The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

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THE MYSTERIES. “Itia true [ een asaure you,” was the response: “and my name is Meagies.” “Oh! what strange incidents have occurred this night!” qjaculated the working man. “ But Miss Foster——Ah! something strikes me——My God! —a lady wag with you in the Square—and she fled precipitately—rending the air with her soreams——” . % Deasend not into. explenations which may be- come do intelligible,” said Meagles, glancing signi- ficantly towards the childran. “But tell me—do . you think that Mies Foster recognised you——” “No—I am certain she did not,” answered Mel- moth. “Gad forbid!" he eried in a tone of almost wild excitement: “ I ema already sufficiently humbled and miserable eneugh, without having that crushing idea to everwhelm me altogether, But is it possible, sir, that anything oan have happened to that excel- “Tam seriously—very seriously alarmed on her account,” said Meagles, “ When I came back to | eeneciousness, she was gone. I searched for her in the Square—but vainly. What can have become of the poor orphan whom misfortunes appear to pursue and persecate with unremitting ranceus t” “Let us go forth and search for her, sir,” ex- claimed Melmoth. } “It is useless,” chgerved Meagicea. “ Where can we search? Let us rathes hope that some kind peseons have gives her an aaylu:n for the night, and chat to-morsew morning we shall receive gladdening ntelligence respecting her.” “God and that such may prove the case !”” cried Melmaoth. “JT shall mow leave you,” ssid Meagles: “ but I shall not lose aight ef you. As to what has occurred think no more of it! Poverty engenders much whioh deserves pity rather than blame; and the good ceputation of years must not de considered ruined by che madness of a moment. Farewell for the present —and may better days await you. Yor will soon And, without waiting for a renewed outpouring of uhe fervent thanks of the Melmoth family, Meaglee hastened away. The eldest lad followed him down ce the door—and erp Tim ceuld succeed in quitting che house, that grateful boy had seized his hand, pressed it to his lips. and covered % with his tears, CHAPTER C. STAMFORD MANOR. Tus incidents ot our tale follow each other in rapid succession; and the stage of our drama is ecowded with characters and busy with action. But busier still, if posible, is it shortly destined to become; and ef a deeper and more exciting in- terest are the events whioh yet remain to be told. All that is most horrible in respect to erime— most pathetic and touchiag in the sphere of love —-most terrible with regard to the oppression sus- tained by the poor at the hands of the rich—and most startiieg or rivetting, enthralling or at- tractive, in reference to variety of incident,—all these features bave yet more fully to develop them- selves in the progress of our narrative. To scenes more strange than any yet depicted, will the reader have to be introduced: through the maze of adventures still more mysterious and ex. citing than those already recorded, will he have to | accompany us, As the subject grows upon us, our energies ap. | pear to take the colossal proportions adequate to the task of elaborating it: our imagination expands commensurately with the labour which it has to perform. | To acoumulate incident upon incident with rapidity which flag8 not, may appear to many the Titanian toil of heaping Oesa upon Pelion—mount upon mountain :—but to us it is a task fraught with its own exciting pleasure. And so will it seem to us until the end! We must now request our readers to accompeny us to Stamford Manor, which, as stated in the firt chapter of this history, was situated at a distance of about three miles from Aylesbury. It was a handsome building—of imposing appear- ance externally, and splendidly fitted up within; and the fire which had occurred simultaneously with the appalling tragedy wherein Lady Stamford played the terrible part of the guilty heroine, had net achieved any considerable amount of damage. On the same night when the incidents just related took place, and at about nine o'clock, a post-chaise drove up to the door of Stamford Manor; and Mr. Page, leaping forth, assisted his wife to descend. Having dismissed the vehicle, which was hired at Aylesbury, the worthy couple entered the hall; aad Mr. Page, addressing the old woman who had ad- mitted them into the mansion, said, “ You, I pre- sume, are the person left in charge of the premises !” “Yes, sir—my name is Bryan,” was the answer, accompanied by a low curtsey. ‘I dessay Sir Richard told you to inquire for Mrs. Bryan, didn’t het Leastways, I should think it most likely that did——” “My good woman,” interrupted Mr, Page,—*I can peroeive at once that you ere disposed to be gar- rulous—and there’s nothing I like less than garru. lity. Your master has written to you, stating that a gentleman and Jady would call here this evening— eh 9? And as Mr. Page gave utterance to the word “lady,” he glanced complaisantly towards Julia who was decked out in all the flaunting colours which the worst possible taste could have managed to accumu- late. “Yes, sir,” answered Mrs. Bryan: “Sir Richard honoured me with a letter—leastways with a note —which the postman brought over this moming from Aylesbury: or I should say the post-boy, by ) righta—for he's a mere lad of some sixteen, or | » s60-——— “Never mind how old he is, Mrs. Bryan,” ex- claimed Mr. Page. * He brought you the lettersafe —and that’s all we have to care about. Bat this ‘letter duly informed you that a certain Mr. Page and his lady would probably call here in the evening —is it not so?” “Yes, sir—and that you would pass the night here,” returned the woman; “and I was to mind and make you as comfortable as possible. So lve got you a nice roast fowl for your supper—and pat clean sheets on the best bed——” “Well and good,” said the ex-commercial tra- veller. “I perceive that it becomes altogether an. | necessary to inform you that Jam Mr. Page,” he continued pompously,—*“ and that this lady is my 7 COMNEGDOOKSHGEO