The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 383: what you’re looking at

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

— ys gp eee Ee eee OF oe ee ea oes eee 372 who have felt them———-Yes, and 1 have expe- rienced them too {” “My good woman,” eaid the old sexton, “ what are you doing here at this time of night ? where do you come from? and who are you P” “I know no more whence I come,” exclaimed | this progress was plmost immediately arrested by the woman in a species of wild frenzy, “than the wind itaelf does. Who I am, matters not to you. But who are you?7”—and her bright eyes were. fixed upon the old sexton—for she did not appear to notice the Burker, who had shrunk back a faw paces at her sudden appearance. “ My namo is Jonathan Carnabie,” was the old man’s sententious reply. “I am clerk, bellringer, and sexton to this churoh—and yonder is my habi- tation.” “ And you have spoken of a poor lady who died mad?’ gaid the crazed creature--for suoh indeed she was. “I would fain ask you « few questions ; but they go out of my brain—something has agi- tated and excited me—I cannot ebliact my thoughts now :’—and she pressed her hand to her forehead. “ Another time—another time {” abe abruptly ex- claimed: and darting away, pasted through the gate and was speedily out of sight. “The poor creature is demented,” said Jonathan Carnabie; “and she catches up anything abe may hear fall from the lipa of e stranger. Poor woman |! she has doubtless some heavy grief upon her mind | But gome along——I had temporarily forgotten that you must be in want of refreshtient and re Dla The old sexton accordingly led the way out of Be church yard,— Barnes the Burker following bim in silence: for he did not altogether like the strange apparition of that pour crasy woman. CHAPTER LXXI. tur MOUNTEBANK. Wz must now geturn to Hamagate, to take up the thread of o ‘parrative at the moment when we left Christia#’ Ashton rushing out of the Royal | ac Hotel, aftey having #0 earnestly bidden Edgar " Bevorley await his return. Our young hero had a particular aim in view: for it will be remembered, that he had just been suggesting to his new friend the necessity of communicating with the impri- eoned Laura at Verner Housa, in order to ascer- tain by what means her intereata could be sarved or her escape effected. He had bethought himself of the mwountebank with whom he had that day conversed in the streeta of Ramsgate relative tu Baron Raggidbak; aud he was now speeding ia search of that public performer. He had proceeded some distance in the joyous excitement of the idea which had thus struck him, bofore he began to reflec? that it was ecarcely pro- bable he should find the mountebanks displaying their antics at that time in the evening—for it was now past nine o'clock. He relaxed hie pace, and took time to breathe and to deliberate. In a few moments ag individual passed him at a somewhat rapid rate; and he recognised the unujstakable form of the starveling Baron Raggidbak. He was about to rush after the ox-Groom of the Stole, when he beheld that ones high and mighty noble- THE MYSTERIES OF THY COURZ. nana prep) went ea w Rie ‘oe may plunge into an eer Soin mediately Jost to oar hero's view, must live with the ae to ‘biumeel and they furore et dwelling hereabouts. He acoordingly turned into tha edenecourt; but several persons of bath sexes that game pouting forth from a public-house; and t the group was small in number, yot it was quite sufficient to choke up ven narrow place, ‘The excitement was produced b heegesbereteh two men, both of w fot were m Baron Raggidbok had ovidentiy: “ong ere the portals of thas. piblictead ‘vomited forth ite in ebriate frequenters: for he was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd, Christian was soon enabled to force his way amidst the excited group; but his progress had nevertheless been delayed for more than « minute; and as he hurried along the dimly lighted court, the German was nowhere to be seen There was no outlot at the farther extremity ; and therefore it wae quite clear that the Baron must have entered one of the. houses in that court Christian stepped up to a man who was standing on the threshold of a door gazing in the direction of the pugilists and their backers ; and he inquired if the man happened to know whether the moun- tebanke who had that day been performiog in Ramsgate, resided anywhere in the court? “Why, yea, sir,’ was the man’s response: “they're lodging here in my house: but it so be any one of ‘em has wrongfully taken to prigging, and you've loat eummut, J hope you won't make no noise over it: for J see by your cut that you are & regular gentleman, every inch of you * { oan assure you,” interrupted Christian, “ that I have no such ground of cumplaint—and indeed no complaint whatscever to make. But I wish to speak to one of those men.” “ Step in, sir,” said the man: “‘ and you may see ’em all at supper as happy as kinge—with the exception of the German cove, which didn’t like the beautiful dish of tripe and cow-heel that my missus took #0 much trouble to dish up for ‘em he must needs go and buy hisselfsome German saeige-caed he’s only just this minit come back.” “Thank you—TI would rather not walk in,” re- plied Christian, who was by no. means anxious to encounter the ex-Grvom of the Stole: “ but if I described to you the particular individual whom I wish tu see, could you not whisper a word in his’ ear F”" “ To be sure, sir,” exclaimed the lodging-house keeper, “ But dear me! how them chaps is a fight- ing! It’s Bill Rough-und-Ready, which is a costermonger—and Tom Kagmag, which sells cata’- meat———"" “ Never mind those ruffians,” interrupted Chris- tian, by no means interested in the names q* avo- cations of the pugilists. “ Have the kindness to liaten to me while I describe the particular mounte- bank that I wish to converse with :’—then having given the description, Christian added, “ Whisper in his car that the young gentleman from whom he received two shillings thia Afternoon, desires te eay five worde to him.” The lodging-house keeper passed into his dwell- ing to exeoute this commissiun ; and while Chris- tian remained standing upur the threshold, he saw (C $ Cristian, NOG ne oe rt cee gE eter reg an UN Pa eg, LY a PG GS eee a en SS