The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 297: what you’re looking at

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

Highness’s behalf, for the Octavia.” “ And has Pauline given up wandering about the vicinage of the asylum where her sister is shut up ?” asked the heir-apparent. “Scarcely a day passes that she does not take a hackney-eoach and repair to Stoke Newimgton to call at Dr. Burton's establishment and inquire for Octavia,” responded Page. “ But the doctor invari- ably assures her that some few weeks may yet elapse ere her sister’s mind will be so far restored to a state of equanimity as to justify him in permitting , ee ell house. The vehicle, aceordmg to orders previously issued, then drove away. * * * * * * * * * * * In the meantime a scene which we must here pause to relate, was occurring in the immediate vicinity of Mr. Page’ 8 abode. Seated at a table in the tap-room of a low pub- lic house, the Gallows’ Widow, the Kinchin-Grand, and Carrotty Poll were engagedin an earnest con- an interview between them. And Pauline feels her-. versation, which they carried on in whispers. They self so utterly powerless in the matter, and has | were alone together in that room ; aud the landlord discovered that the law is so completely on the side of the course which has been adopted, that she now appears to have yielded resignedly to the pro- gress of those events against which she can offer no effectual resistance. Ah! it is a capital law which allows an obnoxious or dangerous person to be locked up for life, on the certificates of a couple of bexbeable doctors !” “To be sure it is,” exclaimed the Prince. “I do not know how we should get on in the world without the aid of such laws occasionally. The rich and the powerful, the titled and the great, Mr. Page, must have some means of keeping their enemies in subjection and disarming dangerous in- dividuals of their sting.” “Your Royal Highness argues with the most | perfect wisdom,” said the obeequious Mr. Page. “ Bat it is now getting on for nine o’clock,’’ he ob- served, looking at his watch; “and Julia—that is | to say, Mrs. Page—will presently make the young lady so safe that your Royal Highness will find no ' trouble in enjoying a blissful triumph.” “What do you mean?” demanded the Prince. “How does your wife intend to proceed ?” “At nine o’clock the supper-tray is to be taken 1 up,” answered the ex-bagman, lowering his voice _to a mysterious whisper ; “ and whether Miss Pau- , line should fancy a glass of port, or a glass of " sherry, or only a tambler of mild porter, the result will be all the same: for our servant-girl is in the secret—she is trustworthy, and we tan rely upon her———” | an | comprehead you,” interrupted the Prinee, the . blood glowing in his veins as he feasted his sala- ' cious imagination upon the charms which he hoped | that night to defoliate of their virgin innocence. “ Come, let us be gone |” The Prince accordingly summoned Germain, | whom he directed to order a plain carriage to be , got ready without delay; and in the course of a | quarter of an hoer his Royal Highness and Mr. | Page were rolling along in the vehicle towards the | Edveware Road. | It was about half-past nine when the stopped within a short distance of the ex-bagman’s | residence in Paradise Villas;—and Mr. Page entered the house first, to ascertain whether the contemplated treachery had been put into execu- | tien, The Prince remained in the vehicle: but he | was not kept waiting maay minutes—for his ob- ) sequious agent soon returned with the welcome in- . telligence that Miss Pauline Clarendon was ina condition that left her entirely at his mercy. The Prince, scarcely able to restrain his joy at a ee tient eee - of the house was none other than their old ac- complice Briggs, who by means of an immense wig and a pair of green spectacles was enabled to dafy the penetration of the keenest thief-taker in the metropolis, The two women and the Kinchin- Grand therefore felt perfectly at home at the sign of the Black Boy: buat the habit of caution, com- bined with the fear of being overheard by any chance customer who might enter the house, prompted them to condact their deliberations in a low voice and a guarded manner. The Kinchin-Grand was as shabby and ill-leok- ing as ever: and the naturally vixenish temper of Carrotty Poll appeared to have derived a keener edge from the misfortunes which had overtaken he- sire, the Big Beggarman, who was then in gaol awaiting his trial for piracy, murder, and heaven only knows how many other crimes. <As for the Gallows’ Widow, the reader may rest assured that she was not rendered more amiable or forbearmg towards her enemies by the position of her para- mour the Magsman, who was in a predicament precisely similar to that of Stephen Price. She had for some time past abandoned her mourning garb, and was attired in a plain unassuming man- ner, not altogether deficient m neatness. “Well,” said Carrotty Poll, after a glass of het spirits-and-water had been passed round, “we are now at length in a fair way te be revenged some- what on those cursed Pages, and also to get a cer- tain high personage completely into our power.” “ And if everything tarns out as we expect,” ob- served the Gallows’ Widow, in her usual quiet way, “your father, Poll, and my flash man will be certain to be got off some how or another.” “ Now, my fair friends,” said the Kinchin-Grand, exultingly, “you'll admit that I was the chap to give you the adwice which has put things in such a glorious train. When you wanted to cat the throats of that scoundrel Page and his precious wife Julia, didn’t I tell you that it was no good risking your necks for sich-like scum? — and didn’t I say that if you'd only plant a spy upon ’em, they was such intriguing, cunning, money- making folks, you’d soen find out somethink about their proceedin’s worth turnin’ to your own aec- count? I’m glad you gave way to my adwice in the matter; and now you'll reap the benefit of it, Ah! it was a capital dodge making Shickster Sal dress herself up neat and nice and apply at thei. house for a sitiwation as a maid-of-all-work! There never was a better spree in all the world : and then the false character which she got made everthing right at once.” aot like to lose the three hundred a-year which I | the idea of experiencmg the speedy consummation have undertaken to pay him on your Royal | of all his lustful hopes in that quarter, now alighted the maintenance of Miss | from the carriage and followed Mr. Page into the GOH GOO SS