The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

1138 As he uttered these words, the rufflan took the candle in his hand, and conducted his visitors up tuc ‘steep and narrow staircase which has been already described. Continuing the ascent until they reached the left, the party. proceeded in silence: but when the Beggarman removed the straw end raised the trap-door, Meagles exclaimed, “What! have we only come up to this height for the purpose of going down again?” ° “Our friend Joe Warren likes to have his private chamber made all safe and secure,” answered the Big Beggarman, with a chuckling laugh ; “’cause why—there’s a reward offered for his apprehension, and the constables know he frequents this house at times. Indeed, if I couldn’t rely upon you, Mr. Meagles, and on her ladyship, I shouldn’t be ass enough to Iet you both into the secrets of my crib.” “You have noth‘ng to fear from us, my good fel- low,” said Meagles. “Oh! I am well assured of that, sir!* exclaimed the Beggarman, in an assumed tone of hearty con- fidence. ‘Please to follow me down these steps— and in a few moments yaqy'll be with Warren.” Meagles and the Amazon unhesitatingly complied with this invitation; and at the bottom of the stairs, ‘the Beggarman, throwing open a door, stood aside to allow them to enter the chamber. They crossed the threshold: and as the light of the candle which the Beggarman held high up, did not reveal to them the presence of the person whom they expected to meet, they simultaneously turned looks of inquiry upon the ruffian. But the door was instantaneously closed with violence ;—and they heard the strong bolts shooting into their sockets on the outer side. In an- other moment the heavy steps of the Beggarman ascending the stairs, fell upon their ears—and then all was silent! “We are betrayed, Tim!” exclaimed the Amazon, grasping her companion’s arm at hazard in the midst of the deep darkness which pervaded the room. “ [t seems so, my beauty,” returned Meagles. “ But cheer up—and the devil’s in it if we’re not a match for this scoundrel in the long run.” OHAPTER. XXXIV. ANOTHER DABK PLOT.—-A DARING ADVENTURE. On descending into his little parlour, after perpe- trating this deed of treachery, the Big Beggarman hastily summoned his daughter from the bar ; and, closing the door, he communicated to her all that had taken place. Carrotty Poll was at first sorely troubled when she ioarat that Ramsey had not only been rescued from @ watery grave, but was likely to recover altogether ; and she impatiently inquired of her father what he proposed to do. “The business is awkward—very awkward,” said the Beggarman: “but my mind is made up toa particular course, if so be you’ve pluck enough to help me.” “I will do anything, provided I see the utility of it,” answered the vile young woman. “Bat, after all, what have we to dread from this Ramsey? He dares not peach against us. We can tell things of him that would send him to Tuck-ap Fair—can’t we? “Didnt he do as much as admit that he and Martin had committed the numerous forgeries of which Sir Richard Stamford is acouse@?’—and then didn’t he pass off all the spurious coin? — father, I don’t see, when we come to look well af the matter, that there’s so much to fear.* “ There's everything to fear, I tell you,” said the Big Beggarman, savagely. “Don’t I know what nator is?—and suppose that Ramsey shouldn't survive this night’s business, bat just recover his senses sufficient to peach—isn’t there achance of his repenting on his death-bed of his own sins, and con- fessing everything to some humbug of a parson? Then out would come all abont the spurious com— the carrying off of Sir Richard: Stamford—and thie protious evening’s affair;—and where should -we be? Why—in the Stone Jug before we could look round us. “Thats true enough,” observed: Carrotty Pell, struck by the sonndness-ot her father's reasoning. “And then, again,” continued ‘the * supposing that Ramsey should recover altogethes —wouldn’t he be sure to tell the Magsman how we served him out ?—~and there isn’t-‘a more vindietive fellow in all the werld than Jee Warren. If be went'to the gallows himeelf along with as, he'd take us there out of pure revenge. And even if he didn’t, he'd cut us for ever—and we can't very well do without him. Then there's another peint-to be considered,” added the hercujean roffiao, thus ra- pidly surveying every featare of the emergency in which he and his daughter were placed :“ this ‘Tim Meagles and Lady Lade will go and sce Ramsey to-morrow—and they will perhaps fish out of him ali that has happened ; and though they wouldn't very well dare to tell a magistrate, seeing that they have been mixed wp with us in this business of trying to get old Lightfoot’s papers,—still they would be sure to tell the Magsman—end these we are floored again.” “ What do yeu propose to Go, then?” demande Poll, crossing her thin freckled arms ecress her breast. “I propose to keep Meagiles and her ladyship here ontil to-morrow night,” answered the Big ; “and in the meantime —” “Inthe meantime the Mageman may come and stant his room,” interrepted Poll eharply. “T can atall him off for a day or ¢wo, my dear,” observed her f&ther. “ Won't it be easy to tell: his that Grumley and his men have been ecen iurkiag about the neighbourhood ?” “ Well—go on. What next?” demanded theved- haired young woman. “ You must tog yourself offm your best clothes withont a moment's delay,” eaid the Begyarman “and you must cress the river as seon as pessibis.. Ramsey is lying at the Mariners’ Arms—and-you ain’t knewn there. You'll pretend to be his sinter— or wife—or cousin—or anything you ike; amd -you'll say that having missed your ufortsenate husband or relative, as the case may be, you made inguirées, and was horror-struek :to hear that @ geneimaa. answering his description had been fisked eat ef the Thames this evening. You oan hinté¢hat heb touched here,” continued the Beggarman, tepping his forehead significantly ; “and that you suppose he attempted to commit suicide in a fit of madness.” “TI understand,” exclaimed Fell. “Goea.” | “ Well—of course you'll be dreadfully afflicted— and the people at the Mariners’ Arms. will feel very sauch for you. You'll insist on passing she aightSY ee ECLlOoOOlkKS COMM