The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

SSS SS SSS SSS THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. t6. dungeon. lis countenance was wan and ghastly ;— but its expression was little calculated to excite pity—for any thing more diabolically ferocious than the old miscroant’s aspect, cannot be well conceived, His face was tho horrible reficx of a mind filled with passions and longings of so savage and inhu- man 8 nature, that the mere thought makes one shudder, ‘ She will come presently,” he muttered to him- self, with a kind of subdued growling which indi- cated the fury of his pent-up rage: “ she will come presently,” he repeated, his eyes glaring like those ofa hyena beneath his shaggy, over-hanging brows: “and perhaps it will be for to-day! Who knows? she may think me penitent enough to be no longer dangerous: and then—then——”: Ife paused, and ground his jaws savagely together as if they were filled with teeth; and his hands were clenched with such spasmodic violence that the long nails ran into the palms. “For two months and a half,” he continued at Jength, and still musing to himself, “has the fiend—~ the infernal wretch—my mortal enemy, kept me hero! For two months and a half have I been his prisoner! Perdition seize upon him! That man was sent into the world to be my ruin—to thwart me~—to perscoute me! From the first moment I ever met him six or seven months ago, all has gone Wrong with me, But the day of vengeance must and shall come,—yes — vengeance — renpeance— though It costs me my life. Ah! hoe fancies that I am ignorant of his seeret: and yet I understand it nll now—yes—~all, all! Rapid as was the gleam of the Jamp which showed me his features the first time he ever visited ote here, so quick did a light flash to siy mind—su quick did the truth break upon me! Yes—-yesS—I understand it all notu; "—and he chuckled ina scarcely andible manner, ret the more horribly menacing because it was so subdued and low. ‘ But how can rt be ?—how could he hare been saved?” he asked himself,in his sombre mus- ings: then, after a brief pause, during which he rocked to and fro on the bed, he continued, “ Never mind the hows Thatsuch is the fact I am confident aud that is cnough for me! Yes—yes—tkat fs cnough for me! Fool that I was ever fora moment to suspect him to be Lord Ellingham! And set J should have clung to this belief, had not the lamp glared upon his faco as he darted ont of the cell! Ahl aht he little thinks that J hnow him now— that I have known him ever since the moment whien the light showed me his features, blackened as they were! Alt aht” again chuckled Old Death: “I fancy that Ihave lulled them into an idea of my penitence! They imagine that the work of refor- mation has begun with me! Ah! ha! Iplayed my cards wel) there! I did not whine and weep too soon—I appeared to be precious tough, and precious obstinate: and my slow conversion seemed all tho more natural, hey will fall all the easicr into tho snare * they " Ac this moment a slight noise at the door of tho cel] made the ancient miscreant start; and ho ine stantaneously composed his features into as mourn- ful and sanctimonious an expression as such a hor- ribly linng-dog countenance could possibly assume, The trap-door opencd; and a sweet, musical voice eald, “Tam here again, according to my promise: you seo that I do not desert you.” “ Ali my dear young lady,” cried Old Death, affect- | eee Se ing a tremulous tone, “von are too good to such a dreadful sinner as I have been! My God! when 1 think of all the atrocity that I once planned against you, I feel inclined to implore you to depart from even the vicinity of such a wretch as me!” “ Have you not been already assured that you ore fullyand completely forgiven in reference to the wick- edness to which you allude?” demanded the young lady, whoso beautiful countenance was now plainly visible to Old Death through the grating over the aperture in the door, “ Yes, Miss de Medina,” returned tho wretch, es- suming a still more penitent tone; “but I cannot forgive mysclf, You are an angel, dear young lady ~—and lamademon. Iknow]am! A} last night T endeavoured to read the Bible that you fave me yesterday: but I cannot settle my mind to the task. I want some one to read it to me—if only for half an hour overy day, But this cannot oe~I am aware it cannot! You—thwe only person living that could have mado such an impression upon me—aro afraid toonter mycell. You told mo so yesterday, But am I not a human being ?—am I awild beast? Ah} dear young lady—I could not injure you! "~and the old miscreant appeared to weep. “Do you think it would console you if I were te place confidence in you—enter your cell—and read you a portion of tho Word of God?” “Why do you tantalize an old, old man who fs miserable enough as it is?” asked Old Death, in re- turn to this question. “Do you Supposo that I am not weighed down to the very dust by an awful load of crime? Jf you are afraid to come into the cell, send mea clergyman. But, no—no,” he added, as if yielding to the sudden influence of a second shought: “I will pray with no one but yourself! You have been my good ungel—you first touched my heart. T must wait till you have sufficient cous fidence in me to follow up the blessed work you have already Legun so well, Yes—yes—eyen if J inust remain here for 2 whole year, I will not receive consolation from any one but you!” “TfL only thought that you were so far advanced in the path of penitence———” “Can you doubt it?” hastily demanded tho pri- soner. “ Have you such little confidence in vour own powers of persuasion? Oh! my dear young lady,” continued the wretch, falling upon his knees on tho floor of the cell, and joining his hands together, “have pity upon me—hare pity upon me! Your mistrust of mo pierces like 2 dagger to my heart, I crave—I long to be able to show you my gratitude ;—and that can only be by proving my contrition, Dear young lady, lave merey on an old, old man, who would embrace the very ground on which you tread!” “It would be wicked—~it would be a crime to re fuse your demand,” said the sweet, musical voice, now tremulous with emotion, of her whom the demon-hearted hypocrite called his good angel, “Stay—I will fetch tho key—and on my return J will read the Bible to you.” And the Hebrow lady hurried away from the vicinity of the dungeon; and, having ascended the spire! stone stairc” co with rapid steps, entered the apartment usualty inhabited by the Blackamoor.e But ho was not there: and she paused—uneertain how to act; for she now remembered that he had gone out for a short time immediately after giving (CO) clooolks (CO)