The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

eo upo csity and amazement, -—“is n’t it wonderful,” he repeated, “how the world may be deceived by entward appearances—and how a man may pass off for years as a saint, whereas in his heart he is a very demon all the time?” “But what has all this to do with Sir Richard Stamford ?” demanded several voices. “What has it all to do with Aw” cried Page, casting a still more solemn and mysterious glance around upon the company : “why, just this—that when I came down to breakfast in the coffee-room at the inn where I put up at Aylesbury, I heard that the whole town was in consternation; for such “ Crimes [” repeated several .of the commercial travellers, drawing their chairs nearer to the “What ?—and in connexion with Sir Richard Stamford ?” demanded the individual who had pre- viously expressed his interest in all that concerned Aylesbury. | “ Yes—crimes, and in connexion with Sir Richard Stamford,” resumed Page : “ for this baronet who, as our friend here just now stated, was famous for his charities and was a sleeping-partner in the principal bank in the place—this gentleman. of. whom every body entertained such a high 2 “'Well—well : what has he done ” cried several impatient voices. “Rather ask me what he has xof done,” said Page: “ for surely all possible crimes are summed up in otgery—murder—and arson f° “Good heaven !” ejaculated the bag-men, literally bounding upon their chairs; while the sentiments of horror, amazement, doubt, and curiostty con- gealed into lines on all their countenancesx “ you cannot be in earnest [” “I never.was more in earneet in my life, friends,” responded Page, emphatically. “But explain—tell us how it happened,” exclainted one. “So many crimes f” observed another. * And all to be perpetrated by one man & oried @ third. “It is scarcely probable f” renarked « fourth. “You will cease to be sceptical when you eee to- morrow morning’s newspapers,” said Page, shaking bus nead solemnly. “I tell you that Sir Richard Stam--d, baronet,” he continued in a measured ana decisive tone, “has taken in every tradesman at Aylesbury—committed endless forgeries on the bank m which he is a partner—assassivated his beautifnl wife—and set fire to his own splendid eountry-seat.” “ God help us cried many voices. _ *I did not succeed in obtaining many particulars rerative to this fearful catalogue of crimes,” con- tinned Mr. Page; “for the persons with whom I eonversed in the coffee-room at Aylesbury, were ali talking at once, cach giving tls own-version of the complicated affair, and every one of these tales differing from the rest. But the outline of the dreadful tragedy appeared to be something in this shape,—that Mr. Martin, one of the banking-fm being absent, Mr.‘Ramsey, th: other partner, dis- sovered last evening the forgeries which Sir Wichard' Stamford ‘had eommitted,—that he weut meee a - qnng0> eee straight off to Stamford Manor to demand explana- tions, but that the baronet being out at the time, he communicated the object of his visit to Lady Stamford,—that a little after midnight Sir Richard returned home, and was asailed by violent re- proaches on the part of Mr. Ramsey and bitter up- braidings from her ladyship, who was half distracted at the terrible discovery of her husband's guilt,— and that in his rage the baronet forcibly expelled Ramsey from the house, killed his wifein a pa- roxysm of fury, and having set fire to the Manor, doubtless fer the purpose of concealing the deed of blood, immediately abeconded.” “The man must be a perfect monster [” ejacu- lated the commercial traveller who was so wel! ac- quainted with Aylesbury. “I have often seen Mr. Ramsey at the benk: he is a handsome young man of some eight or nine and twenty, and: very affable. At his fa.her’s death he became head of the firm, and is universally beloved in the town and dis- trict.” “I suppose there will be a reward offered for the apprehension of the baronet /” observed another of the bag-men, “Of course there will,” responded Mr. Page i: “and a full description of his person will be pub.« lished.” “Have you ever seen him ™ inquired the pre~ vious speaker. “Two or three times,” answered Page. “ H¢ bears aremaricable likeness to the Royal Family ; and people do say that when his Gracious Majesty was Prince of Wales and so mysteriously connected with the beautiful Quakerese Mannah Lightfqgot-——" The remainder of the sentence was interrupted by the sudden entrance of the waiter laden with the dinner which Mr. Page had ordered; and as this y gentleman had been rendered almost ravenous by the sharp frosty air, he desisted from farther ob- servations in order to address himself to the succulent steak, rich oyster-sauce, and smoking potatoes which were now up. The presence of the waiter reminded those bag-men who were to set out that evening of the necessity af calling for their bille without delay; and the eon- versation relative to the tragical occurrences neal Aylesbury was- accortlingly interrupted by the bustle remunerating waiters end forters, filling flaske with brandy, shaking hands with those who remained bend and all the usual ceremonies attendant upon departure. At the room was cleared of two-thirds of the comme cial travellers ; and as some of those who had just revurned from their journeys were compelled to retire to their chambers in order to prepare their accounts and pepers for inspection by their employers on the morrow, Mr. Page shortly found himself left with only two companions out ofa dozen. ‘With those friends however he presently renewed the conversation, one of them having asked him what he was about to say when the appearance of the waiter had interrupted him. “Oh! I remember the topic on whieh I was ," exclaimed the talkative Mr. Page, pust- ing away his plate after having made a hearty dinner: “7 was going to obscrve thatahen hie Majesty wae Prince of Wales, he became connected with a certain Quakeress, named Hannsh Lightfoot. Some say he privately marrie! her ; and it has alec bees rumoures - ae a TD ‘SS =D @ © Ore oer 9 See &= aad ECOmicboao G CO lin