The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

es ed 172 _. __ a at, jeered, gibed, joked, and taunted by a motley crowd of some two hundred persons. His orders were quickly issued to the driver of the cart—or the potato person, as Mr. Bealby’s landlady politely and courteously deajgnated him. The mummy was thrust back into the trunk—the trunk was taken upon the shoulders of the potato person,—who, preceded by the indignant Mr. Fos- silton, began to ascend the stairs towards Mr. Bealby’s apartments. The little scene which we have described from the moment of the tilting up of the cart, to that when the unfortunate mummy was being borne bagk to him who had manufactured and vended it, occupied about five minutes. Let us see what in tho interim had taken place in the apartments of Bealby himeelf. From his window the fabricator of curiosities had observed the catastrophe; and he had seen the cubbler emerge from the public-house. In him he recognised the very man of whom he had bought the old leathor which formed one of the componeng parts of the mummy. Then he perceived his friend Mr. Benjamin limber vanishing from the scone; aud he felt convinced that some disturbance would ensue. “ Deuce take it !” he exclaimed, retreating from the window, and hastening back to the case in which the Burker was cuffined. “ Here’s an accident |—the cart has upset—the mummy has tumbled out—— I think the trick is discovered !” « What trick P” exclaimed thé Burker, with so sudden a start, convulsively given inside the case, that it was a wonder he did not smash the glass lid above him. “Nothing about gow!” replied Bealby hastily. “That cursed mummy | mean !”—and back again! he ran to the window. “ As 1 live, that old scuun- dre! Fossilton is having the mummy brought back ! I shall be compelled té disgorge the twenty pounds !” “T say,”, vociferated the Burker from the glass case, “ I’ve had enough of this—I can stand it no longer! Just let meout. My limbs is all cramped —a hundred million needles and pins is a pricking my feet. Let me out, I say !—or I shall be suffi- cated.” “Stop! an idea strikes me!” ejaculated Bealby. “What if I get old Fossilton to take you off to his house——But no! it will never do!” ‘‘ And why not P” asked the Burker. “ Blowed if I don’t think it’s the best thing to be done. Just leave me to manage the old rogue when I do get to his house-——" “No, no!” responded Bealby: “no harm—no violence !” “Nonsense! I'll only frighten him out of his lif, a | | * It must be so!” said Bealby. ‘ Hush!—they are mounting the stairs !’’—and he turned to meet the indignant archwologjut, whofe cane was fiercely tapping every step as he led the way to the second storey. = -ef.eee SE CT THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. => -—pP = Seer ieee ea e, er eee Paes CHAPTER CXVIII. THE ARCHZOLOGIAT. Tx landlady, who had been standing at her front door to look at the accident, the crowd, and the disturbance, made way for Mr. Fossiltun and the potato person to enter. . Then, Closing the door in the face of the crowd that came to peep in with intense curiosity, she followed the enraged arche- ologist and the bearer of the trunk up the stairs, —not rightly comprehending what had taken place, and therefore all the more anxious to push herself into Bealby’s apartments. “ Here, sir, is a pretty trick you’ve played me!” exclaimed Mr. Fosmltun, as be entered Bealby’s front room. “ One word, my dear sir,” said the ready-witted Mr. Bealby. “ Here are your bank notes: but just allow me to explain myself—and if my ex- planation is not satisfactory, you can take your money and be off with you. Here, you man, put down that trunk—thoere’s half-a-crown for you— and take yourself off with your cart, Just have the kindness to tell that other carter who is wait- ing, to remain yet a little while; and I will settle with him also.” . Mr. Boalby issued his fastructions with much composure and self-possession: the trunk contain- ing the unfortunate mummy was deposited upun the floor—the potato person touched his hat for the half-crown, and took his departuré. ‘‘ Now, my dear ma’am,” said Bealby to the landlady, thrusting another shilling into her hand, “ just got something to comfort you after all this disturbance—and leave me to explain matters to mv friend Mr. Fosaiton.” The landlady accordingly vanished : the door was closed —and the old archaologist, assuming a peremptory air, said, “ Now, Mr. Bealby, for these explanationg.” , . “ They are speedily given,” was Bealby’s ready response. “ Itcis all nonsense about crying down the mummy, and all falsehood that the cobbler told you, just because J happened to owe him for a pair of shoes. Pray don’t interrupt me! I see that you think the mummy to be worthless: you are prejudiced——— Well, let it be granted that it és an imposture——lI at least took it for a genuine article. However, it was not the one you were going to have sent up to you———”” ‘How? what do you mean?” demanded Mr. Fossilton. “ You bought the mummy in the glass case—and there it is, ready packed to be sent to you. I said so frdm the very firet——” “Ah! but you afterwards denied it,” said Mr. Fossilton: “ you told me likewise you had packed other things in the glass case——— All nonsense on my part!” ejaculated Bealby. ° “You say that young gentleman who was with me —the one who went azd fetched the cartP Well, he came to buy a mummy—this was last night—he took a fancy to the one in the glass case, and offered me fifty pounds for it. Iagreed—but I did not mean to let him have it: I intended it all along for you. I meant to give him another——-in shotr, that very one that the hubbub has just been about. But he came early this morning to seoure his bar- ¢ SS (CO) ECOMRniclacae