The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

* am I not ina state that is enough to drive one; there fs cometh mad? You and wy daughter are all for your- selves—-you wrote to me when you should have come" . “The house was watehed by the police,” inter- jected Smedieg: “ and therefore ——” “ How is it, then, that you are here now Pf” de- manded Mrs. Webber sharply :,“ and what devil's business has brought you to me? Can you help me to escape, Jack ?=can you with all your art and cunning set me free, as the Burker has libe- rated himself?’ hoot ie wars possible,” responded Smedley, “ I |- “ Possible!” cried Mrs. Webber, contemptuously. “ Nothing is possible with you, except sneaking | villany and covert cowardly crime. Bat anything | bold—no, nothing of the sort! . Look you, Jack, | clutching her wrist and lookiay her intently in the whas Gmedley—if I go to the scaffold it shall not be alone |” ° “ Mother-in-law !” he ejaculated vehemently. THR MISTERIM GF THE COUST. face. ordeal of -~the horror of condemnation lest hideous t scene which I. she bad previ pared him for the And that one word was" Poisoa |” “Do you mean it, mother-in-law ?” “I meen it!” she responded. “Bub of use,” was her immediate contemptuous. addition, “ Hold your tongue, and listen! Companionship | “is it for me to make euch a request, since I already is always swoeet—and not the less so in death. At all evente it will be a consolation for me to know that I am not the most miserable person in exist- ence at that last instant!” “ But, mother-in-law,” faltered forth Jack Smed- ley, with a countenance white as a sheet, “ would you hang your own daughter ?” She leaves me here to be hanged !"’ retorted she woman fiercely: “ she does not come near me! “ She has sent yoy plenty of money, mother-in- law,” interposed Jack in accents of remonstrance and deprecation. “ ‘Yes—to fee counsel in a hopeless cause!” cried Mre. Webber. “I tell you what it is—I feel in that state of mind that I could wreak s ven- geance upon the whole world!—all the bonds of kith and kin are broken!—I know nobody but enemies! That is my state of mind! And if you | eon had the gibbet looming ever before your cyes—if you had a sensation as of a cord ever round your neck—if you had night and day to look death in the face—you, Jack Smedley, would feel even worse than Ido. It is enough to drive one crased— crased—crased {” Again the old woman rocked herself to and fro; and her son-in-law felt as if his purpose were com- pletely frustrated. He knew not what to say next: there was a perfect consternation in bis mind : he thought that she might even denounce him as the accomplice of her numerous crimes, the iztstant the tarnkey should come back to conduct him away Ho Jck ly sh alo ngs king ac Y, at le a somewhat long “tell me for what purpose see that your craven beart-———" a b, mother-in-law ! do not undete the goldbeater. “I have poison with me “Poison with you” she eshoed, a wild joy flashing forth in unearthly from her eyed. “ ss Possible F Bythow? You are not deceiving me 1) | “No, no—I am not deceiving you,” the goldbeater quickly. “Osan you not under- stand that Bab and I feel ourselves to be en- vironed by dangers? Yes—we know that we are standing upon a mine which msy instant. Therefore we are breathed a solemn vow that the shall never touch our necks. On resolved! Do you remember the phial of poi- “Ah! the prusef acid,” sald Mre. Webber, found emongst Preston's only lasted an inatent longer, that ferce tiger-cat—his motherin law roa have flown at him to tear phial from his grasp. “Yes—take it” he said, just in time to Rre- vent such a scenes and he placed the phial in hand . we . % PSE eeu ——— which will enable ma -to evade A COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)