The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 251: what you’re looking at

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

- ——— ce ESS 2A0 "He MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. a Eee ‘‘ Now tell me candidly,” said Lady Bees, looking , at the time. I was then three or four-and-twenty— the man very hard in the face: “do you know who that alleged lunatic whom I rescued from captivity, really is?” “Well, ma’am, to speak the truth, I do.” ‘And the other servants?” asked Lady Bees. “They don’t know as positive as I: but they have a very shrewd notion.” “ Of course—that he is the late Lord’s son—the present Lord’s nephew—and therefore by rights the true Lord Everton ?” ““That is it, ma’am,” responded Barclay. “I may observe that Bellamy and Mrs. Martin used to take care that there was as little communication as possible between the prisoner and the servants generally, myself excepted. But we were all for- bidden to gossip, on pain of dismissal; and as wo were uncommon handsomely paid, it answered our purpose well enough to hold oar tongues.” “ But still you must be aware that in the village of Hornsey there are some strange rumours afloat relative to that alleged lunatic? When I deter- mined the other day to effect an entry into the house at night, I went and made inquiries in the neigh- bourhood concerning the establishment: for indeed, in the first instance, I was altugether unacquainted with every particular regarding it. It was a note which Miss Leyden shot from the window and which accidentally fell into my hand, that made me resolve to espouse her cause; and the preliminary steps were naturally to ascertain as much as I could rela- tive to the house iteelf and the people in it. I was told in the village that it was a licensed lunatic asylum, but that it was generally supposed there was but one lunatic within the walls, around whom a strange mystery hung, rumour declaring that he was the rightful Lord Everton.” ““I myself was often questioned by the people in Hornsey upon the same point,” answered Theodore Barclay : “ but I used to tell them that these rumours had only got abroad from the fact that the poor lunatic believed himself to be Lord Everton’s nephew, and that he had said as much to some of the servants, who whispered the thing about.” “ Well, be this as it may,” continued Lady Bese: ‘you of course have all along known that the al- leged lunatic spoke the truth. How was it that you never thought of helping him to escape in the hope that if he recovered his rights you would be well re- warded 7” “To speak the truth,” answered Barclay, “be- cause I saw that the thing was so surrounded with difficulties I might have got myself out of a good situation in running after a shadow. ‘You see, ma’am, the death of Adolphus Everton when twelve years old was generally believod: a funeral took place, and a coffin represented to contain the de- ceased was buried in the family vault. Moreover, the present Lord Everton slipped as easy and com- fortable as possible into the enjoyment of the title and estates; and ao, all these things considered, I never thought it worth my while to meddle any far- ther in the matter.” —s, “‘ Besides which,” added Lady Bess significantly, “you had already meddled a Kittle too much, per- haps: for I am no stranger to the part you played jn helping to carry him off in the middle of the night. {{ow long ago was that ?” quite a raw young man up from the country— totally inexperienced in life, and anxious only to make money. This I saw I could do in Lord Ever- ton’s service.” “‘And you have doubtlees done so. But now, if in any way you can help me in putting this injured young man in possession of his rights, you shall be well and handsomely rewarded.” “To tell the truth,” observed Barclay, after a pause, during which he seemed to reflect pro- foundly, “there és something which I might throw a light upon if I chose. I threw out the hint jast now——”’ “TI did not understand it,” responded Lady Beas. “It was when I spoke of the interment affair. I was in that business; though as I have just said, quite a raw green chap. But how can you show me that it will be better worth my while to turn right round against the old man than to stick to him ?” “It will be better worth your while,” replied Lady Bees, “because it is inevitable that the old man, as you call him, will be stripped of both title and estate, and the young one will be put in possession of them. The old man therefore will be deprived of the means of rewarding those who uselessly adhere to his desperate fortunes; whereas, on the other hand, the “young man will shortly be enabled to reward handsomely those who are now instrumental in forwarding his views.” “I understand,” observed Theodore Barclay; “and as you, ma'am, seem to have a:p con- siderable finger in this pie, it will be to you that I shall trust for a handsome reward.” “ Be it ao: and now proceed. What have you to tell P” “Tf could only manage to find out a fellow by the name of Bob Shakerly——” “What! he who was once a resurrection man f” exclaimed Lady Bess: for she had happened to hear the individual spoken of on one of those occasions which had thrown her in contact with the gang frequenting Solomon Patch’s house in Agar Town. “The very same. Is he alive? do you know any- thing about him?’ asked Theodore eagerly. “T can find out where he is: I know that he is alive—or at least was, a few months ago. But what of him P”’ Theodore Barclay bent a very mysterious look upon Lady Bess; and leaning forward, said in am equally mysterious tone of voice, “It was Bob Shakerly, ma’am, the resurrectionist, who supplied a dead body that was off as the corpse of the Hon. Master Adolphus, and was buried with all due honours.” “ Indeed! this is highly important,” exclaimed Lady Bess. “You have given me information of the most vital consequence, and you shall be amply rewarded. But you say that you were mixed up in that business ?”’ “T helped to convey the dead body into the house at Everton Park. Mr. Everton that then wae— the Lord Everton that now is—fetched me up from a little estate he had a good way off down in the country, on purpose to help in that job; and I also was one that assisted to carry off Master Adol. phus. So, in plain terms, you see, ma’am, I wag too deeply implicated in the whole affair not “ Ié was sixteen years ago: so he was quite a boy | be interested in keeping it as quiet as possible.” ECOMMIC OOOkKS. Eon