The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

Mobbe, with a savage exxphasis: fer he unflesstood | all the thoughts that had just teavereed her mind. “And you need not fincy that you cam baffle ne——” “Oh! no—no—FI deo not entertain such an idea,” said the wretched woman, now percerving that it was too late to assume the air of innocenes and the | tone of bravado. “I am at your meroy—snd you can deal with me as you choose.” “ Phat’s talking more sensible,” observed Mobbe * And now, ma’am,” he said, abyuptly rising from his seat, “you'll be so kind as to show me where you’ve deposited the dead body of my poor friend.” “Ah! you wish to rain me—yeu mesa te expose me!’ cried the miserable Mra Brace, an ice-chill striking to her very heart’s core. “ My God! my God!” she exelaimed in a frensied tone, and pressing both her hands to her throbbing brows: “ what will become of me?” “You will ruin snd expose yourself if you go on in this manner,” said Mobbs, bratally. “Do you want to alarm the whole housef [J tell you that I will befriend you if you do as I dictate: bat if not——..’? “My God! I will not irritate you any more—I will be obedient—passive—docile,’ murmured the unhappy woman, her teeth chattering with the in- tense chill of the tremor that was upon her, although the atmosphere of the room was agreeably warm. “What do you require, Mr. Mobbs?—speak— I am at your orders.” “ft is now half-past eleven o’olock,” said the man, glancing towards the time-piece on the mantel ; “ and I suppose ail your people are pretiy well in bed or so6n will be. It won't therefore be eausing any sus- picion if you'll jam quietly take a candle m your hand and show me where my poor friend’s body is hid. I don’t want to know for any reason preju- dicial to you—but merely for satisfaction’s sake.” “ And you will not use the evidence against me ?f— you will not destroy mef” asked Mrs. Brace, still shuddering visibly. “If I wanted to do you a mischief, I have suff- cient grounds on which to act as matters now stand,” replied Mobbs; “and if I had meant it from the very first, I should have arrested you at once. Now do you understand f—and will you be satisfied t” “ Yes—yoe—FE am satisfied,” said the miserable woman. “Then make baste—take the candle—and do as [ bid you,” returned Mobba. “ But if any of my servants should be below?” said Mrs. Brace, in nervous alarm. * Ah! it’s below, is it?” muttered Mobbe. “ Well,” he exclaimed, “go and get your people out of the way—and I'll take a drop more brandy during your absence.” This permission to quit his company and go about as she liked, unwatched and unattended, did more in a single imstant to revive Mrs Brace’s courage and inspire her with confidence, than all the man’s oaths, promises, and protestations of secrecy, silence, and friendship, could have done in an hour. A gleam of animation even came back to her countenance end a faint smile appeared upon her Hpe—so immense was the relief she thus suddenly experienced. Issuing from the partour, she degcended to the servants’ hall, where she found Frederick Dray and Harriet in earnest conversation together—the ether domestics having retired to rest, Fe oe The handsome footmanm and the pretty lady's- ‘maid were evkiently in a state of much eneasiness ‘and alarm; and they were wondering togethet what could possibly keep Mr. Mobbs so long with their mistress, when this lady herself entered the servants’ hall. “@O madam’ exelaimed Harriet, running to- wards her: “we ave so terribly frightened? What does he want ?—and is he gone ” “No--he is not gone,” hastily responded Mra. ‘Beace: “but you have nothing to fear.” “God be thanked’ murmared Harriet, almost fainting with the sudden rebound that her hears gave when thus released from the appalling sus- pense that had previously held every chord tight- ened fo the extvensest tension. “No~you have nothing to feas,” resemed the milliner, in the same quick and excited tone as before; “~ nevertheless, he knewe all — every- thing —.” “ Perdition” ejacuinted Frederick Dray. “O God! murmared Hasmict, now sinking help- lessly apon a ehair. “Yes—he knows everything,” continued Mrs. Brace: “but he will not betray us—he will acoept a bribe—he will befriend us—and he insists upon my showing him the spot where the body is buried.” “Ah! then he means treachery of some kind— either for now or hereafter,” said Frederick Dray : “bet I will forestall him,” he added, his countee nance saddeniy expressing a terribie resolution. “What mean you, my good fellow ?” demanded Mrs. Brace, in a whispering tone: but the sinister light which all on a sudden flemed up in her eyes,. the ominous eontoaction of her brow, and the nervous trepidation which shook her entire form, showed plainly enougis that she already understood Fredeviok Dray full well. “You know what.| mean, ma’am,” he said, his voice becoming low and thiek: and having glanced. towards Harriet to assure himself that she did not overhear what was now passiag, he fixed his eyes with a bold intelligence upon the countenance of his mistress. “Yes—.I de understand you, Frederick,” she murmured. ~ But, my God l—is it necessary—this additional crime-——.” * lo te ” snsweved Dray. “Bring the villain down into the back kitehean—teli him whas tale you will—aad as he returwne——mind, as he ro- turns, I say———I shel spring upon him from the pantry. Bat you must hasten back to him for feas he should suspect a plant—and in the mean- time I will get that gisl up to her own room,” he added, pointing to Harriet, who was sittiog, or rather lying back half-feinting in an arm-chair. . “ Bo it all as you say, Frederiek,” observed Mra. Brace: and she tumed hastily away in order to avobé meeting his looks once more—for it seemed as if there were murder in them! | But during the minute che took to retrace her way te the parlour, Mrs. Brace appeared to obtain a wonderful familiarity with erime, as if by the sudden inspiration of Satan ;—ead ceasing almost instantaneously to look with horror upon anothes murder, she was 106 to itas a neces. sity, and then to rejoice at the idea as a means of ensurtog hee safety in fature. In this last-mentioned state of mind was it that (CO (C DOO (CO