The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 333: what you’re looking at

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

820 -_ "=. Now, in plain terma. did you not receive a: letter the day before yesterday, posted at Gainsborough, | house, and is is wery good customer of mine. and addressed to you in just these words—Mr. Solomon Patch, the Biily Goat, Agar Town, - Pancras, London ” ‘Well, J did have such a ictter,” answered Pe landlord. ‘‘ And now, to come to the point at once, will you show me that letter if I givo you fifty pounda?” ° Tho old man hesitated for nearly a minute ; and then he said, “ Bofors we go any farther, sir, I think I ought to know who you and this young gentle- man ‘be—” . “Very woll: you shall have that information. Here is my card. Williem, produce your's.” Deveril did as he was desired; and Solomon, having looked at them both, fixed his eyes on our hero, observing, “ Ab, sir—I ‘have seen your name in the newspaper about some duel-bijainess. | hope you've got over your wound”... 7 “You see that I am not suffering very muck from it at present,” replied Deveril. “And now that you know Who we are, I think that you,need not hesitate to comply with our wishes.” ‘I don’t mind showing you what i received from Gainsborough two or three days ago,” observed. Patch: “ if so be you promises as how that you won't break open t’other thing what's inside.” “Vory good. Here are:the fifty pounds,” said Mr. Gunthorpe; “and you may produce your let. ter. 9” Solomon Patch drew forth amold aay pocket. book; and from the midst of somet papers he pro- duced a letter, which Deveril at once .reco by the blotch of ink ea well as by the handwriting, to be the one he had seen at the post-office at Gains- borough. ‘Give me over the money with one hand,” said Patch, “and take the letter with t’other. There's nothing like doing things ell equare and proper.” “Do you think I should cheat you out of: your promised reward P” exclaimed Mr. Gunthorpe, eome- what indignantly. ‘“ Here is the money : give me the letter.” Th® exchange was made; and notwithstanding his servile obsequiousness, Solomon Pateh could not avoid showing a low cunning leer of satisfaction upon his countenance as he consigned the bank- notes to his greasy pocket-book. But Mr. Gunthorpe and Deveril did not -notice the expression of the man’s us countenance: latter was regarding hin. That envelope was blank; but it contained a note marked Private, and addressed to Mr. Chiffin. Ggnthorpe and Deveril at once exchanged looks to imply that’ they had been taken in; and that though fifty pounds were already gene, they were not a whit wiser than they were before. “I respect the pledge I gave,” said the old gentle- man, replacing the note in the envelope; “and I will not open this enclosure without your consent. Now, will you take another fifty pounds for allow- ing me to do so?” | “ Tt can’t be done, sir,” responded Solomon Patch. “You see that note is directed to another party; and if I hav'n't had the curiosity to open it myself, I oan’t suffer you—not by no means whatsomerer.” “Who is this Mr. Chiffin f” inquired Gurithorpe. | TIK MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ‘old gentleman uttered these last words with a sncer. ruffian was clad in his usual atyle, with the great of which was enough to frighten any nervous persum on. entering the bar-parlour, were rapid, searching, and ‘susficious. Mr. Gunthorpe was certainly mat for thg formcy was opening the envelope, and the | prepared ‘curiosity; while Deveril shuddered at the suspicion ———_—______——_; “ Welt, sir, he’s & genelman whick frequents this But to fell you the truth, he would prove rather a‘ orkard kind of customer if I was to break open hie letters. He hasn’t been here for a week or ten days past; and Idon’t know what’s become of him.” ° At this moment Mrs. Patch opened the doon om the bar-parlour, and whispered something in hef husband's ear,—having done,which, she disappeared | again, closing the door behind her. “Now this is fortunate,” observed Solomom “Mr, Chiffin, the wery highly respectable gonelman whicle thie note is addressed to, has just gone into the tap-room. If you like to negotiate with him, I'll introduce him.” “ By all means,” replied Mr. Gunthorpe. “Just let me put this Jetter back again into my pocket-book,” said | Patch ; “and you needn't say a word about the ‘little matter of fifty pounds— "cod Why, Mr. Chiffin’s rather an eccentric character, and he might take it-iate his head to cry halves.” “Never fear,” said Mr. Guuthorpe. ‘Go and bring the person in.” “Ob, you will find him a wety nice agrecable genelman, and easy to do business with, when there's money in the matte” Having thus spoken in exalted culogy of his friend, Solomon Batch j issued from the bar-parlour ; and as the door closed behind him, Mr. Gunthorpe said to Deveril, “Dopend upon it we shall succeed et. Gold will do anything with such characters as these. But I confess I am rather curious te sce this Mr. Chifip who isn correspondence with thie brilliant and: splendid Lady Saxondale:”—and the Inta few minutes Solomon Patch returned to the bar-pazlour, inteoducing Chiffin the Cannibal. The shaggy coat—his rough trousors turned up so as to form a hem and leave his heavy‘boots fully exposed ; while his battered white hat, with the rusty black crape, surmounted the: most hang-dog countenance that either Mr. Gupthorpe or William Deveril had éver seén in their lives. C had not shaved for three days; and the growth of his black bristly beard was no improvement to a face the villanous grimness He had his club under his arm; and the looks which he threw upon Mr. Gunthorpe and Deveril to behold such au awful-looking charac and he stated at him in mingled consternation and which ho éntertained from the circumstance of such a ferocious wretch being" ‘im correspondence with “This is Mr. Chiffin,” said Sulomon Patch, close ing the door very carefully. “ At your service, genfleman,” observed the Can- nibal, in his gruff deep voice; but he tried to look as amiable as he could at the moment. “Sit down, Mr. Chiffin,” said the old gentleman, whose object it of course was to be as courteous as he could ibly render himself towards such a bloodthfrsty-looking miscreant. “And now help yourself to a glass of -wine: for we have a little business to discuss. I supposo the landlord hera bas told you who we are?” f ane o «anf a re a a eee a A a a CO: a ° = @ ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)