The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 334: what you’re looking at

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

EE nr Verention with you—-and that it was absolutely mecessary for him to reach Saxondale Castile as quick as possible. And this was all that took place on the occasion.” “ Enough !” muttered Lady Saxondale: and ten after a few moments’ refiection she added aloud, “Come—we must move onward. Follow ~ She again led the way, holding the lamp in. her hand. Down the spiral stone passage was threaded — and the hittle low door gave them egress into the quadrangle. But Fair, I will be mum as @ mouse about your lady- Lady Saxondale made no observation in reply to this assurance, which was given in terms se horribly ludicrous and revoltingly jocular: but she the freely as she retraced her way to her own apart- ment. At an early hour in the morning—long before it was light—a groom, mounted on horseback, set off for Gainsborough } and by about nine o'clock against the chapel-door. He had not slept a wink ; and if every now and then he felt a sen- sation of drowsiness coming over him, he had risen ‘to pace to and fro and shake it off. He had scarvely teuched the wine which was furnished him; and he had chiefly employed the long weary hours in thinking of the manner in which he might best lay out the reward he was to obtain for handing over the formidable and ferocious mot choose to run the alightest risk of losing him by eyening the chapel-doer until the arrival of his vara «<a >! eel 831 subordinates from Gainsbo When they came, they were at once conducted to the passage where their principal awaited them; and three or four of the men-servants of the household accom- panied them, not merely from motives of curiosity to have another glimpse of the terrible miscreant, but likewise as an additional guarantee against any possible. demonstration of violence on his The sofa was drawn away—the door was opened —the head-constable, with loaded pistuls in his hands, advanced into the chapel: but Chiffin was not on the seat where be had been deposited. This circumstance excited no suspicion: bound ; | though he were, he might have managed to drag himself away to some other spot. Into the cloister did the head-constable and his followers accord- ingly pass: but no Chiffin was to be seen. They looked behind the monuments: the prisoner was not there. Consternation and dismay appeared upon” the sountenances of the head-constable and his suborlinates: but one of the footmen sug- gested that there could be no doubt the object of their eeareh would be found in the vestiary. The door was thrown open: but still no Chiffin. That but still no Chiffin! The constables and the foot- men surveyed each other in downright dismay, mingled with bewilderment. How could he have escaped P_ Not even the handkerchiefs with which Well indeed might those present at this fruitless search, be confounded! That a man whose limbs 80 firmly fastened, should have thus disap- | without leaving behind the slightest trace mode and manner of his flight, seemed to invested with a preternatural mystery. Had into thin air? or had Satan come ali from | to elaim his due, thereby anticipating the hang- man’s work? Not for a moment was it suspected that the head-constable had connived at his escape» for hie subordinates knew him teo well to enter- tain such an idea;—and moreover, they, as well as the footmen, at once perceived that if he had done so he would have been literally flinging away the reward offered for the fellow’s apprehension ; it could mot be for an instant supposed that had, concealed about his person, a larger than the amount thus offered, so as to have enabled to tempt the hoad-constable with euch a superior bribe. Es fe ; THE MYGTERING OF THE COURT. The mystery was indeed, as Lady Saxondale | had foreseen, perfectly beyond the most extra vagant and the wildest of conjecture. The news spread through the castle; and the utmost ex- citement prevailed. Her ladyship, as a matter seaveh throughout the chapel and the elboister. Bus all was in vain, as she very well knew # would be; and the discomfited myrmidons of jus- tice took their way back to Gainsberough, not without the idea that the Evil One must indesd have had es hand im so mysterious a business. COLL (C DOO CS (GO)