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

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

372 who have felt them——-Yes, end I have expe rienced them too f” “My good women,” said the old sexton, “ what are you doing here at this time of night? where ' da you come from? end who are you f” “TI know no more whenee I come,” exclaimed the woman in a species of wild frenzy, “than the wind iteelf does. Who I am, matters not to you. But who are you 7”°—and her bright eyes were to notice the Barker, who had shrank back a few at her sudden appearance. “My name is Jonathan Carnabie,” was the old man’s sententious reply. “I am clerk, bellringer, and sexton to this chureh—and yonder is my habi- “ And you have spoken of a poor lady who died mad?” said the crazed creature—for such indeed she was. “TI would fain ask you a few questions ; but they go out of my brain—something has agi- tated and excited me—I cannot collect my thoughts now :”—and she pressed her hand to her forehead. “ Another time—another time!” she abruptly ex- claimed: and darting away, paseed through the gate and was epeedily out of sight. “The poor creature is demented,” said Jenathan Carnabie; “and she catches up anything she may hear fall from the lips of a stranger. Poor woman! | i she has doubtlesssome heavy grief upon her mind ! But come along——-I had temporarily forgotten that you must be in want of refreshment and repose.” The old sexton accordingly led the way out of the churchyard,— Barnes the Barker following him in silence: for he did not altogether like the strange apparition of that poor crasy woman. CHAPTER LXXI. THE MOUNTRBAFE. _ We must now return to Ramagate, to take up the thread of our narrative at the moment when we left Christian Ashton rushing out of the Royal Hotel, after having eo earnestly bidden Edgar Beverley await his return. Our young hero had a particular aim in vie@: for it will be remembered that he had just been suggesting to his new friend the necessity of communicating with the impri- soned Leura at Verner House, in order to ascer- tain by what means her interests could be served or her escape effected. He had bethought himeclf of the mountebank with whom he had that conversed in the eneats of relative to von ; and he was now epeeding in that public tee bed public performer. excitement of the idea which had thus him, before he began to reflect that it was scarcely 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 his pace, and took time to breathe and to deliberate. In a few moments an individual passed him at a somewhat the unmistakable Baron Raggidbak. He was about to rush after the ex-Groom of the Stole, when he beheld that once high and mighty noble- « they're aging | bere in my house : but if eo be any one of ’em has taken to missus took so mach trouble to dish up for * co he must needs go and buy hiseelf come German eassage—and he's only just this minit come beck." “Thank you—I would rather not walk in,” s0- plied Christian, who was by no means anxious te encounter the ex-Groom of the Stole: “ bat if I described te you the particular individual whom | wish to ses, could you not whisper s word im hs» ear P’” “ To be sure, siz,” exclaimed the lodging-hease day | keeper, “ But dear me! how them chape is a fight- ing! It’s Bill Rough-end-Ready, which t « costermonger—and Tom Kagmag, whieh salle cate'- tacat——"" “ Never mind those ruffians,” interrupted Clsis- listen to me while I describe the partiowler mounie he received two shillings this afterncon, desires te eay five words to him.” The lodging-house keeper paseed into hia deell- ing to execute this commission ; and while Caris- tign remained standing upog the threshold, he sa8 aera tr $99 OO —_—eee (SOL (C DOO Col