The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 303: what you’re looking at

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292 oecause I wanted to tell him that we had disco- vered your residence. But he is detained, I was told on each occasion, by particular business at Dover.” “And did you not write to him?” demanded Pauline, her tone now assuming an accent of reproach. “That is not our way of doing business, young lady,” replied the Gallows’ Widow. “ Wo never commit anything to paper, unless it’s absolutely nec : and as we have been in hopes that Lord Fiorimel would return to town, we thought it most prudent to await his arrival. It will now be for you, Miss, to write to him at Dover.” “ And is it possible,” exclaimed Pauline, another thought now coming uppermost in her mind, “that Mr. and Mrs. Page, who have affected such sincere friendship and deep commiseration towards me, are the vilest and most perfidious of traitors 7” “They are indeed, Miss Clarendon,” cried Car- rotty Poll. “Page is nothing more than a rasoally schemer—and his wife was lately a common pros- titute at the East End of London.” “ Great heaven !” ejaculated Pauline, shocked by this disclosure. “ And I have been the companion of that woman !” “But you did not know her, Miss,” said the Gallows’ Widow: “and so you can't blame your- self.” “Oh! but what will Lord Florimel think ?— what will he say?” cried Pauline, recoiling more and more from the thought of the pollution with which she had been brought in contact. “His lordship need never know who or what Mrs. Page is,” observed Carrotty Poll, “unless you choose to tell him.” “J should not think of acting with any disguise or duplicity towards him,” said the young maiden, firmly. “But all this does not regard you, my friends,” she immediately added. “ And now that I feel sufficiently recovered to quit this house of infamy and danger, I shall take my leave of you— but not without renewed thanks for your interven- tion in my behalf.” And the generous Pauline extended her fair hand to the Gallows’ Widow, and then offered the same testimonial! of her gratitude to the Kinchin- Grand and the Big Beggarman’s daughter. They accompanied her down stairs; and she regained her own dwelling in safety. The two women and the Kinchin-Grand now knocked at the door of the parlour on the ground- floor of Page’s house; and they were instanta- néously admitted by Shickster Sal, who held a pistol in her hand. The ex-bagman was seated moodily enough in one corner of the room, and his wife in another—their servant-girl having mounted guard ever them while the preceding scenes were taking place up-stairs. On the entrance of the three intruders, all of whom were known but too well to the ex-bagman, he gave a sudden start and flung looks of mingled terror and entreaty from one to the other: but Julia appeared to remain unmoved by their presence. “ Now, old feller,” exclaimed the Kinchin- Grand, as he placed himself with his back against the door and received the pistol from the hands of his paramour,—“ we have got you at last.” “But you will not murder me” said Page, rising from his seat and then sinking back ayain en ee e Ee THE MYSTERIES. into it; for his limbs trembled as if he had been suddenly seized with an ague. “Well, all that depends upon the way you be- have yourself,” responded the Kinchin-Grand. “Not that I suppose you'll drive us to ex- tremes——" “Then, what do you demand of me?” inquired Page, his voice as tremulous as his limbs, and a hideous alarm depicted in every lincament of his countenance. “Listen,” said the Gallows’ Widow, fixing her eyes with a cold and reptile-like look upon the miserable man. “You have been our deadly enemy —and all the misfortunes which have overtaken Stephen Price and Joe Warren may be attributed to your persecution of them, and the treachery of your wife. But we were resolved to revenge our- selves: and we decided upon adopting: these means to get you into our power. Your servant is our agent ;—and all your proceedings are known to us. The Prince has likewise got into our clutches ; and we intend to keep a firm hold upon him. Miss Pauline Clarendon has been rescued from his de- signs; and she will to-morrow demand and procure the release of her sister. Thus, a portion of our revenge has been to defeat all your schemes and treacheries. We now come to the second act in the tragedy—for a tragedy it shall prove in the long run,” she added, with a sudden lighting-up of her usually impassible features, as she darted a glance of tigress-like ferocity towards Julia. ~ “ A tragedy ?” groaned the unhappy Mr. Page, cowering as it were beneath the dreadful menace —while his wife now began to show symptoms of uneasiness, although she said nothing. “Yes—a tragedy,” echoed the Gallows’ Widow, stirred by her vindictive feelings to a pitch of ex- citement that was rare indeed with her. “ But we have not come to that stage in the drama yet. For the present we mean to content ourselves with all your money and all your valuables. So you would do well to produce them willingly —or we shall take them by force!” “T have but a few guineas in my purse,” mar- mured the wretched Mr. Page. “I don't know how much Julia may have in ber pocket——” “There {—that’s all!” ejaculated his wife peta- lantly, as sbe flung a purse upon the table. “Four quid, two bulls, a half-ball, a kye-bosh, and three tanners,” said the Kinchin-Grand, as he emptied the purse into the palm of Carrotty Polls hand, and thas elegantly and classically enumerated the four sovereigns, the two crown- pieces, the half-crown, the shilling, and the three sixpenny- pieces, which formed the contents. “Now make him open his writing-desk,” ex- claimed Shickster Sal, pointing contemptucasly towards her master. “ But stay—Il fetch it °-— and she hurried from the room. In a few moments she returned, bringing with her the writing-desk, which Mr. Page was com- pelled to open: and while the Gallows’ Widow and Carrotty Poll were ransacking it, ho looked on with the air and feelings of a man who is about to be ged. “Ah! there's the flimsies !° ejaculated the Kin- chin-Grand, as Elizabeth Marks drew forth a bun- dle of bank-notes. “How many is there of them delicate-looking bits of paper ?” “ More than a thousand pounds altogether,” re- =: CONNEC OOO SS