The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

124 incident took place ; and a cry of terror ascended from that depth. Then the next moment the gold-beater was seen rushing up the steps as if he were demented—-his hair standing on end—his countenance ghastly pale—his lips white—bhis eyes rolling with horror. “ You fool, you !” muttered his wife, clutching him violently by the arm, and giving him 6 eavage shake; “ you'll make yourself heard yet before you have done !”” It must be observed that Barney the Burker had not let the corpse fall through any access of panic-terror—but merely that he might rush up- stairs and ascertain the cause of that strange sweeping sound which had reached the ears of those in the scullery. But on opeuving the door and listening, he found that all was still. “Give we a light,” ho said, “and I'll go over the house just for your saytisfaction : co. why, none of you seem able to do it for yourselves.” A candle was immediately supplied him by one of the lade; and the instant he appeared in the ground-floor passage with that light, the rushing sound was heard again—and en enormous cat ‘which had been crouching on the mat, sprang up the ataire to the higher storeys. The Burker gave a chuckling laugh ; and desconding to the scullery, clused the door, saying, “It’s on’y a great big black cat that’s got into the house.” “Tt’s the people's at the béear-shop,” exclaimed Bab Smedley. “ But ian’t it strange,” asked the gold-beater, who was shuddering all over, “that the brute should out about the house like thatP Dvesn’t it soom as if it knew what had been done ?”—and with his haggard eyes he glanced towards tho mouth of the vault. “Well, I des say there's summut like instink in the affair,” said the Burker coolly : “ but as vats can’t speak, thoy can’t tell no tales—and so we needn’t bother ourselves any more about the matter. Come, Jack, take a drop of brandy; and don’t make such e fool of yourself as you seem to be doing. Why, 1 can’t make out what's come over you all on a sudden, that you have got so precious chickon-hearted. It iqn’t a werry good examplé you're setting them lads. Where's the yuicklime P" “ All ready down below,” responded Bab Smedley : then addressing herself to her husband, she said savagely, ‘“ There, toss off that brandy, and be aman! I’m ashamed of you !” The gold-beater drank the raw spirit whivh his wife handed him, and his courage speedily revived in. “Come now, my boys, and lend a hand below,” said the Burker : “ you must ‘custom yerselves to got familiar with stiff ’uns. You come too, Jack.” The gold-beater and the Burker descended into the vault, with a candie—the two Scotts following with readiness and alacrity. A spade and pickaxe were in the pit—a hole was speedily dug, sufficiently large to receive the corpse—a quantity of quicklime was thrown upon it—the earth was shovelied buck—it was well flattened down, so as to make the bettum of the subterranean lavel—and thus the work was accomplished. The trap-door was closed—-the carpet was drawn aver it—the table was restored to its place—quan- tities of spirita-and-water wers mixed—and the. Ghee pene ee ee eon ao wT any a Pe: re a eum yop reget ipere-~ THE MYSTERIZS OF THR ‘CouRT. wretches caroused above the spot to which their victim had been consigned. The Burker and Bab Smedisy ascended to the chamber where the desd Was accomplished: they ransacked the contents of the carpet-bag—but they found no papers of any kind—-no farther hoard of money. But on the drawers was a very handsome repeater-watch, together with a gold pencil-case and two or three rings. These valuables were of course taken pos- session of; and the two wretches descended to - rejoin their companions. A division of the booty now took place—more grog was drunk—and if was past two in the morning when the Burker and the Scotte took their departure, at intervals of a few minutes, by means of the back part of the premises and the narrow alloy by the side of the chapel. “You bebaved like a fool te-night,” said Bab Smedley to her husband, when they were at length alone together in their own chamber. “T can’t tell what it was that came over me when we were all three together at Ais deor,” said the gold-beater. “ And then the affair in the vault wae horrible enough! To have that corpse come tumbling down upon one was sufficient to make the hair stand on end, And mind you, Bab —you were not altogether yourself to-night: you were frightened up ut the door—and you were frightened again too by the noise of that cursed cat.” “ Well, there’s enough of it!” said the woman sharply: for her husband had spoken truly, and she herself had been more accessible to terror on this particular night than on the occasion of any previous deed of iniquity. “T tell you what, Bab,” said the gold-beater, looking somewhat nervously around the room, and apeaking in the half-hushed voice which denoted a certain inward appalled feeling: “I don’t like that affair of the cat—there was something superstitious in it—it wae the animal’s instinct !” “Now, will you have done P” demanded Bab Smedley, turning with sudden flerceness round upon her husband: but her own face was as ghastly pale as his was—and as their eyes met he saw that she waa under the same superstitious terror as that which was awing and appalling his own soul. (eee CHAPTER XXIV. THE LISTENER. A wEesx had elapsed since tho occurrences just related ; and curing this interval the Hon. Wilson Stanhope had called three or four ti:ffes, and had dined twice at Marchmont House. Hoe was a man of about five-and-thirtp years of me, though with a somewhat dis- sipated and rakish look. He had been for some years in the Horse Guards; and although his necessities had compelled him to sell his com- mission, he still affected to a certain degree a military appearance: that ig to say, he continued to wear his moustache. His features were regular, but somewhat bold and prominent: the expression of his countenance was decidedly sensuous. His hair was lights his cyes were large, and had « cae, see, Qt ee Gee — (C soa + ieee PE =e eee ee i } t ’ t NOG SS