The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

116 himself a monster of ugliness—deeply touched by both the specimens of oriental beauty which he had thus seen. “You seek me, my Sagoonah,” said Queen In- dora, as they slowly walked away from the foun- tain: “have you any thing to communicate ?’’ “ No, my lady,” answered the ayah: “but you gave me permission to join you occasionally when you were alone——” “Yes, my faithful Sagoonah,” rejoined the Queen: “because I have fancied that for the last few days you have been pensive and mournful—or that at least you have had strange fits of abstrac- tion——” “Ob, no, my lady!’ said Sagoonah, lifting her large dark eyes with an air of the most ingenuous candour towards Indora’s countenance. “I can assure you that it is not so!-—-I have already given your ladyship that same assurance !” “I am glad to hear you repeat it, Sagoonab,” remarked the Queen; “because you know that I experience an affection for you. You have served me so truly and faithfully! But tell me, Sa- goonah,” asked Indora, thus suddenly interrupting herself, “shall you be glad scon to return to your own native country ?” “T am always happy where your ladyship is,” replied the ayah. “And you will go back, my Sagoonah,” pro- ceeded the Queen, now smiling good-naturedly and with a caressing manner,—“you will go beck without having lost your heart to any native of this mefropolis P”’ Segoonah stooped suddenly down to pluck a flower that grew on the edge of the border which Indora and herself were passing at the time; and then she looked up into the countenance of her mistress with the same ingenuously frank expres- ‘sion as before. Foran instant Indora was smitten with a suspicion—on account of the incident of the flower, which had a sort of petulance in it— that the words she had used in good-humoured jocularity had really touched a chord vibrating in the ayah’s heart: but this idea quickly vanished when Sagoonah thus gazed up at her in so candid @ manner. “Yea, my faithful dependant,” continued the Queen, “I know that you will rejoice to return to your native land; and the time 1s not far distant when we shall set off thither. And we shall not go alone, my dear Sagoonah,” proceeded Induora, a blush now suffusing the delicate duskiness of her complexion : : “T have already given you to under- stand At this instant the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Christian and Christina, who were advancing along the gravel-walk—for our young hero had been passing the day at the villa. Sagoonah retired: but as she slowly walked back towards the ville, brilliant fires flashed forth from her eyee—and the Burker, as she passed close by the spot where he still lay in ambush, was sud- denly seized with amasoement—yes, and even with a wild unknown terror as he bebeld the lightnings of those burning orbs. Shortly afterwards Queen Indora re-entered the villa in company with Christian and Christina; and then the Burker, stealing forth from the grounds, betook himself slowly towards the main road,—wondering at the strange feolings which had come over him and THE MYSTERIZS OF THE COURT. which had paralyzed his arm at the very instant Indora seemed to be in his power. But notwithstanding the strength of the im- prossion thus made upon the monster at the time, it gradually grew fainter now that the eastern lady was no longer before his view. He began to curse hitnself for his folly: he thought of the heavy bribe which had been promised him—of the danger which he incurred by remaining in the metropolis —and of the facilities which had been held out for his emigration to Australia or some other part of the world. “ And have I been fool enough,” he said to him- self, “to lose sight of all them there adwantages just because a petticoat of a rayther better shape than usual, was a flaunting afore my eyes. I toll you what, Barney,” he continued, thus apostro- phising himself: “it’s my opinion as how you're getting to be a cussed fool; and if so be I had my stout stick in my fist, ['d just lay it over your precious back.” Mr. Barnes walked on: the dusk was setting in —the lamps were lighted—there were two con- tinuous lines of illumination stretching towards Oxford Street, far as the eye could reach. All of a sudden the Burker was accosted by some one who asked him the way to a particular street which he mamed. Barney could scarcely repress a visible start when the voice first sounded in his ear: for the individual who thus accosted him, was none other than old Jonathan Carnabie, the parish-clerk and sexton of Woodbridge. “Well, yee—I do know the way,” replied the Burker, rendering his voice as soft and oily as he possibly could: “but if so be you're a stranger in London, sir, I should advise you to take a cab #9 “ The fact is, sir,” interrupted Jonathan, “ IT am walking on principle. It is tho first time I was ever in London; and I want to know something about it: therefore I like to find my way on foot —and if I lose it, I inquire it.” Quite right, sir—quite right!” said the Burker. “ But you ought to take care of yourself—I mean of your pockets, you know——— “And eo I do, sir,” answered Jonathan Carna- bie. “T’ve read in books and I’ve also been told that London abounds in queer characters: but I keep my money for the moet part at my lodgings, and just come out with as much as I think I may require.” “ Quite right, sir!” again said the Barker. “I happen to be going a part of your way——" ‘‘ In which case,” said the old sexton, “ I shall be happy to avail myself of your guidance. Excuse me, sir, but I saw at once that you were a respect- able man—or else I should not have taken the liberty to address you.” “ Quite right, sir,” said the Barker, who now that he had got hold of a particular phrase, harped upom it; for he thought that it had helped to make this favourable impression. They walked along together. Mr. Barnes was satisfied that his disguise was complete: and from the moment that Jonathan Carnabie had mentioned the money at bis lodgings, the Burker experienced an irresistible inclination towards his wonted prac- tices. He saw no reason why he shoald not fleece the sexton if possible; and moreover he experi a sort of pride and an inward gloating satisfaction EO NOG (G (CO