The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 400: what you’re looking at

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

394 —e why the negress should be devising such a nar- rative,—‘‘ you will perhaps tell me for what uses the mysterious room served ?” “JT suppose I need not inform you, sir,” con- tinued the black woman, who did not perceive by our hero’s tone how her veracity was suspected, “that Sir John Steward was a very gay gentle- man, and that many a young girl has fallen his victim P” “[ have indeed heard enough,’ responded Christian, “to convince me that here at least you are speaking nothing but the truth. But that secret apartment ‘4 “Often served, sir,” rejoined the negress, “as a place of imprisonment for some lovely creature who fell into the snare set for her, or was carried off by violence. Only conceive a young woman brought into this housé and consigned to a room like any other—this oné, for instaice,—falling off fast asleep, when, worn’ out with fatigue and per- haps with grief, she had taken’ some réfréshment— for Sir John knew well enough how to drug’ éven tea or coffee—and then awalting’ to find herself in a living tomb from which it was’ told her'she would never be allowed to go forth until’ she complied with his desires i | “Good heaven! is this possible?” éxclaimed Christian, his incredulity vanishing, and his in- terest in the black woman’s tale becoming all the more fearfully vivid as it seemed suddenly to be stamped with truthfulness. “It is quite possible, sir, because I have seen it over and over again with my own eyes.” “And perhaps, accursed hag! you yourself have aided in all those black satanic villanies'?” “There, sir!—what meyéy have I to expect,” asked the trembling negress, ‘‘ at your hands, when you burst out upon me in this’ way P” “Go on—go on,” said Christian, mastering his burning indignation as well as hé was able. “TI will interrupt you no more—if I ean help it.” “ Well, sir, [ must trust to your goodness,” con- tinued the black woman. “ A's’ I have already hinted, there has been many and many a victim in’ that dreadful place; and then, when innocence turned into dishonour and degradation; there was either an anxiety to sereen it all on the part of the sufferer—or else, when onte lost, she aecepted- her position of an established mistress—and when cast off, retired with a goodly persion: so that what with one way or another, the secret of that myste- rious chamber was never betrayed. And let me tell you, sir, that the device was infallible; for the poor victim, however virtuously inclined, and how- ever strenuously she resisted at first, always suc- cumbed at last, when either worn out in spirit— exhausted—half-maddened—or reduced to despera- tion !” Christian was about to give vent to another out- burst of his feelings: but he controlled himself, and suffered the negress to proceed. “Of all the servants of the house,” she conti- nued, “myself and the woman of whom I have spoken, alone knew the secret of the mysterious chamber. That woman died about a year back: and thus the secret remained with me—for there was no one else in the establishment to whom ‘Sir John thought fit to confide it. However, he and I sufficed to bear up to that room any drugged and insensible victim fe THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “And you, I suppose,” said Christian, scarcely able to repress the indignant bitterness of his feel- ings or prevent them from showing themselves in his accents,—“ you, I suppose, were the attendant upon these unfortunate victims of a hideous lust— you witnessed their tears—you turned a deaf ear to their prayers—perhaps you used threats But go on, go on—and let me know to what issue your narrative of abominations is tending.” “A few days ago, sir,” continued the negress, “in the middle of the very night before. Mrs. Oxenden arrived from Brighton on her second visit % “You mean when she brought her sister Laura hither P” said Christian inquiringly. “Exactly so, sir. In the middle of that night, a certain well-known signal was given, by the pull- ing of a particular bell at the front door, but which bell rang in Sir John’s room. He speedily got up,, and came to summon me. I knew what it meant: the thing had often and often happened before. We went down to the front door—and received a beautiful young creature from the care of a couple of women and a’ man who had carried her off by force from some place, I don’t know where, and brought her down to Verner House.” “ And those’ wretches, I presume,” said Chris- tian, “ were the infamous agents who pandered to Sir John Steward’s lusts, and whom he doubtless kept continually in his pay ?” “ Just so, sir,” answered the negress. “They had a roving commission, if I may use the term, empowering them to pick up beauties wherever they could find them, and bring them straight. to Verner House. No matter the distance, they might take post-chaises for hundreds of miles— they knew pérfectiy well that Sir John would pay for them liverally, as well as all their other ex- penses is “No doubt!” observed Christian. “ But about this beautiful girl of whom you are speaking P” “She was in a dead swoon, sir, when delivered into our hands,” answered the negress: “ for it seems she had been brought a good many, many miles—and she was worn out with fatigue and gvief. Everything was done silently and cautiously as usual; but there was no need to drug whatso- ever refreshments she stood in need of—for, as L tell you, she was in a swoon—and we took her right up to the secret chamber. Sir John was terribly vexed 14 “Vexed! And why?” asked Christian, aston- ished at such a remark. “ How could he be vexed P —why was it ?” “Because he expected Mrs. Oxenden and her sister next day,” replied the negress: “he meant to marry the sister, as you already know—and therefore the presence of the new beauty in the secret chamber was an embarrassment and an en- ecumbrance rather than a source of hope and de- light.” “Then why did he receive her at all?” asked Christian, fancying that he discerned an inconsis- tency in the black woman’s tale. “ Because the agents who had brought her could not possibly take her back,” responded the ne- gress: “and because, under those circumstances, Sir John made up his mind that he would keep her here until after his marriage with Miss Hall, when it was to be my duty to restore her to free - CONNIE OC S (E©@)