The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 337: what you’re looking at

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

322 stone, which he bade the two men raise by the help of certain implements which they would find in the bag. At the same time he charged them to perform their work in such a manner that when replaced, the stone should afford no indication of having been recently raised. The bag, as the nobleman intimated, was found to contain not only all the requisite tools for ac- complishing the task now described—but likewise a box of cement for the purpose of refixing the stone in its setting. To work the Magsman and the Big Beggarman therefore went, their employer holding the dark lantern in such a way that while it effectually assisted them, its beams never once permitted them to read a single word of the in- scription graven on the stone which they were re- moving. In half-an-hour this huge fragment of the dull blue pavement was lifted away from the mouth of the vault which it covered; and a narrow flight of stone steps appeared, leading down into the deep darkness of a sepulchre whence a noisome efilu- | vium exhaled — that peculiar odour which has _ naught like it, and which at once, even when the. source is unknown, carries to the sense a convic- tion of the vicinage of decomposing mortality. Having allowed some minutes to elapse for the foul air thus to expend itself, the nobleman bade his two assistants descend into the vault. They obeyed —and he hastened to follow them with the lantern in his hand. The subterranean was spacious; and round the walls were arranged numerous coffins, in three rows —the lowest standing upon the paved floor, and the other two resting on stout iron supporters projecting © from the solid masoury. By these means no coffin | actually stood upon another; and between the rows there was space sufficient to enable the plates upon the lids to be examined without moving the coffins | | the same moment that the din fell upon our ears. It Despite, however, of the interval allowed for the themselves. exhalation of the foul air, the stench which prevailed in the vault was almost intolerable; and the Mags- man observed, with a terrible imprecation, that “the sooner they did whatever business there was to do, the better he should like it.” With the propriety of this suggestion the Big Beggarman signified his concurrence in a remark that began and ended with oaths more horrible than even the one to which his companion had given utterance; and the blood of the nobleman actually curdled in his veins as this hideous language struck appailingly upon his ears. “Silence!” he exclaimed, almost sinking beneath the shuddering effects of the cold tremor that passed over him: “such dreadful language is enough to awaken those who sieep around you.” ““Me and my pal ain’t afraid of the dead, sir,” growled the Magsman, with a chuckle which seemed to strike upon the nobleman’s mind as something that did him harm. “JT should think not !” exclaimed the Big Beggar- man, with even a coarser and more brutal laugh. “ I never did see any ghostesses yet—and if so be the dead does walk at times, this is a very favourable opportunity for oneof ’em to get-up and enjoy a mouthful of fresh air.’ But scarcely were these words uttered, when a tremendous explosion, like the report of a cannon, sounded through the vault, accompanied with an efuvium so horrible—so nauseating—so stifling, as ——— — $$ $$$ ee — THE MYSTERIES. scarcely to leave the nobleman and his two assistants the power to scramble up the stone steps and retreat into the purer air of the aisle of the church. The lantern, which the masked unknown carried in his hand, threw its gleaming rays upon the dis- turbed and agitated countenances of the two men, whose souls were now filled with a consternation which they vainly endeavoured to conceal from each other. “ What the devil could that have been, Joe?” de- manded the Big Beggarman, throwing a stealthy look around him, as if he almost expected to see some hideous shape emerging from the obscurity that reigned beyond the scope of the lamp-light. “T should say that it was Satan warning us not to trespass in his domains,’”’ answered the Magsman, with an ineffectual attempt at a chuckle: for the fellow was so bewildered by a din to him utterly unaccountable as to be really frightened, although he endeavoured to put a good face upon the matter. “ Banish your fears,” said the nobleman, who had remained silent for a few minutes in order most pro- bably that the recent occurrence should have time to produce a certain effect upon the men and induce them to abstain from that horrible language in which they had indulged in the vault and which sounded like tremendous blasphemy in his ears; but now perceiving that the incident was not calculated to produce any such beneficial effect, he thought it use- less to delay any longer an explanation of the pheno- menon which had frightened them. “ The noise which startled us all three,” he accordingly continued, “ and which drove us so quickly from the vault, was eaused by the sudden explosion of a leaden coffin.” “ Well—I’m blowed if ever I should have thought of that!” exclaimed the Big Begearman. “Tt js nevertheless as I tell you,” resutned the nobleman; “and you ean now understand likewise the cause of the dreadful odour which assailed us at was from the effluvium, and not from the explosive din, that I beat so rapid aretreat. But we may now return to the vault.” Thither they accordingly retraced their steps; and, when once more in the subterranean, they per- ceived that one of the coffins on the uppermost row at the farther extremity, had burst completely open, and that a half decomposed corpse was exposed to view. A shudder passed visibly over the nobleman’s frame—for his hand trembled so violently that he nearly dropped the lantern: but, regaining his composure with a great effort, he averted his eyes from the ghastly spectacle, and began to examine the plates on the coffins of the highest tier on the right hand side from the entrance. While thus engaged, his back was turned towards the Magsman and the Big Beggarman: but every other instant he cast a rapid glance furtively around to assure himself that they were contemplating no treachery of any kind. In a few minutes he dis- covered the particular coffin-plate which, as it ap- peared, he sought : and, while his eyes lingered upon the inscription, the Magsman, who on his side had been rigidly though unsuspectedly watching all his movements, suddenly plucked off a signet-ring from one of the rotting fingers of the corpse that lay ex- posed in the broken leaden coffin. This was the work of an instant; the nobleman saw it not—and, while the Big Beggarman nodded approvingly, Joe Warren secured the ring, in his I ee ——— ee ss a Se ee LER ———_——__-—-----_ 0 vrnvwOO—— LDC ene c- -—~- re —-_— srr a ee im COMME MOO“KS «ACO