The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

ene ae 216 ee Be a @m 52" “8,2 = === = = me > => =e THS MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. as eee Gs = list corresponded with a quantity of those which were on the merchant’s list: but Sir Frederick displayed not any particular feeling which could enable tho lawyer to judge of the effect produced on him by the result of the inveatigation. “TI return you my best thanks,” said the merchant, rising from his seat; “and I be that the subject‘of our interview may be kep her secret.’ ‘‘] hope, Sir Frederick,” said Mr. May, that there is really no 60 very unplea- san “Not the least!” internpted the merchant. ‘Tt was as much for Lord Kushbrook’s sake as my own, that‘it was desirable to ascertain the number of these notes which were paid into your hand.” a Frederick a — his leave 7 o lawyer; and en g carriage, he ordered the coachman to return to Balham Hill. The point was now ascertainéd: the cater portion of the contents of the cash+borx d evidently found their way into the hands of Lord Rushbrook. ‘And thus Anastatia,” said the merchant to himself, “‘ has robbed het htisband for the sake of her brother! This is but too evident. But yet I am as far off as ever ffom comprehending what meant the allusion of that false Lascar to tho safe and the cash-box. This is a strange myntery but I must strive hard to unravel i During the remainder of the drive home- ward, the merchant continued to reflect how he should act in respect to his wife—but with- out coming to any positive decision. On reaching Tudor Lodge, he found a note from Anastatia, to the effect that her mother, the Countess of Fordwich, had been taken very ill, and that she (Anastatia) therefore purpoged to remain with her parent until the evening. Sir Frederick was not sorty: the delay would afford him additional leisure to settle his min as to the plan to be pursued in respect to that wife whdm he believed to have been so guilty. Ho dined by himself; and afterwards forth into his grounds—it being a beautiful moonlit evening in that autumn season of the year of which we are writing. While thus rambling in the garden, Sir Fre- derick Latham revolved in his own wind every particular which he had receivell from the li of Madame Angelique in the forenoon; and he thought to himself that he had not been precise enough in his questions for the p se of aace g who was the paramour that had been spoken of. He fancied that there were other queries he might have put—minuter par. ticulars which he might have gleaned; and he determined to visit adem gelique again forthwith. He was ao cautious man, as the reader has seen: he wished to do nothing rashly: it was consistent with his character to obtain as many details as possible in respect to circumstances of such gravu importance. He ordered his horse to be saddled; and this time he took a groom to attend upon him; for the road from Balham Hil] to Brixton is in some parts lonely —and Sir Frederick had the prominent amongst other images in his The evening, as woe have aaid, was beantifally moonlit; and ea distance of about three miles and a half wag soon accomplished. The mer- chant did not however wish his domestic to aa perceive where he intended to call, for fear leat yn he go EPO ee *-e evo the villa should be known as the residence of a retired tradeswoman from the West End. Sir Frederick therefore bade his dependant await his return at a respectable inn at a little dis- tance; and he proceeded on foot to Madame Angelique’s e On reaching his destina- tion, Sir Frederick beheld no lights in any of the front rooms; and he thought that probably Madame Angelique might be out: for as it was only te nine o'clock he could not snppose that she thus early retired to rest. He knocked at the front door; and at that instant violent screams ing through the house, — the ear of Sir Frederick La- am. We must here interrupt the thread of our narrative for a brief space, in order to explain the reason of these cries. There was a fair being held at a little distance, in the neighbour- ; and Madame Angelique had given per- mission to her two men-servants (the coachman and footman) as well as to her cook to visit the scene. She therefore remained alone in the house with the pretty maid, who has already been notjced. The servants who had received permission to visit the fair, had gone thither at about seven o’clock, after their mistress’ crete ; “ry a gl gw afterwards the Pp maid mig ve been seen tripping across the garden—thdhce a little way along the road—to drop a couple of letters into the local post-office. ‘The distance was not alto- gether a hundred yards: the pretty maid's absence did not therefore last above a few minutes: but still it was sufficient to afford the opportunity for a lurking villain who was on the watch, to glide very noiselessly into the ouse. This was none other than Barney the Burker, in his Lascar disguise. He had seen Madame Angelique’s men-servants at the fair: he had recognised them by their livery, which he had observed on the day when the carriage had d passed him during his altercation with the uke of Marchmont ; and believing Madame Angelique -to be well off, ho thought ® might as well profit by the comparatively unprotected atate of her résidence, now that he beheld the men-servants at the fair. He concluded that the woman whom he saw with them, was like- wise a dependant of the ex-milliner’s house- hold; and taking care not to be seen by these domestics, he left them in the vicinage of the booths and stalls. Making the best of his way in the direction of the villa, he came within sight of it at the very moment the maid-servant was tripping forth with her mistress’s letters ; and steali through the garden at the back, Barney the Burker glided into the house. The tohen was unoccupied at the moment: he fiat i it—he entered the passage leading to ing ‘ parlour-door happened to be standing ajar eeped in, and beheld Madame Angeliqae ing # comfortable na upon the sofa, which was drown near the table whereon wine and dessert appeared. There was no lamp in the room: but the light from the window was sufficient to reveal the French- form to the Burker’s eyes. He crept softly up the stairs, and entered « which, by its appearance was that of Madame Ang que. ere @ minute or , delibe- hould th — ho | COMIC OOOKS. COR