The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 395: what you’re looking at

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=e 884 —e eious triumph as he percoived the aspect of vexa- tion flit away from the Burker’s vvuntonanee. They both cdmmenced an attack upon tho pro- vender, which thoy washed down with a quantity of spirits from the flask that the wallet Ipkewise contained. When the meal wab over, tho Gussvon made dolorous signs to indicate the sufferings he bad en- dured in the torture-chamber; and he seemed anxious to know with what nature and degree of punishment the Burkes himself had got off. The Englishman quickly gave him to understand that he had escaped sovt free: whereat the Gossoon ro- garded him with the most unfeigned astonishment. Recourse being had once more to tho corents of the flask, the Gussoon made a sign thit they ! ghould continue their way. The Burker could not ' help keeping in the man's company agaitsy, at loast for the present: but ho navertheless resolved to separate from him ag soon as possible; for the warning of the officer of the Peons rang in his ears, and tle spoctacle of the turture-chamber was vividly present to his wemory. He had ascertained beyond the possibility of doubt, from the presence of those Peons at the town he had so recently left, that he was now upon the svil of the British pos- sessions; and he was therefuro relieved from the dreackof being apprehended by aty ‘of Queen In- dora’s emissaries. ‘ The Goasoon and the Burker cuntinued their way until the sun was luw in tho western horizon ; end the Englishman, being well woaried, made a sign to hie companion that they must svon think The Gussoon him- self was much fatigued; and he seemed uncertain H{o stopped and louked about himw,—until at length descrying a house at a Towards that house of finding a place for repuse. which direction to take. distance, ho pointed thither. the two men accordingly proceeded; god as they drew near the dwelling, the Burker saw that { was a farm-house. On reaqhiug it, the Guasoon did not immediately proceed to tho front duor: but a side window being open,,he peeped iu. The Burker lookéd over his shoulder and they buth, beheld an elderly man—a diindoo uative of the Ryot or Jand-bolding class, counting ‘his money at atable. Ho was alone in thut roum; and so in- tent was he in the counting of his rujAes, that he evidently suepected not the pruacuce of the wit- nesses at thy window. The Gossoun flung upon tf) Burker a look of mysterious signilicanoy, which the latter could not rightly compretend ; and then the dervish hastily led his Koglishcom- panion towards the front dour. There the Gossoon commenced the usual whine with which persons of his profession solicit charity in India; and in a few wwoments th: clderly Ryot made his appearance. Nothing could exceed tho fawning humility of the Gossoun’s demeanour,— which the Burker imitated as well as he could. The Ryot was astonished to'sve'an European in the vagrant companionship of a dervish; and the Gossuun immediately proceeded to give vulublo utterance to some tale, of which the Burker was evidently the hero. ‘That this tale was replete with woos and -sufferinys, av well, os injuries and wremgs susteined, was likewise evident: for the elderty. Ryot contemplated tip Burker with an in- oreesing degree of intervéty and when the Gussvon bad ceased speaking, the hospitable master of the ae Ya yl THE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. —_ = eae 4 Wiest Ohne eee ae homestead invited them both tv enter. He set fuod befure them: they ate and drank; and whoa they bad finished their meal, tho Ryot ounducted them to a little back room where he meant them to repose fur the night. The sun had by this time set, and the room was involved in almost curoplete darkness: but scarcely had the hospitable Ryot retired, when the Gossoon nudged the Barker and gavo him to understand that he was not to go to sleep, It now occurred to the Englishman ethat the Gossoon was contem- plating somo buld or stealthy step in respect to the Ryot’s mopey: for he remembered the signifi- cant luok which the dervieh had bent upon him ere they had rotired frdm the window of the land- owner's private room. Yn a few minutes they heard tho front door of tho house vpen; and then there weve tho gounds of three or four vuices in conversation tugether in a ueighbouring upart- inant. {t was eridont that sgme of the Ryot’s fuinily, or else his domestics, bad returned from their occupations on the farm. The Burker was wopderiny whether this ciroumstance would alter the Gussoun’s plan, whatever it werd,—when that indivigual gave hin another significant nudge; ao that thé Kaglishman felt convinced his comrade entertamed his original intention. They eat in silence in tiuig, little room for about an hour and a half,—when they heard footsteps moving about the house, fullofed by the closing of different deurs; so that they knew the family was retiring to rest. Another hour passed in total silence,—the Gussvon however occasivvally nudg- ing his compamun, as if to bid him keep awake. At length the dervish seemed to think the woment was come four tho execution of his project; and he slowly opened the door. There wus a passago with which other roums comtnunicated; and sut- ficient light streamed through a small window tu show the two men where the dvurs ot those apartments wero situated. Ths G.o.svon cumpro- hended the geography of the place better tuan tho Burker; and he proceeded slowly and cautivusly to open a duur on the loft hand sidu of the pas- sage. There also the hight stivamed in frum tho starlit heavens; and the Gussoou, having firnt « looked carefully into the chamber, beckyucd the Burker to follow hin. The hospityble Ryot was slecpug there. The Goasvon ecept towards the couch; ad just as he reached 16, the Ryut started up. But the Gossoun flew at liw as if he had for the nonoe borrowed a tiger's power and agility; and his hands clutched the unturtunate man’s throat. No cry escaped the lyut’s hps—no suund buta suffocating gasping gurgic: but for an instant there was a vivlent atruvglo betweon tho two, until the Burker threw hiwsolf upon tho Ryot’s form and held him duwn. The horrible prucess of murder lasted not thea many minutes. The deed was accomplished: tho individual who hed af- furdod such generous hospitality to the two iuis- creants, lay a corpse in his bed. The Cussoon had proved himself as ruthless and merciless au asgassin ag evey the Burkor was in his owa uutive clime | When the tragedy was accomplished, the two men listened for a few muments: buf all was silent. They then began ransacking the furuiture d boxes in the ruom; and after some little dilh- lty they discovercd the place where their victim OOO) in ( OY SS (CO)