The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

ee ct mm I TT ii a a i gg ge i mm ir eal aa TG ES, ET a eS i SE |r MS ' disappeared from the view. 84 Ve upon Deveril, implied the necessity of exercising | where such hideous pitfalls appeared to have exist- the utmost caution. But then it simultaneously ence. Be it understood that the candle which occurred to them both that as all the lower part of remained burning upon the table in the inner room the house was full of people, it was by no means | (that which Chiffin had carried inguished probable that any foul play could be intended them. | as it fell) not merely lighted the scene of horror in They accordingly ascended the stairs, Chiffin the | the immediate vicinage, but also threw ite beams Cannibal leading the way with the light in his | into the smaller room where Lord Eagiedean and THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. hand. That little room which has been so frequently alluded to in former chapters, was reached; and as there seemed to be nothing suspicious thero—no place where any murderous confederates of their guide could be concealed in ambush—the Marquis and Deveril did not hesitate to enter it. Still they were on the alert, and kept at a certain distance behind Chiffin, so as to guard against any sudden manifestation of treachery. “This is my room, genelmen,” he said, i open that new door which had been constructed ; then, as be paused on the threshold, the light which he held in his hand as well as one that was already burning on the table, affording them a full view of the interior, he added, “ You see it’s no great shakes —only just comfortable; and it’s here I’m going to transact my little business in future. Walk in, genelmen—end I will show you theese letters at once. We will then settle what they're worth over the lush that old Sul Patch will bring up in a mo- ment.” Despite his villanous-looking countenance, there was a certain degree of frankness and straightfor- ward moaning in this speech of the Canniba)’s, which almost completely reassured the Marquis and Deveril. They bad moreover looked into the inner ruom—they saw nothing suspicious—the outer coor had been left wide open——and the merest cry would be heard down stairs. Assuredly, then, Chifin was acting fairly, and there was no perfidy to apprehend p Deveril was the first to make a movement tc follow the Cannibel; for he was resolved that if any traitorous intent should suddenly develop itself, he would be the foremost to bear its brunt, and to the extent of his power shield and protect his benefacto= the Marquis of Eagledean. Chiffin, with the candle in one hand and his club in the other, advanced across the room from the new doorway towards the | table, which stood against the opposite wall. Deveril | Deveril now were. Bat on turning towards the outer door, they perceived that it was shut. This had been done by old Solomon Patch, who had stolen up-stairs just at the very time they were following Chiffin into the inner room; and he hed shut that outer door to prevent whatecever cries might be uttered, from reaching the ears of the people down stairs. And here we may at once observe that Chiffin’s yell could scarcely have ated beyond that door; or if it did, it was | drowned in the uproarious din of revelry thundering forth from the tap-room. The instant that the Marquis and Deveril, om turning round to flee from the place, beheld the outer door closed, they again threw rapid and unntterable looks upon each other—as much as to imply that there was some hideous treachery im- pending. Our young hero, seising upon a huge wooden stool, was about to batter down that door, —taking it for granted, i in the hurry and excitement of his thoughts, that it was fast secared outside: but it suddenly opened, and a female made her appearance. “Ah!” he ejaculated, as he recognised the woman whom he had saved from drowning in the Trent: but she placed her finger to her lips, and he uttered not another word. “Silence!” said Madge Somers—for she it was; “you have nothing to fear:”—and as she spoke, she entered the room, closing the door behind her. The Marquis of Bagiedeaa, from the deseription which had been given him of this woman, at once knew who she was; and both he and Deveril per- ceived by her manner, even before she spoke those reassuring words, that she was friendly disposed to- wards them. “Do not excite yourselves—there must be no disturbance,” she hastened to observe. “That pés- fall was intended for you-—yes, both of you—but I lad just crossed the threshold—the Marquis was i have saved you.” ascee at hand—when all of a sudden the ftoor | appeared to give way beneath Chiffin’s feet, the With an impulsive feeling of fervid gratitude, which was indeed natural envugh under such cxtra- carpet sinking down ab the same time: a horrible ordinary circumstances, Deveril caught the woman yell burst from his lipe—the candle and theclub fell from his hands—and in the twinkling of an eye he But where he had gone | down, and the carpet with him, a square chasm remained open in the floor—black and yawning, as , Mit were the bottomless pit iteslf! --4y—-- CO William Deveril and the Marquis of Eagledean recoiled in dismay from the astounding spectacle. Horror seized upon them with paralysing offect, rendering them speechless; and there they stood for a few moments, gazing in the stupor of consternation upon the open trap-door through which the Canaibal bad disappeared, as if having sold his soul to Satan, bis time had come and an abyss had yawned to ewallow him up. Suddenly recovering their presence of mind, the Marquis and Deveril exchanged looks of unutterable horror; and then they turned to flee from a place —— wwe SO by one hand—the Marquis by the other; and thuse hands were fervidly pressed. “ My good woman,” said Lord “we owe you our lives—we understand it ali—that mis- creant lured us hither to accomplish our destruction —you have saved uws—your reward shall be im- mense———" “Do not speak so joud,” interrupted Madge Somers: and her words were uttered in that peremp- tory. tone of command which she was se acoustomed to adopt. “The people below must know nothing of what has happened.” “ But it is impossible to pass over the transae- tion thus!” cried the Marquis. “Such a horribly treacherous contrivance could not exist here without the knowledge of the vile wretches who keep the place. They must be given up to justice.” “Silence, Mr. Gunthorpe—I command you!” (COL (C DOO CS (COL