The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

Sern a TR gee teeter onan wena spacer er CSOT 1 MYSTERIES OF THE COURT 360 . ene ws cue man bond over the bason to bathe his face with a sponge. New was the moment! Grasping his dagger-knife firmly in his right hand, the Hang- man slipped from behind the curtain—one stride took him within reach of his victim—and then with a tremendous blow the stiletto was driven deep down between the old man’s shoulders. A cry—but not a loud one—burat from the lips of Jeremy Humpage; and he rolled down upon the floor—a corpse! The muriercr, without the slightest remorse for the crime he had just committed, proceeded to rifle the pockets of his victim; and thence he took what money they contained, as well as a bunch of keys, } One of these fitted Tie safe, in which the Hang- man found gold and bank-notes to the amouut of about five hundred pounds, as nearly as he could ruess at the quick glance he threw over the trea- sure. But he had no time to waste—for he did not fail to recollect that the Swag Chovey Bloak was on his way tq Larry Sampson's. Having secured the gold and notes about his person, the Haugman wasn the point of retreat- ing from the room, when he suddenly recoilected that his clasp-kaife might prove serviceable in case of any danger he should have to encounter else- where. He accordingly drew it forth from ‘the body of his victin—wiped it upon a towel—closed the blade—and put it into his pocket. He then unlocked the door, and was issuing forth from the chamber, when in the passage he found himself. face to face with the old housekeeper, who, know- ing that her master had purposed to sit up all night, had risen and dressed herself to get him some breakfast. The woman—although she knew Daniel Coffin well, and was aware that he transacted business with Humpaze — was nevertheless amazed and terrified to behold him there at such an hour, especially as he was stealing forth from old Jeremy's chamber: for she was not aware that he had arrived at the house at all, and that he had been admitted by her master himself while she slept. Besides, his lopks were now so full of a diabolic expression that his aspect a'one at this moment, apart from all other circumstances, would have been enough to terrify her. A scream thrilled from her lipS: but even while it was yet vibrating upoo the air, the Hanguran spraug at her with the force and fury of a wild beast—clutched her by the throat—stifled all farther power of utterance—and flinging her upon the floor of the passage, placed his knee upon her chest. In this manner he held her tight until she grew black in the face—her features became coavulsed aud livid—and she was suffocated. Even after her body had ceased to writhe and couvulse, an‘ when there was every evidence that the vital spark, had fled, the ferocious Hangman still kept his hands upon her neck—the fingers literally digging deep down into her flesh~—so as to asaure himself that she was indeed no mone, Thon he rose up, and without loas of time ascended the stairs to the passage above. That the secret room, where the lump of silver was contained, lay between the two chambers on the right hand side of that passarre, he had gleaned from the con- versation of Jeremy Humpage and the Swag Chovey Bloak. It was therefure by no meaus Sis SE -e et he i Se ee difficult to ascertain exactly where the laboratory was situated: but the puzzling part of the business was to discover hew tu open the door. ‘The Hang- man rapped with his knuckles upon all parts of the wainscot where he dorfveived that this door ought to be: but he could not tell by the gound where it*was. Five minutes were thos lost—and he grew impatient.. Still he made another trial,— curbing his feelings as well as he was able, and continuing his investigation with all possible care- fulness: buf another five minutes passed without any better success. Now he grew feurfully im- patient—terribly exasperated. Time was so pre- cious to him! Already had near half-an-hour elapsed since the’ departure of the Swag Chovey Bloak—and there was not a minute to waste unnecessarily. What should he do? He would procure a hatchet and break down the whole of the wainscotting in that part of the passaye, so as to find the door But, what if there were no Hatchet to be found ?- aud nothing else would serve-his purpose: for the wood-work was evideutly very thick aud solid, the better to coneval the existence of the accret door. He must curb his impatieuce once more, and give another trial. That there wus some secret spring, he felt convinced: and this must be felt for. Still mere carefully than hitherto did he renew his in- vestigation: and, Ah! this time he is successful f He has touched something—he scarcely knows what—he does not pause to look: it is sufficient for him that the door suddenly flies open; and with an exclamation of delight he rushes into the laboratory. ‘ But as he thus springs across the threshold, the door shuts of its own accurd behiud him, CHAPTER CCIilL THE CORPSE.—THE SECRET CHAMBES. WE must now go back for a few hours, in order to give some nece-sary explanations. The Buttoner, as the reader may already have understood, was indeed profoundly stricken ith remorse for the share he had taken iu the murder of Nell Gibson. Since the perpetration of that crime many months back, he had become altogether an altered being, —abandoning hjs old companions — wandering about the country, desolate and miserable, like a lost and starved dog—and not having even the spirit to follow his wonted avocatious of thimble- rigging in order to procure his bread. The image of Nell Gibson never ceased to hauut him ; it ful- lowed him about by day—it stood by him at night, wherever he lay down to rest. At length, so ter- rible became his thoughts—so deep his compunc- tion~that he grew reckless of life; and ia process of time the whispermg of conscience suggested that the only means of procuring peace for his soul, was to make an atouement by a full confes- sion to the proper authorities. In this rhood had he returned to London, at the time of which we hare been speaking in preceding chapters ;—and instiuctively bending his way to- wards Mrs. Young’s abode—the place where he had last dwelt in company with Nell Gibson—he chanced to meet old Mother Franklin in the im- mediate vicinage. ‘To her he at ouce revealed the hry a PRR A SP SRN OR, NN a Da TAR, ECOMNIE OG O) cS) CO