The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 357: what you’re looking at

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

@ THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. me that I had witnesses to the contrary—or else, if I had been seen lurking about in these 3——.”” “ Witnesses?” ejaculated her ladyship. “Do you mean me to understand that you brought any of your eompanions or friends with you ?” “Nothing of the sort,” inté.rupted Chiffin. “But I will tell your ladyship all about it-——” “The murder? Speak of that first. Who has been murdered? and what mean you by a double | deny murder f” “¥ mean what I say—that there is two young women lying dead—or at least I left them there— on the river's bank, both killed with pistol-bullete. I heard the report; and so did two gentlemen that was thero at the time.” “ And you would have me believe,” said her lady- ship, now fixing her eyes with a still more peculiar look than at first upun the Cannibal, “ that this is not your work ?”’ '“It'a so like mine that your ladyship can't very easy believe it isn’t: but it isn’t though for all that,’ “ And these women Pf You sey that you have left two gentlemen upon the “I have got little tale to tell your ladyship; and then you will see,” continued Chiffin, “ that I am a right staunch, trustworthy kind of a fellow. Bat first of all you must tell. me what you wanted me down here for—and all about it.” “TI do not require your services jast at present,” answered Lady Saxondale. ‘“ Circumstances have changed. But of course I shall reward you for your trouble; and it may be that in two or three weeks I shall need your aid.. I will however write to you again. Here, take this packet: it contains a recom- pense which I have no doubt will satisfy you. And now what have you to tell me ?” “Of course,” réplied Chiffin, taking the little parcel, and weighing it for a moment in his hand so as to calculate the probable amount of gold it might contain, “your ladyship will consider that what I am going to tell you is worthy of a further “Go on, go on,” in ted Lady Saxrondale impatiently. “You have y received sufficient proofs that I know how to behave liberally.” “ Well, you see, ma'am,” resumed the Cannibal, “ t'other night two gentlemen came to me at 8o- lomon Patch’s house in Agar Town, and very per- litely introduced themselves as Mr. Gunthorpe and Mr. Deveril “Ah!” ejaculated Lady Saxondale, with a visible start; and her face, already pale this night, grew paler still. ‘But proceed. What did they require of you ?” “ They told me that Mr. Deveril was at Gains- reward P”’ «borough when your ladyship posted that note to me —that he saw it posted—and that he knew it was you that posted it—and what’s more, too, he saw the address.” “But this is absolutely impossible!” cried Lady Saxondale, in mingled amazemént and consternation. “ You are deceiving me—you have betrayed me |” “Oh, well—if that’s your opinion,” observed the Cannibal gruffly, “ I may as well be off.” “No, no: proceed with what you have to say. Go on—I will nut interrupt yuu again.” “ Well, ma’am—that’s what the gentlemen said,” | continued Chiffin; “and they further stated .haé for certain reasons of their own they were uncon. mon anxious to see the contents of the letter. So, as there was nothing particular in it, I did show it to them.” “You showed it fo them ?” ejaculated Lady Saxondale angrily, and also in terror. “ Well, I thought it best: they seemed so positive that you had written it—and I couldn’t possibly it.” “ Bat what in heaven’s name must they think now F* murmured Lady Saxundale in accents of “ Don’t you eee, ma’am, I was acting in your in- terest? I wanted to draw the gentlemen out, and ascertain what object they had in view. So I pre- tended to tumble into their schemes; and they said that whatever reward you offered me for doing what you required, they would double it. Then they said that they should come down here into Lincolnshire, and I must manage to make them overhear what was to take place betwixt you and me. Now you know how it was they were in these parts to-night. But a very few minutes after I had joined them, we heard the report of pistol-shote: we rushed along the bank, and found the two dead bodies. Then the gentlemen got frightened at my being with them: they didn’t think me quite respectable enough, I suppose—and so they bundied me off at ones, giving up their scheme of getting into the castle. At first I thought of cutting away out of the neigh- bourhood as hard as I could: but then I reflected that it was better to come and see your ladyship, and tell you whats in the wind in respect to Mr. Deveril and Mr. Gunthorpe. So I madea circait and got back again to the castle—and that’s all I have to tell you. Now, if your ladyship thinks this is worth anything—— “Yes: you know I shall reward you,” inter- rupted Lady Saxondale, impatiently. “But did you really mean to introduce these personages into the castle ?” “ Well, to speak the truth,” answered Chiffin, “I should have done so: but then I should have took uneommon good care to tip you a wink, or drop you a word in a whisper, not to talk on any serious business. The fact is, I wanted to see this matter out with them two gentlemen ; and thaé’s all about @ st.” Lady Saxondale said not another word ; but draw- ing forth her purse, which contained notes and gold, she emptied it into the Cannibal’s hand. His eyes glittered with a horrible reptile ight, as be thought to himself that what with the money he had re- ceived from Mr. Gunthorpe, and the two separate sums he had just obtained from Lady Saxondale, he had made an excellent cvening’s work of it. “ And so, me’am, you have nothing more for me to do to-night ?” he resumed, as he consigned the money to his pocket. “Nothing. When I need your services again, I will write to you. You will do well to get out of this neighbourhood as quick as possible.” “I mean to do so. Thank you for the advice, ma’‘am: I have no inclination to get took up on sue picion of doing what I didn’t do.” “But one word more,” said Lady Saxondala. “It is probable that Mr. Gunthorpe and Mr. Deveril may seek you out again. 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