The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. 47 Such was the scene revealed to the eyes of the | for the scene of death which he had Just witnessed, commercial traveller by means of a candle dimly | and to the contemplation whereof he had been xo burning and with a wick so long that it appeared as f it had mot heen snuffed for hours. A gleam of Jey shot athwart the wan and ghastly eountenance | likewise of the invalid as a humen being thus burst upon his frightfal loneliness: and Page's immediate impulse was to pour water into a cup and hold it to the parched lipe of the sufferer. But the man could not raise himself even a single inch te partake of the beverage, ardently longed for tlio gh it were; aad the commercial traveller was forced to lift and eustain him while he poured the water down his éhroat. The cup was emptisd—and as the invalid fll back in the sorry, sordid couch, his hollew cya were raised with an expression of indeseribable gratitude tewarda Page's countenance. “ What more can I de for you, my good man ?” esked the commercial traveller, in a mild and en- coureging tone. “You seem to be very, very Hi— end slone—-” “ Yea—yes—all alone—alone [° marmered the in- vaild, knitting his brows in a manner indicative af mingled rage and despair. “The ungrateful gizl —— Julia—— to desert her own father-——Jeave me ¢or hours ——-yes, hours-——"* “Then you are hungry ?—you require food—and you are unable to rise from your bed to take it?” exclaimed Page. “Ab! I understand, peor man— bat I will get you food.” “Stay, cir—etay !” said the fnvglid, as the com- gnercial traveller was turning towards the cupboard to fetch a morsel of bread to place between the fa- apished being’s lipe: “stay, sir,” he repeated, his voice acquiring strength, now that his throat was no longer parched with a torturing thirst,—“I do nat gequire food—I could not eat—I—I am dying [” “J will run and feteh hither a doctor!” exclaimed the bustling and agile Page, now springing towards the door. “No—no—eay, I implore you!” said the invalid, én an appealing tone. “I am past all hope—beyond the influence of human sid—I feel that I am dying! And when I am gone—but I mus? not waste words —my voice is failing me—a dimness is coming over my cyee—where are you, sirt—why hsve you put out the light f” And the workings ef the invalid’s ghastly coun- le to behold ! —give me your injuncti * Stoop down—place your ear close to my lips,” cesumed the dying man, now speaking with extreme difficulty: “are you close?” “ Yee—yea—proceed |” exclaimed the commercial traveller, breathless with suspense. don Ami with a deep groas, he expired. At the sane instant, as if with an ominous emble- anatic significancy, the candle sank down in its soeket and was extingui euddenly and unexpectedly impelled by circum- total darkness; and the state of excitement in whish Page had been kept for many, many hours, new underwent a rapid and fearful reaction. Grasping, however, the pocket-book which he had taken from beneath the old man’s pillow, he hastened precipitately down the stairs,—his almost frantie speed accelerated by the horrible thought that some- body or something was pursuing him, and that the cold hand of a corpse would suddenly be laid upon © his shoulder or wonld cluteh the skirts of his coat: locality was evidently a low and disreputable neigh- bourhood. Fof an instant his eyes lingered on the two houses of which he had seen the interior: namely, ights upper windows of the latter; and Page thought within f, * The miscreants in those chambers little suspect that their accursed cell is now empty f° Away he sped from the court, the name of which he vainly endeavoured fo decypher beneath the entrance archway where it was painted ;—and thence he emerged into a long, narrow, and unpaved street, the aspect of whose houses confirmed him in his opinion that he was in same low neighbourhood. On he went at random,in the hope of finding a hackney: eoach stand, and not choosing to ask where he was of the few stragglera whom he met, for fear of exciting immediate extinguished. a few minutes Page found himself’ in A panic-terror seized upon the commercial traveller; | vicinity of a dock, which he knew to bo in the dis- a SS a SS SSS SS soe CO NOOO) ©) COLT