The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

i _Jeemedimaen —_ os A re en aD a aD .-.—_ uftette/ile, 8 oie a, ES ee > ame -ee ee ow — ERE Ae Ge TE Ey A, Spee ee ol iy De es A = a a , Strength too that was exercised with a skill and meres bee w= we — nt genie THE MYSTREIES OF THE COURT: conduct, as for this procrastination of the jour- macy which he expected to enter upon anver his guidance, For that entire day did the Burker remain sit- ting in front of the cavern, with the exception of two or three temporary absences to alake his thirst at the spring; and ag the sun drew nearer and mearer to the western horizon, the impatience of the Burker grew into a perfect rage. Ob, how he hated that Gussoon!—in what bitter aversi did be hold him—he could have even killed him, so tremendous at length grow hie vexation and his spite when he beheld him continying to enjoy a slumber so profound that it appeared as if it never could have a waking. » * At longth the Burker, utterly bereft of all patience, was about to lay his hand on the Gos- soon’s shoulder and shake him with an enraged violenco that would speedily dlapel his slumber, when the dervish sudcenly starfed up to a siting posture. He rubbel hie eyes—looked at the Burker with a certsin air of astonishment as if having totally forgetten that he had seen sugh a person in that place beforo—and then springing up, he hastened to inspect the niehe undcgneath the loophole. Jjut there was po fvod in it; and the Gossoon gave such a hideous how! of rage that the Buvker was for an instant fgightened lest the evund proceeded from the throat of some wild animal im the immediate neighbour- hood. he Gossvon advanced towards the Bur. ker, making threatening signs -—— pointing to tho vacant nicho and the empty knapsack, as much as to accuse him of having devoured the provisions which ought to be there? The Burker’s temper, never the sweetest at any time, was parti- cularly ruffled by the entire conduct of the Gos- soon; and forgetting his conciliatory policy, he replied by signs that were irate and menacing. A terrific expression of rage swept over the Gossoon’s countenance ; and suddenly seising the Burker with bath arme round the body, he Itfted him up aud dashed him down upon the granite blocks which lay closo by the mouth of the cavern. Herculean was the strengtl® of the Gossoon—a stance that the Goesoon livelong day he hRd enjoyed. But the Burker could not asleep. influence. Ht fell asloop. expertness which made the achievement the work of a single instant. Powerless as a dwarf in the hands of a giarftt—and taken completely pnawares —the Burker was utterly unable to offergny re- sistance ; so that with lightning rapidity did he find bimself thus thrown, half-stunned, upon the granite blocks. There he Jay for a few instante ; and as he slowly picked himself up, it was in the most sombre sullenness of mood that he submitted to thie treatment without an effort to avenge it. For in the midst of the concentrated rage and vin- dictive spite which filled his soul, was’ the con- sciousness that even if he had the power to slay the Gossoon, it would be an act of madness, thereby cutting off this last remaining chance of escape from the jungle. For the same reason too, ho dog- gedly resolved to return to his conojliatory pulioy towards the man on whom he felé himself to be so completely dependent. The Gossoon gurveyed him with a kind of sombre contempt as he alowly raised himself to his feet; and then he grinned with a.horrible’ satis- faction, as if contented with having shown the European that he was his master, That he was (C©) —_ =»? = He then 871 = te well acquainted with the cave the Burker hed slready perceived, from the faet of his searching the niche eo promptly afer his arrival; and another proof thereof was now furnished by the:circum- > tound to the back of the well to drink of thé water. The sun was by this time beginning to set; and the Burker therefore knew thablt was aah the fenate of aet- ting out upon a jotirney through the Jungle durin the hours of re night. He mada a sign to the Gossoon to the effett that he would pile up the atones at the mouth of the caverns but the itine- rant Dervish burst out into » scornful laugh, as if ridiculing such a precqution or means of defence. He sa? to work to gather together a quantity of dried wood; and he made a sign to the Burker to imitate his example. fearlessly the Gossoon plunged into the long grass in the thicket, and tore down some branches of the most restnous trees. When an immense quantity of fuel was thus col- lected, the Gossoon arranged it in the form of a semicircle neer the front of the cave; and churl- ishly motioning the Burker to follow him within the rampart, he set fire to it by the means of igni- tion which he carried about his person. threw himeelf down in the cavern; and composing himself to sleep, was don wrapped once more in s alamber as pfofound as that which throughout the He was half famished with hunger: he trembled lest the Strangler should insidiously work his way, despite the fire, into the cave: he wae afraid likewise of the repulsive Gossoon who lay snoring at a little distance, Perhups the wretch, thought the Burker, was only pretending to be asleep in order to watch an opportunity of taking his life P—though he cer- tainly could not see of what avail such a pruceod- ing would bg to the Hindoo. The fire continued to burn steadily for a long time; and as there was no wind, but the night-air was still and stagnant, the smoke beat not into tho cavern, but ascended straight upwards At, length a sepsation of drow- siness began ‘to steal upon the Burkeér; and after everal vain efforts to shake it off, he yielded to its Horrible dreams haunted him, as usual; for the mind reprgluced with added horror the waking thoughts of the wretched man; and now in imazgi- pation he beheld the dead Strangler’s compamon stealing upon him: he saw the hideous Gussvon bending over him with a terriblo ferocity ot coun- tenancy, and with a long sharp instrument in his hand, Then he fancied that he was in the depths of the jungle’s wilds, pursued by a tiger—that he strove to fly—but that his feet became as heavy as if they had turned into lead, and he could not escape the ravenous animal that was every instant gaining upon him. But all of a sudden the sub- jeot of hie visions changed; and he was writhing and convulsing wh the huge folds of a boa con- atrictor. With 4 shriek of agony he awoke. He was lying in the gave: the duskinosa of night still prevailed—the fire had sunk into o eemiciroular pile of smouldering ombere, just throwing out light sufficient to show him the eyes of the Gonsoon staring wido open ae the mendicant dervish still lay stretched al floor of the dave at a little distance. direction the eye with the horrible squint was the Ia which ss ==" © 8 nine LOAO© SS (CO)