The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 328: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 316 would not think it rude nor unbecoming on my pert, I should so earnestly advise you to think of marriage ———" * Well, well,” said the Baronet, laughing; ° J suppose I mast think of it some day or another. Bat let me read over again this paragraph relative to poor Ariadne’s brother; and then you shall tell me at fall length and in detail, all those Iinci- dents that you have gleaned from her lips and which you have as yet only sketched so briefly to me.” Please to read the passage aloud, sir,” said Mra. Baines: “for I only glanced hurriedly over it just now.” Sir Douglas Huntingdon accordingly took up the newspaper and read aloud the ensuing pas- sage:— “ It will be in the reonllection of our readers that at the last sessions of the Old Bailey, a respectable-looking and _ genteel young man, named Theodore Varian, was sen- tenced to transportation for seven years for embezzling monies and falsifying accounts while in the service of Mr. Emmerson, the well known stock-broker of Birchin Lane, On the trial, it will be borne in mind, the young man pleaded guilty, and told a somewhat pathetic tale relative to having made free with his master’s money to pay debts contracted daring a beloved sister's iliness. Up to this paint the sympathy of the whole court had been evidently in his favour; bat it will be remembered that he proceeded to accuse Mr. Emmerson of having held out threats and matie infamous proposals relative toa his sister. As a matter of course, Mr. Emmerson indignantly denied the imputation; and the learned Recorder, to whom Mr. Em- merson’s high character in the City is of course well known, told the prisoner very plainly that all previous sympathy excited in his behalf, was not merely destroyed, bat was sacceeded by loathing and contempt for this base endeavour to calumniate his employer. Hence the severe sentence of seven years’ transportation which his lordship deemed it right to ; ass upon the prisoner. ‘*We have recapitulated these facts which were before published in our columns, in order to remind our readers of the artful cunning and unprincipled disposition of this young man, whose external appearance and genteel man- ners at first enlisted so much sympathy in his favour. And if any farther proof were wanted of the right estimate which the learned Recorder formed ef his consummate ty, such proof will be found in the occurrence we tto relate. Ina word, this Theodore Varian es- caped from Newgate last night in a very semarkable man- ner. It appears that during the day the order had been received for the removal of himself and other convicts to Woolwich, preparatory to their departure for the penal settlement. As the order arrived suddenly, the convicts were permitted to see their friends until a late hour last ! evening; and it is remembered by the gaol anthorities that Theodore Varian was visited by his sister, who wag clad in an ample cloak, At nine o'clock the bell rang ag a signal for all visitors to depart; and as there were some fifty or sixty strangers, male and female, at the fime, it is supposed that Varian must have saddenly slipt on his sister's cloak, and probably a bonnet and vell which it would have been easy for her to conceal under that cloak. At all events, shortly after the strangers had departed, Theodore Varian was missed; and the above explanation is the only solution that can be given as to the mode of escape. Up to the hour of going to press, we have not heard of his recaptare.*’ “ And the conjecture, then, relative to the method of the escape, is the right one,” said the Baronet, as he laid down the newspeper. “ Bat you must now give me all the details of Ariadne's narra- tive.” * * With much pleasure, sir,” replied Mrs. Baines. “Tt appears that Theodore and Ariadne are orphans, and that they entertain the sincerest d ) een “iia ® affection for each other—an affection not only natural in consequence of the ties of brother and aister, but also strengthened by the keen apprecia- tion of that orphan lot which they have together endured from childhood. It is true that Theodore self-appropriated some of Mr. Emmerson’s moneys; and I feel confident it is also true that the hard. - hearted, griping, greedy citizen did tell the unhappy Theodore that if within three days he did not pre- pare his sister to surrender her honour, the worat should ensue. This was towards the close of Sep- tember; and for the three following days Ariadne says that her poor brother seemed to be frenzied with grief. It was not until the third night that he revealed to his sister the horrors of his position and the deeper infamy into which Emmerson tried to plunge them both. Ariadne was at first dis- tracted: but in a short time the natural strength of her character enabled her to speak with calm- ness upon the position in which herself and un. happy brother were involved. To be brief, they saw no alternative but flight ;—and having hastily disposed of everything saleable, and thus redaced the amontit of their worldly possessions to the compass of two small bundies containing changes of raiment, they fled from the metropolis.” * Poor orphans!” said the Baronet, in a low tone and with an involuntary sigh. * But go on, Mrs. Bainvs— go on.” “They got a lift in some vehicle as far as Houn- slow, where they passed the night. In the next room to the one where Varian slept, two persons of evidently queer character were lodged; and not being aware that the partition was so thin as it was, they conversed unrestrainedly. Theodore could not help hearing every word they said; and he found that they were two highwaymen. They wore buasting of their exploits; and from what they said it appeared that there was always a much better chance of an offender against the laws concealing himself in London than ia any country districts. In fine, their discourse made such an impression upon Theodore, that he re- solved to retrace his way to the capital. In the morning he commanicated to his sister all he had overheard, and the resolation he had formed in consequence ; and accordingly, when night came again they returned to London. Hiding themselves in a garret in some low neighbourhood, they passed a fortnight in a state of continual terrors, ap- prehensions, and alarms, They also lived most frugally —even miserably —in order to eke out their scanty resources. Poor orphans! how often and often must their tears have been mingled as they thought of the present and the past, bat dared not look forward to the fature! Oh! it makes my heart bleed to think what this dear sweet girl must have suffered. Is it not shocking, sir, that such a heavenly creature—such an an- gelic being — should be doomed to know such bitter affliction? Only fancy those soft azure eyes weeping such bitter tears— only fancy those lovely pale cheeks, just like damask, being scalded with floods of anguish |—Ah! and fancy too, that thoes lips which look like rose-buds, should ever wreath otherwise than io the suaniest smiles.” “Mrs. Baines, you are growing quite poeticai,” said the Baronet, who was in reality deeply affected. “Come, pray proceed,” he observed burriedly: * you were telling me how this poor girl EOMIEHOOOKS. conn