The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

LS ee a 302 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, = + NS I ee and one of them, holdir out a parchment as proof of his authority, enclditiied: “My Lord Moreton, I arrest you for felony!” “ Arrest me!” repeated the conscience-stricken man ; “a peer of thé realm, and on eucl: a plea! ridiculous! Let me sed your authority ?” The officer placed it in his hands. “This must be communicated to the honso,” ob- served the Earl of Heartley, hastily reascending the stairs, followed by several of his brother peers, whilst Others remained to watch the affair with Moréton and the officer. At the prisoner's request, the captors allowed him to retire to one of the waiting rooms of the house till the decision of the committee of privileges should be known, Here he was left for a considerable time alone, a prey to the bitterness of his reflections; for the cflicer, out of respect to his high fab, had reé- mainéd outside the door. “ Carse him!” he murmured, alluding to this bishop ; “that man was born to be my ruin. From the first moment I beheld him I felt there was a secret anti- pathy between us—a something I was bound to hate Curse him,” he added, “in his cold pride and taunting scorn |” For a few moments he paced the apartment in gloomy silence, pondering over the affair. That Ellen and Fitzgerald had been legally married he could no longer doubt, though how Burley could be their son he could not find the slightest clue, A thousand times did he curse his impétuous passions, and wish for the presence of the cool, resolute agent of his villanies— the lawyer, Mr. Prim. Gently opening the door of the chamber, he beck- oned to the officer, and showed him a purse of guineas. The man shook his head: he jadged that they were intended to bribe him to wink af his escape. “Can’t, my lord; my professional character is at stake. Never nabbed a lord before—not a right down earnest one, Maustn’t make a mistake here; Sir Richard would never forgive me.” “TI have no wish to escape,” replied the prisoner. “ Haven’t you?” said the fellow, with a longing look at the purse. “All I want is permission to send to my lawyer.” “No objection in life, my lord; you ain’t committed yet. Send for him by all means, One of my men shell run for you directly.” “ A messenger from the house will spare you that trouble. It is Mr, Prim, of the Inner Temple.’’ ** Who?” repeated the officer, with a look of asto- nishment. “ Mr. Nicholas Prim, of the Inner Temple,” repeated peer, “Then I can’t help telling you, my lord, that your casé is a damned bad one,—exctse my swearing. Well, only to think of the old rat; your own lawyer, toe; why, my lord, he is principal evidence against you.” “What mean you?” “That he accompanied the biahop and that young fellow who was quarrelling with your lordship when I nabbed you, in the visit to Sir Richard; and it was upon his confession that the warrant was granted against you on the charge of abduction and kidnapping 9 child.” “The infernal scoundrel!” exclaimed Moreton, bit- terly ; “ after the sums he has fieeced me of, too! Fool thet J was to trast him!” “ That’s what I say, my lord: never trust a lawyer, - ee ee Ce ee —_— — to die, foo, unprepared.” TT Ia all the plants I havé been employed to trace out, never knew one in which a lawyer was that he didn’t split. They generally contrive to ‘their accomplices, and escape scot-frée Some Koowing vermin! Not that I suppose forone * my lord,” he added, with a bow which was intended to be respectfal, ‘‘ that you run any that way. Tt ain’t a capital charge.” On heating of the eye and defevtion a. Prim, the guilty man lost the little cou ‘which had hitherto sustained him; and after req his servant might be sent for, to whom he vite some directicn3, delivered himself up to shame, | fication, and a His pride was galled to the very quick, and he felt that, whatever might be the result of the investigation, his character in England was irretrievably gone; that he could never show his face in society again. To fall from such a hei and through the instrumentality of the man he h —was gall to his rancorous soul. “No,” he murmured, “I will not give mine that triumph. He may smile upon my grave, but he shall never trample on me while living. After ay } he added, “it is but one boid plunge; I have lon, been firéd of life, and may as well take the leap ne ad & fw months hence perhaps. Better to swallow tt ue contents of misfortune’s chalice at a single d than drain it drop by drop ; ; and yet tis hard to 4 Seating himself, thé speaker waited fhe retarn his servant in gloomy meditation. The mat 1 his appearance in about half an hour; he had rently beén running, and held a letter in his h his acting was 80 natural, that even the ed the officer were never for once excited, and he a him to pass unquestioned into the presence of master, and alone, “Tlere is the letter, my lord!” exclaimed the m loud enough to be heard by those on the 0 the door. “ Give if me,” j Hastily putting the pretended letter in his pockk the fellow drew from his bosom a pistol, and plac vo Ht in the hands of Lord Moreton, who received it ic ‘ grim smile of satisfaction, for he felt that it mi him once more master of himself, _ « And the reward, ny lord?” whispered thé fe The peer hastily placed his pocket-book and in his hands; the raseal’s eyes flashed with ¢ as he opened the book, for ke found that it co ine notes to the amount of a thousand pounds. moment the voice of Lord Heartley was proaching the deor, “Begone,” said Moreton; “thou hast thy b To stay might be dangerous to thyself.” As the domestic passed out of the room Heartley and several peers entered it. “‘ Moreton,”’ exclaimed the kind-hearted wate a am sorry for you; but the house has confirmed you arrest. There was no resisting the evidence of Errin; court, and——” “T know, I know. And where am I to be d to?” “To the Tower, of course. A messenger from house will accompany you.” “ An instant and I atn ready.” The door of the apartment was thrown ¢ the officer of the house to whom the of! person had been transferred approached the unhap man, and was just pronouncing the words of arr Cd 3 when—bang—an explosion was heard; and comicbooksscom de