The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

= ee 62 silent while her companion was eating, “let us not lose another moment——for the body must be dis- posed of before morning,” she added in a very low voice, With these word she approached the cupboard and took forth a dagger, the point of which she tried with one of her fingers. “You mean’ to play your part in it, then,” said the Cannibal in a whisper and with a grim look. “What matters it who does the work ?” she de- manded. “ We are neither of us squeamish, I sup- pose. But in case he should happen to awake as we enter the room, and either cry out or offer any resistance, it will be better for us both to be pre- pared.” “All right!” observed Chiffin. “And now to business.” Madge Somers took up the candle with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her right, led the way from the room. As noiselessly as possible did she ascend the steps, with Chiffin close at her heels. On reaching the door of Saxondale’s chamber, they stopped and listened; and the regular and even respiration of the young nobleman convinced them that he still slept profoundly. They accordingly opened the door and stole in. Madge, who led the way, advanced straight up to the bed; and as the flaring candle which she held in her hand threw its lieht upon the countenance of Edmund, both she and her murderous companion saw, as they sus- pected, that he was wrapped in the profoundest slumber. But just as they were about to do the work of death, a sudden ejaculation of mingled horror and amazement burst from the lips of Madge Somers; and dropping the candle in the fearful excitement which had so abruptly and strangely seized upon her, the chamber was plunged into darkness. That ejaculation to which she gave vent and the noise of the candlestick falling, startled young Saxondale with galvanic effect from his slumbers; and springing up from the mattrass, he cried out “hieves! murder!” as loudly as he could voci- ferate. Madge Somers, recovering her presence of mind the very instant she had dropped the candle, clutched Chiffin with nervous violence by the arm: and ina quick but low whisper said, “Go!” The ruffian, astounded at what had just happened,—but having not a moment for reflection, and being too much bewildered to act of his own accord,—at once obeyed the woman’s command, for which it no doubt struck him there must be some good and excellent reason. She at the same time banged the door vio- lently behind him as if to enforce with additional energy the order she had given for his retreat; and then hastening towards Saxondale, whohad begun vo- ciferating as ere now described, she said, “ Hold your congue! it is nothing!” “ But that noise—what was it?” asked Edmund, quaking and quivering all over. ‘ For God’s sake don’t hurt me! Take my purse, if you want it— but—but and his teeth chattered audibly. “T tell you that you have nothing to fear,” ex- claimed Madge Somers. “I would not hurt you— and I do not want your purse.” “ But what has happened? what is the disturb- ance P” inquired Edmund, still with tremulous voice and quivering limbs, as he stood upright by THE MYSTERIES way into the house,” continued Madge. make haste and: dress yourself! away from this place at once. —and do as I tell you without delay. You must manage to resume your apparel in the dark; and in a few minutes I will come up to you again. But fear nothing, I repeat: no harm shall befall you.” OF THE COURT. the side of the bed from which he had leaped. “ Tell me—what are you doing here ?—what noise was that? Did I not see something glitter in your hand ?” “ No—nothing——only the candlestick that I dropped,” at once replied Madge, who had already concealed the dagger under her cloak. But here we should observe that although the light had been extinguished by the fall of the candle, yet the room was not enveloped in total ob- scurity ; for the glimmering of the starlight through the small and dingy window rendered objects some- what discernible: therefore the young nobleman could perceive the figure of the woman standing near him ; and observing that she was not undressed, naturally argued that she had not been in bed at all. with her, and this latter circumstance somewhat re- assured him. But he likewise perceived that she had no one “Tt was only a drunken man who would force his “ But You must go Ask me no questions Then, snatching up the candlestick, and without waiting for a reply,—much less to answer any of the questions which the young nobleman might think fit to put relative to all these singular proceedings —she abruptly quitted the room, closing the door be- hind her. On descending the ladder-stairs she found * Chiffin waiting below with eager impatience to learn the cause of those sudden emotions on her part which had not merely made her cry out and drop the candle, but also abandon all in a moment the murderous intent that had been harboured against her guest. Having hastily lighted the candle again, in the room where the supper-things were, she said in @ low but resolute tone, “Remain you here quietly, and I will explain everything. I cannot tell you now—but when he is safe out of the house i “ What ?” asked Chiffin, his countenance becoming as dark as night: “do you mean that he is to escape us P” “Yes—I do mean so,” returned the woman, in whose looks there was a strange firmness mingled with a sort of wild agitation. “ You have known me well enough, Chiffin—and I should think too well not to be aware that I am acting for the best.” “Well, it may be so,” growled the Cannibal, savagely; “but it seems a strange way of doing things.” “Tt is nevertheless my way,” rejoined Madge, with a still more dogged air of determination. “So sit down—take some brandy to put you into a better humour—and wait till I return. I shall be with you again in three or four minutes. Here, lend me the candle—you can manage for yourself in the dark till I come back.” Having thus spoken, Madge Somers took up the candle and left the room, closing the door be- hind her. Meanwhile Edmund, considerably relieved from his terrors by the assurances of safety which the woman had given him—but thoroughly bewildered regenerative emma i ECORNICLOO G SHEO