The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. Yard~—-that’s the office of the Commissioners, you know—and was desired to see how you were get- ting on, but without holding the slightest com- rounication with you. Now, don’t fi your- self, ma’am——you'll seo I’m acting a friendly . part towards you: but the truth is, the Commis. sioners have been in private communication with the parochial authorities—and—and—these autho- rities are going to—to—prosecute you. So I’m come to get evidence——” A half-stifled shriek came from the lips of the wretched Frenchwoman; and as she fell back in her chair as if she were about to go off in a fit, Mr. Shadbolt very considerately filled a glase with wine and held it to her lips: but as she only shook her head impatiently, and waved him off, he drank it himself,—coolly observing “that it was a pity it should be wasted.” " “ What, in the name of heaven, am I to do?” cried Madame Angelique, wringing her hands. **Do advise me, Mr. Shadbolt! You will find I shall be grateful! What am I to do? Shall I send off the young ladies at once? shall I shat up the house? I have already thought of all this— but———” “ Look here, ma’aw,” said the officer ; he calm and cool—we will discuss the matter quietly and comfortably—and I dare say you can get out of the business pleasantly enough in the long run.” “Ah!” said Madame Angelique, with a long sigh of relief: “I thought you would not leave me to be sent to n——to be ruined ——.” “Not a bit of it!” ejaculated Shadbolt. “Answer me a question or two. I suppose you are pretty warm—I mean you have got plenty of money P and if you was to cut this business you wouldn’t quite have to go into the work-house P Come, ma’am—tell the trath,” added the officer, seeing that she hesitated how to reply: “tell the truth, I eay, if you want the advice of honest Ike Shadbolt.” “Well, then,” ‘responded the Frenchwomapn, “TI certainly could retire from business with a tolerable competency if I chose: and indeed I had some thoughts of doing so after your Previous visit. Only—— “Only what P” inquired Shadbolt. “Only I fancied,” added Madame Angelique, “that I was the object of such bitter persecution on the part of that lady at Bayswater whom you and I spoke about, that she would pursue me wherever I went—and that it therefore little mat. tered where I might be or what I did—for that it would always come to the same thing——I mean that I should ever have to stand on the defensive against her.” While Madame Angelique was thus speaking, Shadbolt passed his hand slowly across his forehead with the air of one who was reflecting in a sort of half-bewilderment, and who was striving to collect his ideas. “What lady at Bayswater P” he at length said. “Did you not tell me the last time you were here,” inquired Madame Angelique quickly, “ that the information was given to the Commissioners by an Indian lady-———” “IfI did then, I was druzk,” interrupted Shad- bolt. “Ah! by the bye, I do recollect now, that you pressed me upon the point. You had got some crotchet in your head ; and perhape I thought it best at the time to leave you in the dark—o? more likely still, I was really in total ignorance myself——” “Then it is not the Lady Indora who is persecuting me?” exclaimed the Frenchwoman eagerly. “I don't believe the lady you speak of has any- to do in the business,” interjected Shadbolt. “Tho truth is, a lawyer in Bedford Row, Holborn —one Coleman by name—but who has a private house in this parish, is at the bottom of the whole affair; and from all I can learn, he has addressed the Commissioners most seriously on the subject. Indeed, there’s no use disguising the fact—he says he is employed for a wealthy client of his who also 21. lives in the parish, but who chooses to keep inthe . back-ground.” “ Mr, Coleman, a solicitor?” said Madame Angelique, musing reflectively: “I never heard of him. Bat then it is true gentlemen often come to my house under feigned names———” “And gather a great many particulars,” added Mr. Shadbolt significantly. “Now, you see, ma’am, I am dealing candidly with you. The truth is, the Commissioners know that you are not very perticular how you entice young girls away from their homes, or even have them carried off by force. They also know that a certain Lettice Rodney who was tried at Liverpool, belonged to your establishment-———” “Good heavens!” ejaculated Madame An- gelique. “They know too,” continued Shadbolt, “that at the time when she got into all her troubles, she was going to Ireland on your business—to wheedle back a certain Eveleen O’ Brien——” “Then Lettioe must have betrayed everything |” cried the Frenchwoman bitterly. “T can’t say who betrayed it,” proceeded Shad- bolt: “all I know is, that this is the infurmation given to the Commissioners by Mr. Coleman the lawyer. But there’s more still to come. It is known you have agents in different parts of the country to look out for young girls and pick them up for your customers who may themselves reside in the country. Now, what was that affair about a certain Isabella Vincent, who was carried off from a ferm-house somewhere in Kent, down to Ramegate P” “ Heavens! what, is this known too?” cried the Frenchwoman. “Well, it was certainly done by ts of mine——” “Well, then, you see that it ée known,” pro- ceeded Shadbolt. “And then there's something else too. Ah! and now I know why you talk of a lady at Bayswater! Did you not have some young person—a Mies Ashton, I think—carried off from - Villa down in that neighbourhood P—and she was rescued by a young nobleman———” “ All this is true!” exclaimed Madame An- gelique : and then in a musing manner she added, “ But if the Lady Indora gave the ioformat'on about Christina Asbton, how could she possibly know all the other circumstances ?” “You may be quite satisfied,” answered Shad- bolt, “that this Indian lady of whom you are talking has nothing to do with the business: so it is no use ranning your head any longer against that post. I tell you that it alt comes trom Cole- man tho lawyer, who is acting for a rich clicnt be- CONNIE LOO