The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 311: what you’re looking at

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303 to witness the execution ; and the unhappy criminal maintained his courage to the last. From that time have the three houses in Stamford Street been shut up: from that period have they been suffered to fall into decay. In the first, old Mr. Mitchell expired suddenly: in tho second, Mr, Pomfret hnng himself;—and in tho third, Ellen was brutally murdered. The hand of Fate had marked those three tenements to be the scenes of horror and of crime; and a superstitions fecling on the part of certain credulous and weak-minded neigh- bours soon engendored the report that they were haunted. It was said that the ghost of the young lady had been seen walking io her shroud, in the yard behind the house where she was murdered: and rumour added that on the anniversary night: of the dread crime which had hurriod her to 4 prema- ture grave, she was wont to wander about tho pre- mises, uttering hollow and sepulchral moans, Such Teports as theso lose nvuthing by repetition during the lapse of years, especially while tho buildings Which were tho scenes ot tho crimes engendering the superstition, continue to exist: and therefore is it that even at tho presont day the evil reputation of the HAUNTED HOUSES romains unlmpnaired in staniford Stroct and its neivhbourhood. CITAPTER CUXXTX, THE GHOST.—AGNES AND MS, MORTIMER. THE preceding episode has run ton considerable length; but we hope and believo that our readors will experience no difficulty in resuming tho thread of the general narrative. It must be remembered that tho leading incidents of the story just placed on record were related to Mrs, Mortimer by Jack Rily, by way of passing tho few hours during’ which they had agreed to remain with Vitriol Bob, who, bound hand and foot, was Seated holplessly in a chair. “Yes,” observed Jack Rily, when he had brought his history to a conclusion, “they do say that the young woman walks at times——” “Don't speak in such a solemn tone,” inter- upted Mrs. Mortimer, casting a shuddering glance around: ‘you almost make mo think that yon yourself believe in the possibility of tho spectral visitation.” “Well—1 don’t know how it is,” returned the Doctor, feeling . certain superstitious influence growing upon him, and which he vainly endeavoured to shake off,— but I certainly never Ueforo had such sensations as I experience now. Upon my soul,” he cried, striking the table violontiy with his clenched fist, “I ama prey to vaguo and undc- fined alarms to night:—but I will subduo them !” “And are you sure that this is the house where tho young lady was murdered?” asked Mrs. Mor- timer, after a bricf pause. “Phero is no doubt about that ’” responded Jack Rily. ‘ Vitriol Bob there can tell you that the floor of the chamber where the deed took place is blackened with accumulated dust, yot in tho middle there is a deeper stain; and on the ceiling of the room beneath, it is easy to descry the same sinister traces, even amidst dirt and cobwobs.” “Phen, as you said just now,” remarked Mrs. Blortimer, drawing her shaw! over her shoulders— nw ew ee + ee a se ~~ wm eee = ee + ee ee THI MYSTERIES OF LONDON. for she experienced the cbill of superstitious terror gaining upon her,—“as you said just now, this is the second murder that has been committed within these walls!” Scarcely had Mrs. Mortimer ceased speaking when the bell of the neighbouring church pro- . claimed the hour of one. “Now is tho timo for the ghost,?? said Vitrio} Bob, with a low but ferocious chucklo; for he ex perienced a malignant pleasure in observing that superstitious fears were gaining on the formidablo Rily and the hideous old woman. ‘ You don't like the near neighbourhood of the stiff *un, I’m a- thinking! Well—Tll lay you a wager, Jack, that Vl go and shake the old feller by the hazd quite in a friendly way—if you will but take off these cussed cords. There’s no ill feelin’ betwixt us now.” “T would much rather leave you where you are, and sond Polly Calvert to release you,” replied the Doctor. “Yes—yes,” hastily exclaimed Mrs. Mortimor “Vet him be where he is. But surely we may ge now, Mr. Rily? It is getting on for two i “Tt has only just this minit struck ono!’ cried Vitriol Bob, with a malignant leer from his dark, reptile-like eyes, which stemod to shine with a glaro of their own, independent of and brighter than the dim light of the miserable candle. ‘'‘ Bo- sides,” he added, now purposely rondering his voico as solemn and ominous in its tone as pos sible, “’tis just the timo for tho ghost of tho young gal—or rayther, the young o’oman to walk; and I should be wexed indeed if vou didn’t stay to have a look at her, I’ve seen her more than once——” “That's an infernal falsehood, Bob!” exclaimed Jack Rily, starting from his seat on tho barrol, and vainly endeavouring to subdue the nervous excite- ment that had gained sa rapidly upon him, “It’s true—trnoas you're there!” cried the mur- derer, who felt 2 ferocious joy at thus inspiring terror in the mind of tho strong and hardened ruf- fian who had conquered him. “ And J’ll tell you somethink more too,” continued Vitriol Bob: “you said just now—and vou said truly also—that on the anniwersary of the murder the young lady wanders about the place, uttering holler moans. Well—this is the night, then, that sho was murdered just twenty years neo;—and tho clock has struck ones” The effect which these words produced upon Jack Rily and Mvs, Mortimer was as rapid as it was extraordinary. Although they were both of a nature peculiarly inaccessiblo to superstitious terrors on common occasions, ond under any other circum- stances would have laughed at tho idea of spectral visitations and ghostly wanderings,—yet now they vainly struggled against the powerful influence of increasing terror; and, although in their hearts, they more than half suspected that Vitriol Bob had spoken only to aggravate their alarms, yet they could not shake off the awe and consternation that scized upon their souls. In respect to Jack Rt‘, it was one of those periods of evanescent weakness which the most brutal and remorseless ruffians are known periodically to experience ;—but, with regard to Mrs. Mortimer, it was the singularity of her pre- sont position—tho consciousness that she was in a lonely placo with two men of desperate character— the terrible remembranco that the murdered corse of her husband Jay in the adjoining room—the im pression made upon her mind by the appalling his COA - re 8 rrr ree rere GIOOKS (SO)