The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

—~g . ———— ag, LO a ee l4 tombstones in the hope of finding Carnabie, Oraay Jane had caught a gl of the Burker’s form}; and at once recognising him as the man whém she had seen with Jonathan, she thought of inquiring where the sexton himself was? She had ap- proached polselessly and unperceived, though she had not at first.studied thisdegree of cautio&: just as sha was about to address him, he began to speak ; and his voice struck her with an effect as if a heavy blow had been dealt her. She knew it at once: it was that of the wan whom she had heard convers- ing with Mrs. Webber at the back gate of Pol: lard’s house at Liverpool, on the night when the murder of that uofortunate gentleman was accom- plistad. Crasy Jane glided behind the tombstone, and listened in dumb horror to the words of un- mietakeable menace that issued from the villain’s lips. When he had ceased speaking, she glided awdy, as already stated; and this time she did anudy to pursue her path as noisclessly as pos- sible. Queane ’ op CHAPTER LXXXY. WOODBRIDGE. ° Ip was eight o'clock in the evening, when a post- chaise drove into the little village of Woodbridge, and stopped at the inn. A single traveller alighted ~—and this was Mr. Redcliffe. In answer to the inquiries of the landlord, he stated that he might remain a day or two in that place; and he nodded an assent to the proposal that refreshments should be at once served up. These however he scarcely touched, and presently strolled forth to woo the gentle breeze of the even- ing, and perhaps to seek some solitude where for a while he might be alone with ie own thoughts. He had certain inquiries to make in this neigh- bourhood { but'he postponed them until the morrow —for his eeflectisne during the day’s travelling had, as was indeed often the case with the unhappy gentleman, excited his feelings to the extremest degree of tension. Es atepe took him towards the churchyard: it was now a little past ninefo'clock—the evening was beautifully clear—anjé‘slowly did Mr. Red- cliffe pursue his way thvough the cemetery, con- templating tha grave-moues, Presently his eyes settlad upon that particular one which has been so, often mentioned, and which bore the inscription of October, 1850. Jonathan Oarnabie’s care had recently blackened the indented letters forming this ivecriptions so that it was plainly visible on the gleaming white qurface of the stone. Mr, Red- cliffe was naturally struck by the singular brevity of this graven memorial of the buried dead; an¢ the date too appeared to give o thrilling keenness to the memories that were floating in bis mhind. “Singular epitaph!” he said in an agdible tone :| vdnised ber—as if some long-slambering memory # wherehore the absence of any name td.txjdicate ta | of the past was now all in an instant awakened; the passer-by who repesss beneath Was it thet | snd with a species of dismayed suspense, strangely the dead who lies here, was, when living,,so stained blended with « wondering joy thet dared not Dave with | surviving relatives, though be-| faith in the aduros of own existetion, ber atowing the right of eclemn obsequies, yet dared | eyes were ‘fixed’ kegnly ‘and him. ot perpetuate a name that guilt hed rendered in-| ‘Gott heavess!" she ie ib pose Saree? And yet it can scarcely be 00; for if it| sible? Ok? whut-wild ideas abe these t-{dees of methe romeiue of this unnamed one would | the long lost—yel, even of the dead———' torn i . THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. scarce! | have found sepulture in conscerated un i ‘ At that instant Mr, Redcliffe became aware of & human form approaching along the walk inter. secting the churchyard: he saw that it was the form of a woman-gand a second glanced’ madd him start and eptoulate, “Ah! one of the ‘objects of my search © “ Mr. Redcliffe,” said Crasy Jane—for- she in- deed it was—and she presented herself with no greeting of courtesy, nor with any apology for her abrupt and secret withdrawal from the asylam which be had provided for her atter the trial of Lettice Redney,— Mr. Reticliffe, there lies the one concerning wham you have twice or thrice spoken to me!” Crazy Jane pointed with her lank arm to the grave; and Redcliffe, hastily turning aside, con- cealed from the woman’s view the unutterable emotions which had suddenly found silent but eloquent expression im his countenance, o “Then she is dead!” he at length lowly mur- mured to himself: but the woman heard not what he said. “How know you,” he inquired, after another pause of néarly a minute,—“how know you that she lies here ?” “You yourself shalt know it from the same source whence I learnt it,” answered Jane. “O Mr. Redcliffe! I am not mad at this moment. No, n¢!—never, never for long years have I un- derstood myeolf so well as at this inétant'!—no, not even when telling all I knew to the magis- trates and yourself in respect to the horrible murder at Liverpool! I heard things tiris morn- ing,” she continued, slowly and gravely, and in a perfectly collected manner, “which have made me ‘reflect in a way that I have not reflected before for 1a long, long time. A change has taken place within me. I feel it Aere,” she said, placing her -hand upon her brow; “and I feel it Aere, too,” ‘she added, placing her hand upon her heart. “TI am rejoiced to hear you thus apeak, Jane [” replied Redoliffe: but though he spoke of joy, there was nevertheless a deep sadness in his tone, —a sadness infused from the fountains of his ‘heart, “Yes, sir,” proceeded the woman, “I felt that I had a misaion to accomplish, crased though I were —a mission ‘to discover the fate of my beloved mistress; and at the very time when methought ‘my footateps were most wayward, heaven itself was guiding them towards the spot where the ‘mystery was to be solved I” * But, Oh! how is this mystery solved ?* asked Redcliffe, ina voice where pathos, and anguish, aud suspense were 60 commingled that they teemed to to his accents a new tone, and at’ the same fie the mournful workings of fis countentace expressed such kindred feelings that they appeared to give it a new aspect, Jane started as if something had seddenly pal- = Geet see ~ege= = 7Rqggan@eeie ee eee eee aS aes eS EE oO) ae aa =? i eegunee 2 e+ Geese ane eee Ce eee A LOAO© SS (CO) COLUM