The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 226: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 211 hind and murdered. Even if he got possession of design in it, took the handkerchief amidst a great his coat by means of a stratagem, it would be diffi- deal of laughing, and at once applied it to her nose. cult for him to get safe out of the barge without first At the same instant she fell on the floor of the making away with Tugs and his wife: for if he cabin, with the babe in her arms, as if stricken pretended to go out for any purpose, they would | down by lightning: and also at the very sclf-same attack him as he was agcending the ladder and he | moment, Chiffin’s club dealt a tremendous blow on would be overpowered. All things considered, the , the head of the Blue-ruin Carrier. But this blow Cannibal came to the conclusion “that he must an- | so far from being fatal, did not even stun the man, ticipate the intention of the Blue-ruin Carrier and | who perhaps possesgyed a skull of more than ordi- Mrs. Tugs by murdering them both. But then | nary thickness: or else the blow itself descended again recurred the question, how was this to be | in a manner that could do little hurt notwithstand- done ? | ing the violence with which it was dealt. For an Suddenly an idea struck him; and he now saw_ instant—and only for a single instant—did Tugs his way clearly enough. totter on his seat; and then springing up witha *“ What a terrible close place this is to live in, to , terrible imprecation, he closed with the Cannibal be sure!” he said, in a careless sort of way, taking just as the latter was about to repeat the blow. advantage of a pause in the discourse to make the The table was upset in an instant, and fell over the remark. “I do believe it would kill me outright insensible woman and the stunned child as they lay in a very short time.” upon the floor. “Why, you see, me and my old woman here | For a few moments the struggle with the two accustomed to it,’ responded Tugs. men was desperate; and then they. fell heavily “But it’s the smell that’s as bad as the heat,” , together. The Cannibal was undermost: and for resumed Cliffin. ‘ Boiled pork and greens is very . an instant Tugs nearly throttled him—but with a | nice things for dinner; but they leave an uncom- | desperate effort Chillin threw his adversary off, and — mon disagreeable odour in the-place where they’re | then was uppermost in his turn. Still Tugs held cooked.” him in such a manner that he had not the fi ee use “But. we had fried sassages to day,” said Mrs. | of his arms: he could not reach his club which had Tugs. dropped from his hands, nor take a pistol from his - “ Well, sassages loaves a smell too,” said Chiflin. | pocket. For a minute the contest was frightful: “ And you had cabbages too, mind.” the wretches glared upon each other with demoniae “ But the bakker smoke takes all that away,” | looks, as they were thus interlaced by each other’s cried the bargeman as he refilled his pipe. arms—they gnashed their teeth—foam was upon “Tam sure Mrs. Tugs don’t like all these here | their lips—thcir struggles and convulsions were the smells,” said the Cannibal—“ greens, and sassages, | fullest developments of extraordinary muscular and bakker smoke, and the canal, and what not— | power. Again did they roll over: again was the partickler in such a close place as this—do you, | Cannibal in the most perilous position. Another Mrs. Tugs? Now, what should you say,” he con- | instant, and he would have been strangled by his tinued with a grim smile upon his countenance, “if | adversary: but suddenly catching that individual’s so be I was gallant enough to give you a bottle of} nose between his teeth, he bit it clean off. The scent, which to tell you the truth I went out just | man roared with the pain, and Chiffin was in an now to buy at the hairdresser’s up in the road ?” instant covered with the blood that streamed down “T should say that it was rayther an extro’rn’ary | upon him. The next moment the circumstances of thing for Mr. Chiffin to do,” replied the woman, | the horrible contest were changed again: Tugs laughing. was underneath—Chiflin was uppermost—and the “Then that same extro’rn’ary thing I have done,” | former, faint with excruciating pain and loss of eontinued the Cannibal: and as he thus spoke he | blood, relaxed his hold on his diabolic enemy. Ther produced an elegantly-cut scent-bottle from the | the Cannibal was enabled to catch at his club; and breast-pocket of the coat that he had on. with the tremendous bludgeon he beat out the “Well, did you ever?” exclaimed Mrs. Tugs |. Blue-ruin Carrier’s brains. “If Lady Bess had done such a thing as this, one | Thus ended this horrible combat; and the con- wouldn’t have been astonished, ’cause she’s so ex- | qucror stood in the midst of the cabin, wiping his ceeding perlite.” adversary’s blood from his face. The woman lay “We never know,” said the Cannibal, appearing | insensible upon the floor—the child was inanimate to laugh in the merriest good-humour, “ whose | likewise. Chiffin deliberated with himself for a few book we may take a leaf out of. Lend us your | moments how he should act. Should he kill the fogle, Mrs. Tugs.” woman, or let her recover as she might? But when “ My ankercher, you mean?” shesaid, “ Well, I | she recovered, would she not denounce him as the do think I have got such a thing:’—and she pro- { murderer of her husband? Assuredly she would: duced a dirty rag which answered the purpose of | and therefore she must die! the article named. Having come to this resolve, after a very brief “T like scent very well at a distance,” said | self-consultation, Chiflin drew his clasp-knife from Chiflin, as he poured a few drops from the little | his pocket—opened it—and then plunged it deep bottle on the handkerchief, holding his head some- | down into the heart of the unfortunate woman. what back as he did so: “but I can’t abear it near. | Not a sound escaped her lips: there was a slight Now, just you take and smell this. © It’s the most | convulsive movement of the body, as if a momen- (eliciousest scent you ever come near in all your | tary spasm shot through it; and thus she passed hfe. Put that wp to your nose, ma’am.” from insensibility into death. Mrs. Tugs, who appeared to enjoy the whole Chiffin drew out his clasp-knife from the flesh in proceeding heartily, and of course saw no sinister | Which it waS embedded — wiped it—and returned ed (em — <_< COMmMIiclboooks (CO)