The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

—— eee 141 —-—— THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. where he was for the instant, the Cannibal passed, For an instant Lady Saxondale was paralysad stealthily into the room. — | with terror: but her naturally strong mind almost So deep was Lady Saxondale’s abstraction, that immediately regained its self-possession—and she she perceived him not. Her looks were fixed onthe said in a voice that was strangely calm under such book which lay open before her : but she saw not the | circumstances, “Remove that weapon: I will not pages themselves—all her faculty of vision was as it | create an alarm.” were turned inward with the absorbing nature of | Tony Wilkins now made his appearance; and her meditations. For Lady Saxondale had this | Lady Saxondale, perceiving that there were two night experienced no inclination to retire to rest. | ruffians, and thinking it quite probable that there The image of William Deveril appeared to haunt | might be even more, felt that anything like resist- her. She loved him—and she hated him at one and , ance would be altogether vain, and that if she at- the same time. She feared that she had taken a| tempted to raise the household her life would be in- false step and compromised herself seriously, in | evitably forfeited. For it was impossible to glance having made the round of all her acquaintances | even for a single instant at Cliffin the Cannibal’s and friends during the day and promulgated her | countenance, without reading in its hideous linea- story relative to that young man. Cunningly de- | ments the most blood-thirsty propensities and a vised as the tale was, she trembled lest the refuta- tation which Deveril would give when it reached his ears, might obtain credit; and thus though great was the satisfaction she had experienced at the | time, not only in torturing Lady Florina, but like- ' wise in propagating the same scandal elsewhere, | she was now apprehensive that the blow she had endeavoured to deal might rebound upon herself. In short, her feelings having been unnaturally ex- cited during the day, had since experienced a pro- portionate reaction ; and conscience, which ‘‘ makes cowards of us all,” was not permitting Lady Saxon- dale to be an exception to that rule. Besides, she was not only fearful that the tangled web she had been thus weaving, would in the long run enmesh herself; but she was tortured with the pangs of jealousy towards Florina. What was she to do 1n respect to her whom she thus regarded as her rival? Even apart from that hatred which the spirit of jealously had suddenly make her experience for Florina, how could she possibly permit the en- gagement to continue between her son and that young lady P—and yet, on the other hand, upon | what pretext could she break off the engagement ? | brutal capacity for mischief. “Well,” he said, pointing the muzzle of his pistol downwards, but not putting it away from her sight, “you seem an uncommon brave lady; and so I sup- pose you are just as prudent aone. Therefore we shall have no nonsense in dealing with you.” * What do you require P” asked Lady Saxondale. “ But that question I need scarcely put: your looks bespeak your errand. You see I treat the matter with frankness; and therefore there is no need to keep that weapon in your hand in so threatening a manner,” ‘How uncommon nice she speaks, don’t she?” said Tony Wilkins in an under-tone as he sidled up to his companion. “Cause she’s a lady of sense and knows what’s what,’ observed Chiffin aloud. “Now, ma’am, please to tell us which would be most convenient— to let us walk off with the plate and jewellery, or for you to pay us over such a handsome sum that we shall go away happy and contented with our night’s work, and be able to drink your ladyship’s health every day for the next six months ?” “Finding myself completely in your power,” Altogether, Lady Saxondale’s position was one of returned Lady Saxondale, at the same instant fling- apprehension, bewilderment, torture, and _per- | Ing a quick and scarcely perceptible glance towards plexity; and in addition to the circumstances con- ; the mantel-piece, as if looking for some object, “I nected with Deveril and Florina which had thus should prefer giving you a sum of money. But I combined to make her wretched, there were others must tell you beforehand, that I have not much in — La Re oe seats” which struck their viper stings into her heart. This is not however the time nor place to analyse at any great length the feelings and thoughts of, Lady Saxondale. The little which we have just | said upon this subject, was merely for the purpose of accounting for why she had not as yet sought her | couch, and wherefore we find her seated alone in that abstracted mood and at so late an hour of the night—or rather at so early a period of the morn- ing. In the depth of her disagreeable meditations it was no wonder that she observed not the pre- | sence of Chiffin the Cannibal; and as he, by making a short circuit in the room, was enabled to steal as it were close up behind her before she was aware of the intrusion, it was with a sudden start and a hor- rible access of terror that she felt a hand suddenly laid upon her shoulder. Wildly she sprang up; and on beholding herself confronted by that hideous-looking wretch, a. scream was about to burst from her lips: but it was stifled ere it broke forth, by the suddenness with which the Cannibal exclaimed, “ Silence, or you are a dead woman!’—and a pistol, gleaming in his band, was presented close to her forehead. the shape of gold about my person, and should have to go to my own chamber to fetch the amount that you may require.” “And how much,” demanded Chiffin, “may your ladyship happen to have in your own chamber ?” “Perhaps four or five hundred pounds alto- gether,” returned Lady Saxondale, after a few mo- ments’ consideration. “That’s little enough,” observed Chiffin. now, how much in the purse P” Lady Saxondale, who still preserved her presence of mind with an astonishing calmness, drew forth her purse from a reticule which hung at the back of the chair; and handing it to Chiflin, said, ‘ Count its contents for yourself.” “Eleven sovereigns, two ten-pound notes, one five, and sume silver,” said the Cannibal, as he emptied the contents of the purse into his hand. “ Well, but ali this is a poor lot. The family plate must be worth ten times as much. What’s to pre- vent us cutting your throat, ma’am, and then ren- sacking the place gor yourselves?” “The plate is in the butier’s own room,” was Lady Saxondale’s calm and collected response. 66 And, LLL A ALO LLL AA LE OE titty COnnicoooks (CO)