The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 214: what you’re looking at

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reg by TTB MYSTERIES. throwme himeelf on a seat, he gave way to an equally | | hearty burat ot merriment Slowly and demurely did the minister of Salem Chapel rise from the carpet; and when he had | Gained his legs, his body swayed backward and for- | ward for several moments before he could even steady himself by leaning on the back of his chair. First he gazed in a dull and vacant manner at Mea- ' gles—then his eyes settled ina similarly meaningless | fashion upon Lady Letitia Lade;—and then he | burst out into a horse-laugh as the best means of | Covering his confusion. | “‘ Come—resume your seat, reverend sir,” said the Amazon, with a good-humoured smiles “and we | shall be very excellent friends so long as you don't | attempt to make love to me. Remember,” she added i; archly, “I am @ carnal creature—a woman of Ba- | byfon—and you must not render me worse.” Mr. Sneaksby looked particularly foolish—the more so because he was particularly drunk: buat, | cheered by. the good-natured manner in which Mea- gles now pressed him to wind up with a glass of whis- key-anc-water, he accepted the invitation and poured the steaining punch down his throat as if it were anything rather than alcohol. Presently an oath slipped from his tongue—then his conversation grew slightly loose and indecorous —and, having vociferated a bacchanalian song by way of concluding the evening’s entertamment, he staggered off to bed, with the emphatic declaration that “he'd be damned if he wouldy’t denounce that infernal drunken scoundrel Paxwax next Sunday, from the pulpit of Salem Chapel.” CHAPTEB LVII. THE OLD BAILBY. Az nine o'clock on the morning following the in- sidents just related, Martin and Ramsey were ushered by Soper into the dock of the criminal tribunal in the Old Bailey. ° The weather was fine and frosty—and the sun- Deams, ilJuminating the crisp fresh alr, penetrated into the Court, as if by playing on the countenances of the accused they could dimisish the ghastliness of their aspect. The Grand Jury had already returned true bills of indictment against the prisoners: the petty fary had been sworn and were located in their box; —the Recorder was seated behind his little desk upon the bench, at one end of which a couple of Aldermen were lounging idly and conversing upon the grand entertainment given by the Lord Mayor on the previous day ;—and the barristers were un- tying their bundles of briefs (sham ones in many | instances) on the table around which they were placed. The gallery and the body of the hall were crowded: for the circumstances connected with the case had produced a deep sensation — and many elegantly-dressed ladies were present to hear the proceedinys. The two persons chiefly interested in the trial that was about to ensue, were care-worn, woe-be- gone, and overwhelmed with confusion. The train of thoughts that swept through their minds as they took their stand in the fatal dock, recalled to their | remembrance the happy days of innocence which o @e were gone, never to be renewad; and, now that it was too late, bitterly—bitterly did they curse the folly —the insanity—the madaess which had hurried them into those ways of crime whence there was no retreating |! The usher proclaimed silence in the Court— the withesses were ordered to withdraw—and the pri- soners were called upon to plead. To this demand Martin responded, “Not guilty,” in a faint and scarcely audible tone: but Ramsey, summaging all his courage to his aid by a desperate effort gave the same reply in a firmer and louder voice. The counsel for the prosecution then rose and addressed the jury. He began by explaining that there were two separate indictments agaiust the prisoners at the bar. The first charged them with forging certain powers of attorney, and with passing spyrious coin into the circulation of this realm: the second ac- cused them of conspiring to kidnap, carry off, and keep in confinement Sir Bichard Stamford, baronet. It was on the former indictment that they were now charged; and on the allegations set forth therein were they to take their trial. The learned counsel went on to state the case at considerable length: but as we shall detail the evidence adduced in support of the prosecution, it is unnecessary to give the opening speeoh. Sir Richard Stamford was first summoned to the witness-box, which he entered with the air of a man determined to perform a painfal duty: for, in the generosity of his heart, he even pitied the two wretches who had worked such deplorable and wholesale mischief against him. His appearance was the signal for a murmur of surprise and sym- pathy throughout the hall,—surprise at the great resemblance which he bore to the Prince of Wales —and sympathy on account of the misfortunes which he had endured. Martin hung down his head through shame; and Ramsey, having darted one furtive glance at the man whom he bad so deeply injured, never once looked again towards the witness-b»x du:ing the hour and a half that it was occupied by th baro. net. Sir Richard Stamford, in answer to the leading questions put by the counsel for the pro-ecution, recited most of those particulars with which the reader is already acquainted. He explained how he had first been induced to enter iato partnership with the prisonersa—the amounts he had iuvested in the bank—the trust he reposed in Martin and Ramsey—and the implicit belief which he put iu their continual statements relative tu the prosperity of the establishment. He went on to detail the Circumstances which led him a¢ last and all on a sudden to investigate the books—the shock which he experienced on discovering the Grin to be in a state of bankruptoy—and the evnversation whiok he had overheard between Ramsey and Martin ag the tavern at Aylesbury. Jn the course of that con- versation Martin explained to his ascowplice in iniquity how his visit to London had been attended with complete success, and how the forgeries had been 80 skilfully executed that he experienced not the slightest difficulty in selling aut the stock al the Bank of England. Sir Richard Stamford pro. ceeded to observe that Martin axl Ramsey, on the aame occa-iun, congratulated each other on the good provision they had made for themselves; aad LL SSS) COMICOOOKS.COM