The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

| —ag6-~- 4 Cn & td = = we - ee - {en Such were his frantic thoughts ;—and despair sud- denly nerved him with the strength to execute his purpese, Rising from his seat, he staggered forward a few paces: then he clung to the mantel for support. Again he endeavoured to walk—and this time his step was firmer. He reached the table, on which be leant to steady himself. The decanter of brandy was there; and he poured a quantity down his throat. It seemed to circulate throughout his entire system: he felt that his cheeks were flushing—that his heart was palpitating more quickly—that his legs grew stronger under him. Glancing around, he recognised the dour leading from the dissecting-room: then he beheld that by which Thurston had quitted the sur- gery ;—and it consequently struck him that he would try the third. Advancing towards it, he saw a cloak and a hat hanging upon pega. These articles of apparel he instantly app-opriated to his own use; and, still maddened by the excruciating idea that the eurgeon was playing him false, he passed into the yard—entered the mews—and thence gained the otreet. The fresh air of the night invigorated him: but still he waiked languidly—like a man who goes out for the first time on foot after a long and dangerous illness. --- Not being well acquainted with London, he knew not where he was; and his thoughts were still too much confused—or rather so harrowed by the hor- rible fears which had impelled him to quit the sar- geon's house—that he paused not to consider whither he should gc o: what he should do He reflected not that ‘he was penniless— destitute, — worse, ten thousand times“worse. than the grovelling beggar in the street: “fdr: the ‘meanest mendicant’ dared show his face_in “puplic3? —but he—this man fresh from ? the: pibbet — this living - “proof of the execntioner’s - unskilfulness-—this. resuscitated subject of the dis- = ‘sécting-room;—Oh!" the blackest night ‘was not too —— dark to veil his renaming wrap his features ‘in ite’funereal pall! 9’ -# But of these tremendous truths the wretched crea- ture thought "not'as he dragged himself. along with all the speed which he was capable of exerting. For it was not enough to have escaped from the sur- geon's house: it was necessary to avoid pursuit. Such was now the idea that dominated his mind ;— ‘anid over-taxing his feeble powers, he soon found that he was exhausted—soon felt that he was sinking! He was now in a vast Square; and even at that late hour, lights were visible through the rich dra: peries of many wittdows, Strains of delicious music the pisno’and-thé harp—poured forth their melody in éweet: caildhices;‘accompanied by soft voices in har- monious modulation. -.. Roseate, warm, and tender were the: scenes ‘of: luxury within the mansions where pledsure thus” prevailed : chill was the at- mosphere ‘ ‘without,“as ithe wretched wanderer sate down on'a door-step, to ,récruit his shattered energies. By this time. the’ whirl ‘of his giddy. brain was yielding to the pregencé of gtaver and more collected thoughts; and he began to perceive how mad—how foolish —how? imprudent. he had been to quit the surgeon's abode. . His late suapicions with regard to that individual now appeared so ridiculous—so mon- strousty abaurd—that he hated and loathed himself for having given way to them. What was to be done? All the utter friendless. ness of his position—all the misery upon which he had rusbed headlong by abandoning that hospitable | . - & _ FES MYSTERIES. — roof—all the perils which he was encountering face te face, passed like a hideous phantesmdgorian train before his eyes. The cooler his imagination grew, the stronger was the hold that: dismay, perplexity, and horror took upon hin. At length, after several minutes’ fearful meditation, he suddenly resolved to retrace his steps to the medical man’s abode. Inspired by this idea, he raised himself, painfully from the cold atones, and advanced Lingnid! y half, round the square, endeavouring to” ise the street by which he had entered it. Vain attempt! So fevered was his imagination when proceeding thither, that he had taken no note of any particular buildings which might now serve him as landmarks; —and, in total bewilderment, he sank down again at the door of a vast mansion. Exhausted — spirit-broken — reduced to despair, the wretched being fraitlessly essayed to struggle against the death-like sensations which came over him: the crushing feelings were r than his powers of resistance—and he fell back in a deep awoon. A few minutes afterwards, a splendid equipage dashed up to the front of the dwelling. Down leapt the two tall footmen from behind—the door of the vebicle was opened—the steps were lowered—and the Earl of Desborough, immediately alighting, as- sisted his charming Countess to descend. One of the footmen had already discovered Ram- sey lying upon the steps. “The gentleman is not dead, my lord—only in a faint,” said the servant, in reply to a hasty question which the Earl put. ‘Then, by all means, convey him into the house and have him properly cared for,” exclaimed the nobleman; “while some one |:astens to fetch our physician.” - “ Heis recovering, my lord—eslightly recoveringy’ observed the footman, who, assisted by the other domestic, had raised Ramsey from the cold pave- ment. “ With ne Getarence, I do not think he will require the doctog.” «. ., » “7 am glad of ix, for his aake-—poor gentleman [” said” Lord Desboroagh, . “ He is ‘evidently. a respec- table person—and quits a young man too,” added the Earl, as the moonbeams now fell on Ramsey's countenance. : “ Huston and list him into the house” This command wgs immediately obeyed ; ‘and the , | resuscitated convict was borne to a chamber in the lordly mansion. + The Earl, having wished an affectionate good night to his beautiful Countess, who repaired to her owa apartment, fotlowed the domestics to the room whither they had carried the unhappy man. Spirits, essences, and other restoratives were speedily pro- cured: but even before. they were applied, Ramsey had recovered sufficient consciousness to enable him to perceive that he was in a handsome chamber and experiencing friendly treatment. ‘© Fortunately, his presence, of mind so far accompanied the returning reason as to inspire him with 8 lively sense of the imperious of an iron control over himeelf, as an inadvertent word would engender the most dangerous suspicions; and suddenly re- membering that there must be an ominous mark about kis nech—tav fatal sign of the halter — he shuddered as he tnougnt of the awfal risk of dis- , covery which he had run! But it luckly happened that the fuotmen had de- posited him in a large cagy chair before they even COMIC OO© SS | , co eli,