The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

LL OLED COL in O92 ee ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. was I to go? Besides, I hoped that I should be for- | night, and to-morrow you will be handed over to given: so I concealed myself in this room, where I remained all day without a morsel of food. I went down stairs just now to the pantry to get some: I came up again: but scarcely had I been five minutes in the chamber, when the door opened suddenly I had forgotten to lock it as I in- tended to do and some one rushed in. The light went out so quickly that I could not see who it was; and I thought I had better stay quiet until whoever it might be should fall asleep. I fancied that you slept, sir—and was going to leave the chamber with as little noise as possible fh “Well, well, I know the rest,” observed Chris- tian—and then for a few moments he deliberated with himself what he should do: but remembering that it was impossible to turn a woman out of the house at that hour of the night—indeed, being incapable of such an act of cruelty, no matter how well it might suit her deserts—he was about to tell her to seek another apartment, when the thought struck him that her secret presence in the mansion despite of Mr. Andrews’ peremptory order to quit it, might have some ulterior motive beyond that which she had alleged. He therefore said, “ You tell me you had nowhere to go? How long had you been employed in the late Sir John Steward’s Service P” “‘ About seven years,” replied the woman: and we should observe that she spoke in broken English and execrable grammar—but we do not feel dis- posed to give any verbal representation of her dic- tion. “Your duties, if I guess aright,” said our hero, can have been but little creditable to yourself, considering the master whom you served: and such duties are always well remunerated. You must therefore have amassed gold—and yet you will en- deavour to make me believe that you are com- pletely pauperised, without the means of providing yourself with a lodging. How do you account for, this inconsistency ?P” “T do not altogether understand you,” said the negress)s “I am a stranger in your coun- try “A stranger indeed!—and you have been seven years in Sir John Steward’s service!’ exclaimed Christian, —“ a time sufficient to render you familiar enough with the meaning of our language—and an employment which was only too well calculated to enlarge your experiences. Come, speak frankly: the season for artifice and disguise has gone by—you will do yourself no good by attempting to deceive me.” As Christian thus spoke he strained his eyes hard to study the countenance of the negress in the gloom of that part of the chamber where they stood: but he could not distinguish any of her fea- tures except her eyes. She remained silent; but he.could judge that her feelings were those of un- easiness, Inasmuch as she fidgetted nervously. His former suspicions were strengthened: indeed they amounted to the conviction that the woman had not truthfully explained the cause of her presence in the house. “Now,” he said, “ understand me if you can or will :’—and he spoke with stern decision. “ You are here for no good purpose; and if you do not give me the most satisfactory explanation, I shall take measures to detain you for the rest of the » == the care of a constable. Do you comprehend me ?” “Yes. Pray let me go, sir!” said the woman in a voice of entreaty. * Ah! now I am more than ever convinced that * | you are full of treachery and deceit,” exclaimed Christian; “and you must speak out, Again will I endeavour to make myself properly understood by you. Deal with me frankly,—and as much mercy shall be shown you as can be displayed under such circumstances as may transpire from the revelations you are about to make: but if on the other hand you persist in refusing explanations, then be not astonished if you find yourself severely treated.” This speech was followed by a silence of nearly a minute—during which the negress was evidently deliberating with herself what course she should adopt. At length she said, hesitatingly and timidly, “What if I was to tell you a secret—a very great secret, Mr. Ashton P” “Rest assured that it will be all the better for you,’ responded our hero. “Come—let me put a leading question or two. Mrs. Oxenden knows of your secret presence in the house ?” “No, sir: on my soul she does not!” answered the negress emphatically. “She does not?” said Christian. “Then why are you here? Once for all tell me: for [ am growing impatient. This secret of your’s vs “Will take a long time to explain, sir: and if you have no patience,” added the negress, “it will be useless x “Plenty of patience if you will only come to the point,” interrupted our hero. “It is by no means the most agreeable thing to stand here conversing in the dark especially,” he thought within himself, suddenly leaving off speaking aloud, “as I cannot see your black visage and judge of whether you are trifling with me or not. But come,” he added, again addressing himself audibly to the negress; “here are a couple of chairs within the sphere of the moonlight: let us sit down and converse—and you shall tell me this secret of your's.” “Well, I may as well—indeed I must under all circumstances!” muttered the negress: and she suffered herselt to be led forward to a chair near the toilet-table which stood against one of the windows of the room,—Christian himself taking another, so that he exactly faced her. ** Now,” he said,” “I am all attention.” “Perhaps you know, sir,” resumed the negress, —“or perhaps you do xot—in which case I must tell you—that when I first came into Sir John Steward’s service, between seven and eight years ago, the masons and bricklayers were altering and repairing this house. Sir John did not habitually live here then—but chiefly in London: but I was put here, along with another woman, to get the house in readiness and set everything to rights, as the masons were just finishing their work.” “And what on earth,” ejaculated Christian, “has all this to do with your presence here to-night ? Beware how you trifle with me ?” “TI told you, sir, that the tale would be rather a long one,” answered the negress; “and if you are already impatient ” “T was wrong,” interposed our hero, tinue in your own way.” * Con- —— EO OKO) S (€©)