The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 387: what you’re looking at

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

Qe: =. $76 } THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. through giddiness, or terror, or exhaustion—or he has tripped over something. The alligator makes one furward movement—he lifts his head up—the Strangler is lying cross-wiee in his jaws ! Horrible as this incident was, it only for the instant produced one effect upon the Barker— namely, that of a savage satisfaction to find that he was rid of his remaining enemy. Soon however the feeling stole over him that he bimself might be destined to feed a maw as ravenous as that which had just devoured his treacherous foe; and again, for the thousandth time since he first be- came a wanderer amidat the wilds of that jungle, did a cold shudder sweep through his entire frame. His eyes were still riveted upon the river’s bank ; and he bebeld the alligator plunge into the water. The Burker now pursued his way. He walked rapidly; for he had collected all his energies for this last attempt to find an egress from the jungle. To bis delight he found that his path became more easy—that he could proceed for long intervals without being compelled to plunge into thickets, or drag his feet through tho rank luxuriance of herbage where reptiles might lark. The high trees too were fewer and farther between; and remem- bering how insensibly as it were the jungle com- menced, he began to flatter himself with the hope that it was now drawing to an end,—gradually losing ite wildness and its horrors, as i¢ merged into the cultivated parts of the country that lay beyond. As he was proceeding, he suddenly beheld a human form at a little distance ; and quickening his pace, he soon acquired the certainty that it was the surviving Goseoon who was toiling slowly along. Presently that itinerant looked round ; and the Burker, with a heart leaping joyously, sped forward to jom him: for there was no longer a doubt that he had at last reached tho extremity of the jungle. Welcome as is the sight of land to the storm- tossed mariner who without compass has been drifting hither and thither amidst the perils of the ocean,—was the spectacle which now greeted the Barker's view. For in the horizon he beheld the outlines of buildings; and all the interval between the verge of the jungle and that town was occu. pied by cultivated lands. Here and there, too, a cottage appeared; and the wanderer felt as if he were entering upon the confines of civilization once more. The Gossoon was waiting for him to come up. Be it remembered that this was the first of the three who had appeared at the cave,— the one whose inveterate habit of sleeping had so terribly irritated the Burker. On approaching the Gozsoon, the Englishman perceived that his countenance was gard and careworn, and still had a frightened look as if the influence of horrors which had happened hours back yet remained upon his mind. The itinerant quickly descried the well-farnished wallet slung at the Burker’s back; and the expression of his countenance suddenly ehanged from careworn haggardness to a selfish and rapacious satisfaction. He was about to make a spring at it, when the Burker, brandishing his club, menacingly made him a sign to keep off. The Gossoon Jaughed with a leer of low canning, as much as to imply that the Burker felt he was now in a situation to com- mand; aad then assaming a lugubrious aspect, he YY imitated the bound of a tiger. The Burker eom- prehended what he meant—nodded his head— pointed to the wallet—and then made a motion es if picking up something from the ground —thereby showing how he had found that wallet on the spot where its recent possessor had fed the maw of the tiger. Then the equinting dervish in his tarn made another sign—walked slowly on, imitating the gait of the emaciated old Gosscon —and all of a sudden halted, showing by rapid movements of his hand how the immense saake hed darted forth upon that unfortunate com- rade of his, and imitating likewise the wretch’s writhings and convulsions when encircled by the folds of the serpent. The Barker nodded significantly, and mado signs to show how he him- self had seen the old Gossoon fast locked in the deadly coils of the boa constrictor. He likewise wave the Goesoon to understand that when be be- held the wretch, he was still alive and moaning plaintively, The dervish comprehended the Burker’s meaning ; and he gave vent to low half. subdued howls and moans of lamentation: but whether they were real or affected, it was impos- sible for the Burker to conjecture. At length the Gossoon made an end of his whining; and the Burker thought that he would now share his pro- visions with the itinerant, whom indeed he meant to make his companion ; for moneyless as he was, he did not exactly see how he was to live without some such aid. As for any future prospects, the Burker really had none; for such was his position that be was forced to abandon himeelf entirely to chance. The Gossoon seemed to treat with « sort of calm indifference the fact of the Burker producing tho provisions from the wallet; and when they eat down together the itinerant began eating with & voracity that threatened to consume its contents altogether—or at least as much of them as he could secure for his own special behoof. The Barker made a sign for him to be sparing with the provisions: but the Gossoon pointed confi- dontly in the direction of the town, as much as to imply that they could obtain an ample replenish- ment there. The Burker was well pleased with this tacit but perfectly intelligible announcement ; and giving the rein to his appetite, he ate without farther parsimony in respect to the provender. The wallot was thus completely emptied. The Gossoon now began making signs to inti- mate that the Burker should become his companion —« proposition which the ruffian’ received with so much veritable joy that it betrayed to the dervish his consciousness of how helpless he would be if left to himself. Thereupon the Gossoon nodded in a patronising manner, and seemed to be sesking to give him to understand that he would take him under his protection. But snatching up the Bur- ker’s cudgel, he hurled it to a distance; aad then he made signs to show that he considered himself and the Englishman to be upon equal terms. The Burker growlingly muttered an imprecation : but remembering the evidence of superior strength which the Gossoon had given him at the eave, he thought it better to submit to these terme of equality on which the incident had jast placed them. The Gossoon now rose and pointed towards the town: the Barker, likewise rising to his feet, pre- COMME OOO SS} (CO