The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 116: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. home to my mother—at least for the present—and I have no other friend but you.” “ The business which has brought me to London is terminated,” said Jocelyn; “and I care not how soon I set out on my return to Canterbury. If you feel yourself equal to the journey, after the night of wanderings, terrors, and brief slumber which you have passed, we will set out at once.” “1°long—Oh! I long to leave London,” ex- claimed Mary: “for if I were to meet any of my mother’s friends, I should be perhaps borne for- oibly back to her—and she would overwhelm me vith the bitterest reproaches for my conduct.” ‘We will lose no time in taking our departure,” said Jocelyn. “It is now nearly one o’clock,” he added, referring to his watch: “a post-chaise and four will bear us rapidly along—and by eight this evening we shall be in Canterbury.” Thus speaking, the young gentleman rang the bell to give the necessary orders for their depar- ture. CHAPTER XXIX. THE WATCHERS AT THE GREEN DRAGON. * Axsour the samo hour at which the preceding con- versation took place between Jocelyn Loftus and Mary Owen at the Piazza Hotel, Covent Garden, the redoubtable Captain Tash and his man Robin were thinking of lunch in an upper room at the Green Dragon, Knightsbridge. These two worthies no longer formed items in the vast mass of the shabby-genteel tribe: they had cast their old skins and appeared in new ones with the bright glossuponthem. In plainer terms, they were each embellished with a bran new suit of clothes: but the influence of this great and striking personal improvement was very different in its effects upon the master and the man. For in- asmuch as the former had become inflated with pride and pomposity to a degree that threw all nis past self-sufficiency completely into the shade, the Jatter had grown more timid and bashful than ever, and did not seem to find any nook dark enough or any corner retired enough wherein to thrust and squeeze up his starveling person. The Captain positively appeared to be in the hey-day of his glory. His dark hair all stuck out and his whiskers were as bushy as those of a bandit upon the stage or in pictures: his moustachios were glossy with pomatum and tre- mendously fierce; — and he looked as trium- phant, as insolent, and as overbearing as if he were an aristocratic general who had just been cannonading the populace at the command of the Ministry. His face was terribly inflamed—and his nose was as rubicund as if it were cut out of beet- root. His new frock-eoat was buttoned up to his throat, as usual: but he now wore long wristbands, us stiff as paste-board, and extending over his knuckles—as ifhe were resolved to defy the whole world to declare that he did not possess a shirt. His light grey trousers were ornamented with a thick stripe of lace on each leg: and, large as his Spurs were wont to be, they were now an inch longer and kicked up a more diabolical rattling than ever. The man Robin was apparelled in a new suit of black ; and he had not only a clean shirt, but also 103 a snow-white cravat. He seemed, however, so litte at home in this state of outward renovation, that he was positively more afraid of attracting notice in his new dress than he was in his seedy garb. If he formerly looked like a decayed itinerant preacher, he now resembied a mute attired for a funeral and only wanting the mourning band to his hat. The room in which we now find these worthies seated, at about one o’clock in the afternoon of that Thursday whereof we are writing, was on the third storey of the Green Dragon public-house. The Captain had chosen this apartment because it enabled him to command all the points of Acacia Cottage ; and even if a waggon-load of hay should pass along the Knightsbridge Road, be could see over it, and thus was certain of never for an in- stant losing sight of the premises which he was engaged to watch. The window was kept open during the day; and Robin remained almost in- cessantly behind the curtain, peeping forth. and with looks sharp as needles fixed on the front of Venetia’s charming residence. The Captain was for the most part seated at a table, where he wrote down any particulars which Robin reported to him from his post at the window,— such as the visits paid to Acacia Cottage, the ap- pearance of the visitors, whether they were in carriages or on foot, how long they remained, &e. &c. But, as we have said, it being now.one o’clock, the Captain had rung for lunch; and as the bell. was not answered within the space of seven seconds from the moment he puiled the rope, he tore at it again with such violence as to make it con- tinue ringing for upwards of a minute, The land- lord—a meek, thin, timid, and obliging man— rushed franticly up stairs: but no sooner did he enter the room than he started back in dismay at the awful appearance of the Captain. ‘Thunder and lightning, sirrah !” exclaimed this formidable individual, who had sprung up from his chair in a perfect fury: “what do you mean by keeping a gentleman of my rank—on officer, too, in his Majesty's service—waiting for his luncheon ? Do you know, sirrah, that I’ve a great mind to have you lashed up to the triangle and make my man Robin there lay it on thick with a cat-o'-nine tails upon your bare back ?” “I’m really very sorry, Captain — exceedingly sorry, stammered the landlord, stepping back a pace every time the officer took one forward: “ but you must excuse a leetle delay, sir.” “Delay, sirrah! I don’t know what delay isa Have you got any kidneys?” he demanded sternly. ~ Yes, sir—some very nice ones. But I hape that for old acquaintance’ sake,”’ added the landlord, with the utmost humility, “you will make allowance for - the time required to ran up three pair of stairs to answer your bell.” “ Allowances, sirrah!” vociferated the Captain: “1 know nothing of allowances—except of victuals and drink. Robin, do you know anything of allow- ances t” , * Nothing,” replied the man, with his looks stead- fastly fixed upon Acacia Cottage. “ Please to write down something.” . “ Well—what is it?” exclaimed Tasb, rushing back to his seat at the table and taking up his pen. “Beggar-man with matches just stopped undef elton | | | EOMICOOOKS. conn