The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUNT. ‘ 123 eee ee PP oe ee Oe «= Oe transpired to prevent the Cannibal from joining him could not lie down. He knew the domestics at the at King’s Oroes, and if he really meant to act fairly in dividing the booty, he would proceed to that public-house in Bethnal Green in the expectation of being joined there by his acoomplice. After a walk of nearly an hour anda half Wilkins reached the boosing-ken. It was now nearly four o'clock in the morning: the place was shut up—and Tony scarcely liked to disturb the inmates. So he walked about in the neighbourhood for another hour, taking good care to elude the notice of the who might question or watch him. His mind all this time was in a dreadfully disturbed atate: be was filled with remorse for what he had dons, because he had as yet reaped no benafit to create a feeling of reckless joy which might absorb that sentiment of compunction. He was harassed too with his suspicions of the Cannibal’s perfidy. A$ length he returned to the boosing-ken, and mow ventured to knock at the door. In a few minutes it was opened by an ill-looking fellow who acted as potman, and who seemed savagely sullen at having been disturbed from his slamber. ' He knew Wilkins as a friend of Chiffin’s; and as Chiffin was intimate with the landlord of the place, | and also a good customer there, the potman did not | dare openly to offend anybody connected with him. | | He therefore answered Tony’s queries. The Can- nibal was not in the house—he had not slept there that night—he had left at about eleven o’clock—and had not returned since:, but a chamber was kept Tony Wilkins was embarrassed how to act. He knew that suspicion of the murder, when discovered, would fall apon himself; and he was therefore moat anxious to get out of London: but if he fled at ance, it would be throwing away his last chance of meet- spoil, supposing that his sceomplice really meant to deal fairly by him. The potman seesing that he hesitated and that his looks were straugely wild and troubled, asked if anything was the matter ? “I must eee Chiffia—and so I'll wait for him,” replied Tony. “We have missed each other, and I hhav'n’t been in bed all night.” “Well it’s no use keeping me standing at the door,” said the potman sullenly; “and if a blue- bottle happens to come into the street he'll think there's summut queer going on: #0 you'd better eumoe in; and if you're tired, what's to perwent you from going up and having a atretch on the bed in Chiffin’s room ?” “5 So I will,” answered Tony. “ And mind, if any- bodly comes to inquire arter me, I. ain’t wisible not to mo one, except Chiffin his-self.” « All right,” growled the potman, as he olosed the front-door of the boosing-ken again. “I s’pose you and the Cennibal bas been doing @ bit of busi Tossy wee at firet inclined to throw himself down an the bed to rest: for he was thoroughly wearied and exhausted, as much by the excitement of his gind as by the many hours he had been wandering | about. BBut he felt so uncasy and troubled that he Eee Billy Goat were early risers, and that by this time the murder must be discovered: every moment was therefore precioas——and he ought already to be many miles away from London. It was no use for him to wait there unless confident that the Cannibal would make his appearance. But. how opuld he know this? As he asked bimeelf the question, the thought struck him that if Chiffin had left anything at this boosing-ken, it might be regarded as a proof that he really meant to return. So Tony began looking about the room. There was a cupboard, which was locked; and this he had a great mind to break open. “ It wouldn’t be fastened,” he thought to himself, “if it hadn’t summut in it worth taking; and-if so, I may as well belp myself, no matter whether the contents is Chiffin’s or belongs to the people of the house. I must be off soon; and I can’t go with only a few shillings in my pocket.” Without any farther hesitation, Tony Wilkins drew forth his little crowbar and began to operate on the oupboard-door. In a very few moments it was opened; and he perceived a peir of pistols, two or three shirte, and a bunch of skeleton-keys, which he knew belonged to the Cannibal. He wondered that Chiffin should have taken the precaution to lock ‘up these things of such trifling value; aud he instituted a more rigorous search in the cupboard. There was a heavy pair of boots lying at the bottom, and which he likewise knew to be Chiffin’s. He took up one of them to see whether they were in a better condition than his own—in which case he would self-appropriate them-—-when he felt some- thing inside. He drew it out: it wasa brown papor parcel, tied round with string, and likewise secured with sealing-wax. The words, “ Powder and bullete,” were scrawled on the wrapper in Chiffin’s own hand. Tony Wilkins proceeded to open the percel,—when, to his mingled amasement and joy, he discovered that it contained an immense quantity of bank- notes, with perhaps about a hundred pounds in gold. The coins were so rolled up into different packets as to make the parcel feel, ere it was upened, as if it really did contain a quantity of pistol-bullets. All the murderee’s remorse vanished in a moment: he had suddenly lightened upon a treasure! A hasty computation showed him that the booty amounted to at least six or seven hundred pounds; and he wae almost wild with delight. Securing the treasure about his person, and liko- wise self-appropriating the pair of pistols, Tony Wilkins descended from the chamber as gently as possible, and slipped out of the house, unnoticed by the potman, who was taking another nap on the mattrass where he slept in the tap-room. Bat just as he emerged into the narrow strovt, or alley, he beheld Chiffin hurrying towards the place. “TJ thought FE should find you here,” said the Cannibal, who seemed in a most wretched plizht,— and exhausted—his clothes soiled with : | mud and bearing the indications of a recent drench- ing—his whole appearance, indeed, most suspiciously strange. ‘“ Oume in,” he added gruffly: “ we can’t stand speaking in the street:—and he knocked peremptorily at the door, which Wilks had closed behind him. | Ina few moments the summons was answered by the potman; but at the very instant tbat. Chiffin > een eters ~oe ee (COL (C DOO CS (COL