The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

al2 THE MYSTERIES. opponent to produce these necessary papers? Would you countenance this some one in such a line of conduct ?” “J have'yet to jearn,” said Mr. Rigden, “that it ie a crime, or a dishonour, or even an impropriety for an attorney to bay off a hostile witness or keep him out of the way, if possible. On the contrary, this is done every day, and enters into the widely ramified proceedings of legitimate law-chicanery. And again, if certain papers, constituting in them- selves important testimony, are to be purchased either for production or suppression, I do not | think that the King’s Attorney-General would | hesitate to enter into such a transaction; and what the Attorney-General would do, a hamble indi- vidual such as Mr. Rigden need not blush to ac- complish.” “ {fn plain terms, then,” said the girl, now fixing her eyes with a keen significance upon the lawyer, | “youare prepared to enter into a transaction which is quite safe anc secure and will no doubt put a large sam of money into your pocket ?” “And into yours also—eh?” observed Mr. Rigden, suffering his cold and almost stern features to relax for a moment into a smile. “No, sir—not a farthing! exclaimed the young woman, with impassioned vehemence. “How nothing 7 demanded the attorney, in astonishment. “ Because my motives are not mercenary, sir,” was the immediate response. “ And on that point I beg to decline any explanation whatsoever.” “Then if your motives be not mercenary, there is assuredly greater confidence to be placed in you,” said the lawyer, with a view of encouraging his visitreas to proceed. “Come—we are alone—in a place where no eaves-dropper can overhear what passes between us—and you have already felt your way with sufficient precaution. Do you undersiand me ?” “Yes,” was the reply; “and I will no longer hesitate to explain the object of my presence here. You have a client, Mr. Rigden, who believes that he has cértain claims upon the title and estates now in the enjoyment of Lord Florimel ?” “Exactly so,” said the attorney. “ Bat how came you with this information ?” “That is my business,” observed the young woman, laconically. “It is true, then, that you have such a client: and you are doubtless anxious to put him in possession of all that he claims ?” “Such is the alm of every attorney who enjoys the confidence of his client,” retarned Mr. Rigden, snuff consequentially. “And an affair of such importance woald not only prove most laorative, but also of great advan- sage AT professional reputation?” continued “1 shall not affect any fastidiousness by denying those propositions,” said the lawyer, marvelling at the acuteness of so young a creature in probing as tt were the very thoughts which he was revolving io ais mind at the moment. “Bat in order to ensure the success of your client,” she proceeded, “it is necessary that Lord Florimel should be unable to produce certain do- cuments.” “Such is the fact,” replied Mr. Rigden, now be- coming more deeply interested than ever in the present discourse. “And if any one were to place those deeds in your hands,” said the girl, in a low, measared, and solemn tone, “would you send them back to Lord Florimel with a letter informing him how you be- came possessed of them ?—in a word, what would you do with them ?” Mr. Rigden took snuff and gazed intently upon the young woman in order to read in her counte- nance all that was passing in her mini: then satisfied with the result of a scrutiny from which she did not wince, he sai@ in a voice as low, mea- sured, and solemn as her own had just been—“ If I had those documents in my possession, I should keep them !” “ And would you know at a glance, if they were placed before you, whether they were the right ones or not?” demanded the girl, her eyes flaming up with the lustre of joy and triumph as that response which the lawyer gave fell upon her ears.: “'Yes—at a glance,” he immediately rejoined. “Then are these the docaments your client re- quires?” she exclaimed, rising from her seat and producing from beneath her cloak a bundle of parchments and other deeds tied round with red tape. Mr. Rigden, forgeteing his uscal cold tranquillity of manner, greedily extended his hands to grasp the papers: but the young woman made an imperi- ous motion for him to desist. She then opened the parcel and allowed him to peruse the first lines of the principal docament—observing at the same time, “If they be not the deeds which you require, I shall not leave them with you.” “But they are—they are!” exclaimed Mr. Rig- den, becoming perfectly excited with joy: for the prospects of a lucrative suit and the fame of éon- ducting such a cause to a successful issue—to- gether with other considerations— instantaneously sprang up in his imagination. “ And you will make use of those papers to for- ward the views of your client and ruin Lord Flori- melt” said the girl, her countenance becoming ghastly pale and almost hideous with the workings of evil passions in her bosom—so that the keen- sighted attorney had now no difficulty in fathom- ing the motive which was instigating her in the pre- sent proceeding, * What guarantee can ‘you give me that the pre sent transaction will remain enveloped in eterns. secrecy t” asked the lawyer. “ Remember, you are a stranger to me—you have not even told me who you are nor whence you come—seod you may have taken this step in a moment of spite——” “Qh! I can give you the best guarantee which it is in mortal power to afford,” exclaimed the young girl, her stature appearing to become more elevated as she drew herself up in the enblimity of her wrath and her triumph—while her countenance grew ani- mated with a supernal lustre, as if it caught the reflection of those flames which were burning iu the hell of her heart. “And that guarantee,” she continued, in the exalted tone of a Pythoness deal- ing forth terrible oracles, “is the eternal—the uo- dying—the unquenchable vengeance of an outraged woman! There, sir—now you have learnt my se- ctet—now you are acquainted with my motive—and: now also you read the whole history of my shame! It was not my intention to have revealed to you all this: but you demanded a guarantee and I give you one! For, as truly as there is a God above us and AOOLK : (CO