The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 57: what you’re looking at

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43 THE MYSTERIES, ‘gruel when once we came to a good understanding together.” “You seem to be thirsty—your lips are dry— your tongue is parched,” said Mra, Brace, who had thas far abandoned herself to the odious toyings of the constable because it suited her purpose to ap- pear thus docile, calm, and resigned. “Well, I am athirst,” be responded, rolling his feverish tongue over his cracking lips. “T have wine, spirits, and liqueurs in that cup- board,” said the milliner, gently disengaging heraeclf from his arms and re-arranging the: corsage of her ress. “You're exceedin’ kind, my dear’ obeerved Grumley, fixing upon her his looka:af the grossest, most brutal lasciviousnesa, “Suppose- you give me a little wine-and-water fust, to squeucir this terrible thirst ;—and then I'll take a sip of what d’ye call them last things you spoke of-———” “ Liqueurs,” responded the milliner, whose man- ner was glacial and passioniess as her tone was cold and meaningless. “ Here areouracoa, noyau, golden. water, aud Dantzic brandy.” “ Well,.my- deaz, I leave it all to you to choose me: a phameof the beat:of them stuffs,” returned the comp statie; “for I can’t say as how I ever tasted any of them. Soa-let us have the wine-and-water famte— the velint-diye-ealliit next—and then to bed! im m jifley. Mim, Brace opened the onpboard and spessiily mixed atambler of sherry. aad’ weapes tet ne she lunndéed.to theconstabie. She tiearat the cupbeard,. where she remaineds faa manaiby fe minates,and, on ascosting Gaumilégyagpeiis, shu: leit in her: hand a small gieam filiesli with- noyse,, dite almaml-flavour uf which wae: diffied through tite chamber. “Hipw Heassifal: thes amellad”’ exclaimed’ Mr: Guuniey,asing: upesme taltits the pavenearrade~weed he hadidsnisediiand wastvinggt iteliqy : ‘ the soillinesié:piaup- witite lined. chair ere he rolled a heavy curpse upon the care pet! For nearly a minute did Mrs. Brace stand gazing upon the body of that man whom she had thus sacrificed to her feelings of abhorrence in respect to the present and of terror with regard to the fature: for it. was notso much to escape his loath- some embraces of this night that she had murdered him, as to save herself from becoming his vietim at every hoor and at every moment when it might suit his phantasy and: please his lustful inclinations thereafter. Yes—for nearly a minute did she. gaze upon the form which was so lately endowed witharobust and vigorous health, and which now lay lide a mere bundie ofdathes at her feet. Mo--not exastly like anyptingerlittic calculated to-inapire emotions of terror:.faerthe ghastly countenamos of death— was it not thes ? Oh! year—-aad now an awful consternation began to grow upow the wretoled woman—and the-closk of St. Jameats-Church amddenly struck:one; aa‘ if to remind her wit that. solemn sound and aft that solemn hour;, tet: alle 1eme alone in her chamber with the cores of her murdinad victim ! ‘Dhen—oh! then—how bitterly, deeply; profoundly perpetrated, Gid she repenteofftite act which she had —net s0 mueth om acconntof the enopmitgy of thes orsine itealf, bak Mesause it appeared. te. havesastly denly. raiesdiuppir her path a thousand emtleecasm- mentsoff a magnitude which: she could noises angy ppeeiltility,of surmounting! O8! better,, bettencfler would it have been, she now. thought, teo aanemadbar Hesssif to the loathsome embracse-ef tite: wentebiy, alk epemineur every chance aid every rkoff linvéiage tac pasetitute-herself to him in the same wagy witeuwerr it altamid suit his caprice and his famnyy ftisr tiies fusume! Yes—better were it to have: Hecons:titey slavercffitis beastly lusts and the victim ofhimodidass a} passtiets altogether, rather than: to haves takem the ome tremendous step which conld nos: bes- reealled, “Nvuyau alwage has the peefhece of: alinsada’ an: which.in a mement as it:were placed lrer within she observed; and: iter lips; witielt were: nas aalty| view of the blacls and‘ looning-seafiold4 white, quivered alightiy, “Youur health, my lovey’ sabiithe coustable, raising his eyes aud the glass atuifeeametime. “ Come— you may begin to undreasryourself,” he added with coarse jocularity. “I am your slave for this nght, according to agreement,” returned the milliner, taking off her coquettish French cap. “You look handsomer tian ever,” exclaimed the constable. “Once more, my ‘ov, . here's to your bealth.”° And Peter Grumley tossed the. noyau down his eapacious tiroat. Bat during the instant that ciapsed’ witile liis eountenance was thus upturned and tite glass was at hie lips, he caught a glimpse of the features of Mra. Brace—and it strack him that an expression of fiendish malignity and diabolical triunph had suddenly spruog up thereon. This thought was asrapid as the lightning is vivid; and it was the last which over flashed through the brair of the Bow Street Officer ! For even as the liqueur was gliding with its lus- clons smvothness aud vily richuess duwn his throat, the: giase. fell frum bias hand —a strung spasm ahct. through. lis. wiwie. frame—and life. was al- ready extivat.as, Le tuppledfur a momens on. his “ee Suchzwerszhertefibatians—but; great heaven ! how useless now! For there—at her feet—on the tarpet of her own bed-chamber, lay the corpse of the mur- dered man! For an instant she thought of committing suicide : but her soul sickened at the idea of self-destruction! And yet the means were ready at hand—for there was atill Jeft a large dose of Pruasic acid in that phial whence she had poured a féw drops into the filtal: glass of noyaa! Yes—the meaus were ready: the inclination even prompted ;—but the courage was wanting to complete ail’ the elements: necessary, for the appalling tragedy of ‘suicide !' Aud yet what was to be dbnef? Tle corpsewas there—and it must be disposad'of But’where could it be concealed?—where buried? And’ was Mra. Brace able to adbpt any decisive step without as, sistance? No—it wasimpossible ;—and the wretched woman,. seating herself‘'upon a chair, covered her fice.with her hands and gave way to: all the bitter- nese of her. harrowing reffections. Alene with a corpse !—this was the appalling con- viction that was uppermost in. her mind. Ina few minutes she felt a cold shudder-—a glacial tremon— stealing over her;—and it struck ber disordered fducy that some. terrible phantom. had risen slowly mi noiselessly up lafire her amd was gazing up0e ee ny eee (COU (C DOO (CO