The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 369: what you’re looking at

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

ee -_ —_ ee — never believed in ghosts till now—but this adven- ture has altogether stayzere.l me.” And the ex-traveller bezau to pace the room in au agitated manner. “What was it you saw, maam™ inquired the gardener, now appealing te Mra. Page for an ¢2- planation. “ Oh! don’t talk 4 Jatta, trembling violent! 4 makes me shudder mere! “Dearey me! d , Bevan, rocking herself tc ¢ “ whas can it all mean? ' about 9 If it was only ac ild have heerd it—or a cat “No—it could 1!” cried Page, stopping su agitated walk aud his bew ut let us put the matter to the test. Julia, my dear, what was it you thought you saw 2” “Ramsey, who was hanged,” replied the young woman, ¢asting aroand looks of unspeakable d” exclaimed the ex- t Resh was creeping upon k ining chil! in his veins. e”? moaned Mrs. Bryan as was hanged!” mur- 1 th a visible shudder. "age, ina musing tone: ‘ incredible. I am not ' »w observed: but what ( the fellow has come to J t haunts the place which n his crimes.” e walk fo and fro witt his mammer and depicted upon his countenance. “You didn’t bring the papers away with you ?” | said Julia. “ Those papers—you know whick f mean,” she added significantly. “No—I dropped thens it the confusion of the moment,” answered Page. “But they are worth looking after—and, by Jove! PH venture back into the library, ghost or no ghost! Will anybody come with me ?” “Dearey me, not I!” ejaculated Mrs, Bryan: and looking tewarde her husband, she said, “Can't you go with the gen’leman instead of sitting there like an old fool ?” “ ¥es—come with me,” said Page: then, tossing dewa a guinea upon the table, he observed. “There! Will thaé inspire yeu with courage, my good fei- The gardener picked up the money—pat is into ' his waisteoat pocket—and, rising slowly from his sent, intimated his readiaess to follow the ex- traveller to the libcary. Mrs. Page sate fast in her ehair 3 and her hasband | did fot think it wortis while fo solicit her eompany : bat taking a candle from thé trie, he led the way ae fb a — passage, old Bryan keeping close to his Ou reaching the door whenee he and his wife hah sq precipitately escaped from the library, Mr. Pave perovived thas it was wide open jast as it hac THE MYSTERIES. apartinent, showed him in a moment that no one was there: and, considerably relieved, he entered with a comparatively firm step, the old gardener still following and gathering confidence from the fact that nothing terrible was to be seen. Advancing towards the desk, Mr. Page looked anxiously sbout for the papers which he had dis- eovered in the secret recess, and which contained the “ correspondence between Miss Hannah Light- foot and Lady Stamford :” but the packet was no- where te be found. Vaiuly did he search amongst the ducuments scattered about—vainly did he go wpon af fowrs and examine underneath the furni- ture: that particular collection of letters had dis- appeared ! “Well, this é mest extraordinary!” muttered tke bewiidcred Page to himself: “I am no* so fuotid: as to hnagine that a ghost would walk off with = parcel of papers! No—no—it was not a spirit— i was a living man—but whether Ramsey. himself, resuscitated by some wondrous and auac- countable means, or a persoa as like him as two peas, it is impossible to determine. Perdition aerze it!—the papers which would have perhaps made my fortune, have been snatched from my grasp !” But scarcely had the dx-traveller reached this voint im his musings, whet he was suddenly inter- rupted by a loud knocking and ringing at the front door of the mansion. “Who can that be?” exclaimed the eld gardener. “Sir Richard pethaps——” “No such thing! eried Pagan “The barouet is at Windsor, and will never set feot in this house again, I am very certain, after all that has happened t But come along—I will go with you to see who it ‘s: for remember,” he added with pompous self-suff- ciency, “J represent Sir Richard Stamford during my brief sqjourn beneath this root” “ Just as you like, air,” returned Bryan, who bad ne srabition to dispute the honour with the important, eunceited, and bustling Mr. Page. They accordingly hurried to the front door; and the moment it was opened, a lady and gentleman en- tered the hall without any ceremony. Mr. Page's eyes first sought the countenance of the former—for he was a great admirer of the fair sex; and the dazzling beauty which met his view completely rivetted his gaze for several moments. But on tum- ing his looks upon the features of the gentleman to whose arm she clung, an ejaculation of mingled sur- prise and confusion burst from the lips of the ex- bagman: for he instantaneously recognised the Prince of Wales! Meantime the gardener, fancying that he beheld his master Sir Richard Stamford, was making sundry awkward bows and pulling his forélock in token of respect: while the Prince himself, taktwg no notice whatseever of the old man, kept his eyes fixed on Mr. Page, rackmg his memory to discover wit he was, For the ex-traveller’s features were quite fa- iniliar to his Royal Highness, who ceuld not however for the life of him recollect at the moment where he had seen that thin, sallow, angalar face before. It was quite clear, however, to the Prince that he | was recognised by this individeal: and, not relisimg the manner in whieh he was now being stared st, been left, aah samumosing sli his courage to his | ie seid ecinewhat sharply, “ What is your name aid, he advanced to the threshold. ‘The hurried | aud indeed tearful glance which he threw into the sir ?—who are you?” “ My name is Page, at your Royal Highness’s ser- GOLAAL OD) Ss bae COMM