The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 254: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 347 him P” asked Edmund, with stammering speech : and his countenance was white as a sheet. “Not I! Don’t be afraid, my lord: only a gentle tap on his sconce, just to mend his manners abit. But you get up; and I will go and stand by the feller, so as to give him another tap if he epens his eyes too soon.” Thus , Chiffin returned into the other woom; and Edmund, ing out of bed, pro- ceeded to buddle on his ts. He naturally longed to ask his liberator « thousand questions,— who the gentlemen were to whom he alluded as his enployers—whither he was to be taken—how Chiffin himself had got into the house, &c., &c.: but he felt there was no time to pause for such a purpose; and moreover the Cannibal, being at the extremity of the other room, was at too great a distance to be spoken to otherwise than with a certain degree of loudness; and this would bo dan- gerous to the enterprise. On the other hand, Chiffin himself was stationed close by the keeper's souch—one hand grasping the club in readiness to deal another blow, if needful; and his left hand holding the lantern in such a way as to fling its beams on the man’s features. But fortunately for the keeper, he remained in a perfect state of un- consciousness until Lord Saxondale had finished ' dressing: for it was by no means certain that a second blow, if dealt by the Cannibal, would have been, so comparatively innocuous es the first. In less than three minutes Edmund was dressed : never in all his life had he apparelled himself in s0 short a time; and yot his hands trembled—indeed his entire form quivered—with the most nervous anxiety and suspense. “Now, my lord, follow me,” said Chiffin; “ and mind you tread just as if you was walking on eggs. I feel pretty certain this chap”—pointing to the keeper—“ will remain quiet for a couple of minutes or 00; and that’s all the time we shall want.” They issued forth from the chamber : noiselessly they stole along—the private staircase was de- scended—and they reached the garden. Edmund, who in the meanwhile had continued in almost a frightful state of trembling nervousness, now felt as if he to breathe the air of freedom; and when the Cannibal him to scale the wall and he alighted in the lane outside the barrier, he could scarcely prevent himself from sending forth and he led him into Hanover Square. There they perceived a post chaise-and-four waiting at a little distance—and two gentlemen, yuffied in cloaks, near it. “It’s all right,” said the Cannibal, approaching Mr. Lawson and Count de St. Gerard: “ here’s his lordahip.” “To whom am I indebted for so much kind in- terest P” ej Edmund, rushing forward to seize the hands of the French nobleman and his English friend. “No matter, my lord—no matter,” quickly re- | i time explanations; for you must hasten and join her ladyehip at Saxondale Castle.” “ Ah! my wife ?—she has done this? and she is ta Lincolnshire ?” “Yes, my lord,” replied Lawson, in the same hasty manner as before: “and you are enjained to prc- coed with the utmost speed to meet her there. She has had a conversation with your mother, who is in London; and it is of vital consequence to your interests that you should see her ladyship———your wife I mean—without delay.” Thus speaking, Mr. Lawson pushed Saxondale into the which instantaneously drove rapidly off. It will be obstirved that the Count de St. Gerard took no part in this conversation: nor did he make himself known to the young nobleman. The reader will fully and appreciate his delicacy of feeling in this respect: but it was not because he thus remained silent and suffered his friend Lawson to be the spokesman, that he was an uninterested witness of the successful re- sult of the Cannibal’s enterprise at Dr. Ferney’s House. “ Now, my man,” said Lawson, turning towards Chiftin the moment the post-chaise had driven away, “ you have acquitted yourself eo admirably in the business entrusted to you, that you merit a liberal reward; and it shall be forthcoming. We said something about fifty guineas—end I believe you had a few in advance. But this purse ccn- tains a hundred: and now we have nothing more to do with each other. Good night to you, Mr. Brown.” “Good night, genelmen—and thank’ee kindly,” the Cannibal, as he pocketted the heavy purse which sent forth the familiar chink of gold pieces. He now made the best of his way, by the most secluded route, towards Hammersmith,-—purposing to remain at the sign of the Three Oadgers until his arrangements for embarkation should be com- pleted. He reacned the neighbourhood where the boosing-ken was situated: it was now verging to- wards three in the morning, but was still quite dark in that November season. He was enteri the narrow street at the extremity of which the Three Cadgere stood,—when, by the light of a lamp, he suddenly found himself face to face with Tony Wilkins. CHAPTER CXXXTX. THE TWO MUEREDEREES. and they stood eyeing each other by the light of that lamp whichhad mutually revealed their fea- tures. Both felt that some terrible crisis was at COLL (C DOO CS (GO)