The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. 47 Such was the scene revealed to the eyes of the | for the scene of death which he had Just witnessed, commercial traveller by means of a candle dimly | and to the contemplation whereof he had been xo burning and with a wick so long fhat it appeared an f it had not heen snuffed for hours. A gleam of Jey shot athwart the wan and ghestly ecuntenance | likewise of the invalid as a humen being thus burst upon his frightfal loneliness: and Page's immediate impulse was to pour water into a cup and held it to the parched lipe of the sufferer. But the man could not raise himself even a single inch te partake of the beverage, ardently longed for tlio gh if were; and the commercial traveller was forced to lift and eustain him while he poured the water down his éhroat. The cup was emptisd—and as the invalid fll back in the sorry, sordid couch, his hollew cya were raised with an expression of indeseribable gratitude tewarda Page's countenance. “ What more can I de for you, my good man ?” esked the commercial traveller, in a mild and en- coureging tone. “You seem to be very, very Bi— end slone—” “ Yea—yes—all alone—alone [° marmered the in- valid, knitting his brows in a manner indieative of mingled rage and despair. “The ungrateful gisl —— Julia—— to desert her own father-——Jeave me éor hours ——-yes, hours-——* “Then you are hungry ?—you require food—and you are unable to rise from your bed to take it?” exclaimed Page. “Ab! I understand, poor man— bat I will get you food.” “Stay, cir—etay !” said the invalid, as the com- gnercial traveller was turning towards the cupboard to fetch a morsel of bread to place between the fa- apished being’s lips: “stay, six,” he repeated, his voice acquiring strength, now that his throat was no longer parched with a torturing thirst,—“I do not gequire food—I could not eat—I—I am dying !” “J will run and feteh hither a doctor!” exclaimed the hustling and agile Page, now springing towards the door. “Neo—no—eay, I implore you!” said the invalid, én an appealing tone. “I am past all hope—beyond the influence of human sid—I feel that Iam dying! And when I am gone—but I mus? not waste words —my voice is failing me—a dimness is coming over my cyee—where are you, sirt—why hsve you put out the light f° And the workings of the invalid’s ghastly coun- le to behold ! —give me your injuncti * Stoop down—place your ear close to my lips,” cesumed the dying man, now speaking with extreme difficulty: “are you close?” . “ Yee—yea—proceed |” exclaimed the commercial craveller, breathless with suspense. don . And with a deep groans, he expired. At the sane instant, as if with an ominous emble- anatic significancy, the candle sank down in its soeket and was extinguished. A panic-terror seized upon the commercial traveller; | vicinity of a dock, which he knew to bo in the dis- OE ee ee auddenly and unexpectedly impelled by circum- total darkness; and the state of excitement in whish Page had been kept for many, many hours, new underwent a rapid and fearful reaction. Grasping, however, the pocket-book which he had taken from beneath the old man’s pillow, he hastened precipitately down the stairs,—his almost frantie speed accelerated by the horrible thought that some- body or something wes pursuing him, and that the cold hand of a corpse would suddenly be laid upon © his shoulder or would cluteh the skirts of his coat: locality was evidently a low and disreputable neigh- bourhood. Fo? an instant his eyes lingered on the two houses of which he had seen the interior: namely, the one whence he had just emerged—and that where he had been incarcerated. Lights gleamed from the upper windows of the latter; and Page thought within f, * The miscreants in those chambers little suspect that their accursed subterrancan cell is now empty f” Away he sped from the court, the name of which he vainly endeavoured fo decypher beneath the entrance archway where it was painted ;—and thence he emerged into a long, narrow, and unpaved street, the aspect of whose houses confirmed him in his opinion that he was in same low neighbourhood. On he went at random,in the hope of finding a hackney- eoach stand, and not choosing to ask where he was of the few stragglera whom he met, for fear of exciting seme suspicion which might lead him into fresh em- berrassments:— on he went, we say, penetrating through a. maze of streets, and alleys, and little thoroughfares, none of the names whereof could he possibly ascertain in the darkness of the night. Suddenly the clock of some seighbouring church proclaimed the hour of two in the morning ;—and ix a few minutes Page found himself in the immediate NOOO) COLT ©) CO