The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 261: what you’re looking at

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you—we flee together—and in happiness we dwell for the remainder of our days!” Finette agreed to all that De Margaux sug- gested: he repeated his instructions relative to 1 THE MYOTERING OF THE COURT. her to dispose of it. All men are fond of “And no one more so than myself,” rejoined the sentinel with a laugh: and then he smacked his ips significantly. the files and the cord; and he explained to her | lips what drag she was to purchase at the ohemist’s, and with what quantity of spirits sbe was to mix it. Everything was arranged between them: the infatuated girl gaye the captive the wine and the tobacco which she had brought: he pressed to his lips the hand that was passed through the guichet —ghe closed the tripped away across the court: while again her heart was beating with hope—her cheeks covered with biashes. In about a quarter of an hour Finette returned to the quiche, and gave'the captive the files and the cord. The joy which he experienced at this proof of her continued infatuation on his behalf, infused an almost real enthusiasm into the language that he again addressed to her: her band was again pressed to his lips—and again did she flit away with palpitating bosom cheoks, = qua, CHAPTER OXXXIIL THE STROLLING PLAYERS Ir was about half-paet ten o'clock, and the night was tolerably dark,—when the sentinel pacing to and fro on the opposite side of the moat, fancied that he heard light footeteps approaching. He stopped, aud was almost immediately accosted by a female enveloped in a cloak. In socoordance with her etation and with the custom of her coun- try, she wore no bonnet—-but a very neat cap, somewhat coquettishly adotned with pink ribbons. The hood of ber cloak was purposely thrown back, so that her face might be recognised if the soldier ‘whould happen to be acquainted with her—which she knew to be most probable, inasmuch as the regiment had been long in thé town, and every private soldier in it had over and over again mounted guard at the principal entrance of the prison as well as on the bank of the moat in the rear. “Ah! Mademoiselle Finette!” exclaimed the sentinel: “how happens it that you ere out so late P” “Tam going to see a friend who has suddenly been taken very ill: she lives in this direction—a little way farther on--upon the outskirt of the town—and as she is not very well off, I am taking her a bottle of brandy.” “ Brandy for an invalid!” ejaculated the senti- nel jooosely, bat not with the slightest scintilla- tion of suspicion that ay was intended. “What can the malady be? Ie it cholera P” “Something of that kind,” responded Finette. “ At all evente my father told me I had better take. a bottle of brandy with mes and I have it here in Gasket.” my “Toe lavalid will not require it all, Made- moisgiie’ Winette,” sail the soldier: “and there- + Gq I dare say,” interjected the ede meant, “ her nubeed will ‘help and biushing “Oh, I did not understand!” said Finette, now laughing likewise. “‘You shall have a taste and be welcome too!” Thus speaking, the young woman produced the bottle from her basket, and handed it to the soldier. He lowered his firelock until the butt rested upon the ground; and taking the cork from the bottle, applied the latter to his lips. The draught he imbibed Was a long one ; and scarcely had he given back the bottle into Finette’s hand, when he was seized with a sudden dissiness: he ataggered—the musket fell forward upon the groand—-and the word “ Treachery !”’ escaped his ps. But it was only uttered lowly; and the next instant hé tumbled heavily backward, with a mingled moaning and gasping voice. Finette was seized with affright: the apprehension smote her that he was dead: but the next instant she re- covered her self-possession, as she recollected the information De Margaux had given her as to the mode in which the soporific would operate. Then she drew forth a white kédrchief, which she waved for a few moments; and as she desisted, a slight splash in the water at the foot of the tower made her aware that her signal had been discerned through the obscurity of the night. It was the rope which De Margaux lowered from the window. He had worked well during the three or four hours which had elapsed since he received the files from the hand of Finette. The fetters were no longer upon his limbs: one of the massive bars of the window had been eaten through with the iron teeth of the file: no misadventure had occurred to interfere with his plan of escape. And now Finette, as she stood full of anxious susgense on the verge of the moat, hebeld a dark form issuing forth from thoewindow of the tower—then de- ascending by means of the rope—then plashing in the water. The moat was very deep, and at that apot about thirty yards wide: but De Margaux was an excellent swimmer—be struck out—and in a few moments reached the bank where Finette so anxiously awaited him, and on whioh the un- conscious sentinel lay. But the nolse of the gurgling water, as he glided rapidly through it, had prevented Finette’s ears from catching the sounds of footeteps that were advancing across the field which stretched beyond the moat towards the open country. Thus, at the very iastant that the now dverjoyed maiden extended her hand to assist De Margaux up the bank, a ory of alarm was thundered forth close behind her. A shriek voice of her father which had spoken! “Help! help! an escape!” he vociferated. “ Good hesvens, Finette!—Vile girl!—Ahb, mis- creant!’ These were the ejaculations which in rapid suc- cession burst from the tarnkey’s lips; and then he with De Margaux. But the struggle desperation rendered hurled the turnkey away from her lips: it was the ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)