The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

\ TIIN. MYSTERIES OF LONDON. e only a conjecture with her that he was in London at all;—but sho had worked this suspicion up into a certainty in her own mind; and the object sho hopod to gain was quite important cnough to lead her to resolve upon Jeaving no stone unturned in order to arrive at a successful issuc. On setting foot in the metropolis, she took up her abode ata small coffee-house in an obscure street in tho Borough of Southwark; and having assumed a somewhat mean attire, she repaired, in the dusk of the evening after her arrival, to the vicinity of the dwolling which in former times bore the name of Torrens Cottage. This house, as the reader will recollect, was situate between Streatham and Norwood; and the old woman, who know the world well, and read the human heart profoundly, caloulated that Torrens, impelled by that inscrutablo and mystorious curi- osity which prompts persons under such circum- stances, was likely, if indeed in London, to visit the neighbourhood whore he had once dwelt, and which had proved for him the sceno of such dire misfortune. ' Mrs. Mortimor knew that Torrens had passod many happy days at that cottage, and had there cherished the grandest hopes of acquiring a great fortuno by means of building-speculations: she was also aware that ho had at the same place bar- gained for the sale of his daughter’s virtue—beheld the ravyisher lying murdered upon the sofaand been arrested on suspicion of the heinous crime. The place, then, was replete with the most varied and conflicting reminiscences for the old man; and Mrs. Mortimer said to herself, “The morbid feel- ings which must exist in such 4 heart as his, will probably induce him to visit the neighbourhood of the house that once was his home.” Such was her calculation; and, acting upon this impression, sho sped on foot towards the dwelling where sho had once dwelt a few brief hours as the wife of the man whom she was searching after. It was nino o'clock in tho evening when sho turned into the lane whoro twenty years before Tom Rain had robbed Frank Curtis of the two thousand pounds. In a few minutes Mrs. Mortimer came in sight of tho cottage, the walls of which wero glistening white amidst the summer ovening semi-obscurity ; and her heart beat quickly asshe thought of the long— long time that had elapsed sinco she last saw that spot where she also had been arrested on a capital charge } What changes~—what vicissitudes had marked her existence since that epoch ! Sho had been in Newgate, and had there given birth to a daughter, who had accompanied her into oxile:—the daughter had grown up—had become as profligate, though not altogether as criminal as her mother—and had at length defied the authority of that parent who thus surpassed her in the extent of her iniquity ! Yes—many and striking had been the events that had characterised the old woman’s career since jast sho saw those white, glistening walls :—but there was the cottage apparently unchanged in out- ward appearance,—although it was more completely hemmed in by trees than when she quitted it up- wards of nineteon years back. For the large trees which were there in her time, had grown larger, and the saplings had expanded into trees also;—and 4 high, thick, vordant hedge surrounded tho gardoun. ee EE RT tia ee “Ah!” thought the old woman to herself, as shu sped down the lane, “ I could almost wish that the cottage was mino, and that I might retire with a competency to this sweet seclusion, no moro to commingloin the strifo and turmoil of tho great— the busy—the jarring world. But this may not be! My life is destined to be stormy until the end. I feel that it is—and I must yield to the destiny that urges me on!” Melancholy sentiments had risen up in her soul as she gave way to theso thoughts; but their current was suddenly cut short—or rather diverted into another channel, «when, omerging from the lane, sho found herself in front of the cottage. A light was visible through the shuttors of the parlour—that very parlour where Sir Henry Cour- tenay was murderod, and whither she horself was borne in a fainting fit, after having beon arrested in tho hall on a charge of forgery. A cold shudder eruys over the eld wretch, har- doned and heartless as sin was © for she remembered all the acuteness-~all tho intonsity of the anguish she had experienced, wivt sho had awakened to consciousness on that dread occasion, and found herself in the custody of tho servitors of justice. Exercising, however, a powerful control over her feclings, she stepped up to tho front-door, and knocked boldly,—not ina sneaking, timid, uncertain manner, but with firmness and decision. The summons was almost immediately answored by a protty-looking, neatly-dressed, and very respoct- able sorvant-maid of about cighteen or nineteen ; and Mrs. Mortimer’s cyes now commanded a viow of the hall whero the constables had made her their prisoner,—that fatal Incident which became as it vero an ominous and most conspicuous finger-post in the road of her chequered existence } “Can I bo permitted, without causing inconve- nience, to speak a few words to your master or mistress?” inquired Mrs. Mortimer, subduing tho feclings aroused by tho reminiscences of tho past, aud addressing hersolf to the business of the pre- sont. “Surely you must havo mado some mistake,” snid tho servant-girl, speaking, however, in a mild and respectful tone. “ No gentleman rosides here,” “Then allow me to see your mistress, young woman,” persisted Mrs. Mortimer, slipping two half-crowns into tho maid’s hand. J will carry your messago to my mistress,” said tho domestic coldly, and at the same time indig- nantly repulsing the proffered bribe. “ Walk in, if you please.” Mrs. Mortimer entered tho hall; and as the light of the lamp suspended to the ceiling now fell fully upon her, the seryant-maid saw that she was somewhat meanly dressed, and that her countenanco was nono of tle most pleasant to look upon. The impression thus mado upon the domestic was not particularly favourablo towards tho old woman ; but tho girl was artless and unsuspicious naturally, aud thoreforo strove to smother a feeling which she fancied to be uncharitable towards a compicte stranger. Sho was therefore about to onter tho parlour to deliver the message of the visitor, whon the door of that room suddenly opened, and a bean- tiful young creature, ‘of about nineteen, made her appearance. Wo must pauso for a fow minutes to describe the being that burst, like a seraphic vision, upon the amazed and dazzled sight of Mcs. Mortimer, (C(O) (C DOO <S LL (SO)