The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THER COURT pany Gone oer wrhnnrtnnier: Open; and a heavy waa beard, instaiitaheo ; fuilowed by a ory for help. Then the Burker a tremendous blow with the butt-end of a pistol which he snatched forth from bis pocket ; and Bab Smedley, suddenly recalling all her courage, reshed in witt the light. The lodger lay upon thé floor, low moss escaping from his lips: but those quickly ceasod, as the ramorseless Burkor dealt him an- other terrific blow with his weapon—a blow whioli beat in the unfortunate victim’s forehead. I¢ was dene—the murder was accomplished—and that victim was no ‘more! It was evident that being disturbed by the noise at the door, he had got out of bed to ascertain what was the matter—he had huddled on his pantaloons —and he wag about to dpen the door to listen whether all was quiet, or whether there were in- déed anything wrong going on in the houte,— whon the circumstance of his hand encountorili; the wire and the key bad confirmed his terror an had caused an ejaculation to fall ftom his lips. There he now lay upon the floot-a sorpad, with his forehend battered in | “Come, you fool,” said Bab Smedley to het husband; “don’t stand like a coward thete——" || “No coward, Bab! That fooling ie gone,” in- terrupted Jack, whose courage now likewise te- turned, the fear of danger boing saddenly passed. ** Let’a look after the swag.” ) “Aye, that’s it,” said the Burker, “and dispose of the stif’un arterwards. Well, the job was done ueat enough frter all; though I tell you what, Master Jack, no thanks to you if we didn't make a mess of the Whole affair. You and me has done two or three things in our life-time; but I never eco you get so chicken-hearted afore.” “It waan’t the thing itself I was afraid of,” answered Smedley, by no means relishing these taunts: “it was the foar of having the whole neighbourhood foused.” “And so you would, if it badn’t been for me,” rejoined the Burker in a savage tone. “ How. sumever, it’s all over now Ah, and here’s tlic blunt !” For while the ruffian was giving utterance to those words, he stooped down and felt in the pockets of the murdered man’s pantaloons. He drew forth two purses; and a hasty examination of the contents showed him that though one con tained but a trifle of money, the contents of the other amuunted to about five hundred pounds, This was an infinitely greater treasure than any |, of the wretches expected to acquire by their deed of turpitude; and their spirits roso to tho bighest point Of bormble exultation. “ Now let Mre. Webber come and mop up them boards at wunce,” said the Burker; “or else there'll be marks on ’em as will tell tales. And * you, Bab, can stop with the lads to get the trap- door up, while me and Jack brings down the atif’un. ‘The dooner all's put to rights the better.” Mra. Smed of drawers, hastily descended the stairs; and in « few niinutés the old woman mado her appearance in the chamber, with @ pall of hot water and s Rannel. But litte Livod bad fluwed on the floor ; and none had reached the carpet, of which there was only a slip by the side of the bed. The vile , placing the light upon s cheat | was lower down the steps, sustain 1 woman showed fio moré feeling ¢ a CHO 4 dlight shudder oxpressed, as g than Se ie eel flung upon the corpse; and this me nels from a #wiltly transient sense of recoil Bedi a spectacle of the battered forehead— dit aoeatild vot frota any compunction at the 1 ; rede \ : ‘ is | Lay? iteelf. The floor was soon cleansed with thi flannel; and then, as the old woman hid light, the Burker and Jack Smedley, raising tas bouy between them, began tu carry ib dowh the ; stairs. The scullery Was reached; and now the two | ladé for the first time looked upob a form when raurder Had expolled the breath of life!—for the first time did they behold a corpse which was mad¢ ao by the black turpitude of assassination | Anh instant—and only for an instant—did thoy shrink back from the apectaclo: a moment too— and only for a moment-did their minds appear to receive a alicnk; and then their brutal, sava self- iaton was regained: the fiercencas of thair instincts & to triumph over ahy titent glitnmbritig of thelt botter foclings. The Burker contemplated then both from the cornerd of bis n+ s hé daw full wall what was passing within mt; and a& devilish expression of sntisfaction abpeared upon his hideous countenance, as ho felt that they Were now more than ever bound fast in thé trainimelé which he had cast eround thom, and by means of Which he rendered them duotile and pliaiit to all bie purposes of evil. The table was moved away from the middle of the soullary—thoe square piees of carpet on which it was wont to stand, was likewise take ip—and 4 trap door was raised, This trap-dovi révodied & considerable aperture: it was the mouth of @ pit, whence a disagreeable oatthy smell Game up. There wore eteps loading down into the abyee; and to that depth was the corpse eonséfed by Barney tho Burker and Jack Sinddley. The two wowen and the two lads atood close by the trap- door, gazing upon the scene which the light of the candle illuminated with a sufficiency to throw ott ita most hideous and ghastly foatures. And hor- rible indoed was that acene,-—borrible the face of the mixereant Burker, bending over tho rigid and bludd-sixined countenance of the murdered tuan— that countenance tue, on the upper part of which there appeared so frightful a wound ! * Tush,” sid Bab Smedley, suddonly breaking the silence which prevailad. “I dy believe there 1s some ane in the passage up-staire |” . “Nonsense!” growled the Burker: “if all the dours is shut, how can there be any one in the houseP And if there is, we'll sarve him ay we've dune the atiff’un here.” * Do be quiet !” whispered Mrs. Smedley with affrighted impatience. “J am certain there are footsteps !” | The woman spoke so confidently that all did now remain perfectly quiet, with suspended breath : but no sound met their eats—and Mrs. Sunedley yielded to the conclusion that it was only faney ot her part. But all of a sudden there was a rushing noise in the passage above: the body fet from the Burker’s grasp—and Jack Smedley, Wu {eat al the murdered man, fell backward w cdhsider- able viclence, the corpse rolling upon bini, Is was in the bottom of the vault that this hotelbis NOG (C SS