The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

2 @ anu Ee eee oe a cea ee ee 2 Pea dia Eee, Ee oe erp eg, Gn weniey cements ——— THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. Smtance: and thither Mr, Redeliffe hastily bore the woman in his arms. The occupants of the little habitation at onee received her: for they were entirely obedient to the will of Mr. Redcliffe, whose liberality as a paymaster they had experi- enced on move occasions than one. The uncon- ecious female was placed upon a couch; and by the means adopted to restore her she was eo far brought back to life as to leave little or no appre- hension as to the result. Still sho continued in a state of unconsciousness as to what was passing around her; aud having slowly opened her eyes, sho closed them again,~—their temporary expression being full of a listless vacancy. “She cannot be an ordinary tramp,” said Mr. Redcliffe to the woman of the cottage. “ Perhaps ahe is subject to fits———” - “Or else sho fell down, sir, through sheer ex- haustiuon P For look! her shoes are completely worn through—aye, and the stockings, likewise |— her poor feet aro all cut and bleeding. I will foment them with hot water; and this may like- wise tend to bring her back to consciousness.” “Do so,” said Mr, Redcliffe. “But perhaps it would bo as well to ascertain if we can who she isP Probably,” be added, as the circumstances of Crazy Jane flashed to hie memory, dnd suggested the remark he was now making,—“she may be some unfortunate idiat who has eseaped from her friends: for her apparel is decent, and she has rot the air of ono who by ordinary circumstances could bo reduced to houscless wanderings, penury, and destitution, I will leave this room—and you can join me presently in the parlour, when you have searched her person thoroughly; so that if there should happen to be any letters or papers about her, ydu can bring them to me.” This scenc took place in a bed-chamber to which fhe woman had been borne; and Mr. Redeliffe de- ecended to the parlour which he occupied at the cottage. In about ten minutes the eldorly female who was loft in attendanco upon ber, and who was tho mistress of the little habitation, rejoined Mr. Redcliffe, who instantaneously perceived that she bore several articles in her hands. “The poor creature is very far from boing a common tramp,” said the woman: “ for, look here, sir!—thero is a purse well filled with gold and silver—geveral jewellery-trinkets—and this sealed packet.” Mr. Redcliffe t@ok the articles; and opgning the purse, he found that it contained about twenty guineas: the jewels were old fashioned, and might be worth a similar sum: the sealed packet had no address upon ik. “Is the woman recovering f” he inquired. “She every now and then opens her eyes, sir,” was the response,“ looks vacantly up--and then closes them again. I am pretty sure she will re- cover: but what are we to do with her? If she has any friends, they may be exzicus about or——”” a “That is precisely what I am thinking,” sald Mr. Redcliffe; “ ard therefore, although under any circumstances I distike opening private papers, — yet on the t occasion such a course seems absolutely necessary. Go back to the poor woman —-do your best for her—and in the meanwhile I will see whether this packet will afford ‘us any elue to the knowledge of who sho is.” The elderly female retired from the parlour, and Mr. Beylolife broke the seal of the packet. It contained a letter the address of which made him start saddenly; ‘and he unhesifatingly commenced the perusal of the document. It was a long ones and profqand wae the interest with which Mr, Redcliffe scanned its contents. When he-had concluded, he remained for some minates absorbed in a profound solemn reverie; and then he mur- mured to himeeif, “Truly the finger of beaven has of late been manifesting itself in signal and marvel- lous ways for the development of the deepest mys- teries! Here is another link in the chain of eyvi- dence———But who can this woman be ?” In a few minutes the mistress of the cottage ré- appeared, —seying, “Have you discovered, sir, who she is ?” “No,” replied Mr. Redcliffe; “and more than ever am I anzious to make that discovery. By a singular cuincidence this letter regards a certain business in which 1am deeply interested: but it affords no clue as to who the woman herself may be. Does she get better ?”’ “ She still lingers in a sort of swoon,” was the answer: “but two or three times sho bas again opened her tyes; and onoe ber lips moved as if she were trying to say eamething. What do you think, sir, had betéer be done? Ab, here is my old man come back from the village!” ejaculated the weman, as the cottage-dour opened at the in- stant and heavy footsteps were heard in the little passage which divided the two ground-floor rooms of tho humble deelling. “He must hasten off to the village again and fetch a eungeon,” answered My. Redeliffe. “Go and tell him to do so.” The woman issued from the roam; and her hus- band almost immediately took his departure again, for the purpose of executing the commission with which be wab now charged. His wife returned to the parlour, to eee if Mr. Redcliffe had any fure, ther instructions to issue. “J am compelied to go out agaih presently,” said Mr. Redoliffe: “you must therefore continue to do your best for this poor woman; and when the surgvon arrives, you can tell him under what circumstances sho was discovered in the yoad. You may mention, if you choose, that she possesses this m and these trinkets: but you will say no- thing about the sealed packet,—of which I shall retain possession, at least for the present. If the poor creature herself returus fully to consciousness befere I come back—and if sho should ask concern- ing her prepesty—you can show her that her money aod ber jewels are safe; and you can tell her that the pasket is in the hands of the gentleman who found her ia the road—that he will take greatocare of it—and that he wishes to bave some gonver- sation with ber in sespoot to its contents.” Having issued these instructions, Mr. Redoliffe resumed his cldak: for the evening was ehill, and a mist wae rising. Going fosth feom the cottage, he pursced his way for a short distance along the road—and thenes he eteuek ints the fields, across which he proceeded in the direction of Oaklands. 1¢ was sow about nine o'clock in she evening ; and the mist was growing into the density of a fog. A stranger'in those parts would not have found his way towards the mansion through the ob: sourity: bat Afr. Redeliffe appeared to be wall ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)