The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 335: what you’re looking at

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

Cee « «oo ae see $20 ELA SS SSS SPs, THE MYSTERIES. a SA a. aazaaaaeaa aaa aaaaae riage: the nobleman and his fair -companion re- sumed their places by each other’s side—the Mags- man and the Big Beggarman seated themselves opposite—the blinds were pulled up again —and the vehicle rolled rapidly away from the vicinage of the spot where so tremendous a crime had been perpetrated. And still neither the Magaman nor the Big Beg- garman entertained the slightest notion of where they were, nor what part of England had been made the theatre of so foul a tragedy. | For upwards of an hour did the carriage proceed | without stopping: and at length it halted. The blinds were pat down again—the party alighted —and the Magsman and Beggarman, on casting | their looks around, perceived that the vehicle was standing at the door of a small but neat cottage on the threshold of which an old man and woman were bowing respectfully to the nobleman and the lady. This habitation stood in a lonely spot, by the side of a narrow road which evidently was not a great highway; and the ivy-covered tower of a village church peeped above a hill at a distance of about two miles. The Magsman and the Big Beygarman were furthwith oonducted by the old couple, who were dressed like peasants in comfurtable circumstances, into a neat room serving alike as kitchen and par- lonr; and their eyes were not only gladdened by the appearance of a cheerful log -fire blazing on the ample hearth, but also by the preparations that were in progress fur a comfortable breakfast. A clock, which stood in a corner of the room, showed them that it was now nine o'clock on this memo- rable morning. The nobleman and lady remained outside in earnest conversation for nearly ten minutes, at the expiration of which period they entered the cottage. By this time the coffee was made by the old woman ; and the lady, having hastily partaken of a cup, but without removing her mask, shook hauds with the Avubleman and returned to the carriage which in- stantaneously drove away. ‘The unknown employer of the Magaman and the Big Beggarman now thrust another five-hundred pound note into the hands of each, whispering at the same time, “ You are to remain here until the evening, when some little additional service-—-but of a less serious nature than the former,” he ob- served significantly, “will be required at your hands. I may as well state that it will be useless for you to put any questions to these good people,” he added, turning his masked countenance for a moment towards the old man and woman ;—* inas- much as they will turn a deaf ear to such inquiries. Moreover, should you even cross the threshold of the door without my permission, all the rest of our bargain becomes annulled in an instant and you forfeit the balance of the reward. Now do we un- derstand each other 2” | “ Perfectly,” answered the Magsman; “ and neither me nor my pal will do anything for you to disapprove of.” “Sit down, then,” said the nobleman, “ and pare take of the breakfast which is now served up.” The men to whom this invitation was ad did not require a second bidding: but placing themselves at the table they commenced a des- perate onslaught on the hot coffee, home-made bread, rashers of bacon, and new-laid eggs which were served up with no niggardhand. The noble man, taking off his cloak and appearing in a hand. some suit of black, seated himself at a side-table, with his back towards the Magsman and the Big Beggarman, so that he might raise his mask con. venicntly to enable him to eat his breakfast without standing the chance of disclosing his features to those individuals. The meal being concluded, the Magsman and Beggarman assented to a proposal which was made to them that they should take a few hours’ rest in indemnification for the disturbed night which they had passed inside the carriage ; and they were ao- cordingly conducted to a bed-chamber. There they slept until the old man came to arouse them at two o'clock in the afternoon with the agreeable intimation that dinner was ready; and, on descending to the lower room, they found a smoking joint, flanked with dishes of vegetables and jugs of home-brewed ale, already served upon the table. To this repast they did ample justice— while the nobleman partook of his dinner at the side-table. But even if this personage had not wished to place himself in such a manner that he could eat unobserved by the Magsman and Begyarman- even, we mean, if he had wora no mask at all— still he would not have taken a seat at the same table with them. No—that insufferable pride which animates the English aristocracy would have made him luathe and abhor tho idea of associating so intimately with men belonging to a lower grade for not even the companionship of crime —the com- plicity of marder,—no—not even this hideous con- nexion could have induced him to fraternise with the paid instruments of his dark iniquity. The meal being concluded, pipes and tobecoo were supplied to the Magsman and his companion, who addressed themselves to the enjoyment theres accordingly; and the nobleman retired up-stairs, most probably to snatch a few hours rest. Atall events he did not re-appear until tea was prepared at about seven o’clock,—Joe Warren and the Beg- garman having in the interval smoked countless pipes and emptied numerous jugs of ale. After tea the two men resumed their pipes: bat instead of malt liquor they were now regaled with gin—and by the assistance of the tobacco and the spirits they whiled away the time pleasantly enough until ten o'clock, when an excellent supper was eet before them. . Of this meal the nobleman refused to partake: but Joo Warren and the Big Beggat- man did ample justice to it—for, as they laughingly observed to the people of the house, “ eating and drinking never came amiss to them.” At eleven o'clock the nobleman resamed his cloak, beneath which he concealed a dark lantern lent him by the old man, who likewise produced 8 shovel, a pick-axe, and a bag containing som smaller implements. Of these things the Magsmat and the Big Begyarman tuok charge ; and, guided by their unknown employer, they sallied forth from the cottage. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the whole scene around and bringing the ivy-covered tower of the village church into strong relief. And it was towards this church that the nobleman led his two agents of evil across the fields—a journey which was performed in silence and without meet- ing a single soul. GCOMNIGDOOKS