The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

46 ono service in ny lifetime—a service that gives me the meant of death! And now go—legve me! I am no pulimg foolish creaturo that can dessend to elqbberirg farewells and sickly’ leavo-takings ———But stay one moment! ‘You need not tell Bab that I hinted in my frenzy at the idga of be- traying either you.cr her: for I should not have done if —~ it was mcre madness at the time ! Aud now go.” Sho waved her hand to her son-in-law, who opening the little trap at the door of the cell, called for the turnkey who wae stationed at a grating at the end of the passage; and that func- tionary speedily armvd to afford Jack Smedley egtess frum the prisoncr’s chatmbor. e eunrensy CHAPTER XCI. THE SUBTELREANEAR. Iv was evening, some five or six days after the in- BSterviow of Jack Smcdicy with his mogher-in-law ; and his wifo Barbara sate alone in the little par- lour at their obude in London. She ‘was reflect- ing upon what her husband had done af Liverpool, and bestowing an cqual part of her attention on the glass of epirits-and-water which stood on the table. Sinedley’s successful mission to Mrs. Webber, in- nsmuch as bo hed written from Liverpool to his wifo—but in a very guarded strain, for fear of the communication being intercepted. They had how. She had been rendered aware of Jack ; Burker drained the contents at a draught; and ern + ean THE MYSTERIES OF THY COURT. i i nar RC Na ascertain what the sound was, Then, ae slowly recovering courage she looked sround, she started on beholding the great black cat lying on a chair and gazing at her with ite large green glassy eyes. She remombered the ominous instinct with which her husband's teerified imagination bad endowed the animal on the night of Preston’s murder; and she recoiled from the glare of those eyes, The sound was renewed: this time she became aware that it was a knocking at the back door; and snatching up the candlo, she proceeded from the room to answer the summons. “T¢é must be one of those Scotts—or elso the Burker himeelf,” she thonght as she threaded the passage: “unless it is Jack cume home and got himself into some scrape—for nobody else but one of these would come to the baok door at this time of the evening.” " She opened the door; and the light flashed upon the hang-dog’countenanco of Barney the Burker. Bab Smedicy exhibited no surprise: for, as the ‘reader has seen, ahe was more or less prepared for such a visit. She hastily clogod the door, and led the way into the parlour before a single word was spokon between them. Tho shutter was already fastened outside the window, over which the cur- tains inside were drawn; and thus there was no fear of the man’s presenct in that room being pere ecived from without. Filling “Bab’s tumbler come pletdly up tp the brim with tho alcholic liquor, tho beyond a slight brief winking ¢f tha eyes, no sign on his part indicated the strength or depth of the potation. Jie threw himself upon a seat,—saying, ever agrecd befuiehand between themselves on! “So here I am at Inst, Bab, once more in London: come phrase that was to be“tntreduced in caso{ though I can’t say as how I’m werry sound in of success, while another phrase wae to indicate | limb—or that I’m over cure of being safe in re- failure. The furmer had found its introduction | spect to that personal liberty which is the right of inty the body of the epistle; and amidst a ecries of canting sentences and studgd hypocrisics, tho goldbekter thus fuund the means of setting his wife’a mind at rest on the one grand important oint. . Upon this she was cogitating—and dividing, as we have said, her attention between the eubject of her thoughts and the liquor to which abe had be- come so wedded. It was.nine o'clock; and the eervant-girl who attended for a certain period duting the day, entered to inquire whether any- thing more were wanted from her this evening. A responee was given in the negative: the girl took ber departure; and Mrs. Smedley was now alone in the house. Sho knew not how it was— ehe could not account for it—bat assuredly did it seem as if a ebill smote her the instant the front door close behind that girl. Bab Smcdley was by no meana the woman to yield to the influence of vague presentiments or ungrounded alarms: but she liked not this feeling which took posses- sion of her-—neither could she shake it off. She ap- plied herself with additiund! vigour to the spirite- and-water: potatious appeared to do hey no good -—on-the contrary, they seemed ‘to render her all the ware nervous. Contempinoody we she Bad deen wont to fodk upon her hneband, sie wished he was at now for compenionship’s sake. All of’ a she fancied she heard a noise in the back pays of the house; atid fur the ‘first in ber \'Bab Sthedicy was celadd terrde that die eduld not rise from Rew. i ee | ‘ we, f every free-born indiwidual.” “And where do you come from f” inquired Mrs, Smedley, who had leisure to observe the careworn haggard appearance of the Burkor, as well as to judge that he was sinking with fatigue. “Ah! where do I come from P—that’s the ques- tion!” he responded with a certain ,degree of rough bitterness in hia tone, “ Wheresomever there’s a quiet ditch thata man may lay down in when he’s got no bod—wheresomovor there's a lonesome haystack that a houscless wanderer ‘may snatch a snouze under—wheresomever there’s ficlds and woodseand all sorts of unfrequented pleces as far as possible from the towns and villages which a chap doesn’t dare enter for fear of seeing a printed description of hisself with ‘A Hundred Pound Reward’ in big letters a-top, posted up agin the walls,—there’s the places from which I come.” Having concluded this piece of eloquence after hie ewn fashion, the Burker looked Mra. Smedl very hard in the face for nearly a minyte, as m as to bay, “ Well, what do you think of that P”-- and then he brewed himself a tumbler of spirite- and-water, which he proceeded to drink at a more moderate rate than the previous one. “Perhaps you would Ike something to eat?” ggested “Mrs “Well, now you. mention it, I think I should like sumraut,’” answered the Burker; “ though only a minute back I’ fancied, I was past : ort relook sie for T ain't broke my‘fast since cight morning—-an/l: then should have got bufiin if ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)