The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

TUE MYSTERIES. cumstances, too long to be related now, have snatched me from death—restored me, indeed, to life—made mne @ passenger on board this vessel——” “ And you are Philip Ramsey?” interrupted the Magsman, lowering his voice to a whisper as he put the question. “I am—TI am,” responded the resuscitated, in a tone of mingled despair and earnest appeal. “ But do not expose me to your comrades, I conjure you! Whatever your present avocations may be—what- ever your friends may be—I beg and implore that my secret may remain inviolable: for sooner than be taunted with the damnable ordeal through which I have passed, I would rather put an end at once to my wretched existence !” And the resuscitated criminal pointed over the ship’s side to the calm water whereon it floated —ag much as to intimate that the means of self-destruc- tion lay within reach of suicidal steps. “Don't be afraid, my friend — we shan’t blab,” said the Magaman. “ But is it possible, after all, that -——you know what I mean——" * Yesa—is it possible 2?” echoed the Big Beggarman : and, as he spoke, he ventured to Jay his haud upon Rempsey’s arm to assure himself it was in truth a being of flesh and blood, and not a ghost, that thus wore the shape and semblance of the Aylesbury banker who had been executed in front of Newgate! “My God! don’t torture me with queations now,’ exclaimed Ramsey. “I am trembling from head to foot lest any of your comrades should overhear your words or notice your gestures of astonishment. Will you control yourselves?—will you cast off that air of mingled mistrust and wonder 7” “To be sure we will,” said the Magsinan, seizing Ramsey's hand and giving it a hearty shake ;—* to be sure we will—now that we're satisfied of your being what you represent yourself. But, by God! anything more extraordinary than this——” “I can’t believe it yet, ” observed the Big Beg- german, still surveying Ramsey with the most un- feigned astonishment. “ And yet, of course it is as you say——” “Besides, there's every feature the same,” added the Magsman. “ At all events you might as well give us a sign that you're really Philip Ramsey and not some brother of his’n,” exclaimed the Big Beggarman, grinning at the lucid idea which he had just pro- pounded as the most satisfactory means for the resuscitated to adopt in order to prove his own identity. “My God! you will drive me mad,” he cried, stamping his foot and clenching his hands with the fury of impaticnce. “ At one moment you believe Me—at another you are incredulous. But I am wrong—oh! I am wrong to be thus irritable,” he exclaimed, his voice sudde Itering to a tone of contrition: “for I know th is difficult for you to put faith in this marvel which has suddenly pre- sented itself to your view. Let me then remind yowef all our old transactions —the issue of the spu- rious coin —the imprisonment of Sir Richard Stam- ford in Thacker’s Court—and the attempt which you made upon my life on the river, near Execution Dock,” added Ramsey, fixing his eyes upon the countenance of the Big Beggarman. “Enough! enough!” exclaimed the latter: “I + @m convinced now. But you must tell usall about tt, sir——” 167 Gallia Qian age? « @ “Yes, yes —when we have leisure and are alone together,” interrupted Ramsey. “ And now let me beseech you once more to retain my secret --—” “It wouldn’t do us no good to reveal it,” ob- served the Big Beggarman. “Besides, we're too glad to fall in with an old employer, and under such peculiar circumstances, to think of doing you a mischief.” “ Besides, we can all row in the same boat under the death's-head and cross-bones,” said the Mags- man, in allusion to the flag adopted by pirates. “ And now, sir, by what name are we to know you in future ?” “ Gustavus Wakeficld,” was the response. “Then come on board the Royal George brig, Mr. Wakefield,” said the Magaman; “and there we'll make you as comfortable as possible.” The resuscitated criminal accordingly prepared to follow Joe Warren from the schooner’s deck : but, suddenly bethinking himself of certain objects which he had left in his cabin, he hurried down to take possession of thém. Those objects, which consisted of money and important documents, he speedily secured about his person; and with his portmanteau thrown over his shoulder, he pro- ceeded on board the Royal George. To this same pirate-ship was the cargo of the Fire- Fly speedily transferred by the buccaneers; and, a3 foo) as this task was accomplished, a large hole wes bered in the bottom of the gallant schooner, which was left to sink as speedily as it might. Away bore the Royal George,—away on its voy- age towards the American coast; and in the course of that day did the Magsman and the Beggarman find time to pass an hour alone with Ramsey. Then from the moutkgof this unhappy being did they hear the wondrous tale of his resuscitation ; and thcy were about to explain, in their turn, the incidents which had hurried them on into the avo- cation of freebooters, when Watkins, the individual who acted as captain of the Reyal George, rushed into the cabin to inform them that a British man- of-war had just been descried in the distance. It was verging towards sunset when this an- nouncement was made; and ina few minutes the report of a cannon booming over the bosom of the Atlantic, conveyed the unmistakable command for the Royal George to hoist her colours. Accordingly up went the British flag to the mast-head of the brig: but a second cannon from the man-of-war bore across the waters the signal for the brig to heave to and wait until the ship should come up with her. This was an intimation which the pirates were by no means disposed to obey, inasmuch as it showed that tha.frigate—for such was the British man-of-war now in sight—entertained some sus- picion or misgiving with respect to the Royal George. A speedy council of war was therefore held; and it was resolved that the pirate-brig should disobey the signal of the king’s ship, and trust to the coming darkness to escape the pursuit which was certain to be instituted. The Royal George accordingly crowded all her canvass upon mast and spar; and away— away she sped with surprising velocity, over the waters the hues of which were deepening in proportion as the sun sank lower into the west. A third cannon was fired on board the frigate: but the brig heeded it not ,—and the last beams of the orb of day, ere it sank into the bosom of the occidental waves eee OG (CO (C DOO (CO