The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 31: what you’re looking at

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a nN Mrs. Smith that he was by no means likely either to Gnd fault with them for receiving the ladies into the house, nor to mention the circumstances else- where. These precautions being adopted, Mrs. Smith sent es soon as it was dusk for Mr. Thurston, who arrived shortly afterwards. She then paid him the stipu- tated sum of ten thousand pounds; and the moment had now arrived for Mrs. Mordaunt to part with her child. The scene wass painful one: for al- though thet infant was the living evidence of the young mother’s frailty and the proof of her dis- honour, yet did she already experience a parent's love for the innocent babe ; and, contemplating it with mournful and passionate affection, her coun- tenance was for a few instants animated with the it at once and for ever! The sacrifice him —disowning was torturing to her soul : but there was no slterna- tive—no cholce;—and when the child was gently taken from her by Mrs. Smith, the wretched parent covered her face with her fair white hands and burst mental shawis: and Matilda, bearing it in her arms, accom- panied the surgeon to his own abode. On her return she was enabled to give the young mother the con- eolatory assurance that Mrs. Thurston had already provided a wet-nuree for the infant, and that every tion had been made to give a suitable recep- tion to the little stranger. . On the following morning, while it was yet dusk, a plain travelling-carriage Mrs. Mordaunt, well wrapped up to guard her as much ss possible against cold, was conveyed into the vehicle. Mrs. Smith followed her—Matilda took her place on the box by the side of the valet Pem- broke, who was in attendance—and the equipage drove rapidly away ig a northern direction. We should observe that the two ladies had not for- gotten to express their gratitude to the sisters for the hospitality which they had experienced at the villa: end Mrs. Smith promised to call upon them as early gs circumstances would permit. CHAPTER VL wn. PAGE AKD MR. HODSON.--THE BOW STREET OFFICER. We must now return to Mr. Page, whom we left at the George and Blue Boar, Holborn, just after he had been aroused from his slumbers by the addle- pated constables from Aylesbury. . Having hastily dressed himeelf, the commercial traveller descended in no very pleasant humour to the public room, where he ordered breakfast; and as be happened to be the only person there at ve rhi ne was thrown entirely gn the companionship of his yeflections, ‘age drove up to the door ; and | Sandry THE MYSTERIES. These were far from being of an agreeable natuse. Indeed, Mr. Page was placed in a cruel embarress- ment from which he knew not precisely how to extri- cate himself: for it was certain that his employers, Messrs. Hodson and Morley of Wood Street, would hear of his arrival in London—and they would think it very strange if he did not call upon them without delay. But how was he to make his appearance st their counting-house, and not offer to place’in thelr hands the bills of exchange which he had receiver from their provincial correspondents? He dares not confess that he had been robbed of those docu- ments: for even if Hodson and Morley did not sus- pect his honesty, they would be sure to blame his carelesanese—and his discharge from their empley- ment must inevitablv follow. What was he todo? He was more than half in- clined to keep away from Wood Street until the mer- row, hoping in the mean time to recover his pocket- book; for it must be obeerved that he possessed a friend from whom he well knew he could borrow the fifty guineas requisite to redeem it, and he felt assured that the robber would keep to his agreernente the bills of exchange being of no possible value te On the other hand, if he did delay his visit to the warehouse of Mesers. Hodson and Morley, he was certain to be questioned upon the subject; and a ples of tem indisposition was not likely to avail | him with gentlemen of such business-habits as his and the disagreeable individual whom he had en- countered in the lene, and who delighted in the rN ton of Joe the Magsman. Then having thur profusely distributed his maledictions, Mr. Page concluded by d——g his own folly, and invoking imprecations on his own eyes and limbe. He was in one of those humours when nothing seems good to the appetite or sati to the mind. He denounced the cofke as ditch-water—the bacon as musty—the eggs ag tasting of straw—and the butter as train-oil; and he was just inflicting a sassarara Upon the waiter for not keeping up a cheer- ful fire, when the door opened, and, to the ineffable dismay of the commercial traveller, Mr. Hodson em» tered the room. . The senior partner in one of the jergest commer- oial firms in Wood Street, was a man of about fifty years of age, and was dressed in the fashion of what was the “old school” at that period. He wore powder and a pig-tail, a square cut coat, knee-breeches and gaiters, and a waistcoat with large flaps over the hips: a massive gold chain with a number of seals depended to his fob; and he carried a gold-headed cane in his hand. In person he was short and stout : his coun- tenance, thoug usually indicative stern in expression ; like, and even suspicious. Such was the individual who now made his un- welcome in the coffee-room; and the marked the confusion which seddenly selse upoe that individyal. | Afféctthg, however, pot to notice the unaccount- | | 7 Vy | GEES 2 e: ew ee nooks, Conn COLT ©) _d