The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

, were shying —~—" immediately after your mother got into trouble ? but it was you that said we must stick here at all | § hazards; and when we decided to remaln, I did the best I gould to keep up a show of respecta- bility-———” “ OF course & said we would romain I” ojaculated Mrs. Smedley. “Do you think thet the house wasn’t constantly watched after mother went down to Liverpool to Lottica Rodney’s trial? and it would have been madness for ug to havo thought of a muve-suspicion would have been excited in a moment, But after that girl Roduey’s trial things louked better for us—though they went so dead against mother——” “ Yos—I know the detective said ab Lettice Rodney's trial,’ observed Jack Smedley, “that he hud nothing to allege againat our respectability.” “Well, theu,” continued Bab, “it was botter for us to go on living here: but whon two or threo weeks back people bogan asking dow it was that the old lodger of our’a disappeared so suddenly io the winter——” “ Ah! that was the thing that began to frighten. mo tog,” interjected the goldbeater; “ and then came the news of tho Burkor’s escape, and the fright we’ve been in lest he should come here to cut us both into such trouble that we could nover hope to get out of it-————""_, “ That is nothing,” dntcrrupted Bab, “in com. parison with the other thing we were speaking ubout before you went out to meat those Scotts.” “Ah! you mean your mother?” said Jack Smedley, with a-significané look, at the same time viat he drew his chair closer to his wife. ‘ Do you—do you really think,” he asked, with a very pale fuce, “ that the old woman is likely to peach ?” * I didn’t think 30 at first,” answered Bab—“ or else I shouldn’t have insisted that we were to romain here. But lately, the more I’ve thought over the matter the more I am convinced there is every thing to be dreaded in that quarter, There's no use disguising the fact, Jack—you never was a favourite with mother: and as for any love for me, hor daughter—it’s all nonsens¢! If she thought she could do herself any good by tarning round upon us ani telling how two or three have gune duwn there———” “ Yes, yes—I know!” said Jack Smedley shud- Joring,eas his wife pointed in a downward direc- ‘on. “ But the quicklime——” “Well, the qufcklime has no doubt dgne its work long ago,” interrupted Bab, “even in respect to that man Smith—or Preston, I should sa en A “By the bye,” interrupted Jack, “what have you done with his letter—you know—and also the packet of papers we took ont from under the dooring of his house in Cambridge Terrace P” “Never mind tho papera!” exclaimed Bab petulantlys “I have put them where they are safe encugh—though little use they ever stand the chauce of being to us or our affairs: when we made secret fnquiriee about those young Ash- tons, we heard they were living in a wretched poor lodging in Camden Town, and hadn't the means of rewarding any one wito would give them up those papers, It has been of no use to make any ingai- ries since: for it is not very likely their condition ‘is much improved. But let us retura te what we 49 “x es—-about your mother?” suggested Jack, medley. | * Well fen, about my mother,” continued Bab. “You know what my opinion is—I tell you that mother will peach if i¢ aqgswers her purposo. She has not sent us any reply.to thetwo or three letters we have wAtten, and whiok I so carefully worded that she could not fail to understand the game we had to play———” « “Perhaps she is offended,” observed Jacl Smedley, “ab our writing if that sort of mucti- mouious strain ?” “ Offended f-—nonsense |” exclaimed Bab. “ How could she be offended P Sho knows very well thas we must be aware all letters going to her would he? opened by the grol-anthorities, and that we wore therefore compelled to write in a particular way. But never mind all this !—it is of no uso arguing the point. I tell you that if mother lives on to go through her trial and be condemned to death, she will peach as sure as you are Jack Smedley |” o“ If she lives?” said the man, catohing at those words which appeared to have aomu covert meaning. “Yes—if she lives,” answerod Bab, repeating those words. »* And therefore she must nof live= and if you are a man, Jack———~” * Tam man enpugit to do anything to secure our saféty,” responded the goldbeater. ‘Only show mo how———’ “Now look you!” replied Bab: “I understand mother well enough—and a great deal better than youdo. She would like ¢o put herself out of the way before the trial comes on-—of that I am convinced! But if the trial is ance over, and sbe is condemned to death, and the croaking persons get bold of her, you may depend upon it she will out with everything {” “Then what is to be done?” asked Jack Smedley. “ What is to be done P” eshosd his wife, with an air of mingled impatience and contempt: ‘‘ what should be done but for you to——” and sho whispered a few words in the ears of her hus- band. “ Bat would you have me do this ?” he asked, gasing upon Her as if ho thonght that she could scarcely bo in eatnest, or that she meant to put him to a test for some other and ulterior purpose. “ Of course I would 1” rejoined the flond-like woman: “ everything for our own safety! Let what will happen to the Barker, we hnow that he is staunch; and I feel convinced that nothing could induce him ¢ tarn round upon his pals, The more savage and ferocious a person is, the mose sure is he or she to be true to friends and associates, As for those Scotte—we will got them eafo out of the country; and then, if once mother is put out of the way, we have got little or nothing to fear.” : “ Well, I don’t know,” sald Jack Smeédigy, ios sort of dismayed musing-—-"JI hed: a very bed dream tast nigtt. I thought the Wieck cat was scouring all over the honseethat pome strange man camo in to look after her—-thet she cut dows atairs into the herself’ underneath the tablo~and therefore sate right upon that trape ' “Staff and nonsense; with your black cate * orled Bad Gmedicy, ¢ THY MYSTHRINE-OF THE COURT. i eT a Peso enya earass ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)