The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

SN ee ee SS CS a ae eS a — © we aes = Gee Eee, SE 42 oe 160. - “Qne question more,” said Jocelyn. “ After all the precautions which were taken--or seemed to be taken—to prevent you from, ascertaining that it was the Priacesa’s villa, you were nevertheless suffered, when issuing forth again, to quit the gar- den by yourself? In plain terms, Mrs. Ranger left you, on the plea,of looking after another woman to whom she had entrusted the dead child: and thus you were left alone to discover where it was you really were?” “Yes,” observed Maravelli. “ But that part of the business belonged as it were to another adven- ture——" ¢ ‘* And that other adventure?” said Jocelyn, jn- quiringly. “Be pleased to tell me everything connected with the incidents of that night. In proportivn to your candour shall my liberality be measured.” . ‘ “T can really tell you little enough that is satis- factory on this head,” replied Maravelii. “ But listen attentively, Mr. Loftus. You must know, that being wedded to science, I from time to time purchase any human fish which two or three rogues belonging to the city hook up from the lake. I may.add that I possess a sort of agency to supply certain German Universities with heads for phre- ‘nological study—real heads, you must understand, aud not chalk ones—but heads which 1 embalm according to a valuable secret of my own. Well, Mr. Loftus ——But { see you are looking at me with a strange expression——”" “Pray pardon me, and proceed,” said our hero, who indeed had looked confused on being spoken to relative to those very heads wherevf he had seen several apecimens in the ductor’s piivate room, during tue previous night. “Well, I merely mentioned those little facts,” ' gontinued Maravelli, “ia order to explain how ' gt happens that’! have any acquaintance at gil witn three sach villanous ruffiaus as Kobolt, ‘eng rere ing Hernani, hnd Walden: for those are the fishers of men to whom I alluded—and they are like- wise fellows ever ready to do whatsoever ser- vice is well paid, no matter for it’s nature. These men, then, it appears from what they have since told me during a cunversation 1 had with them, were hired by two Euglish gentle- men named Smith aud Thompson to carry of*a couple of ladies, from the villa, on the verf night of which 1 have been speakiug-——aud that same night, you uuderstand, on which my services were put in requisition. But it wonld appear that Kobuit aud his comrades carried off the wrbng females —inaeed none others than Mrs. Ranger and the very woman having charge of the dead child. Hence the sudden disappearanca of Mrs. Ranger when she lef. me in the garden in the manuer I have described. The two Englishmen, it appears, had gone to’ Lausanne; and there a ludicrous acene took place, when the two elderly dames were brought into their presence.” “But how knuw you that the other woman taken with Mrs. Rauyer was the one to whom the child had been entrusted? Because those men— Kobolt, and the others of whom yoa speak—could not have koown ali this.” “No—a-suredly not,’ returned Maravelli: “ but M's. Rauger called upon me a few eveuings af the incideuts that hud taken place, aud hiuted tu me what had occurred on the memorable occasion THE MYSTERIES OF THE GOURT. in question. She said that as now I of course knew it was the Princesa’s villa to which I had been taken, she had only to‘add her prayers and entreaties to any other mducnment which I had already re- ceived to keep the secret, as I must now be mors than ever aware of its immense importance.” “Did Mrs. Ranger happen to mention the name of that woman of whom you have been speakiug ?” asked Jocelyn. “ Yes—she said it was Hubbard—Mrs. Hubbard, the laundress in the household of her Royal High- ness,’ “And the two Englishmen who called them- selves Smith and Thompson?” said Jocelyn, more than half suspecting that these very convenient names were only assumed ones—but by whom and for what purpose he of course could not imagine. “Did you ever see them ?” “ Not to my knowledge,” returned Maravelli. SIE ERS ‘And about tle still-born child,” asked Jucelyn: “what became of it?” “Ah! that question reminds me,” exclaimed the doctor, “ that there is another little incident grow- ing out of the adventures of that night—an inci- dent which has come to my knowledge by « side- wind, and which may probably account for the | maaner wherein the infant corpse was disposed | of.” ’ “Indeed {” ejaculated Jocelyn: “your budget of | information is even mere capacious than { bad expected. I am sure yon have already given me two hundred louis’ worth of intelligence. Here is another hundred louis, therefore, for what you are about to impart to me.” “Upon my word, you justify the opinion so in- ! variably entertained relativé to the generosity of Euglishmen,” said Maravelli, as he took up the bank-notes which Jocelyn had just counted down upon the table: and having consigned them to his pocket, he continued to observe, “Mr. Loftus, [ am still speaking of the night of meworable inci- dents—ani here is another epi-ode in that night’s history. Behold, a young lady was arrested on the margin of the lake, between twe and three o'clock in the morning, by a posse of pulice- officers, who were lying in wait fur the fishers of eens and who were suddenly alarmed by a splash nthe water. The young lady was taken before the nightcommissary ; aud to him she gave her name—Emma Owen! Her story was that she went out for a ramble, and that in a listless mood she flung a stone into the water. The magistrate Ordered her to find bail: she accordingly sent for a jinen-draper with whom she dealt; and he at once proceeded to the police-station and entered into the required surety. He happens to be a cousin of wine; and hence my knowledge of the transhetion. I now leave youto judge, Mr. Loftus, for*yvourself, what Miss Emma Owen was doing at the side of the lake withio two or three hours utter the accouchement, and what that splash was which attracted the notice of the police-officers.” * Will you favour me with the name aud address o! this Jinen-draper ?” asked Loftus. “Heavens! I hope we are not going to have any exposure in all these things,” exclaimed Maravelli, now evidently frightena). “Remember that ac- cording to the lews of Geneva, it is branding with a red hot irou aud ten yeare’ imprisonment for any aurgeon who privately and secretly assists in tis AOC) @) cS) CO