The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

TEE. MYSTERIES 903 '*@o on—go on,” cried Mrs. Brase, petulantly : C what pare you to say? I am all attentien. # Well—yoa know, in the first place, that there’s no end of. against. me, and ever 50 mamy rewards: offered for my apprehension,” resumed the Magsman; “and youhave no doubt guessed |, before this that I had a hand in upsetting the Go- vernment van into the Devil’s Punchbowl and let- ting loose the convicts. But it wasn’t ont of any love for the whole lot of them, but merely to restore my friends the Big Begyarman and Briggs to free dom. Well, such a complication of things hanging over my head, makes it unpleasant—very urpjea- sant, [C can assure you, my dear: and my two friends that I have just named to you—one. of whom, the Beggarman, had the honour of paying his respects to you at this house one night——” “ Cease this bantering tone—and speak seriously and to the point,” said ghe milliger; sharply: and all this while she wondered how it was that her lover had not awakened—or, if he were aroused, how he could remain so silent in the psesence.of such @ strange scene. “I'm coming te the point as quick as. I can,” said the Maguman. “In fact, I was just going to tell you that my two friends, the Beggarman and |. Briggs, feel themselves as much put out as I do by having to play at hide-and-seek about London, and not being able to go back to oar usual haunta And then there's Lizzy Marks—my young woman, you know, who called upon you about the Newgate affair—she doesn’t feel herself quite camfortable either ; for the runners are looking after her as weil as me and my other two pals. And therefore we have all come to a determination te get a free par- don ; and if that can’t be done, we shall be antis- fied if the Home Secretary will withdraw the offers of reward for our capture, and just give the Bow Street functionaries a hint to look anothers way when they chance to see any of us coming along.” “You must be mad to think that I have the means of performing one-hundredth part of all this! cried Mrs, Brace, who had listened with poignant impatience to her husband's e “I know what you mean—I onderstand whose as- aa ce you fancy that I can obtain in your be- “And by heaven! he shall assiss! ejaculated the Magaman, ferociously. “Come—write me a certificate, op acknowledgment, or whatever you may choose to call it, in preeisely the terms which | him 1 shall dictate; and then i'l try whether I can’t make his Royal Mighness——” “Hash! the very walls have ears,” said the mil. liner, in. am implozing tone. * What do you segnire me to write ” “An acknowledgment that you are.the Pzines’s mistress,” answered the Magatas. “Silence } — begane |” aimost screamed the wretched woman, driven to despsir.. “Damnation [ do you dare me outright?” ex- claimed the Mageman, Sa a ferocions. tone: then, Graving a8 pistol from his pocket, he anid, “By Satan ! you shall do as I command you—or——" “Mercy f meray” moaned the milliner, a, oe upon her knee and clasping her hands with of passionate entreaty.. “Dod't be a fool and no haem will msared the milliner;.“ or he will do your lordship » —it's no use ta-me: but I will have what I ask for —a writtes. acknowledgment that you've been un- faithful to me, your lawfal husband—and that his Royal Highness——”* “ Be silent, I. command—I implore—I beseech you!” cried. Mrs, Brace, in.a tong-of atifling agony. “Then give. me the pspec — from linees and write it at.once——" =” ™ “ No—never — never!” exclaimed the millines. “You are mad to ask treme wn “By Satan! I will too,’ man ferociously, as he presented the blatal. at wife. A shriek burst foom the lips of the sffrighted woman: but at the same instant—quick ae the cya can wink—a man sprang from behind the cartain af the bed — dashed the pistel from the raffian’s hand —and, bonding P past him towards the toilette- table, extinguished. the light. All this was the worls of a moment, aad the room was suddenly involved in total darkness. In. deed, with such rapidity was the whole proceeding aceomplished. that the Magsman did not even catch the faintest glimpse of the eountenance ef the individual who bad so abruptly and unexpect- edly emerged from the bed. Fortunately the pistol did not explode—or serious injury, if not death, might have been the result. “Villain! attempt no violence—or, by heaven! it shall be a struggle of life and death between us,* exclaimed. a firm, decided, and maaly voice the iastant that darkness fell upon the scene. With a savage growl the Magsman sioeped to -plek up his pistal: but it-was snatohed away from him at the very momené that his hand tonched it — Mes. Brace’s unknown lover having simulta~ necusly sought for the weapon. A terrible cation burst from the lips of Joe Warren, as through the intense darkness he almed a blow with his bludgeon which would have told with murderous effect had it rea¢hed him for whom it was intended. Bat the anknown had already stepped aside—the next iostant the Magsman was teipped up—and Mra. Brace, thrawing up the windov,. was on the Point of screaming for sasiatance, whea the villain, seeing that his position had suddenly become alarm- ing, exclaimed, © Silence, Fanny! don’t raise the neighbourhood, and I'll take myself off.at once.” “ Begone, then !” said the unknown individual, releasing the rnffian from the streng grasp which he ra —— him the moreent that he had tripped The Mageman rose and beat a. hasty retreat with- ont uttering another word: not that he was afraid to struggle with bis unknown and unseen foe even unte. -the very death,—but becanes he wae well aware that. if a distarbance were created in the house, it would ‘excaped once ont ef Newgste,-he coald nat hope te. the same feat a second time “* Get you back to. bed,. Fanny,” said the unknown », « while I Just aligren some clothing and assute myseli that the-fellow leaves the house.” “ Vor God's sake, beware of him, my jecd,” mur. mischief” © Bear nothing,” was the mesponse: | and theacbib- | to] man—for anch be was—etele from the room. you,” sald the Magsman. “1 dom want peur ifs And mow & most extrastdinary incident crowned t CORNICE OOO ©) CO