The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 245: what you’re looking at

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284 gently closed : the door of communication between the two rooms was next opened with an evident study to avoid making the slightest disturbance; and this was an additional proof to Meredith that an unnecessary crime was not contemplated. He kept his eyes closed: the footsteps of a man ad- vanced towards him —but they were only just audible. Tho light was passed three or four times across his countenance: he moved hot—he main- tained the most perfect self-possession—his eyelids quivered not: he looked what he feigned to be— —fast asleep, The tuffiah tetteated as noisblessly as he had enteréd : Meteditti #oiild not trust hirh- self even to thé alizhtest taising of an eyelid, for fear lest the robber dhould still be looking towards him ; and he knew that the faintest disclosure of the eyeball would reflect the light of the lantern. The man passed ont, and the door closed behind him—the whole proceeding being conducted with the extremest caution on his part. . Meredith now heard the voices of Dame Ro- quette and the man whispering in the adjoining room; and with the utmost caution did he move towards the door in the thin partition. There he listened. Never was breath mote ésuspensefully held: never wete earé more keenly det to catch the sounds of low speaking tongues. And as the eyes get accustomed to the darkness and gradually perceive objects throuph theth, fo do the ears get habituated a’ it were to the accents of the voice, however low the whispering may be: for it is thus that the human faculties at time& develop their wondrous powers. So it was with Meredith how; and if he could not catch all that was being said in the adjoining room, he at least heard sufficient _ to make him awato of & riiost ramified piece of vil- lany that was in embryo, and also sufficiéht to make him rejoich inwitdly that he was enabled thus to listen. Presently, when Octavian thoaght that the con- versation betwixt the man and the woman in thé adjoining room was Urawing to &@ close, he was about to creep back to hie place tpon the straw, —but a question put by the male villiis fd biti to tarry at the threshold & little longer. | “ And after all; then;” he said, “it #88 & Tulle alarm P” . so . “Yes—no one passed the spot—tio one chime near it,” replied Dame Roquette; “and there f consequently very soon was, with my lantern in my hands. I hed just stripped the valet of bis watch and puree when the gentleman himeelf came to his senses ” “But yoa had previously rifled him fike- wise P” “Of course !—or how could I have just now given you all the things I found about him? It was & wonder,” continued Darhe Roquette, “ that he didn’t come to his senses while I was dipping my hands into his pockets and pulling off his rings: but he did not. Ah! how he atartled te for 4 moment when he afterwards came rushibg téwards me 3? “Ob, bat you have got sach a brazen bardi- hood !” rejoined her ruffian companion : “ you are seldom or never taken aback !” “ Husb, hush !—not too loud !” said the dame. “Ob, he was sleeping as soundly as possible,” answered the chief of the gang: for such Meredith had discovered him actually to be. “ And now I THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. must be off—for I’ve got many good miles to ride before daylight. Remember all I have said !” ‘Yes, yes—there’s no fear,” responded Dame Roquette. “ Directly Moulin returns to-morrow, I will send round the word.” Meredith now considered it expedient to creep - back to the straw; and this move he accomplisbed with a mio&t scrupulous caution. About five minutes Afterwards the brigand again entered the little room with the lantern in his hand: again did Meredith submit with admirable presence of mind ta the process of having the light passed befure hie eyes; and thé despetado retreated, with the full cotiviction that the young nobleman wag sound asleep. Hoe then issued from the cottage; and Octavian felt that he was now altogether safe. Hd might have availed himself of the present opportutity to seize upon the old woman according | to one df the ideas which had originally strack him; bit he no longer thought it expedient to adopt this course. The facts he had learnt from the whispered conversation decided him upon going on Altogether another tack. He therefore lay quiet: hodr after hour passed—he felt not the slightest inclination to Sleep—and the reader may rest assured that he did not vbJunterily court the ddvance of slumber. The grey dawn of morning at length began to glimmer through a little square Bandon which there was in the room where Octe- ian lav; and he now resolved to depart. He knockéd at the partition-door: Dame Roquette, who was already up and dressed, bade him enter the room—and he did so. He assumed the most courteoas dettitahout—thanked her for her hospi- tality—and promised to take the earliest opportu- nity of rewarding her. She had flready begun to prepate breakfast ; and she invited him to remain to partake of it: but he declined, pleading his anxiety to get to the nearest village and continue his journey. Bidding Dame Roquette farewell, Lord Octavian Meredith issued from the cottage, and made the best of his way through that part of the forest which led towards the road whtre the foul crime of the preceding night had beeh perpetrated. On feaching the spot he found half-a-dozen of the Hotitited police there : they liad duly just discovered the thaise and the hideous tragedy which its ghastlf contents revealed. Meredith was at once exidbled to five those fearful explanations which are already known to the reader; and the officer who was in command of the party requested the young nobleman to accompany them to the village at the cominericement of the forest. A couple of the gendarmes’ horses were attached to the chaise; and towards the village did the procession repair. It will be seon that Dame Roquette was still suf- fered to continue at large, although Octavian com- municated to the officers all that he knew concerning her complicity with the organised gang. The rehson that she was not at once arrested will pre- sently transpire. On the village being reached, immense was the sensation produced amongst ite inhabitants by the tidings of the hideous tragedy in the fo~zst, and by the spectacle of the corpses as the~ . 9 borne forth from the chaise. Lord Octér.ea and the officer of the mounted police lost no time in holding a conference with the Mayor: but this was of the most private character, and nothing of ite uaturo COMME OOO SS} (CO