The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 87: what you’re looking at

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70 “Ah, I see!” observed Chiffin. “I must make believe to keep the coachman in awe while you do the rifling business with his master isn’t that it P” ; “You have read my purpose exactly,” responded Lady Bess. “And now, do you agree? The booty shall be disposed of to old Solomon, and of course we will divide the produce equally—that is to say, leaving a third share for the coachman.” “T like the business, and the business likes me,” responded Chiffin. “But is it a safe place to doa thing of this sort? I mean along the road there, down towards Tottenham or Edmonton ?” “ Safe!” echoed Lady Bess, her full lips wreathing in scornful contempt of danger: then as a sudden recollection struck her, she laughingly exclaimed, “Why, those things that I have just sold to old Patch were picked up on that very same road last night. Ha! ha! ha! it was one of the finest ad- ventures you ever heard of in the whole course of your life. I was gallopping out of London along the Seven Sisters Road, when I met a young fellow —never mind his name, although he told it to me— who was wandering about in a benighted state. So I offered him a bed at my house——” “Where do you live, then?” asked Chiffin, who with his arm resting on the table and his head bent forward, was listening attentively to the amazon’s tale. ‘‘ Never mind where I live,” she responded with an arch smile. ‘Suffice it for you to know that I pretended for the nonce to live in that neighbour- hood, and invited the youngster home. He accepted the invitation, and got up behind me on my horse. I could perceive that when he held me round the waist he discovered that I was not exactly of the sex I at first seemed: for I felt him trembling like an aspen leaf. How I laughed in my sleeve! But our ride did not continue very far:* for in a few minutes we reached a convenient part of the road, where it is quite lonely, and there I threw my gen- tleman off and made him surrender up those trinkets which I have just handed over to Solomon.” At this moment Lady Bess, who had been talking in a careless off-hand manner, without addressing herself particularly either to the Cannibal or Madge, suddenly raised her eyes and was perfectly struck by the singular look which that woman was fixing upon her. Lady Bess could not possibly penetrate the meaning of that look: it was so strange—so sinister—so unfathomable. “Ah! then it was a good night’s work for you ?” exclaimed Madge, instantaneously resuming her wonted aspect, and endeavouring to appear as if she had not been excited by any extraordinary emotion. “Yes—a tolerably good night’s work,” answered the female highwayman, not choosing to question the woman—at least on that oceasion—as to the cause of the strangeness of her manner a moment back. ©“ Besides this gold,” she went on to say, leisurely gathering up the money she had received from Patch, and which she had until now left lying upon the table with a careless indifference concern- ing it, “I got a well-filled purse from my deluded companion of that double ride on horseback. Poor fellow! he was frightened out of his wits; and I am very sure that he will not go and confess to his mamma,” she added, laughing ironically, “ that he THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. was robbed by a woman. But now I shall take my departure. Chiffin, you will meet me at the bridge over the canal half-an-hour after midnight. You know where I mean—in the road leading to Tottenham.” “T know,” responded Chiffin; “and I shall be there before my time. It won’t take much more than an hour’s walk: so if I leave here at a quarter past eleven it will be all right.” Lady Bess now quitted the wretched-looking room; and descending the stairs, issued from the public-house: then mounting her horse, she rode away. CHAPTER XVII. THE LAWYERS. It was a rather dark night—for there was no mocn, and the clouds that were flitting over the face of heaven, borne on the wings of a somewhat strong breeze, obscured the beams of the twinkling stars. The lamps of Mr. Marlow’s carriage were however lighted; and rapidly was the vehicle proceeding along the Tottenham Road, driven by the treache- rous coachman through whose agency the contem- plated robbery had been suggested. The carriage was of that kind which in a former instance we have already described as a brougham: it therefore had no footman either standing or seated behind, the coachman being the only servant attached to it. Inside, Mr. Marlow and Mr. Malton were loung- ing comfortably back, conversing upon the gaieties es — oom which they had so recently quitted at Saxondale | House, and intermingling their discourse with a few business-remarks relative to the Various matters which their extensive office had to conduct. For the firm of Marlow and Malton was one of the most eminent as well as the wealthiest in London,—all their business being chiefly with clients belonging to the highest orders of society. The equipage had just crossed the canal bridge, and was proceeding at a slower pace down the some- what steep slope which the road takes in the diree- tion of Tottenham, when the two lawyers were suddenly startled by the quick trampling of a horse gallopping up to the side of the carriage, and a peremptory command to the coachman to stop. At the same instant they saw a fellow with a huge club bound from the side of the road and sprmg up on the box; where, seizing upon the coachman, he warned him with terrible threats not to offer the slightest resistance. The coachman did not mean to do anything of the sort, he being well prepared beforehand for this facetious portion of the drama, Mr. Malton, who was on the side nearest to the mounted highwayman, instantaneously let down the window, and with a quick glance surveyed the daring individual whose person was plainly visible | by the light of the carriage-lamps. Nevertheless, the keen eyes of Mr. Malton did not detect the real sex of the highwayman; nor could he even catch the slightest glimpse of Lady Bess’s countenance, inasmuch as she had put on a black mask just be- fore stopping the carriage. But Mr. Malton did perceive that the mounted bardit was of somewhat slender make, and at all events afforded no outward indications of any extraordinary degree of physical strength. Such was the idea that immediately im Go 0)(0)(0) “S (Eo)