The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 117: what you’re looking at

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102 THE MYSTERIES. sheet foided in the form of a letter. Perhaps a little application of the chemical wash will elicit more secrets—eh, Julia ?” “Let us try presently. Has it any address?” she inquired. “None. It was doubtless enclosed in an enve- lope like the little note; and it may perhaps be the very letter which was to follow that note. But if these missives were really sent to the Magsman, how came they in your father’s possession 2” “T know that Warren was constantly pestering the old man about the half of the document,” said Julia; “and perhaps he gave him these letters to prove that a negotiation might still be effected with Meagles and Lady Letitia. At all events, the date on that little note—July 7th, 1794-—proves that it must have been sent within a very few days after those persons called: because I remember well that their visit took place in the early part of that month last year.” “We will lose no time now in procuring the drugs to make the chemical preparation for this blank letter,’ said Page; “and we will talk more about the contents of the pocket-book another time. Come,” he exclaimed, starting from his seat and approaching the window: “the snow has left off—the weather is clearing up—and we will go out at once. But you must unsew your stays and give me the receipts.” “That is soon done,” observed Julia; and she entered the bed-room for the purpose, while Page secured the pocket-book in a cupboard, of which he was careful to take the key. eee CHAPTER XXIX. THE AMAZON AND TIM MEAGLES. WHILE the preceding conversation was in pro- gress at the lodgings of Mr. Page and his bride in Southwark, an interview of a scarcely less interest- ing nature took place between Lady Letitia Lade and Tim Meagles. This gentleman, as we have already intimated, occupied apartments in Jermyn Street. He hada handsome parlour on the first floor,—a bed-chamber communicating therewith—and a snug little dress- ing-room adjoining. An elderly widow kept the house, in which there were two or three other lodgers of the male sex: but Mr. Meagles was the one to whom she devoted her best attention—Mr. Meagiles was the pink of perfection in her eyes— and if eyer she wished to convey her ideas of a true gentleman, it was Mr. Meagles whom she held up as an example. The fact was that Tim paid her liberally—gave little trouble—and was of such a happy and con- tented disposition that, to use Mrs. Piggleberry’s 'own words, “he never was put out by nothink.” | He appeared quite unconscious of the trifling fact that he found tea, sugar, butter, bread, and even meat, for his landlady and her servant as well as for himself and his page: if he had a ham for break- fast, he never was astonished to learn on the fourth or fifth morning that it was all gone!—and if he had a large joint served up for his dinner one day, he did not exhibit the least amazement the next when Mrs. Piggleberry unblushingly told him to his face that there was nothing in the house and requested him to give his orders! As regularly as possible every six months the worthy woman re- presented to him that he must have another set of a dozen shirts; and Meagles invariably tossed down the requisite amount, without a murmur, All these little circumstances rendered him a special favourite with Mrs. Pigeleberry—as indeed he ought to have been ; and the consequence was that she never felt wearied of chaunting to all her friends and acquaintances the praises of Mr. Mea- gles. But, then, the place suited Tim uncommonly well ; —and, although he knew that he was robbed through thick and thin, even to the recognition of his very shirts upon the person of his landlady’s brother, who was In poor circumstances and kept a small shop in the neighbourhood,—yet he consoled himself with the reflection that he should be plundered to an equal extent in any other lodgings, without perhaps enjoying the same freedom from impertinent curiosity and prying observation as he experienced beneath the roof of Mrs. Piggleberry. For this good creature never appeared to see nor hear anything that she ought not. Though Lady Letitia was a frequent visitor at Tim’s apartments, the discreet old woman pretended to be quite ignorant of her sex, and in- variably announced her as Mr. Lade; and if he invited to his lodgings any ladies who were noé dressed in male attire, Mrs. Piggleberry would never suffer it to appear that she suspected their equivocal cha- racter, but spoke of them as “ Mr. Meagles’ charming cousins.’ Moreover, when Jim, had a party of gen- tlemen to sup with him, and when he said next morning, “ My dear Mrs. Piggleberry, I am afraid we kicked up a frightful row all last night,’”—she would assume an air of amazement, and exclaim, “Why! dearey me, sir, I was only observing a minit ago to the servint-gal that the house never was so quiet!” And yet perhaps the uproarious songs, peals of laughter, and insane shoutings had brought the watch thundering at the door half-a-dozen times between midnight and sun-rise. We have already hinted that Meagles had a page, or foot-boy : and we must pause for a few moments to state that this precocious youth of fourteen was one of the sharpest, cleverest, and most knowing young rascals in the metropolis. He was short— slim—genteel—and good-looking : his livery became him admirably ;—and, whatever his real name might have been, he was invariably called by the pseudonym of Wasp. Active, faithful, mischievous, and discreet, he was inyaluable to Meagles—a plague to the ser- vant-girl—a little devil in the eyes of Mrs. Piggle- berry, who however declared that he was the quietest and nicest boy she ever met with—and a complete imp in the estimation of the second and third floor lodgers, on whom he was always playing off his tricks. In addition to this human appendage, Meagles had a groom to take care of his two horses, which he kept at stables hard by ; but as the man did not live in Mrs. Piggleberry’s house, we can scarcely include him in the establishment which we haye been describing. To resume the thread of our narrative,—it was, as we have already observed, on the same morning when Mr. Page and his wife were seated in confabulation in the Borough, that Lady Letitia Lode partook 4! breakfast with her friend Meagles. It was about ten o’clock when the Amazon arriyed; and her cheeks Na In A I A I TN COLMA e. EloOOKS EO