The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

aic his very words. He heard a rustling in the ever- and was startled. Ah! he little thought that Rolando Tash.” added the Captain, with a look of terrible ferocity upon the pale, trembling, and speech- Jean Colonel, “was concealed in the evergreens, li —Jjike—an ow] in an ivy-bush.” Here the gallant officer paused, and tossed off an- other tumbler of Port wine. “Well, my lord,” he continued, addressing him- self to the Marquis, “the Colonel proceeded to threaten Miss Trelawney— Mrs. Sackville, 1 mean— in a frightful manner. My hair, though well oiled and curling naturally, stood on end. He teld her that unless she yielded to his wishes, he would per secute her by all manner of means—destroy ber reputation—whisper to epe and breathe in the ears of another that she was his mistress—aye, and even forge letters with her name appended, to prove his tale. He gave hee two weeks to deliberate——" ‘ Koough, Captain Tash,” said Lerd Leveson. “T think.” he added, glancing round the table, “that we need net allow Mra. Sackville’s ears te be offended with a further recapitulation of these atrecities.” “Certainly not,” exclaimed the Prince Regent, ted with indignation. “Sit down, Tash, like a good fellow—and drink your wine.” “ Here’s a bumper, then, to your Reyal Highness,” said the Captaim, refilling his tambier and tossing off the contents. “And inasmuch as my Lerd Marquis is an excellent chairman, I drink a bumper to him also,”-—suiting the action to the wenl. “And for- asmuch as we have a beautifal lady present, I drink a bumper to her health in particular and that of the sex in general—for I don’t know what the devil we should do witheut them :*“—then, having drained the tumbler and refillimg it, he observed, “ Bat it would be bad manners om my part net to dzink to the other lords and gentlemen préeent———” How long Captain Tash would have gone on with his succession of bumpers and healtha, it is difficult | 3 to say: but he was suddenly mtesugted by the entrance of Robin, leading in Mra. Gale of Soho Square. A half-stifled groan now burst from the lips of Colonel Malpas, who saw that no chance remained for him, but that every available incident had been pressed into the service of his opponents. Discom- fited—crushed—almost annihilated, he sate ghastly and trembling in his chair, unable to speak a word —a wretched, wretohed example of mingled guilt, cowardice, and despair. Mrs. Gale was evidently much frightened at being brought inte the presence of this formidable con- clave: and Robin whispered to Captain Tash that if he kad not menaced her with a constable, she would not bave come at all. She now confessed, after some heaitation, and with many prayers for pardon, that she had been induced to draw up and sign the certi- ficate, which was dictated by Colonel Malpas, on condition of reesiving the immediate payment of a sum of money owing to her by him. She added that the certificate was not drawn up on the day spe- cifled by the date, but some days later: and she ad- mitted that Mrs. Sackville had never visited her establishment at all. She was then permitted to retire. Bat scareely had she left the room, when the foot- men entered to inform Ceionel Malpas that he was wanted for a moment on very particular business. “You must come back immediately, sir,” ex- elaimed the Marquis of Leveson, sternly. -» | a Cel THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. The Colonel murmured a faint “ Yes,” and hastily quitted the room in astate of mind not even enviable by a person about to be hanged. On stepping into the hall, he was confronted by like | two individuals whose looks proclaimed their errand. One was a person of the Hebrew nation, with a cut- away coat, knee-breeches, and top-boots. He wore a spotted neckerchief with an enormous pin—a banch of gold seals dangled from his fob—aad his silk handkerchief hung half-way out of his coat-pocket. His companion was a stout, elderly, shabby man, carrying a huge stick, or rather bludgeon. He wore a great-coat buttoned over his chest, a white bat with a mourning band, and very clamsy boots. Malpas, upon finding himself face to face with these worthies, clenched his fists in a paroxysm of rage ;—and then, as the Hebrew gentleman produced a writ, the miserable Colonel staggered back and sank upon a chair. “Five tousand guinish ish de eum, and tree gui- nish ish de expensh, Colonel,” aaid the bailifl—for such he was, “Dis leetlc writ ish at de shoot of Mishter Emmershon. My name ish Ikey—Moshes Ikey, at your servish; and my housh ish in Fetter Lane. Tom, keep de door.” . “All right,” growled the bailiffs man, planting “Thunder and lightning f” ronsed Captain Tash, deor of which he had been listening to what was pasting m the hall; “the Colonal’s gamg to quod— but he must not eseape condign 3 You peawshment. aneaking, paltry, cowardly villain he exclaimed, nose: “you are the greatest cur and the clumaicst villain I ever keew in al] my life! Se take that— and that—and thie—and thie—and that—and that upon his sundry boxes on the cars aad sidelong kicks on the breech by way of chastisement. Then suddenly releasing his victim, Captain Tash gave him one parting kick which sent him flying across the hali and ultimately sprawling on the door-mat. The whole party, Venetia excepted, had in the meantime crowded at the entrance of the dining- room to witness this scene, which excited peals of laughter ;—and when it was over, they returned to their seate—Captain Tash resuming his own chair and addressing himself again to the fruit and wine as calmly and composedly as if nothing had hap- pened. Then, while Colonel Malpas, crashed and con- founded, was taking his departure in company with Mr. Moses Ikey and his man Tom, the Marquis of Leveson said, “We had better conclude our busi- ness at once and leave the house of a vile impostor as soon as we cad.” “But where is Robint” inquired Sackville “Surely we may offer him a glass of wine f* * Oh! there he is,” observed Tash, coolly: and as every eye was directed towards the point indicated by the gallant officer, a portion of Robin’s form aad the tip of his nose were seen betwixt the opening of the window-cartains. It was with great difficulty he could be persuaded to ceme forth and drink some wine: and when he had tossed off the contents of a glass which Sack- ville handed him, he glided back again to his lurk- CONNIE OOO© (C SS CO