The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

’ Q@=EEwaen 264 a little man: “for that Mother Bambridge is the scandal of the neighbourhood, and never spends a single penny at my shop.” The ludicrous connexion of indignant morality and mortified selfishness which characterised ehandler’s observation, provoked another smile on the part of the two officers: but he was now ready to render them his assistance—and that was the easential. He led them forth into his little yard, and showed them a ladder, which Stanley at a glance saw was just high enough for his purpose. The wall separating the two yards was quickly scaled by the Captain and Lord Charles—the chandler not offering to accompany them out of his own premises: for he was not endowed with a large amount of courage. The chief to be now apprehended, was that their proceedings might be observed from the infamous house, should any of the inmates be still up. Not a single blind however was seen to move: no sign was there of the room over the parlour to which the two officers had been conducted when in the house; and Captain Stanley, with his right hand in his coat-pocket ready to draw forth a pistol, began to ascend the ladder,—Lord Charles Meredith re- maining at the foot. On reaching the window, which had a dingy calico blind drawn down inside, the Captain immediately perceived that the sashes were not fastened: and this was an immense ad- vantage in favour of the success of the enterprise. As noiselessly as poesible did he begin raising the lower sash ; and when he had thus lifted it about a foot, he raised the blind in order to peep in. A bed was near the window: a man lay upon it, with his clothes on; and on a chair by the side of that bed was a brace of pistols. The man was sleeping heavily: but a curtain concealed the upper part of his body—so that Captain Stanley could not dis- cern his countenance; and the curtain was beyond the reach of his outstretched arm from the position where he now stood. Ho thrust up the sash a little higher, and was now enabled to reach the back of the chair on which the pistols lay. Lifting the chair completely up, he set it gently down again close within the window; and ing the pis- tols thence, consigned them to the of his paletot. Then he beckoned Lord Charles Mere- dith, who attentively and anxiously watched his proceedings, to ascend the ladder. The sash was raised yet a little higher; and still the man slept on as if he were under the influence of liquor. Stanley passed into the room ; but the cord of the blind getting entangled round his foot, made him stumble against the chair. The man sprang up from the bed like a wild beast suddenly awakened from its lair; and the first glimpee of his countenance convinced Stanley that he was now confronted by none other than the terrible Burker himself. The ruffian glanced towards the chair with the evident intention of snatching up his pistols; and perceiving they were gone, a cry of savage rage, like that of a hyena, burst from his lips. Captain Stanley drew forth a pistol—presented it at the Burker’s head—and bade him surrender or he was adead man. But with the sudden fury of the wild beast unto whose howling cry we just now likened that of the ruffian, he sprang upon Stanley THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. —hurled him upon the floor—seized the pistol from his was on the very point of ing ite contents at his head, when his arm was caught in a powerful grasp—the weapon was the | wrested from him—and he himself in his turn was hurled upon the floor. All this was the work of a few seconds; and we need hardly inform the reader that it was Lord Charles Meredith who springing into the room, thus saved the life of his The very instant that the Burker was thus levelled, Lord Charles Meredith’s knee was upon his chest: and the threat was repeated, that he roust surrender or have his brains blown out. Bat the two officers had to deal with a man of the most desperate and determined character,—a man too who possessed the brute strength and courage of alion. Hurling Meredith off him, he rose as far as his knees, when he was assailed by Stanley, whom he likewise deshed away; and then snatch- ing up a chair, he hurled it with all his force at the Itad of Meredith who was returning to the assault. The nobleman however darted sufficiently aside to save his head, and received the blow upon his shoulder: but it made him s for an instant he was smitten with the ilea that his arm was broken. All this too was but the work of a few instants,—during which however either one of the officers might have shot the ruffian dead: but it was by no means their purpose to eave the hangman his duty, unless at the last ex- tremity in defence of their own lives. As for Barney the Burker,—he dared not roar out for assistance, for fear of arousing the whole neigh- bourhood: but by hurling the chair at Meredith, he gained a moment's time to do that which seemed to answer his own purpose equally weil: for he seized hold of a cord, which passing through a hole in the ceiling, hung against the wall; and a bell sent its clanging sound through the house. “Jt is useless for you to resist!’ exclaimed Stanley, again rushing upon the villain just as he was about to tear open the door: and at the same instant Meredith seized upon him by the other arm,—both now clinging to him with g desperate tenacity. And desperate too were the struggles of the rufiian—diabolically savage was the expression of his features, as he endeavoured to bite his assailants; and were it not that his great clumsy shoes were off, he would undoubtedly have broken their legs with the tremendous kicks that he dealt. And now there were the sounds of numerous persons rushing about the house: the door was burst. open—and the four bullies whom the two adven- turous officers had already seen beneath that roof, rushed in. Lord Charles Meredith and Captein Stanley were in es moment overpowered by num- bers—they were made prisoners—and now, as the only chance left of ensuring the capture of the Burker, they both shouted with all their might for assistance. Vainly did they endesvour to release their arms from the grasp of the ballies that they might get at their pistols: they could not. The instant the Burker was freed, he rushed to the window: but beholding the chandler in the adjoining yard, he fancied that a trap was set for bim in that direction—and he resolved to cecape CO IMULUG C) DOO CS (COL