The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 181: what you’re looking at

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| 170 THE MYSTERIES QF THE COURT. who might have forgotten to take the latch-key. But when two or three minutes elapsed and Ben did not make his appearance, Mr. Bealby began to get uneasy lest inquiries were being made relative to the Burker. He did not dare leave his apartments to step out iipon the landing to listen -—much less to steal down stairs to see who it was —because Mary was running to and fro, preparing the breakfast: he knew her to be inquisitive, and he feared that she might be seized with the incli- nation to draw aside the green baize and peep into the coffin-like box in order to see how the mummy looked when lying flat upon its back. Thus Bealby was kept in a state of anxiety for several minutes, until he at length recognised the footsteps and then the voice of Mr. Fossilton as he ascended the staird in company with the land- lady. Mr. Bealby foresaw that be should have some difficulty in respect to this visit: for Fossilton might ask to bevo another look at thé mummy bé- fore he concluded the bargain—or ho inight insist upon taking it away with him; and Bealby, well acquainted with his landlady's garrulous disposi- tion, was quite certain shb‘had already acquafnted him with the supposed fact that the mummy was in readifess for such immediate transport to its destination. However, Mr. Bealby hoped that the difficulty occasioned by Fossilton’s visit might be speedily surmounted by his own ready wit; and he therefore prepared himself for the emer. gency. “Tam sure J did right fo tell you to walk up, sir,” said the al , who since she had received her rent was all civijity, and was now prepared to make herself most officiously obligiag. ‘“ Mr. Bealby will be quite charmed to see you. You will find the mummy already packed up ——” “ Well, well, ma’an, 99 said Mr. Fossilton, “ you have told me so two or three times; and ve no doubt it is the case. How do you do, Mr. Bealby P” “How do you do, my dear sir?” cried the younger archeologist. Pray walk in. Your visit is an early one—I am sorry to say I am ex- cessively buay just at this moment——” “ Busy in getting your breakfast?” said Mr. Fossilton “but that won’t prevent us from settling our little bargain. I have brought the money—and I understand your friend has gone for the cart —— ” “ Here it is!” exclaimed the officious landlady, rushing to the window, as she heard the sounds of the vebicle stopping at her front door. “Ah! but I have a few other goods to remove first,” said Mr. Bealby; “and the mummy shall come next. You need not pay me now, Mr. Fos- silton: I will bring you up the mummy in the course of the day—a few hours indeed-———” . “ My dear sir,” interrupted the old archeologist, “T have set my mind upon having it at once: I have walked down from Tavistock Square at this eatly hour on purpose to see you. You can let me have this cart—and your friend can hire another.” “I can do nothing of the sort,” ssid Mr. Bealby, who was getting uncommonly anxious, though he dared not for tho life of him betray his uneasiness. “I must remove some goods first-——— “Stop! there is another cart!” ejaculated the landlady; “and it is a man which I know and which selle pertaties. Mary!” she shrieked forth from the landing to which she flew; “stop taat pertatie person—and say I have got him a job |” “What the devil does all this mean?” de. manded Ben Limber, as he now made his appear- ance. “I have hired a cart, and made a capital bargain.” ‘‘ And now there are two,” said Mr. Fossilton: “therefore I may at ofce take my mummy home. Here, Mr. Bealby, is the amount agreed upon— twenty pounds:” and the old archeologist, pro- ducing his pocket-book, drew forth the bank-notes from amidst a profusion of documents, all relating to his favourite science—especially a copy of a speech of seven hours’ duration which he delivered Bt the last meeting of the British Association fur the Advancement 6f Science. '’ Ben Limber now' understood it all; and he per- ceived in what an awkward ‘dilemma his friend Bealby appéared to be placed. But Mr. Bealby had by this timé made up his mind how to act; and he therefore said with great coolness, “ Well, Mr. Foasilton, since you are in such a hurry to become possessed of the mumojy, we wil) conclude the bargain atonce. Here it is :—and he épened the trunk §o ‘which it had been consizhtd'on being taken from the glasscase. — hoor we “Well, dear me!” exclaimed the landlady, “TI thought it was in that package whith was ‘alfeady Gone up to be rembved.” “ “T wish, ma’am,” said Bealby, “you would havo the goodness to leave me to manage my own business.” — “Oh! wel], sir, I’m sure I don’t want to inter- fere,” said the landlady, tossing her head indig- nantly. “I was on helping to 'the best of my ability: but I hope J may Sever speak another word if yoh didn’t’say just now—or Jeastways give us all to understand, that the big package yoa- - der ” “There's sometiing strange in all this,” said Mr. 'Fossilton. Arc you sure it’s the same mummy you are now selling me,—the same that used to stand in the glass case ” * Look you, Mr. Fossilton,” interrupted Bealby ; “a few words will explain it all. I have got some articles of a delicate and peculiar kind which I have sold to a gentleman ; and [ have packed them up in the glass case. For that reason I put the mummy into the trunk. Your profound know- ledge will show you that itis the same mummy. Here it is, with its wrappers—I forget how many years old you pronounced it to be.” “Well, well,” said the old gentleman, who iu the meantime had been carefully examining .the mummy through his green glasses: “it certainly does seem the same—it is no doubt all right. And now let it be conveyed in that trunk down to the cart.” “ Here, ma’am,” said Bealby, thus hastily whis- pering to his landlady, “just give the potato person, as you called him, @ little drop of gin to drink, as it was very civil on his part td stop when Mary called him :”—and he thruet a shilling into the woman’s hand. . She sped away to give one drop of gin to the potatoe person, and bestow half a «iozen upon her- self: a cord was put round the trunk; and Limber, a = a—aEEEEeeeEeeeEeEOEOEOEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEOEOEeeeeeel Rl Te ee TEE LE COMNMUIC OOO) SS} (COLL