The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

LT ee ee ees ee ee eee eee a a a a a SG p< a I I SIT aT A a a Do $10 tionary, pointing with his staff in the direction in- dicated by his words. Awsy sped the orphan into the establishment; and addressing herself to one of the numerous clerks whom she saw in the room that she thus entered, she put a few inquiries in a rapid and almost meoherent manner—for she was convulsed with an inward grief to which she dared not give vent, but which it cost her the most painful efforts to control. By the in- dividual whom she thus accosted, Camilla was re- ferred to another clerk; and from the lips of this Jatter official she learned that certain stock standmg in a certain name had been sold out within the last half-hour. The book was shown her—her name, as it appeared in the Bank certificate, had been signed by the female who personated her—and that female could have been none other than the treacherous woman who had treated her with such a show of hospitality and friendship. For a few moments a palsy of the heart and brain seized upon the wretched girl—and a mortal shiver- ing assailed her. Her limba gave way beneath her— and she clung to the counter for support. 7A has been committed, then?” said the clerk : and the words, which he repeated for the third time, fell upon her ears and recalled her to her sennen “ A forgery—yes—and I am ruined!” she gasped painfully : then, as a sudden idea strirck her, she fled precipitately from the room. But the clerk hurried after her—and, overtaking the wretched girl as she was speeding through the conrt- yard, “he ssid, “I beg your patdon, Miss—but so ecrious an affair must be looked into immediately.” “TY am going somewhere for that purpose,” replied the orphan, in a rapid and excited tone. *You will return, then—you will assist the officers of justice, if necessary, in adopting the proper pre- ceedings———” “‘Yee—yes—I will return,” exclaimed Camilla, the dread of seemg a last hope destroyed now ren- dering her even angrily impatient and petulant. And, breaking abruptty away from the clerk, she sped forth from the Banx of England. A hackney-coech was passing at the time: she it—entered the vehicle—and ordered the driver to take her to Westmimster and set her down in the immediate vicinity ef the Abbey. The ride, instead of serving as an interval for her to regain her composure, only tended to merease the excitement under which she lapoured. For her im- patience became agonizing: she longed to repair te the house where she had slept, in the hope ef en- comuntermg the woman, and either by threats or en- treaties inducing her to surrender a part, if not the whole, of the amount which she hed recerved at the Bank. But the coach was drawn by two miserable hacks which crept along at a snail's pace; and, to add to her vexafion, Cheapside was thronged with vehicles. Thus was her progress impeded—and all the witile her own ideas travelled with the speed of Por she fancied that the man and woman who, under the guise of friendship, had so ecandal- oualy plundered her, would have time te return to their abode, pack up their things, and decamp ere ehe could possibly reach the place. Her impatience therefore grew maddening: and on reaching the Abbey uhe was in such a state of exhaustion, through uot immediately alight from the vehicle THE MYSTERIES. Three times did the coachman inform her, as he stood holding the door wide open, that she had reached her desthration, — three times before she could rightly understand hrm. Then—-suddenty re- animated with courage, strength, and energy—she |: sprang forth and was darting away, when the driver |’ demanded his fare. Her reply was that she should |: return in a few moments: but her wild end excited manner rendered him suspicious—and he insisted |: upon being paid at once. Though burning with amxiety to rush onward, Camilla was compelled to yield; and the Hquidation of the cozchman’s elzim exhausted the contents of her purse. She was now penniless | Bat not pausing to reflect upon this eircurmstance, nor even heeding the driver’s question whether he was to wait for her, the armost maddened girl plunged into that mare of streets in which she knew the house where she had elept was situates. To find this dwelling was not however so easy a task as she had at first anticipated. For the streets in ow, ob scare and vile neighbourhoods are so much alike— and squalor, vice, and musery essimilate al) things whicn come within their fatal scope. Thus, having chased franticly ap and dewn m that labyrmth of poor habitations, Camilla was compeilea to relax her pace; and it was when, completely exhausted, ahe was dragging ne 7 along, scrutinuing every door and every house-front, that she lighted on the abode which she sought. : A gleam of joy flashed through the black and cheerless void mto which the wretehedness of = few hours had changed her heart; and she knocked hastily at the door. The summons was obeyed by a hideous-looking man on whose bald head an excrescenve or wan pro- traded with a disgusting effect, and on every jinea- ment of whose countenance crime was stamped indelibly. “ Are the peopte ef the nowse at homef” inquired Camilla tinidiy—fer her heart again emk com- | pletely within her at the appearance of ee repulsive “Who dy’e mean?” demanded the fellow, with a tone and manner that were not only brutal but even menacing. | “Imean the man and his wife who gave mea | ledging here last night,” responded the ‘young girl: | “TI do not know their names——” “Lord bless ye!” ejaculated the repulsive indi- vidual: “you'll wever hear ef tham no more | They're gene for geod, young Mise, I con you.” | And with these words, which sounded the kaell of | the orphan’s last hope, the fellow banged the deor violently in her face. | She turned away—that poor friendless girl—as if she had just heard her death-sentenee pronoanced. | Her countenance wae vo pale it seemed as if the bleod could almost be perceived in the Dhue | veins: ber tongue clave to the roof ef her month— | | al her throat was as dryas if she had swallowed ashes. Great God! what was to become of her?—whither was she to go!—where sock an esylum? Not at. Mrs. Brace's fashionable cetablishment which the vices of the aristocratic and the profligacy of the | great and titled had convertea inte « lnrerions | brothel discreetly conducted, —oh! no—nat fer worlds would she return thither! Desth—desth—' aye, even death by starvation—death in the open | CORNICE OOO ©) CO