The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 55: what you’re looking at

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48 : sideration the mode of procedure. Of course I am the promoter of the scheme; and to-morrow I shall register it. ‘This will only cost five pounds—and then the thing is secured to us. ‘ Provisionally Registered, pursuant to 7 and 8 Victoria, cap. 110;’—-and so forth. Capital £8,000,000, in 490,000 shares of £20 each. Deposit, £2 2s. per share. You, Frank, must be the Secretary; and you, captain, Consulting En- gineer.” “Ts it an Ingincer ye’d be afther making of me in my ould age?” cried the gallant officer: “for, be the power-rs! I’ye forgot more than I ever knew of that same!” “Oh! the place will be quite a sinecure—good pay and nothing to do,” said Mr. Styles. “ We shall have aregular Engineer, as a matter of course; but it will look business-like to speak in the prospectus of having ‘secured the valuable services of that eminent Military Engineer, Captain O'Blunderbuss, of Blunderbuss Park, Ireland ; who, having surveyed the whole of the proposed line, in concert with the Company's Civil Engineer, has reported most favourably of the scheme, and has ofered suggestions which will produce a saving to the Company of nearly half a million ster- ling in the progress of the works. ‘This is the way to manage business, gentlemen,” added Mr. Styles, glancing in a satisfied manner at lus two companions, one after the other: then, looking at his watch, he exclaimed, “Just ten minutes more to stay—and I must be off! Now, wo have settled that 1 am to be Promoter—you, Curtis, are to be Secretary—and you, captain, Consulting Ingineer. This cvening I will draw up the prospectus: we must have about thirty good names for the Provisional Committee—and by to-morrow afternoon the document will be printed and ready.” “You will not have time to call on the people to ask them to let you put down their names?’’ satl Frank Curtis, conceiving at the moment that his friend was going a tritle too fast. «Nonsense, my dear fellow!” exclaime? Mr. Bub- bleton Styles: “I know that I can take the liberty of using the names of at least half of my intended Pro- visional Committec-men; and the others will not think of contradicting the prospectus, when they see that we have got Mr. Podgson as‘chaitman.” * What—Podgson!” cricd Mr. Curtis, almost wild with joy and surprise. “ You don’t mean to say that you "ve got Podgsun? ” “Not yet,” answered the speculator, with his cha- ractctistic covlness: but I edad’ have him by this tine to-morrow.” “T thought that you had not spoken of your <«cheme to a soul before you met me and the captain this morning ——” “Neither had I—and Podgson is totally unaware at this moment that such a project is in existence,” in- terrupted Mr. Styles, calmly and deliberately. “ But 1 know how to deal with him: I have read his cha- racter from a distance ;—and, although I have never yet exchanged a word with him in my life, depend upon it I shall hook him as yur chnirman before Iam twenty-four hours older. Three minutes more!” cried the speculator: then, as if to make the most of the hundred and cighty seconds at his disposal, Mr. Styles closed the present interview in the following business- like and highly gratifying manncr:—‘You are beth a3 shabby as you well can be; and you must obtain new clothes as soon as possible. Tere is a ten-pound note for each of you, Moreover you must get re- T1115 MYSTERIES OF LONDON, ee spectable lodgings at once; and you can give a refer- ence tome. To-morrow, at three o’clock punctually, there will be chops and sherry in readiness at my office—and I shall expect you both. Nota moment before three, remember—because you will be inter- rupting me: and if you’re a moment after, I stall decline any farther transactions with you. So gool bye--I have n’t time to shake hands.” Thus speaking, Mr. Styles rushed from the room, it being four o’clock to an instant ;—and it is perhaps as well to observe that this perfect man of business had only made an appointment with his friends at the public-housein Fleet Street, because he had another gentleman to mect in the neighbourhood at six minutes past four. me CHAPTER CXXIV CHARLES JATIIGLD. Ir was past midnight; and in only one chamber throughout the Earl of Ellingham’s spacious mansion was a light still burning. In that chamber Charles Hatficld was pacing to and fro—his mind filled with thoughts of so bewildering, exciting, and painful a nature, that he felt the in- utility of endeavouring to escape from them by retiring to his couch, This young man of twenty-five years of age,—so handsome, so intelligent, and with the certainty of inheriting vast riches,—possessing the most brilliant worldly prospects, and knowing himself to be the object of his parents’ devoted aflection—cntertaining, too, a profound love for the beautiful Lady Frances Ellingham, and having every reason to hope that his passion was reciprocated,—this young man, with #0 many advantages in respect to position, and so many sources of felicity within his view,—Charles Hatfield was restless and unhappy. The striking incident which had marked the day— the sudden discovery that those whom he had hitherto lovked upon as his uncle and his aunt, were in reality his parents,—the assurance which he had received re- specting the honour of his mother and the legitimacy of his birth,—then the mysterious fact that his parent- age was still to remain a secret to the world,—all these circumstances combined to torment him with doubts and misgivings—to excite his curiosity to a painful degree—and to animate him with an ardent longing to penctrate into all that was so obscure and suspicious. It was true that he had promised his mother never to question her relative to a subject that might be dis- agreeable to her;—for the moment, too, he had been satisfied with the assurances of his legitimacy which he had received from the lips of his father. But when he found himself alone in his own bed-chamber—sar- rounded by the stillness of night—he could no longer check the natural current of his retlections: —the deep silence in which the mansion was enyeloped—the secluded position of his apartment—and the slightly romantic turn of his mind,—all united to give an im- . pulse to thoughts which were so intimately associated with subjects of mysterious and strange import. ‘Then, many circumstances, remembered inconunexion with his early boyhood, but until now never before ey pondered upon with serious attention,—recollections, hitherto vague and disjointed,—gradually assumed a more intelligible aspect to his mental contemplation (CO) GIOOKS (CO)