scarcely occupying ten seconds. Then, drawing the veil in thick folds over his moustachioed and whiskered countenance with one hand, and grasping Mrs. Rudd’s parasol in the other, Captain O’Blunderbuss took a hasty survey of himself in the glass, and was perfectly satisfied with tho result. We have before stated that Mrs. Rudd was very tall, starch, and prim; and the reader is aware that Captain O'’Blunderbuss was no dwarf—ncither was he particularly stout, Thus, although he certainly ap- peared a very colossal woman, he might still pass as one at a pinch—and surely need was never more pinching than on the present occasion. At all events he was resolved to make the attempt; and the exciting nature of the incident was just of the kind which he particularly relished—though, perhaps, he would rather have had the fun without the danger of the thing. In the meantime he had not been in a state of ignorance of what was passing on the landing of the floor below ; for the bailiffs, having ascended to that height, stopped at his own chamber door, at which they knocked. But receiving no answer, the one with the hoarse voice exclaimed, “Captain O’Blunderbuss, l’vo got a message for you wery particklar from a friend of your'n,” Still there was no response; and the man, addressing himself to the servant-girl, asked her if sho were sure that the captain was at home. “I’m certain he is,” was the reply; “because he’s sent out his—his—trousers to be mended, and is lying n-bed till they come back.” “But may n't he have another pair?’ demanded the bailiff. “T don’t b'leive he have,” said the girl: “ Jeastways, I never see more than one cither on or off him.” “Then the captain ts at home,” growled the sheriffs- oflicer; “and we must do our dooty, Tom.” These last words were evidently addressed by the speaker to his companion; and the captain compre- hended that the forcing of the door would be the next step. Nor was he wrong in his conjecture ;—for, before the servant girl could divine the intention of the two men, they had effected an entrance into the chamber which the gallant ofticer had only quitted three minutes previously, The captain, who had been listening at the door of Mrs. Rudd’s own bed-room, now partly descended the stairs, and again stood still to listen—his proceedings being conducted as noiselessly and cautiously as possible. “Well—I'm blowed if he’s here!” exclaimed the bailiff with tho hoarse voice. “No more than a cat,” returned his companion. “ Tfow’s this, my dear?” continued the first speaker: “have vou been a-making fools on us?” “No,” answered the girl sharply: “I thought the captain was here—but he ain’t So TI s’pose he's gone out without my hearing or seeing him. But now you've broke the lock of the door and must pay for it—or clse missus will blow me up fizely when she comes home from market.” f “Then she ts at market,” said Captain O'Blunder- buss to himself, his hopes becoming more elated by the assurance thus conveyed to him through the servant-yirl’s remark to the bailiffs, “Pay for it, indesd!?" growled the one with the hoarse voice. “‘That won’t suit our books neither 8 ey ees tee, comiclbooks (SO)