The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 84: what you’re looking at

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ee cL area anii> ~~ i ae ED THE MYSTERIRG OF THE COURT. firmed from the effect which her intelligence had produced upon the twins. We have already said that she did not positively possess a bad heart: but her better feelings were almost completely over-ruled by her love of gain and her fear of loss, —#o that while on the one hand she really pitied the orphans, yet on the other she was already wondering to herself whether they could possibly think of keeping on their lodgings, and whether the rental of twenty-five shillings a week would be thenceforth safe ? “Don’t you think you had better go at once,” she suggested, “to Mr. Preston’s house? I dare say the police are in possession of if; and you ean at all events find out whether he has left behind hizn any papers regarding yourselves.” Christian and Christina were at once struck by the excellence of this advice, and by the necessity of immediately following it. Mrs. Macaulay slowly retired from the room; and the twins,— having again embraced each other, and whispered words of hope and consolation in each other's ears, hastened to their respective chambers to dress for going out. Ina few minutes they were ready ; and they sallied forth together. As they pro- 71 this same day that the forgeries were discovered by some geotlieman in the financial world: and when the police, on receiving the information, had arrived at Cambridge Terrace to apprehend the culprit, they found that he had absconded during the past night. In addition to these particulars, Christian and Christina learnt that no papers of any consequence at all had been discovered either at the dwelling in Hegent’s Park, or at the office in the City; but that in Mr. Preston's bedroom at the former, there were traces of a considerable number of documents having been purposely burnt in the grate. Such were the particulars gleaned from the police-constable; and the twins passed away from the mansion,—slowly and in silence. They walked some distance before towards each other: they felt that their ruin had been accomplished. At length their looks met: tears filled the eyes of both—and they would have flung themselves into each other's arms, were it not a public place and people were proceeding hither and thither. “Let us not despond, dearest sister,” said Christian, suddenly wiping his eyes. ‘That which Mr. Preston did not do for me, I must now en- in respectability. “And I too will work, Ohristian,” replied the sister. “ No—we will not lwe have the edvanvage of « good education, and it will be hard indeed we cannot earn our bread by our in- try.” We may heze pause to observe that the Mr. Preston who has been mentioned, was a man of about fifty—short and slight—of exceeding bustling habits, and with a thorough business-like sir. He had possessed a counting-house in the City; and his private residence was one of the mansions on Cambridge Terrace in the Regent’s Park. He had ever been reputed a rich man: but, unlike Mr. |i Armytage, he had cared little or nothing for bril- Hiant society, and hed never courted it. Perhaps if his affairs had long been failing, he might have located himeelf in the Regent’s Park with the hope of sustaining the impression that he was really wealthy, rather than for the purpose of mingling in the fashionable world. He was un- married and childless; and thus, fortunately, he had no close connexions to be involved in his ruin police-constable. te the amount of thirty thousand pounds, as already ascertained—and thet it was suspected there were other cases which were yet to transpire. It was only at an carly hour in the morning of =e eee, You would get two nice roome for ten shillings a week; and you may give me as a reference. As for your lodginge here, I won’t be hard upon you, J _ ee | GOnlebooksreonn