The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 393: what you’re looking at

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882 eious triumph as he perceived the aspect of vexa- tion flit away from the Burker’s countenance. They both commenced an attack upon the pro- vender, which they washed down with ea quantity of spirits from the flack that the wallet likewise contained. - When the meal was over, the Gossoon made dolorous signs to indicate the sufferings he had en- dured in the torture-chamber; and he seemed anxious to know with what nature and degree of punishment the Burker himeelf had got off. The Englishman quickly gave him to understand that he had escaped scot free: whereat the Gossoor re- garded him with the most unfeigned astonishment. Recourse being had once more to the contents of the fiask, the Gossoon made a sign that they should contfnue their way. Tho Burker could not help keeping in the man’s company sgain, at least for the present: but he nevertheless resolved to separate from him as soon as possible; for the warning of the officer of the Peons rang in his eara, and the spectacle of the torture-chamber was vividly present to his memory. He had ascertained beyond the possibility of doubt, from the presence of those Peons at the town he had so recently left, that he was now upon the soil of the British pos- sessions; and he was therefore relieved from the dread of being apprehended by any of Queen In- dora’s emissaries. The Gossoon and the Burker continued their way until the sun was low in the western horizon ; and the Englishman, being well weatied, made a ign to his companion that they must soon think of finding a place for repose. The Gossoon him- self was much fatigued; and he seemed uncertain which direction to take. He stopped and looked about him,—until at length desacrying a house at a distance, he pointed thither. Towards that house the two men accordingly proceeded; and as they drew near the dwelling, the Burker saw that it was @ farm-house. On reaching it, the Gossoon did not immediately proceed to the front door: but a side window being open, he peeped in. The Burker looked over his shoulder- and they both beheld an elderly man—a Hindoo native of the Ryot or land-holding class, counting his money at atable. He was alone in that room; and 60 in. tent was he in the counting of his rupees, that he evidently suspected not the presence of the wit- nesses at the window. The Gossoon flung upon the Burker a look of mysterious significanoy, which the latter could not rightly comprehend ; and then the dervish hastily led his English com- panion towards the front door. There the Gossoon commenced the usual whine with which persons of his profession solicit charity in India; and in a few moments the elderly Ryot made his appearance. Nothing could exceed the fawning humility of the Gossoon’s demeanour,— which the Burker imitated as well as he could. The Ryot was astonished to éeo an European in the vagrant companionship of a dervish; and the Gossoon immediately proceeded to give roluble utterance to some tale, of which the Burker was evidently the hero, That this tale was replete With woes and sufferings, as well as injuries and wrongs sustained, was likewise evident: for the elderly Ryot contemplated the Burker with an in- creasing degree of interest; and when the Goescon had ceased THE MYSTSRIES OF THE COURT. homestead invited them both to enter. He set food before them : they ate and drank; and when they had finished their meal, the Eyot conducted them to a httle back room where he meant thom to repose for the night. The sun had by this time set, and the room was involved in almost complete darkness: but scarcely had the hospitable Byot retired, when the Gossoon nadged the Barker and gave him to understand that he was not to go to sleep. It now cocurred to the Englishman that the Gossoon was contem- plating some bold or stealthy step in respect to the Ryot’s money: for he remembered the signifi- cant look whieh the dervish had bent upon him ere they had retired from the window of the land- owner's private room. In a few minutes they heard the front door of the house open; and then there were the sounds of three or four voices in conversation together in a neighbouring apart- ment, It was evident that some of the Eyot's family, or elee his domestics, had returned from their occupations on the farm. The Barker was wondering whether this circumstance would alter the Gossoon’s plan, whatever it were,--when that individual gave him another significant nudge; eo that the Englishman felt convinced his comrade entertained his original intention. They sat in silence in their little room for about an hour and a half,—qwhen they heard footsteps moving about the house, followed by the closing of differen¢ doors; so that they knew the family was retirmg to reset. Another hour passed in totel stlence,—the Gossoon however occasionally nudg- ing his compenion, as if to bid him keep awake. At length the dervish seomed to think the moment was come for the execution of his project ; and he slowly opened the door. There was a passage with which other rooms communicated; and saf. ficient light streamed through a small window to show the two men where the dooss of thos apartments were situated. The Gosscon compre- bended the geography of the place better than the Barker; and he proceeded slowly and cautiously to open a door on the left hand side of the pas- sage. There also the light streamed in from the starli¢ heavens; and the Gossoon, having first looked carefully into the chamber, beckoned the Burker to follow him. The hospitable Ryot was sleeping there. The Gossoon crept towards the couch; and jast as he reached it, the Ryot started up. But the Goesoon flew at him as if he had for the nonce borrowed a tiger’s power and agility; end his hands clutched the unfortunate man’s throat. No cry escaped the Ryot’s lipe—no sound buta suffocating i : but for an inetant there was a violent etruggiv between the two, until the Burker threw himeelf upon the Ryot’s form and held him down. The horrible process of rourder lasted not then many minutes. The deed was accomplished: the individual who had af- forded such generous hospitality to the two mis- creants, lay e corpse in his bed. The Gossoon had proved himself as ruthless and merciless an assassin as even the Burker was in his own native clime |! When the tragedy was accomplished, the two men listened for a few moments: but all was silent. They then began ransacking the furnitere and boxes in the room; and after some little diffi- speaking, the hospitable master of the| culty they discovered the place where their victim (CO G OOO SS} (CO