The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

332 een 06 he may begin to talk of saticty. "Pon my word, I'd give anything for a headache next morning | b after a debauch, by way of 2 change.” “Ab! you two fellows have seen too much of life!" observe#s -camore, with a deprecating shake of the as if it were a very serious matter indeed: “you have gone at such a devil of a pace! But after all, there’s nothing like it.” “Nothing!” suid the younger of the two gen- tlemen. “A short life and a merry one.” “ Ah, that’s my maxim!” exclaimed the other. “Pass the champagne,” At this moment the waiter entered, and whis- pered to Mr. Sycamore, “ A gentleman, sir, wishes to speak to you‘ for a moment. Ho says he has called about a yacht.” “ & yacht?” ejaculated Sycamore aloud, “ It must be a mistake. I have not spoken to any one en | | “The gentleman says, air,” continued the waiter, still in a whisper, “that he must speak to you—and he won’t detain you a minute.” “What's bis namo?” asked Sycamore, growing somowhat uneasy at this announcement of the stranger's pertinacity to obtain an interview with im, “His name, sir? Oh, he says it is Mr. Smith ~-aud his friend’s is Mr. Noakes.” “Ah, he has a friend with him fl said Syoa- goore: and this circumstance, as well as the two names which seomed to be most ominously like Retitious qnes, sont 6 cold apprehension to the conscience-strickon individual's heart. “Don’t suffer yourself to be intruded upon now !” exclaimed one of the young gentlemen. “Say that Mr. Sycamore is not within P” oried the other, in an authomtative tone to the waiter. “ And if they don’t go, pitch them down the atairs,” added the first. “ Or toas them out of the window,” superadded the second. “ What shall I say, sir?” asked the waiter, who himself looked somewhat embarrassed, as if he had a vague suspicion of impending evil floating in his mind~—although he nifost probably considered Messrs. Smith and Noakes to be sheriffe’-officors, -and ‘therefore to have no mission more serious than that of the exocution of civil process. “Are they really gentlemen?” inquired Syca- more, who now felt as if boiling oil were pouring through his veins. “Woll, sir, they told me to say they was,” an- gwered the waiter: but he did not think it neces- sary to state in addition the trifling fact that s half-crown had been thrust into his hand as a bribe for the representation of the gentility of Mesara. Smith and Noakes. “Y think I bad better see tiem,” said Mr. Syca- more, whose perturbation—amounting indeed to anguish—-was wo plainly visible that the waiter faneied he beheld therein the confirmation of his feare, and the two young gentlemen began to ex- change suspicious louks. “Where are they?” in- quired Sycamote, as the thought suddenly struck him that he into the next room, put on his hat, and decamp 6s quickly as his legs would arry him. “They ere om the landing, sir,” responded the Waler. THE WYETERIES OF THE COURT. Se eyareghs Uriel EP Ge Oe we Lid Pay + Siete =—ayeeene sawn ¥en emgehRily sk ls eaten est ips Clee tds Ae erent ware os so - wee Mr. Sycamore’s countenance grew terribly lank, as he at once comprehended that the avénue of escape was thus completely closed ; while the circumstance that Messrs. Smith and Noakes preferred waiting outside the door rather than being shown to his sitting-room, fearfully confirmed sll his worst terrors. Nevertheless, he had still sense enough left amidst the anguished confusion of his thoughts, to comprebend that the two individuals who sought him were evidently disposed to conduct their proceedings in as delicate a way as possible; and whatever might happen, he himself had no inclination to excite tho scandal of exposure, “Tell them I will come immediately,” he said: and he filled a bumper of champagne iv the hope of giving himeelf courage and deadening the frightful horror of hia thoughts: but tho wine, which a few mwinutes back had flowed like nectur down his throat, now appeared to remain there as if against the impedimert of the feelings which well nigh euffocated him. * What the deuce does it all mean, Sycamore P”’ asked one of the young gentlemen, the instant the waiter had left the room. “Is it a case of tapping on the shoulder? If eo, make use of me—lI’m your man for a few hundreds.” “ And I aleo!” exclaimed the other young gen- tleman. “ Always stick by your friend—and nevor say die till you're dead. That’s my motto.” It was with a ghastly look that Sycamore en- deavoured to say something with a laugh of turced cheerfulness: but horribly apprebensive that those who awaited him, would lose all patience and come in to seek him if be tarried any longer, be hurried from the room. On tho landing he beheld the self-styled Messrs. Smith and Noakes; aud ove of them eaid, “Can we have a little talk together in private, Mr. Sycamore P” “This way, gentlemen,” said the miserable wretch in a balf-choking voice: and he led them into his sitting-room, which in addition to the dour that thus opened upon the landing, had another communicating with the parlour that served as his dining-room. The two individuals kept very cluse upon Mr. Sycamore, as they followed him into the room and after they had entered it; and the one whvo acted as spokesman, said with a significant look, “ You will give ua credit, sir, for having diecharged this unpleasant little duty in aa delicate a way as pos- sible. My name isn’t Smith—nor is my partner's name Noakes. Allow ue to introduce ourselves as Mr. Isaac Shadbolt, and Mr. William Withers, both very much at your service.” “Not too loud—not too loud!” gasped Syca- more, indicating the door of communication be- tween the two rooms. “Who are you gentle- men P” he faltered forth. and the unhappy man would have given worlds at that moment to be told that he was merely about to be consigned to a debtor's gaol; but a secret voice whispered in his soul that it waa not for debt. “Well sir, we are officers, it is true,” replied Mr. Shadbolt, who thought it necessary to break the matter as delicately as possible, inasmuch as he entertained the bope that the reward would be commensurate with the amount of his kind consi- deration : “ but. we are not exactly sheriffs’ -officers 4 ao. aeemeretl “Is it—is it—debt ?” ELOOO© SS