The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

304 the adventure which we are relating. For the noble- man, gliding hastily down the stairs in the pitchy darkness which prevailed, overtook the Magsman near the bottom; and laying his hand upon the villain’s shoulder, he said, in a low but impressive whisper, “One word with you, ny friend !” “ Well—what now?” demanded the Magsman, in a Voice scarcely even as agreeable as the growl of a tiger roused from its nap by the stick of the mena- gerie-keeper. “If you mean mischief——” “ T mean nothing of the kind,” was the curt and decisive interruption. “On the contrary, you are just the very sort of man for whom I have been seek- ing these months past—and I am delighted that acci- dent should have thrown such a desperate fellow as you are in my way.” “Then why did you interfere with me up-stairs ?” demanded the Magsman gruffly, and more than half- inclined to immolate—or attempt the immolation of —the unknown with his club. “Because,” replied the nobleman unhesitatingly, “in the first place it was necessary, to protect a female from violence—even though that female be, as I understand from what passed, your own lawful wife: secondly, because it was equally necessary to prevent you from creating a disturbance calculated to alarm the household and expose the fact of my presence in Mrs. Brace’s bed-room ;—and thirdly, because I can put you in the way of earning a sum of money which shall be ample enough to render you independent for the rest of your days in a foreign land.” “This last reason is one which £ understand best of all,” said the Magsman. “ But are you in earnest ? —or do you meditate some plant to entrap me?” “ Fool!” ejaculated the nobleman, contemptuously: “do you take me for a Bow Street runner ?” “TI don’t know what the devil to take you for,” re- joined the Magsman. . “ Nor do I intend to enlighten you,” said the nobleman. “But although you could not see me in the bed-room just now, I had a good view of your precious countenance from behind the curtain—and if I were an artist, I could paint it from memory to-morrow, to the very life.” “You're complimentary, at any rate,” observed Warren, laconically. “ But about this business you hinted at——” “We eannot discuss it now: nor must your wife up-stairs—no, nor a living soul, save with my con- sent, become cognizant of what may pass between you and me on anether occasion. You know the road in Hyde Park that runs along the border of Kensington Gardens?” “T do. What next?” demanded the Magsman. “ Amuse yeurself with a stroll up and down that road next Sunday evening, from nine to ten o'clock,” said the nobleman; “mind and be alone. You will then know more.” “T shall not fail you,” answered Warren: “ for this looks like business.” “Tt will prove a lucrative one to you, my good friend,” responded the nobleman. “But you must now be off as quickly as possible—and I shall see you as far as the front door.” The Magsman moved on in obedience to this hint; and fruitlessly did he strain his eyes to pe- netrate the darkness and catch a glimpse of the unknown’s countenance. The obscurity was im- pervious ; and on groping their way into the shop, rd THE MYSTERIES. the nobleman threw a silk handkerchief\over his head so that when the door should be opened, the rays of the moon might not stream upon his tea- tures. This precaution therefore baffled the last chance Which the Magsman had of obtaining some idea oi the personal appearance of the singular individua) who from having been a resolute foe promised to become a generous patron. “Good night,” said Warren, as he crossed the threshold into Pall Mall: “ or rather good morning.” “ Here—take your pistol,” whispered the noble- man, placing the weapon in his hand. The Magsman mattered a word of thanks—thrust the pistol into his pocket—and took his-departure at arapid pace. CHAPTER LXXXVI,. THE ORPHAN. We have already, in a previous chapter of this narrative, glanced at the maze of vile and crowded streets lying in the immediate vicinity of West- foinster Abbey: and it was into this morass of brick and mortar, swarming with human reptiles, that Camilla was led by the woman who had mani- fested so much apparent interest in her behalf. During the walk from the viclnage of St. James’s Square, Camilla had ingenuously and frankly con- fided to the woman enough of her history to show that she was an orphan—that she had a few hunu- dred pounds standing in her own name at the Bank of England—and that she had been compelled, even at so late an hour in the night, to flee preci- pitately from an establishment in which she had been engaged but where she had suddenly encoun- tered treatment of the most dishonoarable kind. She did not however mention tae name of Mrs. Brace—nor did she explain the manner in which she had escaped from her house: a lingering sen- timent of delicacy and forbearauce rendered her silent on the former point—and she imagined that she should not be believed were she to enter into details respecting the latter. The woman expressed the deepest sympathy on Camilla’s behalf—declaring that it was fortunate the young lady had fallen in with her, as she would take the greatest care of her until she had de-_ cided what course to adopt—and conoluding with & strong eulogy on her husband whom she repre- sented to be “the most kind-hearted of men, al- though his occupation of a drover had somewhat marred his good looks by exposing him to all wea- thers and leaving him little leisure to attend to his personal appearance.” In fact, the woman spoke with an air of so mucn sincerity that Camilla not only placed implicit con- fidence in her, but was even angry with herself for having allowed the sinister countenance of her hus- band to ptoduce a disagreeable impression on her mind or excite a momentary suspicion. Nevertheless, when the woman led the way into that maze of sombre-looking streets, the sudden plunge as it were from the glorious moonlight into the obscurity of narrow lanes and the positive darkness of vile alleys, produced the effect of a shock upon the young girl; and, catching her companion by the arm, she gaid in a tremulous tone, “ Whither are we going?” COMNGROO S COMM