The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 268: what you’re looking at

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a ae 262 at least for the present, by reminding their frail companions that a fresh supply of wine had been sent for. Ina few moments Mrs. Bambridge re- appeared ; and almost immediately afterwards the woman-servant entered with two fresh bottles of wine. These were opened; and one of the girls officiously filled the two gentlemen’s glasses : but the latter perceived that it was from the first supply, which was not completely exhausted, that the other glasses were replenished. They there- fore at once comprehended that the wine last brought in was drugged. “You do not drink ?” said one of the girls, in a cajoling manner to Stanley. ‘ T am already tipsy enough,’ was the response, given in a hiccupping manner. “ Oh, no!—do try one more glass.” Stanley reached forth his hand: and with every appearance of drunken awkwardness he upset the lass. ans I’m sure you're not so clumsy,” said the other girl to Lord Charles. “Tet?s try,” answered the nobleman: and lift- ing the glass, he spilt all its contents down his paletot. Both the girls affeeted to laugh: but at the same time they darted suspicious looks towards Mrs. Bambridge. Who can sing a good song?” asked Stanley, with the hope of giving a turn to the proceedings and averting the suspicions which he saw were awakened. “It just happens,” replied Mother Bambridge, with her simpering air, “that there are three or four gentlemen—real gentlemen, like yourselyes —in the front parlour; and they seem as much inclined as you to make a night of it. They sing capital songs; and with your leaye [ll go and feteh them.” She quitted the room accordingly ; and during her absence, which lasted two or three minutes, the girls again endeavoured to cajole the officers into retiring: but they were resolyed not to be separated—and they vowed, with tipsy declama- tion, that they would not go to bed till daylight. Mother Bambridge re-appeared, with the four “ gentlemen” of whom she had spoken; and the two officers at once recognised some of the flashily dressed fellows whom they had seen hanging aloof behind the girls in front of the public-houses. The four bullies—for such indeed the new-comers were—themselves affected to be drunk; and sitting down, they began singing a bacchanalian song. The girls endeayoured to persuade Lord Charles and Stanley to drink of the last supply of wine—but as a matter of course, without effect. The looks which the women rapidly exchanged grew more and more suspicious, as the excuses of the officers for refusing to drink became propor- tionately more and more transparent,—their con- duct now being so little consistent with that of tipsy men: and yet they had no alternative but to persist in the refusal, even at the risk of haying their aim altogether frustrated. “Come now,” suddenly exclaimed Mrs. Bam- bridge, rising up from her seat; ‘‘ I must have the house quiet—or else I shall stand the chance of being indicte|. You must all be off to bed with- out any more delay.” A crisis was now reached: Lord Charles and ON ee ne Et eet cet tern nT THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Stanley knew full well that if they separated from each other, they were almost certain to become the prey of superior numbers: for they had no doubt that there were even more bullies at hand than those who were present; and their only chance of a successful resistance, in case of yio- lence, was to keep together. But a thought sud- denly flashed to Stanley’s mind; and affecting to drop his pocket-handkerchief close to where Lord Charles sate, he pretended to fall completely upon him as he stooped to pick it up. This mancuyre afforded him the opportunity of rapidly whisper- ing, “ Let us suffer ourselves to be robbed without the slightest resistance.” “ Come, do you hear?” cried Mrs. Bambridge : “off with you to bed !” “Tf you won’t let us sit up any longer,” said Stanley, hiccupping at every word, “I shall go and finish the night at the public house.” “ Bravo!” cried one of the four bullies: “ and we'll go with you.” The door of the room was now opened: Stan- ley and Lord Charles rose staggeringly from their chairs, and with uneven steps walked into the passage,—a girl clinging to the arm of each. In the darkness of that passage, they each felt that their purses and watches were dexterously fileched from them: they pretended not to notice it— the front-door was opened—and as they passed out, it was slammed behind them—neither bullies nor girls being now any longer in their com- pany. They walked away from the immediate vicinage of the place, and obseryed that both public-house and beer-shop were now shut up. ‘This was of no consequence to them: for, as the reader may suppose, Stanley had all along no intention of ad- journing to either of those places. The dawn of morning was now glimmering ; and as they looked back, they perceived the head of one of the girls thrust out of an upper window. They made her an apparently friendly sign; and still staggering along, stopped short, as if in astonishment, before the shut-up public-house. Then, with the air of men who determined to carry their tipsy frolics to some place which was yet open, they passed out of the alley,—another glance thrown backwards, showing that the girl was still watching their movements. “Now, my dear fellow,’ said Lord Charles Meredith, when they were out of the alley, and therefore out of view of the house which they had recently left, “pray explain yourself—for to tell you the truth, I cannot for the life of me un- derstand this last proceeding on your part.” “Tt is easily explained,’ responded Stanley: “but we have yet much to dgo—and the most diffi- cult as well as the most perilous part of our en- terprise is still to be performed.” “Proceed: I am all attention,” rejoined the nobleman. ‘“ But unless we get back our purses and our watches, it will be rather an expensive night’s entertainment,” he added with a laugh. “Those we may give up for lost,’ answered Stanley: “but I think we may hold that loss cheap enough, if we succeed in surrendering a murderer into the hands of justice.” “But your project?” said Lord Charles, in- quiringly. “Do you mean to go and fetch the police ?” ee Se te eee (E©) 0)(0)0) S (C)