The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

* complete document to the Government. You see that the fragment which we have not got is the ; most important, because it contains the signatares of the present King and your late aunt.” “Bat how can we obtain that half?” demanded Jalia. “There is one way—and only one way that I can see,” responded Page. “I must call upon Meagies and propose to give him his own price for ' procaring me the fragment which his principal or . employer, whoever he may be, possesses. It would ' be worth while to venture three or four thousand ‘ guineas in such a bargain. We should make ten thousand by it.” | © And where are you to get three or four thou- sand guineas from?’ said the young woman, put- tng the query with some degree of hesitation, | amounting even to uneasiness—as if she felt that it was now necessary to reveal something of a dis- agreeable nature, and that it became impossible to delay the confession. , “Where are we to get such a sum from? cried her husband, surveying her with astonishment. “Why—haven’t we six thousand golden guineas safe in that cupboard ?” “Bat you must not—you cannot—you dare not pass away many of those coins at the same time,” said Julia, speaking with an emphasis which was | wunsnal on her part. “What the devil do you mean?” demanded Page, with increasing wonderment. “ You have come by | y the money honestly, at all events: it is yours by inheritance—and you are not supposed to have any idea of the illegitimate means whereby your father | Wrong thas enriched himself.” | “Ah! Ihave already told you that my father vas a terrible man,” observed Julia, with a strange mysteriousness in her tone and aspcct; “and he vas acquainted with a nomber of marvellous | ings secrets.” “So much the better for usf* exclaimed her husband. “The gold which those secrets produced him, has fallen into our hands.” “Bat de you not know what my father originally was?” asked Julia. “Not at all. He was one of the principal coiners im the Royal Mint; and he lost his situation in consequence of being suspected of secreting two or théce dies or moulds in whieh certain pieces of money were cast.” As Julia was giving utterance to these words in a tone of i , 2 horrible idea stole peculiar significancy into the mind of her husband; and, suddenly re- membering that letter in the pocket-book which referred to the supply of spurious coin tw the bankers at Aylesbury, the sickening suspicion now few moments changed into a The young woman hastened to comply with this request ; Page, having drained the wine-glass which she filled with the ardent spirit, began slowly to recover from the consternation that had fallen upon him, ® “I had better know the worst at once, Julia,” _ “——- eum — | THE MYSTERIES. | 109 he said, regarding her with haggard eyes. “The contents of those six bags——” “ Are all spurious,” she hastened to reply ; “there’s no use in mincing the matter—and now you've learnt the real truth.” “But you should have told me—you should not have misled me——” began Page, his bitter dis- appointment now changing into fury. “Stop a moment!” exclaimed Julia, her tone, countenance, and manner all suddenly indicating that she could be a very demoness when roused, difficult though it were to excite her: “you are accusing me wrongfully—and I'll smash your head to pieces with that poker if you give me any more of your nonsense. You sought me out—I did not seek you: you had already made up your mind that my father was a rich miser—and at first I was going to undeceive you ;— ut your intentions to- wards myself became apparent—and I held my tongue, suffering you to fancy whatever you chose. Now, then, are we not equal? You married mo only because you thought I was wealthy—I married you because I wanted a respectable position.” While she was thus speaking, Julia’s eyes shot forth living fires—her white teeth gleamed between the lips which the habit of dram-drinking had rendered of an unnatural red—and her cheeks, which dissipatiun had robbed of the hues of health, became flushed with the purple dye of rage. “Come, Julia dear—come—I didn’t mean to vex ou—I—I assure you I did not,” stammered?Page, absolutely frightened by the fiendish countenance that ‘thus glared so menacingly upon him. “I was -—-I know that I was—I——I beg your par- don, Julia,” he added humbly. “'Well—you can’t do more than that,” said the young woman, instantly becoming pacified : and by the aid of a dram she appeared to relieve her feel- altogether. “The only thing you can do, is to make the best of a bad bérgain—if you still think it is one. Follow the counsel which my father in- tended for me in the little scrap of paper scrawled over with a pencil: that is—use the coin wisely, and we shall prosper ;—use it rashly, and we shall be ruined.” “By Jove! itis my opinion that we had better not use it at all,” exclaimed the ex-traveller. “ That be hanged ” responded Julia. “ You have already paseed away three or four pieces in to-day’s purchases; and you saw that on each oocasion, when the shopkeepers rang the money on their counters, they were perfectly satisfied with it.” “True!” observed Page — but not without a shudder at the idea of having passed away no less than four spurious guineas in the course of the day. “You need have no fear of detection, if you only act with caution,” resumed Julia, who possessed no ordinary amount of common sense and sterling judgment. “My father was as skilfal in coining base money as he was in his chemical experiments. He might have been immensely rich, if he wasn’t so timid. The sordid manner in which he lived was a mere blind, to avert suspicion: and there were times when he enjoyed himself with many luxuries, I can tell you. But it was on acoount of me chiefly that he would not launch out into a decent way of life. He thought that I was na- turally extravagant; and that if I was allowed the use of as much of that spurious money as I o> o — 7 -~ aE & COMNGRDOO S COMM