The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

age nes ee = 8 {HRB MYSTERIXS OF THE COURT. “No. As we have commenced the business by | ourselves,” answered Stanley, “we will have the satisfaction of carrying it out. Listen, Meredith { We have excellent reason to believe that the vil- lain Barney is in that house—and what is more, that he is in the room precisely above that where we were seated: for I was attentive to the sounds of Mother Bambridge’s footsteps when she went up with the wine. These are great points gained —and far more than we could have expected as ¢be result of the first night’s search. But the first night’s search shall be the last—-or I am very much mistaken. I see that you do not understand me. Let us turn into this street; it is the one bebind the alley from which we have emerged.” ‘‘And your reason for letting us be robbed ee quietly ?”” inquired Lord Charlee. “Those bullies were evidently brought in to pounce upon wus suddenly when Mother Bam- | busi ridge hoped to persuade us to go up-stairs to bed. If, an at being made, we had resisted them, we should have shown ourselves to be seber ; and whether conquerors or conquered, the sus- picion which our behaviour had already oxcited, would have been confirmed. The wretches would have felt convineed that we had an ulterior ob- ject; perhaps they would have supposed that we were looking for Barney: but at all evente for security’s sake they would quickly have got him off to some other lurking-hole. As it is, all sus- picion is completely set at rest: they flatter them- elves they had to do with a couple of gentlemen who were really tipsy; and rest assured that having watched us out of the alley, they are lulled into the completest security. Such is the result of our having suffered ourselves to be robbed so quietly, as you e it.” “And what do you think Mother Bambridge went up-stairs fur to the villain’s room? or bow can you tell that it was his room at all?” asked the nobleman. “Of course I can but surmise,” responded Stanley; “and upon this surmise we must act. She doubtless went up to him to bid him be in readiness in case his services should be required to help in dealing with us. When she went out the second time’ to fetch in the bullies, it was really to the front parlour she proceeded: for I listened to the course that her footsteps took.” | “Now, what is your plan?” inquired Lord Charles Meredith. Captain Stanley rapidly explained it; and his noble friend unhesitatingly agreed to succoer him in carrying it ont. The little colloguy that we have described, brought them to the extremity of the narrow street which they had en and which ran parallel to the alley. A very few minutes’ obser- vation showed them that the house which was im- mediately behind Mother Bambridge’s establish-. ment, was a small chandlery-shop; and Stanley observed to his noble friend, “This is all the better for our purpose; because a money-making tradesman of a mean and peddling description will forgive us for awakening him if we slip » five- pound note into his hand.” “1 do verily believe, my dear fellow,” answered Lord Charles, “that you have forgotten the little circumstance of our parses being left behind im the adjacent alley.” 268 * No—I have not forgotten it,” responded Stan- ley: and drawing forth his pocket-buok from breast of his under-coat, he displayed a roll of benk-notes. They now knocked a¢ the door of the chandlerys shop; and in a few nunutes a head with a cotton, night-cap on, was thrust from an upper window, The owner of the head and the night-cap was about to give vent to his indignation at bang knecked up by a couple of rakes, as he thought, out upon their nocturnal frolics: but a few quick) uttered words from Captain Stanley’s hops, ang the display of a bank-note, made a prompt change im the man’s temper. Hoe drew im his head—ehut down the window-—and in a couple of minutes appeared at his shop-door,—having just huddled ona sufficiency of clothing for deeency’s sake. He admitted the two officers, and then inquired their eas. Captain Stanley, closing the door of the put the five-pound note into the man’s hand; an: said to him, “Don’t be alarmed—and don’t ask any unecessary questions: but we want, in the first place, to peep through one of the back wim- dows of your dwelling.” The chandler, who was an active, bustling, eccen- tric little man, atared in amazement at this re- guest; and recurring to his former opinion thas the whole proceeding was an impadent frolic, ke examined the mote, expecting to find that it issued from the Bank of Elegance instead of the Bank of England. On discovering hewever that it was really genuine, he became perfeotly civil once more; and thinking he had better humour his two customers, whatever their object might be— if indeed they had any at all—he conducted them into his little parlour, which was behind the shop. There was an outeide shutter to the window; and the priamatic rays of the morning light—for it was the middle of the month of June—penetrated through a heart-shaped hole in that shutter. By means Of this hole Stanley was enabled to take his survey of the rear of the chandler’s dwalling, There wasa littl yard separated by a low wail from a larger yard which belonged to Mother Bam- idge’s establiabment: at every one of the back indows of that establishment the blinds ware drawn down; and thorefore it wag xeasonable to supposo that the immates had retired to rest, well contented with their spoil in the shgpe of handsome watches, massive chains, and well-filled purses. | “ Have you got a indder ?” inquired. Stanley of the chan The volatile littie may made one hound of astonr ishment at this question so abruptly put; and then he looked dismayed as the adea flashed to his mind that he had to do with two lunatics just escaped from an asylum. The two supposed lunatics could’ mot help smiling at these variations of expression on the chandler’s countenance; and Stanley, per-- ceiving the necessity of giving some sort of exphe- mation, addreseed him as follows :— “My good fellow, I need not tell you that the place which we see opposite is a den of infamy. I and my companion have just been robbed theres and we mean to get in by some means or another, to compel the wretches to disgorge they plunder. Now will you assist us—or will you mot P” “Ab that I cheerfully will!” exclaimed the (COL (C DOO CS (COL