The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

116 THE MYSTERIES. “No, my lady—he’s not,” answered the Beggar- man: “and he isn’t expected to return til] to-mor- row, neither. He's over the water—at tother house——” “We called there in the first instance this even- ing,” interrupted Meagles; “and he had left, without telling the man Briggs where he was going. That made us come across the river, to the Beggar’s Staff: and we should have been here upwards of two hours ago, if it had not been for a little incident which de- layed us. But, however,” continued Meagles, “ it is growing late—and we will not waste time. You know all about the business which brought us hither on the previous occasion of our visiting the Beggar's Staff; —and youcan perhaps give us some necessary in- formation now.” “ Anything that I can do to serve you, sir, shall be done cheerfully,” responded the Big Beggarman, well aware that he was dealing with a good paymaster. “You already know that we came here the last time, which was six or seven months ago, about a certain paper in Lightfoot’s possession,” resumed Meagles; “ and on that occasion your friend Warren made an appointment for us to meet him at the old man’s next day. This appointment we kept: but it led to no good. Lady Letitia subsequently wrote Warren a long letter, containing particular explana- tions and instructions—and to this letter no answer was ever returned.” “Well—I’m surprised at the Magsman’s want of attention in that respect,” exclaimed the Big Beg- garman, assuming as much politeness as his uncouth nature could possibly permit: “ for there was some- thing of importance to communicate, nevertheless. But I suppose that other business turned up sud- denly—and he must have put off writing from time to time till he forgot it.” “ And what was. the subject of importance?” de- manded Meagles. “ Why—the letter which her ladyship wrote, and which I saw,” continued the Beggarman, “ hinted at foul means to obtain the paper. Well, Lord bless you! that very same night that the letter came, me, the Magaman, and Briggs, got into old Lightfoot’s crib, and tried to make him surrender the dokiment. But it was no go—and there the matter ended. But the Magsman ought to have reported it in due course.” “And is Lightfoot still dwelling in the same place?” asked the Amazon. “ God bless your sweet eyes!” ejaculated the Beg- garman: “ he’s dead!” “ Dead!” exclaimed both Meagles and the hun- treas, as if it were in the same breath. ‘‘ Yes—he died three or four nights ago,” returned the villain; “and his gal has bolted. So I suppose she’s taken the papers and everything else with her —lJeaving the parish, most likely, to bury her old father: for I’m blessed if any body else will.” “Then our hopes are defeated in that quarter,” said Meagles, in a tone of vexation. “It was odd that Briggs told us nothing about his death.” “The man did not know the nature of our busi- ness,” observed Lady Letitia. “ We never spoke to him before in our lives ;—and it was only in consequence of what Warren told us last June or July—or when- ever it might have been—that we were even aware of the fellow’s name. We were desired, when we wanted to see Warren, to make inquiries of Briggs or else at this place.” “ Just so, my lady,” said the Beggarman. “ Briggs 18 a8 cautious a chap as here and there one.” “But perhaps there is some way of tracing old Lightfoot’s daughter,” exclaimed Meagles, the thought suddenly striking him. “ We'll endeavour to do s0, sir,’ returned the Big Beggarman; “ and if we hear anything we'll let you -know. I s’pose a letter, written in the inwisible ink the secret of which you bought of the Magsman, will always reach your ladyship in safety 2” “Oh! certainly,” replied the Amazon. “But the address must not be invisible also,” she added, laughing. ‘ T should rayther think not, ma’am,” responded the burly villain. “ Well—you will make inquiries after Lightfoot’s daughter—will you?” said Meagles, tossing down five guineas upon the table as an earnest of future recompense. “ Now, Letitia,” he continued, turning towards his beautiful companion, “ we will take our departure: and I hope we shall not have to encounter apy more adventures such as the one which detained us just now.” “ Was it so very unpleasant, sirt” asked the Beg- garman, merely by way of making an observation which he fancied to be polite, and not through any sentiment of curiosity-—much less on account of any suspicion of the real nature of that adventure. “T will tell you,” said Meagles. “ You know al- ready that her ladyship and myself called in the first instance this evening at the house in Shadwell or Wapping, wherever it may be. Well, not finding the Magsman there, as we have likewise already explained to you, we cut across to the stairs at Execution Dock, to take a boat ——’ “Ab! an ugly place, that!” exclaimed the Beg- garman, suddenly becoming interested in the tale. “ Yes—it is indeed,” responded Meagles: “and there’s a body suspended in chains to a gibbet on the point of land, at this very moment,” he added. “ It was positively gloomy and dispiriting even to me and my harum-scarum friend here to listea to the dreadful creaking of the irons, as the corpse swung to and fro. But, however—we took a wherry, and were crossing the river, through a darkness so in- tense that it was something like the one which fell upon Egypt—I mean it might be felt——" “ Well, sir—well?” interrupted the Big Beggarman, impatiently: for he was now still more interested in the narrative—and suspicions of what was coming were rising rapidly and fearfully up in his mind. “The waterman had scarcely pushed off the boat,” continued Meagles, “when a terrific scream—ap- parently coming from the middle of the river—met our ears.” “ And, oh! such a scream—I shall never forget it as long as I live!” exclaimed the Amazon, shudder- ing visibly. “It still tingles in my ears.” “It must have been very unpleasant,” said the B an, in whose ears that scream likewise tin- gled. “But pray go on, sir: you—you interest me.” “« Well—it immediately struck us that it must be a maneither drowning or being murdered,” resumed Meagles. “ Murdered !—what made you think that?” de- manded the ruffian, hastily. “Qh! you may well shudder at it, my good friend,” said Meagles: “for, my God! if you had heard that awful—rending—piercing scream of dying agony, you would never forget it. I ordered the COMIGROO S Ee nL PP i i a COMM