The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THB COURT. " 43 immediately after your mother got into trouble P but it was you that said we must stick here at all hazards; and when we decided to remain, I did the best I could to keep up a show of respecta- bility ——” “ Of course I said we would remain !” ejaculated Mrs. Smediey. “ Do you think that the house wasn’t constantly watched after mother went down to Liverpool to Lettice Rodney’s trialP and it would have been madness for ys to have thought of @ move —suspicion would have been excited in a moment. But after that girl Rodney’s trial things looked hetter for us—though they wont so doad against mother ” “ Yes—I know the detective said at JLottice Rodney’s trial,” observed Jack Smedley, “that he had nothing to allege against our respectability.” “ Well, then,” continued Bab, “it was better for us to go on living here: but when two or three weeks back people began asking how it was that the old lodger of our’s disappeared go suddenly in the winter " “ Ah! that was the thing that began to frighten me too,” interjected the goldbeater; “end then eame the news of the Burker’s escape, and the fright we've been in lest he should come here to get us both into such trouble that we could never hope to get out of it——” “‘ That is nothing,” interrupted Bab, “in com- parison with the other thing we were speaking about before you went out to meet those Scotts.” * Ah! you megan your mother?” said Jack Smedley, with a significant look, at the samo time that he drew his chair oloser to his wife. “ Do you—do you really think,” he asked, with a very pale face, “ that the old woman is likely to peach P” «IT didn’t think so at first,” answered Bab—“ or else I shouldn’t have insisted that we were to remain here. But lately, the more Tve thought over the matter the more IT am convinced thero is every thing to be dreaded in that quarter. There’s no use disguising the fact, Jack—you never was a favourite with mother: and as for any love for me, her daughter—it’s all nonsense! If she thought she could do herself any good by turning round upon us and telling how two or three have gone down there——” “ Yes, yos—I know!” said Jack Smedley shud- dering, as his wife pointed in a downward diroc- tion. “~ But the quickline——” “Well, the quicklime has no doubt done its work long ago,’’ interrupted Bab, “even in respect to that man Smith—or Preston, I should aa —aeent “By the bye,” interrupted Jack, “what have you done with his letter—you know—and also the packet of papers we took out from under the flooring of his house in Cambridge Terrace P” Never mind the papers!” exclaimed Bab petulantly: “I have put them where they are safe enough—though little use they ever stand the chanoe of being to ue or our affairs: for when we made secret inquiries about those young Ash- tons, we heard they were living in a wretched poor lodging in Camden Town, and hadn’t the means of rewarding any one who would give them up those papers. It has been of no use to make any inqui- Fies since: for it is not very likely their condition is much improved. But let us return to what we were saying ——” “‘Yes—about your mother?” suggested Jack Smedley. “ Well then, about my mother,” continued Bab. * You know what my opinion ig—I tell you that mother will peach if it answers her purpose. She has not sent us any reply to thetwo or three letters we have written, and which I so carefully worded that she could not fail to understand the game we had to play——” “Perhaps she jg offended,” gbeerved Jack Smedley, “at our writing in that sort of sancti- monious strain P” ‘‘ Offonded P—nonsenge !” exclaimed Bab. “ How could she he offended? She knows very well that we must be aware all letters going te her would he opened by the gaol-authorities, and that we were therefore compelled to write in a particular way. But nevor mind all this!—it is of no use argyiag the point. I tell you that if mother lives on to gu through her trial and be condemned to death, she will peach as sure as you aro Jack Smediey !” “If she lives?” said the man, catching at thoso words which appeared to have some covert meaning. “Yes—if she lives,” answered Bab, repeating those words. “And therefore she must aot live— and if you are g man, Jack ” ‘I am man enough to do anything to secure our safety,” responded the goldbester. “Only show me how ‘a | “Now look yqu !” replied Bab: “I undersiand mother well enough—and a great deal better than you do. She would like to put herself out of the way before the trial comes on——of that I am convinced! Butif the trial is onze over, and she is condemned to death, and the croaking persons get hold of her, you may depend upon it she will out with everything !” “Then what is to be done?” asked Jack Smedley. “What is to be done ?” echoed his wife, with an air of mingled impatience and contempt : “ what should be done but for you to * and she whispered a few words in the ears of her hyus- band. “ But would you have me do this ?” he asked, gazing ypon her as if he thonght that she could scarcely be in earnest, or that she meant tu pub him to a test for some other and ulterior purpose. * Of course I would !” rejoined the fiend-liko woman: “everything for our own safoty! Let what will happen to the Burker, we know that he is staunch; and I feel convinced that nothing could induce him to turn round upon his pals. The more savage and ferocious @ person is, the more sure is he or she to bo true to friends and associates. As for those Scotts—we will get them safe oyt of the country; and then, if once mother is put out of the way, we havo got little or nothing to fear.” “ Well, I don’t know,” said Jack Smedley, ina sort of dismayed musing—“ I had a very bad dream last night. I thought tho black cat was scouring all over the house—that some strange man cawe in to look after her—that she cut duwa stairs into the acullery—hid hersclf underneath the table—and therefore sate right upon that trap- door ——” “Stuff and nonsense, with your black cats I” cried Bab Smedley. _ <i COMicooOolkxs.conrn