The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

Ward—that’s the offices of the Commissioners, you know—and was desired to see how you were get- ting on, but without holding the «lightest com- munication with you. Now, don’t flurry your- self, .ma’am———you'll see I’m acting a friendly towards you: but the truth is, the Commis- sioners have been in private communication with the parochial suthorities—and—and—these autho- tities are going to—-to—prosecute you. So I’m come to get evidence=———” A half-atified shriek came from the lips of the wretched Frenchwoman; and as she fell back in her chair as if she were about to go off in a fit, Mr. Shadbolt very considerately filled a giass with wine and held it to her lips: but as she only shook her head impatiently, and waved him off, he drank it himeelf,—ooolly observing “that it was a pity it should be wasted.” “What, in the name of heaven,.am I to do?” cried Madame Angelique, wringing her hands. “To advise me, Mr. Shadbolt! You will find I ahall be grateful! What am I to doP Shall f send off the young ladies at once ? shall I shut up the housaP I have already thought df all this— but-—” ‘¢ Look here, ma’am,” said the officer; “be calm and cool—we will discuss the matter quietly and comfortably—and,I dare say you can get out of the business pleasantly enough in the long run.” “ Ah!” said Madame Angelique, with @ long sigh of relief: “J thought you would not leave me to be sent to prison———-to be ruined———” “Not a bit of it!’ ejeculated Shadbolt. “ Answer me a question or two. I suppose you are pretty warm—I mean you have got plenty of money ? and if you was to cut this business you wonldn’t quite have to go into the work-house ? Come, ma’am—tell the truth,” added the officer, seeing that she hesitated how to reply: “ tell the truth, I say, if you want the advice of honest Ike Shadbolt.” “ Well, then,” responded the Frenchwoman, “T certainly could retire‘from business with a tolerable competency if 1 chose: and indeed I bad some thoughts of doing so after your previous visit. Only-——” “Only what P” inquired Shadbolt. # Only I fancied,” added Madame Angelique, “that I was the object of such bitter persecution on the partof that lady at Bayswater whom you and I spoke about, that she would” pursue me wherever I went—and that it therefore little mat- tered where I might be or what I did—for that it would always come to the same thing-——I mean that I should ever have to stand on the defensive against her.” While Madame Angelique was thus speaking, Shadbolt passed his hand slowly across his forehead with the air of one who was in a sort of half-bewilderment, and who was striving to collect bis ideas. “ What lady at Bayswater?” he at length said. “Did you not tell me the last time you were here,” inquired Madame Angelique quickly, “ that the information was given to the missioners by an Indian ” “If I did then, I was drank,” interrupted Shad- bolt. “Ab! by the res petute You hai got you préeed me upon t. You got some crotehet in youy head ; and perhaps I thought is THE MYETHRIES OF THE ‘COURT. rf ® 4 J § a1 it best at the time to leave you in the dark-—oF more likely oti, I was really in total iguorance myseii——— St “Then i¢¢is not the Eady .Indora is perescuting mef” exclaimed the woinan oT don't bebeve the lady you thing to do in the business,” “The truth is, a lawyer in Bedford Bow, Holborn ~one Ooleman by name--but who has « private house in this parish, is at the bottom of the whole affeir ; and from all I can learn, he has addressed Tndesd, there’s no use disguising the fact—he says he is employed for a wealthy client of his who'also lives in the parish, but who chooses to keep in the back-ground.” “Mr. Coleman, s aolicitor?” said Madame Angelique, musing reflectively; “I never heard of him. But then it is true gentlemen often come to my house under feigned names——”’ “And gather a great mary particulars,” added Mr. Shadbolt significantly. “Now, you see, me’am, I am dealing candidly with you. The truth is, the Commissioners know that you are not very parfloular how you entice young girls away from their homes, or eyen have them carried off by force. They also know that a certain Lettice Rodney who wis tried at Liverpool, belonged to your establishment-——” “Good heavens!” ejaculated Madame An- gelique. " “They know too,” continued Shadbolt, “ that at the time when she got into all her troubles, she was going to Ireland on your business—to wheedle back a certain Kveleen O’Brien———" “Then Lettice must have betrayed everything |” cried the Frenchwoman bitterly. “T can’t eay who betrayed it,” proceeded Shad- bolt: “all I know is, that this is the information given to the Commissioners by Mr. Colpman the lawyer. But there’s more still to come. If is known you have agents in different parts of the country to look out for young girls and pick them up for your customers who may themselves reside in the country. Now, what was that affair about a certain Isabella Vincent, who waa carried off (nowhere in Kent, down to from a farm-house 6 Ramagate ?” Heavens! what, is this known too?” cried the Frenchwoman. “Well, it was certainly done by agente of mine——" “Well, then, you see that it ds known,” pro- ceeded Shadbolt. “And then there's something else too. Ah! and now I know why you talk of a lady at Bayswater ! Did you aot have some young person—a Miss Ashton, I think—varried off from a villa dewn in that neighbourhood f—and she was reacued by a, young nobleman——<"_. « All this is true!” exclaimed Madame An- gelique : and then in a musing manter she added, “But if the Lady Indore gave the informat on about Christina Asbton, how. could ahe possibly know all the other circumstances f” “You may be quite satisfied,” answered Shad- bolt, “that this Indian lady of whom you are talking has nothing to do with the busineess 00 it is no use running your head any longer ogainst that post, I tell you that it all comes from Cole- man the lawyer, who is acting for a rich cliont be- LOAO© COLUM SS (CO)