The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

en THE MYSTERIES While this rapid exchange of whispered observa- tions was going on, the party had threaded the passage, descended the staircase, and reached the Janding whence opened the apartment where the prisoners had been leit. “Remain here,” said Lady Bess: and she passed into the dining-room. Lord Everton at once began pouring forth the most piteous entreaties that she would not take away with her the individual whom he suspected she had just rescued from captivity: but she paid no regard to his prayers: and ordering Mat the Cadger to loosen the footman from his bonds, she bade the domestic follow her. This command he promptly obeyed; and when outside the room, Lady Bess said to him, “ Has this unfortunate creature got any other clothes of his own, besides the wretched things he has on ?” “Clothes P no, sir—ma’am,” responded the foot- man, not knowing exactly whether to address Lady Bess asa male or a female: for although there could be no doubt as to her sex, yet he knew not in what style she herself might chooso to be spoken to. “Then I suppose he has been here a long time ?” she said inquiringly. “ Yes—a long, long time,” answered the footman. “ But I have got some clothes of my own,” he added, “which are very much at his service—very much indeed.” “ Hasten and fetch them,” said the heroine: but as the footman was hurrying away, she made a sign for Chiffin to accompany him. In a few minutes they returned, the footman bearing a large bundle of clothing: and the mys- terious unknown was desired to pass into the nearest vacant room and put them on. This he did, and in about ten minutes came issuing forth, considerably improved in appearance, and wearing a look ot delight at the change thus effected in his garb. There was however something childish in this look,—another indication that the mind of the unhappy man was indeed somewhat unsettled. Lady Bess perceived this and hesitated for a mo- ment whether she ought really to take the strange being away. But recollecting the intense anxiety of Lord Everton to prevent her—the heavy bribe he had offered—and the information which she herself 33 bad gleaned during the day, she hesitated no | longer. ON uw,” she said to the footman, “you can return to your employers :’—and she made an imperious | sig towards the door of the room where they had remained bound to their chairs. “You can also tell my two men to rejoin me.’ “Beg pardon,’ said the footman hesitatingly ; “but L see there’s most likely to be a rumpus about | him ;”’—and he glanced towards the pale unknown. “Tf so be such a thing as a witness is wanted a “Ah! the suggestion is not bad,” ejaculated Lady Bess. “At the same time I cannot attend to the matter to-night. What is your name ?” “Theodore Barclay,” responded the footman; “at your service, ma’am—sir—ma’am——” “Very well, Theodore Barclay,” said Lady Bess. “You can inquire to-morrow or next day at the post-office in Hornsey if there is a letter for you; and should you find one, you will do well to attend to any appointment it may indi ate,” a OF THE COURT. 205 * Depend upon it I shall not faii. But mum’s the word :”—and thus speaking, he retreated back into the dining-room in obedience to another sign hastily and imperatively made by Lady Bess. Mat the Cadger and Spider Bill now came forth from that room where they had been keeping guard: and the little party descended to the hall, where the gardener and the two female servants had remained in the custody of Tony Wilkins. These servants were not a little surprised to behold the pale-faced stran- ger in company with the intruders and Henrietta: they did not however say a word—and the party emerged from the house. Reader, can you possibly depict to yourself the feelings of lively joy—the emotions of exultant bliss —which arose in the heart of Henrictta Leyden as she once more breathed the fresh air of liberty ? For the instant all other considerations were lost sight of: she remembered not the evidently too desperate character of those to whom she owed her deliverance —she thought not of the possibility of her prolonged absence having proved fatal to her mother—she re- collected not that another individual had been rescued that night. Nor was it until they were at some little distance from Beech-Tree Lodge, that she was recalled from that paradise of abstraction to the full remembrance of ull other things. “Now, Miss Leyden,” said Lady Bess, stopping short near that point where the diverging road joined the main one, “ have you any settled plan to adopt—any home to go to? If not, I will give you an asylum 2 “Oh, yes—I have a home——cr at least I hope so God grant that nothing may have happened to my poor mother in my absence!” she cried, thus giving audible expression to the anguished thought which suddenly recurred to her. “ But I have not as yet expressed my gratitude to you for my deliver- ance. Oh! may I hope,” she added in a low but fervid whisper, as she drew Lady Bess aside with the sudden force of a nervous agitation,—“ may ] hope that I have not altogether comprehended some portion of what has passed within those walls ?” “T know to what you allude,” interrupted Lady Bess; “the appropriation of certain little things by the men who accompanied me? Think no more of that—or at allevents talk of it no more. Rest con- ehited with your deliverance. You see that I did better than place your note in the hands of the police-authorities, as its terms enjoined. Had I done so, they would not have interfered, Beech-Tree | Lodge being really licensed as a mad-house. I was theretore compelled to strike a bold and prompt blow to deliver you. I have done it: and surely you are ' not disposed to quarrel with the means ¢ mploy ed P” | “Tam incapable of ingratitude,” replied Henrietta _energeticaliy. “Tell me the name of her to whoin I "am so much indebted ?” | “In my present apparel I am Captain Chandos,” responded the heroine: “if I were in a female garb -Ishould be Mrs. Chandos. Here,’ she continued, | taking a card from a case, “is my address. Perhaps you will like to learn more of that strange being whom we have this night delivered? If so, you can call upon me: tor I purpose to take him with me, And now tell me—are you happy in your own eur- cumstances? would money be of any service to you?” ‘No, no,” replied Henrietta, giving perhaps a EO DOO S (CO)