The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 232: what you’re looking at

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

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For Emmerson had always been a hypvucrite with regard to religion; aod it suited him to be more 80 now, so that he might appear to have renounced every thought for this life and thas lull asleep all suspicion respecting his hope of escape. The chaplain passed an hour with him, and then withdrew in the belief that the condemned man was very penitent and in a most admirable state of mind, considering all things. Therefoce, in con- sequence of the reverend gentleman's report, it was deemed totally unnecessary to place anybody in the condemned cell to keep watch upon Em- merson. Indeed such was not the custom at the time of which we are writing, save iz those cases where there was positive ground for apprehending an attempt at suicide. # The day was shpping. away, and Emmerson began to wonder that his wife and daughter had not been to see him. Previous to the trial he had enjoined them not to be in the Court; and the result was bcene to them by the attorney who had conducted his defeifee. That they had not visited him during tho first few hours which succeeded the terrible sentence, was not surprisiug: for little as . was the affection subsisting between the husband and wife, yet at all events the feelings of the dauchter towards the father were a little more . tender~and it might be well supposed that Miss Emmerson was fearfully shocked at her sire’s awfal position, But why, after having had the beuefit of an entire night to compose their minds somewhat, his wife and daughter should not visit him during the day that was now passing, he could not conjeciure. He began to be alarmed lest,they meant to leave him un-olaced to meet his doom, while they squaudered away the money entrusted to their keeping. But while he was beginning to give way to these apprehensions, the door of the cell was opened; and two ladies, dressed in deep mourning of a very handsome description, were ushered in. Their veils were down—and for a moment Emmerson was in doubt whether his sus- picion as to who they were was correct or not, But all doubt was speedily dissipated when they raised their veils and threw themselves into his arms, sobbing and crying iu a mannet which was afterwards represented in the newspapers a3 “most agonizing.” But the moment the turnkey had withdrawo, Emmerson disengaged himself from the embrace of hig wife and daughter; aod glancing sternly from. one to the other, he said, “ What is the meauing of this ?’’ “Qh! my dear, dear hdsband,” sobbed Mrs. Emmerson ; “ how can you ask us such @ quyea- tiun? Arabella and me world have been here earlier to-day, but we could not get our mourn- ing sent home before. I gave orders for it the instant I heard the dreadful news yesterday; and the milliner sat up all night to make it. We thought it was but decent and proper to wait till it was ready before we came to see you-—" ad 8 an ae rene ae “ Nonsense—ridiculous!” ejaculated Emmerson, : actually forgetting for fhe moment al] the .borrors of his position in the rage that he felt at the con- duct of his wife and daughter in thus visiting him in the pomp of new mourning. “Do you know that this proceeding on your part has been dictated by a heartless vanity, and not by a genuine grief? Ahé there is gaiety even in your very mouurving—there is finery in these weeds which you have assumed! You treat mé as if I were already dead——~” Here Arabella threw herself with no affected outburst of grief jnto her, father’s arms, and be- sought hiin to pardon her if she had iv any way done wrong; but amidst rending sobs she gasp- ingly declared that whatever she had dune, was at her mother’s sugvestion. “ Well, we wil] say no more about it,” said Emmerson, disengaying himself from his daugh- ter’s embrace—fur he was a man who disliked a!l hvuzgings aud kissings frum those who were nearest and ought to have been dearest to him. “ You have got that money safe ?” he asked, turn- ing abruptly towards his wife. “ Yes—to be sure—all except what we have laid out:”’—and she glanced down at her mourn- ing garb and theu at that of her daughter. “ Now, understand me,” said Emmerson, speak- ag Se pe A PN a RLS a RR, eT IE ETT eee ee _ VEPOP aes = aw ing in a low but decisive tone and with a look | profoundly serious, “ All hope has not aban- doned me: indeed, I am confident of being enabled to escape. Now dou’t be fuolish, Ara- bella—-we shall be overheard,” he said, suddenly turning towards his daughter, who gave vent t> @ paroxysm of unfeigued joy at the tidings which had just met her ears. “™ Butgall edepends,” ho continued, again speaking to his wife, “upon | vour keeping that money sgfe until the moment it is wanted to pay those who will assist in my escape.” * Depend upon it,” answered Mrs. E:vhmerson, “ thas it is as safe with me as if in the Bautk of England.” We need not dwell any longer upon this inter- view, which lasted but little more thau half-an- hour; for so svon as Emmerson had assured himzelf that the money was really safe in his wife’s keepiiig, he rather wished that she and Arabella would take their departure, so that he might once more give way to that opiate lall in —_ so = ae ~ -_ which he had during the early part of the day © steeped his senses. Ou the following morning Enimersqn awaited Dick Melmoth’s arrival with the most acute sus- pense. In due course the turnkey made his ap- pearance to inquire if Emmerson would have the barber; and with such greedy hasté did the con- demued man reply ia the affirmative, that the prison-fusotionsry, evideny strusk by his niin- ner, could not help eysing him suspiciously fur a ‘moment. “Ah! it is such arelief,” immediately exclaimed Emmerson, recoveritig his presence of mind, “ to have some one to talk to, if only for a few minutes eee ee ee AOC) COMMU 7 cS) CO