The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

Sl aang ~ — -— = — Game oP =e a ee ee es oe ee eee ee ake te ws. Vienne, egy “Pag Eee. ee a nd ——— Oe =~ “Sw ao Come = » we —— a ae omen wh EE ype a we oe emo Ss owe a_m r a Slee queens eee pes nrens ste wee bead iat see aie that he overhedrd the injunetions givon by the nian: for no sooner was he erceived by them, than be was durrounded by the ragged horde of children, imploring alms ia a whining tone, whilo their dirty litle paws were stretched out tuwards him. At the same instant the man began to snivel forth a miserable tale, of how he was « car- penter out of work—how he and his dear wife and cig chatdren, four of whom Were small ones, liad (ramped all the way from Liverpool, nevor once slocping in a bePand enduring every possible pri- vation. Then the woman took up the strain, in a eaxiting, whining, lugubrious tone, telling Christian how sho had teen brought up by kind parente— ¢ a 4 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, 7 | i with the landlady; arid putting some gig apait 4 ' 4 \ l ‘ 4 ’ u - het hand, bade her show all possible af wt the dying woman,—at the same timo gp the aswurante that she should be rewardec portion as she obeyed these injunctions. vate " ‘ Sa 3 » ,! a . a y ; Vv “ ‘yar A, Christian was not wearied of waiting upwaatth | of an kowr for his sister's re-appearanca: he that thd wad engiged in a self-imposed ran! ttud benotolants—and he would have chearSilie’ | tarried ten timds as long if it ware necomidty; "| Scarcely had Christina issued forth from the hots; ard just ae she was taking hor brother's arm, they both beheld a gentleman stop ahort and gage upon them with an air of inter¢st. Ile had ovidently how she had been a good wile and a fond mother— | reeognised them, and they too recognised him— how she hadgborne her husband thirteen childron, ‘for he was kone other than Mr. Redcliffe. of which five lay under the turf—and thon she stopped short and appeared toery bitterly. Chris- tian had found himself so completely hemmed in by the posse of itupostors, that he had some diffi- culty in getting from their midst; aud in his in- dignation at being thus regarded as an object on whom to practise their deception, he let drop a few words to make them aware of what he had caught from the man’s own lips. Then the posao —from the man himeelf down to the youngest child— levelled at him the coarsest, filihtcst abuse : and as he retreated in ore directtun, they touk another, bending their way into a neighbouring street. Such was the narrative which Christian gave Christina, when the latter had described tu hia tho spectacle that bad mot her own eyes in tho wretched attie she had been visiting. They pro- ceeded to the nearest pastry-cook’s, where they pur- chased some jelly: they bought sume articlos at a procer’s—and they ordered bread from a baker's. Then they returned into Redcross Strect ; and wihule Christian again waited for his sister, the latter ascended to Mary Wright's chamber. She now learnt a pitovus tale frou the pour dying creature's Itpa—a tale of an early orphanage and of total {riendlessnese—of dependence upun her own re- suurees—-of bitter poverty resiguedly ondured, and in defiance of all the temptations which her beauty had brought in her way—of tho insidivas advance of consuinption—and of poignant miseries and privations suffered when she was no longer enabled tu work. “ Yesterday,” said the puor creature m conclu- He at once perceived that there wad sddnesa in Christina’s looks, ard that fears hung upon her long dark lnshes—thu traces of that deep aortow which sha had experienced at the mournful nartative of Mary Wright. | “Wherefure are you thus depressed ?* he m- quired, sumewhat abruptly, but with w coutteous bow of recognition, as be glancod from one to the other. “ Because I have just loft a scone which would uote the hardest of hearts,” replied Christina. “ A young woman, crusbed down by overwholming tuil—in the lest stage of consumptioa———” | “ And it is a deserving case?” asked Mr. Red cliffe, interrupting the young girl, while he still continucd to contemplate both herself and her brothor with a deep and mourntul interest. “Ob! yes, sir—it is a deuaerving case—there can be no doabt of it!’ exclaimed Christina, the (vars gushing satresh from ber oye, as all she ‘hed seen and all she had heard sptang vividly up to her memory. “'Then it shall be inquired inte,” anewored Red. cliff: and with another courteous bow, he passed abruptly on his way. ‘The twins proceeded slowly along the street, and presently they luoked back to sve if Mr. Red- cliffe had turned to call at the house: bat he was just disappearing round the corner of another street, and the orphans knew not what to thihk— whether he had eonly said the easo should be ine quired into in order to cut abort a tale which he cared not to hear—or whether the promise would be really fulfitled. As they continued their own sion, “1 exerted suflicsent energy to write to those} way, Christina told her brother all that she had who had employed ioe, imploring assistance. It} learnt frem Mary Wright; and it was with a pré- was in the ditest despair that I thus addressed! {ound sympathy that the youth listened t hid them, and with no real hope in my heart: for, | sistor’s narrative. alas! J krfow fall well the hatdness of thuir vwn They had threaded several streets in their pro- hearts. They have not been moved tuwards me: | grese towards a point at which they purposed to but heaven hag sent me a ministering angel in the | take arr omnibus,—when Christian suddenly pressed form of yourself.” his sister's acm; etd as she looked in the same © Christina, did not choose to eadden the poor | direction on which his regards were fixed, she at dying creature more deeply than she was already | once comprehondéd his méanivig. There was the afflicted, by explaining that it had cume to her kriow- | poaso of ragged inspostors, singing af the very top ledge that ker appeal to the Emanuels was tivated | of their vvices. The mai bad his hands thinst with bvatél heartlessness. She remained upwaris ; into the pockete of hig dilapidated trousers; nid of an hour with Mary Wright,—doing ull she | livia face was screwed up to as piteous an ait could ta.cohduce to ber comfort, and furcing her to partake of the food, which was purchased tor her use. She promised to return on the following day, and received the warmest, most beartielt ox- pressions of gratitude from the dufferer’s hips. Ere quitting the house, che sdught another iitertiew misery as could be welk conceived. The woman, with mouth wide open, wan gazing up isto the air,—dragging slong a mggel urclis by etich hand, <A girl clung to the cuat-tails of thd vin, who prase a6 hep father ;—andt to if deedd a hittle ficlt-naked buy, scarcely five yots of sie, wa be a aed Wp ED oy py PERG oo yell ey Ail PEP OE eT oR BE aD serene eae es 20 te dd CRE eet a eh Seen = » aa} oh pee Ane am Pr ine, OF Did COMME HOO® on SS