The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

i» ws - a THE MYSTERIES. complete document to the Government. You see that the fragment which we have no¢ got is the most important, because it contains the signatures of the present King and your late aunt.” . “But how can we obtain that half?” demanded Julia. © There is one way—and only one way that I ean see,” responded Page. “I must call upon Meagies and propose to give him his own price for procuring me the fragment which his principal or employer, whoever he may be, possesses. It would be worth while to venture three or four thousand guineas in such a bargain. We should make ten thousand by it.” “ And where are you to get three or four thou- sand guineas from?” said the young woman, put- ting the query with some degree of hesitation, amounting even to uneasiness—as if she felt that it was now necessary to reveal something of a dis- agreeable nature, and that it Became impossible to delay the confession. “ Where are we to get such a sum from”™ cried her husband, surveying her with astonishment. “Why—haven't we six thousand golden guineas safe in that cupboard ?” “But you must not—you caanot—you dare not pass away many of those coins at the same time,” said Julia, speaking with an emphasis which was unusual on her part. “ What the devil do you mean” demanded Page, with increasing wonderment. “ You have come by the money honestly, at all events: it is yours by inheritance—and you are not supposed to have any idea of the illegitimate means whereby your father thus enriched himself.” *Ah! Ihave already told you that my father was a terrible man,” observed - ulia, with a stran ge mysteriousness in her tone and aspect; “and he was acquainted with a number of marvellous secrets.” “So much the better for us!” exclaimed her husband. “ The gold which those secrets produced him, has fallen into our hands.” “But de you not know what my father originally was?” asked Julia. . “A chemist, I should imagine—or something of that sort.” “Not at all. He was one of the principe! coiners in the Royal Mint; and he lost his situation in consequence of being suspected of secreting two or three dies Or moulds in which certain pieces of money were cast.” As Julia was giving utterance to these words in a tone of peculiar significancy, a horrible idea stole into the mind of her husband; and, suddenly re- membering that letter in the pocket-book which referred to the supply of spurious coin to the bankers at Aylesbury, the sickening suspicion now excited was in a few moments changed into a erushing conviction. A deadly pallor came over his countenance; and sinking back in his chair, he murmured in a low and hoarse voice, “Give me a drop of brandy, Julia—or I shall faint f° The young woman hastened to comply with this request; and Page, having drained the wine-glass which she filled with the ardent spirit, began slowly to recover from the consternation that had fallen epon hina. “I had better know the worst at once, Julia,” 100 he said, regarding her with haggard eyes. “The contents of those six bags—_—” “ Are all spurious,” she hastened to reply : “there's no use in mincing the matter—and now you've learnt the real truth.” “But you should have told me—you should not have misled me—— began Page, his bitter dis- appointment now changing into fury. “Stop a moment!” exclaimed Julia, her tono, countenance, and manner all ruddenly indicating that she could be a very demoness when roused, dificult though it were to excite her: “you are accusing me wrengfully—and \ ll smash your head to pieces with that poker if yoa give me any more of your nonsense. You sought me out—I did not seek you: you had already made up your mind that my father was a rich miser—and at first I was going to undeceive you;—ut your intentions to- wards myself became apparent—and I held my tongue, suffering you to fancy whatever you chose. Now, then, are we not equal? You married me only because you thought I was wealthy—I married you because I wanted a respectable position.” While she was thus speaking, Julia’s eyes shot forth living fires—her white teeth gleamed between the lips which the habit of dram-drinking had rendered of an unnatural redz-and her cheeks, which dissipation had robbed of the hues of health, became flushed with the purple dye of rage. “Come, Julia dear—cqne—!I didn’t mean to vex you—I—Passure you I did not,” stammered Page, absolutely frightenéd by the fiendish countenance that thus glared so menacingly upon him. “I was wrong-——I know that I was—I-——-I1 beg your par- don, Julia,” he added humbly. , “'Well—you can’t do more than that,” said the young woman, instantly becoming pacified : and by the aid of a dram she appeared to relieve her feel- ings altogether. “The only thing you can do, is ty make the best of a bad bargain—if you still think itis one. Follow the counsel which my father in- tended for me in the little scrap of paper scrawled over with a pencil: that is—use the cuin wisely, and we shall prosper ;—use it rashiy, and we shal? be ruined.” / “By Jove! itis my opinion that we had bettes not use it at all,” exclaimed the ex-traveller. “ That be hanged!” responded Julia. * You have already passed away three or four pieces in to-day’s purchases; and you saw that on each occasion, when the shopkeepers rang the money on their counters, théy were perfectly satisfied with it.” “True!” observed Page — but not without a ehudder at the idea of having passed away no less than four spurious guineas in the course of the. day. “You need have no fear of detection, if you only act with caution,” resumed Julia, who possessed no ordinary amount of common sense and sterling judgment. “My father was as skilful in coining base money as he was in his chemical experiments. He might have been immensely rich, if he wasn’, so timid. The sordid manner in which he lived was a mere blind, to avert suspicion: and there were times when he enjoyed himself with many luxuries, I can tell you. Bot it was on acoount of ine chiefly that he would not launch out into e decent way of life. He thought that I was na- turally extravagant; and that if I was allowed the use of as much of that spurious money as } an, COMICOOOKS. COR