The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

_ esying in her habitually curt mannex, “ “No, Mr. Gunthborpe, I will not take it. And now begone, both of you—begene, I say! But once mare be- ware how you breathe a single word of aught that has taken place bere to-night. Begone!”—end she extended her arm ia a commanding manner towards the outer door. “But my good woman,” ssid William Deveril, ‘*we cannot leave you thus. You have saved our livee—you must accept a reward.” “No— morse than what I have taken :”— and she displayed the piece of gold. “ Why should you throw temptation in my way?” she demanded, almost fiercely. “ Do you know what I should do if I were possessed of that money ? I ahould speed with it to the gambling-table——Ah! you may both look startled, and shocked, and astonished— it is the truth! And were I to hasten thither, I should be neglecting a duty which I owe to you, William Deveril. And now, not another word— depart - begone |” Lord Eagledean and our young hero, astonished at what they lisewe at the heard—astonished singular character end conduct of this ungecount- able woman, hesitated no longer to obey her; but issued from the room. The stairease was quite dark—but they groped their way down it; and the moment they appeared in front of the bar, both Solomon Patch and his wife were saised with a ghastly terror. liam Deveril tarried to speak a word: they merely threw a look of mingled indignation end loathing upon the two wretches, and issued from that den of infamy and horror. The moment they had disappeared from the view of Solomon Patch and his wife, these two exchanged deeply significant looka, in which suspense, ean- sternation, and bewilderment were all blended. Then the man in a hurried whisper bade his wile eompose her looks and go on serving the eus- tomers, while he sped up-stairs to leasn what had taken place: for neither he nor Mrs. Pateh could possibly conceive by what means the two visiters had come off in safety. Had the plot failed? were they gone to give information to the authorities? or had Chiffin concluded a better money-bargem than that which had originally instigated him to the concoction of the snare f Speeding up the staircase, three steps at a time, Solomon Patch found Madge Somers bending over the open trap-deor. But where was Chifin? The look which the old landlord flang hastily around, encountered not the form of the Cannibal. “Ah! is that you?” said Madge. “Yes. But where is Chiffin?” “There !"-—and she pointed down inte the pit. “ Yes—there !” she answered coldly. “ Chifiin was caught in his ows trap. It gave way es ho was over it.” “Ah!” cried Solomon, not for an instant doubting the trath of this explanation, which indeed eppeared go rational and so feasible. “' He is done for,” said Madge, still bending over the abyss. “There is nota splash in the water— there is not a movement—there is not the slightest THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “ Well,” mused Solomon Patch, in an audible tene—though not exactly intending to address his obeervations to Madge Sumers,—“ I don’t know, arter all, that it’s ech avery bad jos Chiffia was getting a regular devil: he hed got us ell under his thumb—wo didn’t dare say as hew our souls was ow of the question; cos why he knowed too much of us for us to tell what we knowed of him. So, arter all, perbape it’s for the best. It’s a hill vind thas blows no goed to nobody.” “You are not altogether wrong, Sal,” replied Madge Somers, well pleased in her heart to find thas the old landlesd took the occurrences m this philosophic light. “ Bat I say, we had better pall this trap up; and then it would be as well just to but | go and cover the mouth of the well with the big stones, for fear of an accident happening to amybody else.” “Yen, yoo—heve it all your own way, Madge,” ejaculated Solemon. “ But them two gonel- men——" “You have nothing to fear. I pitehed them a beautifnl tale, that has made them quite comfort- able. Hold yeur tongue about what has taken place—and don’t for the world let any of the pals know what has happened to Chifin. In a few days, when they miss him, you ean say that he’s wanted an aceount of that affair in the barge, and that Neither the Marquis nor Wil- he’s kesping himeelf searce.” “ Allright, Madge,” rejoined Solomon, feem whose “There's a bit of string to lift it,” said Madge; “and the bolt will hold it fast. Bus % won't do te walk over 4,” ahe continued, by way of giving a rmto together, closing the door behind them ; bending over the brink of the well, Madge listened once more with . breath. She hkewise endeavoured to threw the light of the candle down into the black depth—bat without sucesss: the inky darkness absorbed the feeble glimmerings of that light. All still!” she enid to the landlord. “ What's the depth of that well ?” “ About twenty feet,” he replied. “ And the depth of the water ?” «When Chitin messured it with phunmet and eord t’other day, there was about six feet of water.” ‘‘ Ah! then he was drowned in no time,” observed Madge: and placing the candle upon the ground, she said, “ Now let’s pat some of these big stone over the mouth.” Solomon Patch aided her in the task, which was soon accomplished ; and the opening was completely sound of struggic. Nor was there from the very | closed by the flags which they placed upon “ Now, the best thing you vam do,” eaid ‘Madge | = . (COL (C DOO CS (COL