The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 151: what you’re looking at

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138 the Marquis, in atone of vexation. “ But what bas become of her? Who was the lucky dog——” “Your lordship must not blame me for that loss which you thus deplore,” observed the woman. “No sooner had I got the young lady safe at Soho Square, than I hurried off to Albemarle Street to report the circnmstance: but your lordship, as you may remember, was ill in bed at the time 7 “To be sure—to be sure,” interrupted Leveson. “Ah! it wasa great misfortune! But what be- came of her after all ?” “ On leaving your lordship's abode, I recollected that there was another means of disposing of the young lady to advantage,” continued Mrs. Gale: “and so I instantaneously availed myself of it. But I mast not tell your lordship any more,” she added, with one of her biandest smiles. * You know I never repeat tales out of school.” “ Quite right, Mrs. Gale—quite right,” exclaimed the Marquis. “If you chatted about others to me, K should expect you to chat about me to others. I like your discretion and applaad your prudence.” “ There is one thing, however, my lord, which I don’t mind mentioning and which regards another person,” said Mrs. Gale: “and this is that the sneaking, unprincipled, dishonest fellow, Colonel Malpas, came and borrowed five hundred pounds of me six weeks ago—and I can’t get a farthing back from him, I declared that I would expose him: and so now I have begun.” “It is too bad of him,” observed the Marquis. “ Bat this is not the only thing of a mean and shabby kind that I have heard about him within the lest few days. He is evidently an unprincipled scoun- drel—and I shall cut him. They sey he has run through all his wife’s fortune—the heiress of the re- tired butcher ——-” “ 'Yes—and he and the Earl of Curzon are raising money together by all kinds of desperate means, I am told,” added Mrs. Gale, who delighted in a bit ef gossip, especially when it was mixed up with scandal. “At least, I hear that their joint bills and promissory notes are flying about in all directions in the City: and so I am afraid that I stand but a poor chance of getting back my five hundred pounds from Malpas. But I will lock him up in the Fleet or the Bench, before I have done with him.” ) “And is the Earl of Curzon really in difficul- ties 7” exclaimed the Marquis oi Leveson. “1 tell your lordship what I have heard,” an- swered Mrs. Gale. “In fact Malpas cffered me a bill with the Earl’s acceptance: but thinking it was only to gain time, I refused to talce it.” “And yet Curzon received a goed fortune with his wife,” observed the Marquis. “By the bye, Mrs. Gale, she is a monstrous fine woman—a very fre woman! I can't exactly make her out. Sometimes I think she is all that is correct and even prodish—and at other times I have been led to form a contrary opinion. Have you ever seen her ?*” “I have, my lord,” was the reply. “She is a woman.” “ And what is your opinion of her ?” demanded the Marquis, emphatically. “Oh! I reafly cannot say—I don’t know,” ex- claimed Mrs. Gale: then, as the time-piece on the mantel struck five, she said, “I must be off. In- deed, I shall take a coach and ride over to Wands- worth at once. Perhaps I may see Mr. Bradshaw THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. uum this evening. At all events I shall go and en. deavour to obtain an imm diate interview with him.” “Do so,” observed the Marquis: “for I am fearful that he may leave the country, as he has very recently been living in France.” Mrs. Gale then took her departure; and seek- ing the nearest hackney-Coach stand, she entered a vehicle and ordered the driver to take her to Wandsworth. On arriving in that vicinage at about seven o'clock, she inquired where Beechey Manor was situated; and on gaining the requi- site informatioh, she alighted from the coach at the Blue Lion. Her object was to make certain little inquiries of the landlord or landlady pre- vious to repairing to the Manor: but upon pat- ting the first question, she was informed that Mr. Bradshaw was at that very moment drinking brandy-and-water in the parlour of the public- house. She also learnt that he was alone there: and without 1° y hesitation she at once entered the parlour, having ordered some slight refresh- ment. Seating herself in the room, and sipping the negus which was supplied her, she surveyed Mr. Bradshaw from the corner of her eye, her pro- ceedings in delicate matters of this kind being much regulated by the view she took of the indi vidual’s character, as she judged of it by her skill fin realing the human physiognomy. She accord- ingly beheld in Mr. Bradshaw a man on whose features dissipation had left their unmistakable marks; and in the lines of his countenaace and its general expression she saw the worst passions a d most vicious inolinations plainly indicated. But while making this furtive survey, the impession gradually stole into her mind that she ‘iad seen those features before—where or when, however, she could not recollect. “Itisa beautiful evening, sir,” she said at length, by way of opening a conversatior. “I¢ is” remarked Bradshar, who was smoking a cigar: then, as he began to contemplate the woman with some degree of attention, he observed, *Pardon me, ma’am—but your features certainly are not unknown to me.” ‘And now I think of it, sir,” she exclaimed, “1 am sure that I have seen you before.” “Why, surely you must be Mrs. Gale of Soho Square !* he cried, the recognition flashing to his mind with the vividness of lightning. “J am, sir,” she answered, inwardly rejoicing at being thus claimed as an acquaintance by one with whom it was so desirable to get upon an immedia footing of intimacy. “ And you are Mr. Brad- shaw——” “Ah! how did you know that?” he in juired, eyeing her suspiciously for a moment. “Simply because the landlady at the bar, when she desired me to step in here to take my refresh- ment, observed that there was no one in the parlour but Mr. radshaw of the Manor :”—and Mrs. Gale gave this reply with an air of the utmost sincerity. “Oh! that was it,” observed Bradshaw, perfectly satisfied. “I know very well that when I fre- quented your house in Soho Square some years ago, I never gave any name at all: but it is a long, long time since I saw you la .” “It must be, sir,” replied Mrs. Gale: “ becanse I have on ly a dim recollecti n of you. And yet I ElLOOO