The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

62 THE COURT OF LONDON water or malt liquor that he thus poured down his capacious throat; and the repast was wound up with the jellies, all of which he disposed of in half a dozen twinklings of the eye. While the Hangman was engaged in his monster repast, Lady Ernestina Dysart endeavoured to collect her ideas and look her altered position in the face. But this she could not do steadily and deliberately. It was impossible for her to reason with calmness in the presence of this fearful calamity which had overtaken her. Turned indeed were the tables now. There sat the Hangman, her master, having full power of life and death over her, and here was she bound captive and helpless in a chair. What would he do with her? What course did he mean to adopt? What horrors would the implacability of his vengeance suggest? In a word, what was to be her fate? She knew not; and how, in the midst of those icelike shudderings and freezing tremors which passed over her, could she possibly settle her thoughts so as to frame a conjecture upon the awful subject? ‘“‘ There, that will do for once,”’ said the Hangman, pushing away his plate. Then, as he poured the remains of the wine into the tumbler and surveyed with a grim complacency the various dishes he had emptied, he observed, ‘‘ This supper is certainly a trifle of compensation for upwards of twenty hours’ captivity in that cursed chair, and considering that I hadn’t eaten anything since nine o’clock last evening, my fast may be reckoned for at least twenty-five hours.” He then poured the remainder of the wine down his throat, and after smacking his lips, fixed his eyes upon Ernestina. ‘“‘ Well, and what do you think of yourself now,”’ he con- tinued, ‘‘ after playing me such a pretty trick? By Jove! it is enough to make one stark, staring mad to think of it. But how do you suppose I got loose? ’”’ he demanded, with an ironical grin. ‘“‘ The vices of you aristocrats are often nuts , for me to crack somehow or another. To tell the truth, I had pretty well given up all hope, when, lo and behold! the door opens, a light shines in, and who the deuce should make their appearance but your precious uncle and Lady Sack- ville.”’ ‘“ Ah!” ejaculated Ernestina, amazement for the moment rising above her terror. ‘‘ My uncle and Venetia? ”’ ‘“ Ay, that it was,” exclaimed the Hangman, with a grim smile. ‘‘ What scandalous reprobates you women of quality comicloooks CO