The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 155: what you’re looking at

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144 upon the carpet as if stricken dead with apo- a for the alarm!” ejaculated Lady Saxondale as she sprang up from her seat. But at the same instant she heard the sudden rush of footeteps; and glancing round in affright, ehe found herself confronted by Chiflin the Canni- bal, whom she had supposed to be by that time busily engaged in plundering her bed-chamber. The hideous rage of ten thousand demons ap- peared to be gathering in his infuriate looks, as he aimed a tremendous blow at Lady Saxondale with | p the bludgeon which he had taken from underneath his coat: but she avoided it by instinctively sinking om her knees—and stricken dumb with terror, she extended her arms in mute appeal for mercy. Had she not thus abruptly fallen down to that suppliant posture, there would have been an end of the bril- ent and magnificent Lady Sexondale then and ! “ Make a noise, and by Satan! PH do for you!” growled the Cannibal in a deep ferocious tone: and he again raised his bludgeon menacingly. “No, no—I will not say a word,” murmured Lady Saxondale, whose fortitude appeared to have all given way. “ But spare my life—do not kill me— for God's sake do not kill me!” “That all depends,” was the Cannibal’s brutal response. “Come, get up from your knees—but don’s speak louder than a whisper, and don’t move without my telling you, or I'll make devilish light work of it, you may be sure! Now then, what have you done to my mate here? Is he dead?” “ No, no—not dead—only stupified,” answered Lady Gaxondale. “ He will come to himself again All this while Lady Saxondale remained standing in the middle of the room, on the very spot wherc she had previously knelt: for the pistol continued to be levelled enough of of Chiffin with him. Unperesived by her ladyship, and while kneeling down by the side of Tony Wilkins, Chidin gathered up the white handkerchief, which was im- with that powerful and stupifying essence; and tucking it partially up his sleeve and holding the remainder in his hand, so that it was altogcther concealed from her ladyship’s view, he rose up from his kneeling posture “ What's all this here mean? what's been done ?®* asked Tony Wilkina. “TI feels ali no-how———” i You remain “Ladyship indeed! she's a witch,” muttered Tony Wilkins angrily, “to be able to knoek down a chap with a ankercher in this here way.’ “Now, ma’am,” resumed Chiffin, accosting Lady Saxondale, “about this monsy-business. But [ say!” he exclaimed with a sudden start; “ whose that coming in ?” Inetinctively did Lady Saxondale look round; and at the same moment the white cambric hana- kerchief—her own handkerchief—was thrust up to her face. The scream that rose to her lips, was stifled ere it found vent by the sudden paralyzation of all her faculties and senses; and she dropped down upon the floor m the same way as Tony presently.” Wilkins had ere now fallen. “So much the better for you,” said the Cannibal.; When Lady Saxondale became aware of return- “A pretty kind of a woman you are, to be able to | ing consciousness, the glimmering of dawn stealing play such a precious tricky part ‘into the room through the curtains, was mingling “Was it not natural?” observed Lady Saxondale, | with the light of the wax-tapers that had nearly mow somewhat regaining her self- ion. i burnt down to their sockets; and as her ladyship’s “Oh! don’t bother like that,” interrapted Chiffin | reminiscences gradually settled themselves in her Gercely : then, as he gazed down upon the prostrate | brain, she looked around in the dread anticipation end mutioniess form of Tony Wilkins, his look grew | of behoiding the hideous forms of the burglars. But serious as if he were revolving something of im- | she found herself alone. Raising hereelf up from portance m his mind. “ By jingo, after all,” hej| the carpet—but painfully and feebly, for ahe ex- suddenly exclaimed, “I’m deuced glad this business | perienced a heavinees in the head and a languor ell has happened—it’s given me an idea. ‘Pon my | over her form—she threw herecif upon a sofa, soul, I’m uncommonly indebted to your ladyship! | pressed her hand to her throbbing brows, and then Why, robbing will become quite an easy matter. | reviewed everything that had taken place. Rising with nothing like risk in it, if so be you've told me ; again from the sofa, she ap the table to true that this here stuff,” and he pointed to the | take wax-light ; and she observed that the bottle phial upon the table, “takes away the senses just , of ul essence was gone. She looked on the by smelling it. And now, ma’am please to tell me , mantel—she looked all round the room—but it was how a person is to be recovered ?” ' not to be seen. In the course of this survey, rapid “The individual will presently revive naturally,” | though it was, she soon discovered that a great answered Lady Saxondale ; “ and if not, by shaking number of articles of value had been taken away; means adopted in cases of swoon———" | own person had been plundered—her rings had dis- “Oh! if that’s the case, then wo'll try the experi- | appeared from her fingere—her watch, necklace, ment,” said Chifin. “Bat mind you, ms’am, stay | and other ornaments, had all vanished! where you are—don’t budge an inch—or———" | She now, in great trepidation and alarm, hurried And without finishing the sentence, he pointed ' away from the room, and sped to the cham ber of bis pistol at Lady Saxondale, Then kneeling by one of the lady’s-masids. There she aroused the the side of Tony Wilkins, and all the time keeping sleeping domestic with the startling intelligence the pistol still pointed at the lady, he gently shook | that the house had been broken into; and the othe his prostrate companion. With a deep gasp Wil- servants were speodily called up. In a few minutes kins began to revive: and in a few minutes he ali was bustie ¢:12 confusion, together with ne sroall completely recovered his senecs, though he expe- amount of dismay. lord Saxondale’s valet was (CO DOO SS (CO