The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

epee eee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. . _ 267 eafe; and that there’s no hue and ery, I will take myself off. So if you have got a loose hundred or eo that you don’t know what to do with, you mis give them to me. But mind~—Iam a good kind of fellow in my way; and soa if ever your ladyahip hes any business you want done, just let mo know. I'm always to be heard of at the magn of the Billy Goat in Agar Town, London. That's where I used to mect Raiph Farefield years back. A note di-. rected to Mr. Chiffin—you needn’t ‘squire me— | under cover to Mr. Solomon Pateh, will be sure to reach me; and as I'm not likely to give up business altogether in my present way, even though I took « public or what not, as I have bem thinking of, I shall always be ready to attend to your ladyship's Jaliana might be removed from her peth, and be- fore her was & wretch who would perform the deed | But no: Lady Sexondale could not induce her Tn OO Er Te te ees vith geen theless trembled upon it; and it was with a revulsion of fecling that she resisted the temptation Gnd triumphed over the idea of this new and stu- pendous crime. “What is your ladyship hesitating for?” asked @Chifin. “Was you thinking whether there isn’t some nice little business I might to do? Hf s0, you nieedn’t be nice about it. I dare say can pey well; and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for money. The next time you want to get rid of any body, a flooded vault mayn’t be handy; and it would excite suspicion to have another sudden death like thet of your old housekeeper. It must be a different sort of game~a knife across the throat, for instance: and as your ladyship’s delicate hand mightn’t like to do it, this here hand of mine is leas “or heaven's seke, silence ! You are heaping sequire.” “Well, be quick then, if you mean me to be off.” Lady sped away from the horrible presence of the Cannibal, and stole back to her ehamber, with what feelings may be better imagined than described. Opening her writing-desk, she took forth a number of bank-notes and a quantity of gold: but as she was about to leave the room again, she felt so sudden a sensation of sickness and faint- ness come upon her, that she staggered and almost fell. She sought the toilet-table—filled a tumbler with water—and as the limpid draught was poured down her throut, it seemed to hiss as if passing over red-hot iron, so parched was that throat of hers! Refreshed however with the beverage, she gathered up the notes and gold im one hand, took the lamp in the other, and retraced her way to the chapel, in the vestiary of which she had loft the raffian intruder. “Here,” she said, “take this—and for heaven’s sake be gone. If youare fpund within these walls I could do nothing to ssve, you from being handed over to the grasp of justice.” - “Well, you behave -handsome enough, and t won't bother you by staying here :”—but as Chiffin spoke these words, be thought to himealf that from that time forth Lady Sexondale should prove the source of a handsome annuity for him. “ Now, which way do you mean me to leave the castle ?” “Doubtless,” answered the lady impatiently, “you are better able to deside that point than L” “Leave it t me,.then. One of them windowe overlooking the river is the best plan: for I suppose you don’t want me to follow your ladyship all Sree: See Sneeeaen pant oS Ee Gaviae Snes be See front gate ?” “ Not for worlds!” cried Lady Saxondale. Chiffin bade her lead the way with the lamp ; and quitting the chapel, they entered the nearest tapes- teied room. From .one of the windows in this the Cannibal lowered himself by the aid of a tree, the trunk of which grew out of the bed of the river iteelf, and ‘whose euprmous branches reached up to the casement whence he now departed. ’s forget the Billy Goat in Agar Town,” whispered Chiffin, as he paused for a moment on the bough to which he had just passed forth. “No, no,” was Lady Saxondale’s hurried response. “ Away, away with you |” “All right,” responded the Cannibal. “ Your ladyship needn’t wait any lounger :”——and he began to climb down the tree. Lady Saxondale closed the window, and hastened back to her own apartment.- There she sat down in a kind of bewilderment, scarcely knowing whether all that had just paced was a reality or a dream: but gradually as her ideas became collected, her thoughts disentangling themselves from the confu- sion into which they had been thrown, she shuddered with indescribable horror at the quiak retrospection which she cast over her interview with Chiffin. Good. heavens! how completely was she in that mis- oreant’s power! With a breath. he could deatroy her. These were her first and most natural reflec- tions: but as she became still more tranquillized, her view of the subject changed; and gathering she said to herself, “No! Coward, idiot that I wae~I should have dared him! Who would believe any aceusation from such foul lipa as his against Lady Saxondalef The conduct of my whole life, as the world has read it, would give a denial to his averments and stamp them as the most odious calunmies. :No: I am xo¢ in his power: it is ridi- culque—it is absurd! And yet I am not sorry, after all,” she continued in her musings, “ that this meet- ing has taken place. It is as well to know whare such a ready instrument of crime as that man is, may be found. Who can tell how soon I may noed his succour P - are gathering around me: I feel that it is so. -I feel also that I must either suc- camb, or else with one bold stroke sweep from my path all who can interfere with my views, coerce, or intimidate me. Yes: it is aa well to have learnt where that man is to be found. It ia likewise as well to have assured myself that no phantom from the dead haunts the chapel, but that it was a living being of flesh and blood. But, Ob! what a being— what a monster !” comicbhook