The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

=. = Oo __ - THE MYSTERIES. Zi} would not-let it be buried,” added young Melmoth, speaking in the lowest possible tome to his little srother and sister, while the tears ran down his ema- ciated countenance. The boy and girl to whom he made that commnu- nication, wept likewiee, although they were too young to understand it altogether; and thus the poor children mingled their tears and their sobs with as much feeeling as conid possibly be experienced by the offspring of a Duke and Duchess. Meantime the workhonse doctor and Mr. Thurston had entered the room where Melmoth was lying. The invalid had slept for a few hours since the surgeon was with him in the morning; and he had awakened considerably refreshed. This assurance he now gave, when asked in the usual manner how he felt. “And your mind, ry good fellow—your mind !” said the workhouse surgeon, stooping down and whis- pering in Melmeth’s ear. “ You need not be afraid to speak in the presence of that gentleman who has accompanied me: he is an intimate friend—a brother ha] “Come to see us pauper patients out of curiosity, I interrupted Melmoth, somewhat sternly, “Ts it not sof” “The interest which a medical practitioner takes in cases properly belonging to the sphere of his own profession, cannot be looked upon as a mere idle curiosity,” said the surgeon. “Well, sir—I think you are right there,” observed Melmoth, after a few moments’ reflection. “ But you have not mentioned to him anything of those wild vagaries which I poured into your ears this morning, I hope” added the invalid, in a whisper so Jow and timid that it was scarcely audible. “ Do you think I would betray your confidence ?* asked the surgeon, with the well-assumed air of sin- cerity unjustly suspected. “Brut my friend will consider it strange that I should continue thus to talk to you in whispers. This poor man,” he ex- claimed aloud, turning at the same time towards Thurston, “is a patient in whom I take great in- terest,’’ “Indeed!” observed the May Fair practitioner. “Is there anything peculiar in his case?” he in- quired, with the tone and manner of one who had received no previous information on the subject. “ Badly wounded—in numerous placte—wonder- fal how he escaped with bis life,” responded the workhouse “ How were the wounds caused asked Thurston, “The poor man was passing through a field where some cockneys were shooting,” replied the surgeon ; “and he received in his own body the contents of the fowling-pieces of those awkward sportsmen.” “Small shot, I suppose?” said Thurston, inquir- ingly. “ Egad! they were such shot as you would not like to penetrate your skin, my dear friend,” ex- claimed the workhouse surgeon: “nor would you atyle them amall, I think. In fact, two slugs had lodged in the calf of the right leg of the poor fellow —and a crooked nail was sticking in the Jeft——" “ But surely sportsmen do not use such materiais ”” cried Thurston. “I know nothing abont it,” responded the work- house surgeon. “I never was out shooting in my life—and never wish togo. Duck-shot and swan- shot are like cabalistic characters to me;—and I should not even have known that the things which I extracted were called slugs, had not a pauper- invalid in the next room told meso. But here they are.” And the medical gentleman produced them from his pocket. “yj beg your pardon,” gasped Metmoth, on whom a violent agitation had been rapidly stealing during the colloquy just recorded ;—-“ brit really, gentlemen —this discourse of yours——" “Calm yourself, my good friend,” said the work- howee surgeon: “we did not mean to distress you. Indeed, we could not possibly conceive that our 20- marks were calculated to annoy you.” “This is ex ——- most murmured Mr. Thurston, as he inspected the slugs. which his friend had put into his hand. “ixtraordinary indeed!” echoed the latter, bat: now likewise speaking in a subdued tone. “ And you will agree with me that the whole case is more extraordinary still, when I assure you that the poer wretch has reecived not less than thirty we and yet he eseaped with his lifet’’ Thurston : * yee~—mat- ut, gracious Ged f” he sal- “ Extraordinary!” vellous—miraculous ! denly exclaimed aloud, unable to control the feelings. with which he was all in a moment inspired by the idea that now struck him. “What—what do you mean?” gasped forth Mel- moth, raising himeelf up to a sitting posture with the sudden strength of a poiguant eonvaision. The two medical men simukanecously flung their looks upon him; and they aetually recoiled from the gbastly horror which was depicted wpon hig coun- tenance “ Heavens! what ails you f” cried the workhouse surgeon ; for having neither caught ner understecd the suspicion which had just flashed to the mind of Thurston, he could conceive no other reason fer Melmoth's sudden excitemem and dreadfal aspect than that the unfortunate man was passing rapidly into a wild phase of insanity. “ What ails him f” repeated Thurston, shuddering all over: “do you ask what ails him? Thirty wounds in different parts of his body—missiles of different descriptions extracted from his flesh-—— Ah! the reading of the mystery is no longer diff- cult—and we have before us the moneter in human shape-———"” “O God! have mercy upon me!” groaned Mel- moth, sinking back upon his bolster. “For heaven’s sake explain yourself!” cried the workhouse surgeon, clutching Thureton violently by the arm. “ You have raised my curiosity te an m- tolerable pitch—--——" “Is it possible that you never tead the news- papers ?” interrupted the May Fair practitioner, his countenance expressing & horror ehndét as in~ tense as that of the wretohed man who Jay gasping convulsively in the miserablé pdllet. *Kaow you not,” continued Thurston, drawing his friend for- cibly aside, “that for some time past e fiend ia human shape has been rifling the laat homes of the “Holy God! yes—I remember sow that I have both heard and read of atrocities,” inter- rupted the workhouse a deadly pallor overspreading his features: “ bat "t loeked uper them as immense exaggerations —if not. as doWm right inventions...” eS oo ep (COU e@e bed wo (C DOO (CO