The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 325: what you’re looking at

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316 THR MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. Mr. Sycamore gave a sort of despairing groan— and then surveyed our hero with wonderment and dismay. Christian saw that he had said or done something that was most outrageous: but for the life of him he could not conjecture what it was. “At nine o’clock in the morning?’ at length said Mr. Sycamore in a faint voice, as if his nerves had been dreadfully shocked. “What I call the first thing in the morning, is about half-an-bour past noon. Pray don’t entertain such low ideas as to confound night with morning. It’s all very well for people who have to get up to black boots, or take down shutters, or open their shops: but a gentleman’s morning,” continued Mr. Sycamore, in a tone of gentle remonstrance, “ begins a little after noon-day—and it is just allowable for him to begin his breakfast at one o’clock. So if you are here at half-past two to-morrow, it will be a very convenient hour in the morning indeed. You will of course come with your luggage, as we shall start off at once for Ramsgate—which I am told is getting rather a fashionable place since I began to patronize if last year.” Christian promised to be punctual st half-past two on the following day; and he issued forth from Mr. Sycamore’s presence. Descending the stairs, he was passing through tho hall of the hotel, when he perceived a very handsomely- m,—who was a nice-looking dapper little man of about five-and-twenty, but bow- legged, as indeed all approved and veritable grooms ought to be,—engaged in some little alter- cation with another man who had the air as well as the odour of a hostler from a livery-stable. “Now, look you, Jeames,”’ said the hostler to the dapper groom, “it’s no use talking. My guvner says as how the cab sha’n’t be sent never no more unleas the bill’s paid, or a good reference gived. You and me, Jeames, know what's what —and it is rayther hard that your guvner should run up a tick of forty-five pound for the hire of a cab and never so much as pay a scurrick on account. It isn’t the cheese, Jeames—no, blow me tight if it is!” “ Nonsense, Tom !—it’s all right,” answered the dapper groom, whose christian name appeared to be James. “ My master’s a gentleman of fortune, whieh has his own peculiar waysa-——” Christian heard no more: indeed he had not purposely lingered to catch any of the conversation at all: but he could not help overhearing the little which we have recorded, as he passed through the bal. He thought nothing of it at the time; and it speedily slipped out of his memory. He was glad that he had obtained a new situation ; and he at once set off to Bayswater, to communicate the circumstance to bis sister,—who he well knew would be delighted with ‘the intelligence. He found Christina at home; and when it was an- nounced to the Princess that he was to leave Lon- don on the morrow, she bade him remain and pass the evening with Christina. At half-past two o’clock on the following day, Christian alighted from a cab at the door of the hotel in Piccadilly ; and his boxes were deposited in the hall. He inquired of the waiter for Mr. STOamOre j and at the same instant the dapper-looking groo stepped forward, inquiring, “Are you Mr. Ashton. ep” ‘Master will be ready in half-an-hour,” rejoined James: “he was up rather late this morning. If you will step into the coffee-room, Mr. Ashton, you can sit there till we are ready to start.” Our hero followed this recommendation: and as there happened to be no one else in the coffee-room at the time, he thoaght he should like to have s few minutes’ conversation with one of the waiters. He did not exactly admire the discovery he had just mado—that his new employer was the master of the dapper groom, and consequently the object of the somewhat peculiar discourse he had over- heard on the previous day between the dapper groom aforesaid and the hostler from the livery- stable. If there wore anything at all suspicions in respect to Mr. Sycamore’s character, it was not too late for our. hero to resign the sitaation he had accepted : for he assuredly had no inclination to go travelling about in the service of one who con- tracted debts without the means of paying them. He accordingly rang the bell, so that under the pre- text of ordering some little refreshment, he might draw the waiter into discourse. ‘Ah, sir—I see, sir,” said this individual, when a few remarks had been “you are the young gentleman who has taken the situation of private secretary to Mr. Sycamore?’’—and then with a great show of tidiness, he briskly wiped away some imaginary crumbs from an adjacent table. “TI suppose Mr. Sycamore is highly respectable and very well off?” observed Christian ingquir- ingly. “He has paid all his bills, sir, this morning,” responded the waiter; “and eo there is no com: plaint to make. All gentlemen as pays their bills, is respectable, sir :”—and the waiter affected to be exceedingly busy in conveying the Supplement of © the Times from one table to another, and thea bringing it back to the place whence hs had re- moved it. Christian saw by these little mancavres that the waiter purposely lingered with a view of being drawn into conversation, but that he did not like to speak too fast, nor too confidentially m the first instance. ‘What have I to pay?” asked our hero, taking out his purse. “Pay, sir? Tell you directly, air. Sandwiches, one-and-six—half-pint of sherry, one-and-three : ——two-and-nine, if you please, sir.” Christian handed the waiter five shillings, where- upon that functionary instantaneously began to fumble in bis breeches’ pocket, holding himself much on one side as he did so—aend delaying as long as he could to produce the change, because he more than half suspected that he was to keep the balance for himself. And this was what Christian did mean: for he saw plainly enough that the waiter required to be lured rather than drawn into confidential discourse. “Keep that for yourself,” said Christian. “Very much obliged to you, sir,” answered the waiter with a bow: and having with his napkin brushed away a few more imaginary crambs from the corner of the table, and moved the mustard- m | pot to the other side of the on eellet, he said, “I think you may find Mr. Sycamore an agreeable “Yes,” answered Christian: and an unpleasant | gentleman enough: but he is very fast and very suspicion at once smote him. ae racketty.” COMMUC DOO CS (COL