The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 69: what you’re looking at

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eo wey, 2 Ae ee —_ wee EE ee — gts —— i a SP - PE La —- ae ee ee eee eee eee ee eel 58 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. at the moment—of the name of Ferney, and who had quite enough brandy-and-water: so I will be af. quite a mania for subjects. Well, Bob Shakerly Bat don’t forget to be down at Patch’s to-morrow went and saw the doctor, and told him what a prize night at nine o’clock—or else you and me are very eee eee — -_ Ee ey e might be had if he chose to give a decent sum for it. This he at once agreed to do; and our arrange- | ‘ , ny undertaking,” replied Madge Somers. hkely to fall out.” “You know that when I promise I always fulfil “To be sure: I don’t doubt you,” said Chiffin. and get out the body; for we saw the means of “And now good night.” doing it without running any particular risk of dis- covery. On his side Bob Shskerly agreed to be In the wood close by the castle with a horse and cart in| the middle of the night; and things bemg thus ecttled, we set to work without delay. You have never been down in that part of Lincolnshire, have © Pp” } a a and at least half of it was shut up in those times,” continued the Cannibal. “I don’t know anything “Good night,” answered the woman: and the Cannibal took his departure. CHAPTER XIV. YRasH ADVENTURES ON THE GAME NICHT. Wr left Lord Saxondale at the moment when, about it now. All we learnt the first time of our | already described, he had gained the Seven Sisters breaking in had taught us how to do things better on this second occasion: so we clambered up to one of the windows that overlooked the River Trent, and got into the uninhabited part that way. We went down into the vaults and found the body just where we had left it lying on the steps. One would have thought the rate must have begun to make a meal upon it: but it was quite otherwise — the stiff’'un was as fresh and as perfect as when we dragged it out of the water two nights before. Well, we got it up the stone stairs into a sort of vestry-place opening out of the chapel. There we put it into one of those precious big sacks that re- surrectionists have for the purpose, and lowered it by ropes out of the window by which we had got in. Our own escape was made without exciting any alarm in the building; and we got the stiff’un safe away into the wood, where Bob 8 was wait- ing with < uorse and cart. He then drove off to Gainsborough, while me and my pals followed on though when it came to be divided amongst us all, our shares wern’t very great, yet it was a matter of eight pound apiece—and that was better than nothing. Me and my pals came back to London, and sold Ralph Farefield’s jewellery to Solomon Patch. So, all things considering, we did not return quite empty-handed.” “ And that is all you have to tell me?” observed Aiadge Somers, as Chiffin the Cannibal left off speaking. “ Yos—that’s all, and enough too I should think,” he answered with one of his grim emiles. “ Wasn't it @ precious string of adventures? But by the by, I may tell you that the Dr. Ferney I have been apeaking about, has since become a very cele- brated man. Bob Shakerly told me so. Ah! Bob’s an old man now, and does nothing in the resurrection line: eubjects have got so precious cheap since the law was altered, and doctors can get hold of poor people that die in hospitals, and workhouse pau and convicts. But Bob is doing pretty well though, in another line: he keeps a knacker’s yard down at Cow "a Alley, I think it is——you must know whereabouts I mean? 8o having dug up human bodies for the doctors to dissect, ho now buys old horses which he dissects himself for cat’s-meat and sausages. But it’s precious late, Madge, and I think I have Qe eee > oe eo -wEED = € @ 2 ep @ @-48eee ows Getihee ewe eS eum oe ee Road. It was not in a very lonely part that he now found himself: for Hornsey Wood Tavern was within five minutes’ walk in one direction, and ten minutes would bring him to the houses in Hornsey Road in another direction. He thought the best thing he could do would be to proceed to the tavern, knock the up, and procure a bed for the remainder of the night. But while he paused for a few moments in the middie of the road to reflect whether he should adopt this course, or make the best of his way beck into London, his ear caught the quick tramplings of a steed approaching from the direction of the i Almost imme- diately afterwards the horseman came up to the spot where Saxondale was loitermg; and although proceeding at the time at fall gallop, he suddenly remed in his steed so that it came to a dead halt. The reader will remember that it was a clear star- light night; and Saxondale was therefore enabled to perceive that the stranger who had thus stopped eo abruptly, had the appearance of a young man very dressed: but he could ses little of his countenance, inasmuch as a great shawi- kerchief, tied round the neck, reached almost up to the nose—while the hat, which had large brims, was drawn low over the forehead. The steed which the traveller bestrode was a magnificent animal; and though evidently docile and obedient to the will of its rider, it nevertheless began pawing the ground with some little degree of impatience at best suited to its high mettle. “You are out late to-night, sir,” said the horse- man, whose voice, though sounding with somewhat muffied accents through the folds of the shawi- neckerchief, was nevertheless mild and agreeable. “ Yes,” answered Saxondale, who was just in that frame of mind to be by no means displeased at meet- ing some one to talk to, after an adventure which had been fraught with so much terror, and the in- fluence of which still lingering upon his mind, made the road seem more lonely and the silence of the night more ominous than under other circumstances they would have appeared. “But I may make the same observation in to you. We are both late. It must be considerably past twelve o'clock :” —and pulling out his watch, he examined it by the starlight. ‘ Near one, I declare!” “ Which way lies your road” inquired the tre GORMGOOOKXS a |