The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

eee wa~ettae @ SUE PubveGnaans = euhetuefearswaney™ «= —»_—_—--—- THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 801 x “Oh! if it be necessary to go any distance, I would sooner give up my personal property at once,” said the Baronet, who had thus involved himself in a dilemma which he little anticipated when proposing the compromise: “or else, can I not write you a cheque upon my banker on a leaf torn out of my pock k.” ‘¢ No, no, sir—we ¢ do business in that way,” responded the Buttoner, sharply. “‘ You was the first to propose the compromise; aud therefore we'll stick to it. Now then, how is it to be?” he demanded, again appealing to his confederate on the box. “Oh! let your young woman manage it,” replied Benoull. “ Be it so,” said the Buttoner: then addressing himeelf in hasty and imperious terms to the Ba- ronet, he continued, “ Now, sir, you will give your servants orders to pay a hundred guineas to the bearer of a letter from you to that effect to-morrow morning; and you will tell them that if so be the young woman doesn’t come back with the money by one o’clock to-morrow afternoon, we shall take it for granted that there’s been foul play and that she's been took into custody: so that without more ado we shall draw a knife across your throat—do you understand, sir?” “ Yes—yes—perfectly well,” replied the Baro- net, uncommonly annoyed at the tarn the adven- ture was taking, and inwardly cursing himself for not having surrendered up his jewellery without the suggestion of a compromise. “ But you surely don’t intend to hold me as a hostage until to-mor- row afternoon ?” he said, in a tone that betrayed his vexation. “ By jingo, but we do though !” exclaimed the Buttoner. “Sono more palaver—bat give your orders to your servants, and let the carriage de- part.” “ Well, since there is no help for it, be it as you say,” observed the Baronet, with a philosophical resignation to an adventure which after all threat- ened to be more inconvenient than perilous: then addressing himself to the footman, he sald, “ James you have heard what has taken place, and you will tell the housekeeper to pay the hundred guineas to any person who shall present a letter from me to- morrow morning to.that effect. You will likewise tell Mrs. Baines that the person presenting such letter is to receive no molestation nor hindrance.” The footman promised a faithfal attention to his master’s orders: whereupon Bencnill relieved that Jacquey and the coachman from the terrors of his presence on the box and the imminence of his pis- tols;—and the instant he alighted the carriage drove rapidly away. The whole of this scene did not occupy above five minutes, the colloguy which has taken us so long to record having passed with all the haste and hurry of the accompanying excivement. And nov, while the carriage was proceeding on ite course, with the coachman and Jacquey congra- tulating themselves on their escape, the Baronet was seized upon by the three roffians and hurried into the thicket skirting that side of the road which was farthest from the Thames. Through the deep impenetrable darkness did the robbers conduct their captive, to whom it was evident, by the rapid and anhesitating pace at which they advanced, that they were perfectly familiar with the locality. Such indeed was the case: for they were pursuing a beaten pathway through the wood, and in which they were enabled to keep with precision, inas- much as the sinking of their feet on the damp ground on either side at de them aware when there was the slightes gence from that well-trodden path. For upwards of a quarter of an hour did they thus proceed at a rapid rate. No violence was offered to the Baronet: but a firm grasp was kept upon him, in order to prevent his escape. Scarcely @ word was spoken as they thus proceeded through that night of pitchy gloom; and at the expiration of the interval just named, a dim light was ob- served twinkling a little ahead. In two or three minutes the party halted suddenly at the door of what appeared to be a cottage, or hut, and whence the light had emanated. The door was opened by another ill-looking rascal, who, we may as well observe at once, was the Mushroom Faker—another of the delectable company whose acquaintance our readers have made at Jacob's Island. The Baronet was now introduced into a rude and dilapidated room, farnished with one or two benches and a couple of tables made of the rough- est materials. The entire aspect of the place was of the most wretched and cheerless description. On one table stood a bottle, a glass, a plate, and a huge knife with a buck-horn handle ; for the Mush- room Faker had only just concluded his supper at the moment when his companions arrived with their captive. “Sit down, sir,” said the Buttoner, “and make lf at home. I suppose there’s some kind of lush here,” he continued, taking up the bottle and holding it against the flame of a tallow candle with a long flaring wick. ‘“ Yes, to be sure there is :”—and filling the glass with brandy he tossed the dram down his throat. “Now, sir, pray help yourself to this here lush; and I can promise you'll find it excellent. In fact, you must make yourself as comfortable as you can, while I go and see what my young woman can do towards accommodating you for the night.” The Baronet made no reply, but threw a look of bitter annoyance round the room, and of disgust upon the Buttoner: then seating himself on a rough stool at the clumsy table, he once more én- deavoured to sooth his annoyance and resign himself to the temporary inconveniences of his vosition. The Battoner opened a small door and ascended a@ narrow staircase, which creaked and groaned be- neath his heavy tread—while Bencull, Bob the er, and the Mushroom Faker sat down at the second table and began drinking as fast and furiously as if they had never tasted strong waters before in theirlives. It was notwithstanding pretty evident that there was no lack of the alcoholic fluid in the hut, as indeed the numerous bottles which appeared on the shelves of an open cupboard satisfactorily proved. In a few minutes the Buttoner came down-stairs again; and presenting a sheet of paper, writing materials, and sealing-wax to the Baronet, he said, “Now, sir, youll please to draw up at once that there letter which is to be delivered to your house- keeper—Mrs. Baines, as I think you called her: cos why, my young woman wil] get up precious 6 GOnMGoOO SS Gon