The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 137: what you’re looking at

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ee LL a Se eyes eeeeete eee THE MYSTERIES. 124 enjoyed all the delights of secure and well concealed sin,—the loathed and despised wretches of the vile districts of the metropolis were quitting their orgies and returning to their squalor, their rags, and their wretchedness in those dens which they called their homes | The slipshod waiter had closed the door of the Beggar's Staff—extinguished the lights in the public room—and retired to his bed which he made up in the kitchen ;—but the Big Beggarman remained smoking and drinking in the little parlour behind the bar, in case his daughter should return before the place was opened to the morning.customers. On ordinary occasions this man could drink an incredible quantity of potent liquor without ex- periencing its intoxicating effects: but, in the present instance, he was far advanced towards a stage of complete ebriety. Not only had he con- siderably exceeded his usual quantum, large as this allowance invariably was; but the exciting occur- rences of the evening and the night, ‘not forgetting the severe blow on the head which he received from Lady Letitia, had assisted the brandy in exercising a 6trong influence over him. But still he continued to drink and smoke, until | his countenance glowed like a furnuce—the flesh round his eyes became 80 swollea that the twink- ling orbs seemed buried in valleys of a purply livid flesh—and every vein in his forchead was swollen almost to bursting. It was about six o’clock on that cold, misty, winter’s morning, when an imperious knock at the street door of the establishment aroused the Big Beggarman from his solitary orgie; and staggering cumbrously out of the parlour, he proceeded to answer the summons. As he lad suspected, it was Carrotty Poll who thus sought admission ;—and, on entering the place, she proceeded without uttering a word into the bar, where she helped herself to a large dram of brandy. Then, sinking almost ex- hausted upon a chair in the parlour, while her father resumed his own seat, she threw back her hood and revealed a countenance a trifle more ‘| menacing in its vixenish ferocity than that of a tiger-cat. “Well, Poll—what is the matter ?” demanded the Beggarman, soveaking with the hiccough and the thickness of ebriety. “ You seem out of sorts a bit. Bat tell us what you've done ?” “Nothing — nothing at all!’ replied the young woman, who appeared as if she would have given worlde to have had some one to vent her diabolical ilehumour upon. “The thing has been a dead failure: and what’s more, the Magsman knows all about it.” | “Then you must have been and told him, you slut f” exclaimed the ruffian, savagely. “You're a liar, father,” shrieked Carrotty Poll, in the most thrilling intonation of her vixenish voice. * But it’s no wonder that you begin to abase me— for you're as drunk as a beast.” “ Well—p’vaps I am,” said the Beggarman, chuck- ling: for he was in that state when the very accusa- tion of being intoxicated appeared a capital joke. “ But, come —we won't quarrel, Poll,” he added, more seriously, “Tell us all that has happened. First, however, let me knaw whether the Magsman is much put out concerning this affair.” “He didn’t seem to care very much about it; but he insisted that you would let Meagles and Lady a Letitia go away in safety the moment I came back to give you this message,” observed Carrotty Poll: “for they are good people—and he knows very well that they won't trouble themselves about you or your concerns.” he oe goles! they’ve goneof their own accord.” said e an. “ Gone !—what—escaped ?” ejaculated his daugh- ter, with unfeigned astonishment. “Yes: mizzled—bolted,” rejoined the villain — and he proceeded to relate the manner in which the prisoners had emancipated themselves—not forget- ting to mention the chastisement inflicted upon him by the Amagun. “Ah! she’s a woman of spirit—a splendid cree- ture ? exclaimed Carrotty Poll, who was in such a bad humour with her father that she was rejoiced to hear of his misadventure. “ But do tell us all that has taken place in your affuir,” again urged the Beggarman. “ How the devil came’ it to prove a failure f—and how was it that the Magsman heard anything about it ?” “T’ll explain the whole business in a very few words,” said the young woman; “and then [ shall be off to bed—for I’m tired, and ill, and disgusted.” “And why the deuce are you disgusted” de- manded her father, brutally. “ Because you've managed the whole affair badly,” replied Poll. “But Ill tell you what has happened. The Kinchin-Grand ferried me over to Execution Dock ;—and I told him to make his boat fast and go somewhere in the neighbourhood to amuse himse]f— but to mind and go down to the wherry every hour to see if I was there waiting for him. Well, I went en to the Mariners’ Arms and played the tragedy heroine to perfection,” continued the young woman, getting into a better humour at the remembrance of her skill in enacting the part to which she alluded. “T inquired amidst atorrent of tears for my ‘ beloved husband ’—taking very good care, however, to ascer- tain that he still continued speechless, before F went up into his room. And when I got there, I found to my annoyance that the officious landlady had pro- vided a nurse to attend uponhim. I threw myself upon him, and kissed him, I can assure you, with a very great deal of sincerity: for he is really an un- common handsome young man, and [ don’t wonder at Lady Stamford’s taste. He was quite conscious, but unable to move or speak: however, I saw that he was amazed by my caresses—especially as, thanks to my disguise, he could not form the least notion who I was. At last he closed his eyes, as if to coi- lect his ideas and ponder who I could be; and 1 seized that opportunity to tell the old nurse that he was touched in the brain and had not recognised me. But it struck me that the woman eyed me with sus- picion: she seemed to have an idea that something was wrong, although she couldn’t perhaps tell what. Ramsey fell asleep—and we sate watching by his side. , Several times I suggested that certain things should be done, in the hope of getting the old wretch to leave the room, if only for a moment: but she always found some excuse for sticking at her post. I could have strangled the crone outright,” added Poll, bitterly : “but I was compelled to be civil to her— and this put me into a still worse humour.” “Devilish provoking!” exclaimed the Beggarman, * But go on.” . “ Well—several hours passed in this annoying way,” continued Poll; “ and at last Ramecy awoke GORMGOOOKXS Co nat