The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

pt I” EE $ ( THE MYSTERILCS OF THE COURT. frawing-room, whare they were seated at the moment when the sounds of wheels reached their ears. The approach of a vehicle made them all three start up: for they were anxiously expecting either the return of the Marquis, or some intelli- gence from him. They precipitated themselves down the stairs: but Lord Eagledean, rushing forth from the vehicle before they could perceive there was any one else with him whom he had lett inside, met them in the hall, and bade them scoompany him to a parlour opening thence. “Now, Adolphus,” he said, when he had em- braced all three one after the other,—“and you likewise, Elizabeth and Frank, prepare yourselves to behold some one who is most dear to you.” , “ Our mother !”” ejaculated Francis, heedless at the ssoment whether there were any longer the neces- sity to keep the secret from Adolphus. ‘‘Yee—your mother, my dear boy,” responded the Marquis, in a voice full of emotion; “and your mother likewise, my dear Adolphus. Yes: I speak truly! Embrace Elisabeth and Frank—for they are indeed your sister and your brother—and your mother is also theirs [* Adolphus gave utterance to a cry of mingled amasement and jay: for without pausing to reflect hw this could possibly be, his first feeling was one o% ineffable delight to think that Elizabeth whom he already loved as a sister, was indeed s sister—and Frank whom he loved as a brother, was indead a Lrother!” “I go to feteh your mother,” said the Marquis, in a hasty whisper to Elizabeth: “she longs to press quis of Kagledean.” Having thus spoken, he hastily quitted the room: but little more than a minute elapsed ere he re- turned again, acoompanied by Lacy Everton. Then ensued a scene which, for tenderness and excitement —for melting emotions and joyous outpourings alike of words and tears—for fervid embraces, re- peated again, and again, aod again—for fondest ooce serve her with some liquor. “You seom ill, or else very tired, observed the old man, as he presented her with a foaming pint of pester. “There! take that—and if it doagn’t cheer you wp ® bit, then my name isn't what 4% 9 The woman placed the pint-meagure fo her hips, av! did not remove it till she had poured the whule 19 of its contents down her throat: then, as she handed back the vessel to Solomon Patch, she said, “Yes, I am indeed tired. I have walked many weary miles to-day, but was resolved to reach your place to-night. Let me seo—what is the day of the month ?” “Well now, what be it?” asked the old man, turning towards his wife. August, to be sure.” “ Yee—tho tenth,” repeated Madge Somers: then in an under-tone to herself, aha,said, “It was the twenty-first of July the appointment was made :— in one month, day for day, and hour for hour, was I to meet him at his own house. That will be on the twenty-first instant at nine o'clock in the even- ing. Twenty days have clapsed, and I am no wiser than I was: I have eleven more days to find out what I want!” “ And what is if you do want, Madge?” asked Solomon Patch: for the woman had spoken those last words in s louder tone than the previous park of the sentence, and they had caught the landlord’s ear. “Ido really think she has lost her wits,” he observed aside to three or four customers of the Billy Goat, who were lounging and tippling at the bar-counter. “Not a bit of it!” said Madge Somers sternly: for her keen ears had caught the observation, “Bat you ask me what it is that I want to find out ? Well, I have come here this evening to set every qne who is in the habit of frequenting the place, om the alert to discover what I do want. Are there many people in the tap-room yonder P” Sore dosen or so,” replied Solomon; “and [I tell you who’s amongst them—an old pal of mine - that I haven’t seen for many a-day—Bob Gha- | kerly.” “ The resurrection-man,” observed Madge Somers, * Well, I don’t think he does much in that way now,” remarked Solomon: “oos why, he finds it more to his agcount to cut up beses for sassage-mass | and what not. Howsumever, he’s found his way : down to the Goat this evening to smoke his pipe and take his rum-and-water: and there the old fellow is in the tap-room, as cosie as can be.” “Just comé along with me, Solomon,” said Madge: “and you also,” she continued, addressing herself to the louncers about the bar. | «What on earth is she going to do now?” asked Solomon of himself, as Madge herself led the way | into the public room, where the ueual number of | iJl-looking fellows and half-tipsy women were pur- : suing their orgie, old Bob Shakerly being one of the company. “Why, here's Somers!” said Tony Wil- kins: “and she looks as wild as if she was a witch.” *¢ Witch indeed!” she echoed: “I am not witch — enough to find out something that I want to dis- cover—or rather [ have not eucoseded yet: but I will offer a prise and set all you folks on the alert, - and see whether that will be produetive of any good | result.” | : As she thes spoke, she took from beneath hes | garments a greasy pocket-book; and opening it, . drew forth a number of bank-notes. These she cpunted, keeping some ip her band and putting . the rest back into the pocket-book,—her proceeds | ing being watched with mingled curiosity and eus- penee by all who beheld hes. —_ @ PGE Kee © Ep =—_> Pe ed Rom =a = —_: ea a ca PRED EY ELON a! Gp eS e “Why, the tenth of (COL (C DOO CS (COL