The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

152 upon the card, was making out the receipt, the Duke abstracted a file from the counter and con- cealed it in his pocket. Asa matter of course this theft was not perpetrated for the miserable pur- pose of evading the payment of a few pence for the file: the large purchases which the Duke had made were merely a pretext for his visit to that shop—but it did not suit his purpose to include a file amongst those purchases. He therefore stealthily helped himself to one. Issuing from the shop, the Duke returned into Covent Garden Market, in order to pick up what- soever freah information he could in respect to the proceedings at Bow Street; and he now learnt that the Burker, having admitted his name and identity, was under order of removal with the least possible delay to Liverpool. The Duke however found that another case—namely, that of Jack Smedley—was occupying the magistrate’s atten- tion, and that great crowds were collected in the court and in the street. He accordingly loitered about the neighbourhood until this case was ter- minated and the crowds had dispersed: he then repaired to the Bow Street police-office and in- quired for the magistrate. But his worship had just taken his departure; and the Duke was po- ferred to the Inspector. | On being conducted into the Inspector's room, the Duke of Marchmont gave his card, and at once rienced the most cringing civility. “Being in Covent Garden Market,” enid his Grace, assuming a careless off-hand manner, “I happened to hear that a notorious criminal dis- guised as a Jew had been this afternoon arrested in a particular street at the West End of the town. Now, I have a strong reason for wishing to havé a mght of this individual, if it be not in contravention of your rules or regulations.” “Certainly, my lord,” answered the Inspector with a low bow; “you shall see the man. But might I ask———”__. “Oh, yes! there is no secret in the matter,” re- sponded the Duke with a smile. “I waa about to explain myself. The fact is——Buat, Ah! doubtless, now I bethink me, the prisoner’s person was searched ?”’ “To be sure, my lord,” replied the Inspector. “Then you can tell me whether a diamond ring,” continued the Duke, “ was found about him -—a ring set with a single diamon ” “ No, my lord,” answered the Inspector. “A very considerable sum of money in notes and gold was found upon the prisoner—but nothing else of any value. May I ask why your Grace——” “To be sure!” ejaculated the Duke, with an air of most condescending frankness: “a few words will suffice to explain the matter. I hap- pened to be passing this afternoon through the very identical atreet where the pretended Jow was subsequently arrested; and believing him to be really what be seemed, I stopped to give him alms. For this purpose I took out my puree; and in so doing, drew off my glove. I bestowed some small coin u him—and continued my way. Scarcely had I reached the end of the street, when I missed a diamond ring from my finger. I felt tolerably certain I must have unconsciously drawn it off along with my glove——” “No doubt of it, my jurd,” observed the In- spector. THE MYSTERIVS OF THE COURT. “T hastened back to the spot, where I found the seeming Jew still standing; and I asked him if he had observed a diamond ring lying in the street after I had left him? He answered in the negative: but it struck me at the time there was some confasion in the fellow’s maoner——” ‘No doubt of it, my lord !” said the Inspector : “your Grace may depend upon it that the scoun- drel found the ring.” ‘That is what I have come to ascertain,’’ said the Duke. his person———” “‘ Nevertheless, my lord, he has got it,” inter- rupted the Inspector: “ rest assured he has got it !” “Got it!” said the Duke, affecting a bewildered air. “To be sure, my lord!” rejoined the official. “Of course your Grace is ignorant of the tricks these scoundrels are up to: but there can be no doubt that he swallowed the ring.” “You don’t say so!” ejaculated Marchmont, now putting on a look of immense astonishment. “Or else, perhaps,” added the Inspector, “ it is just possible that he may have so cleverly con- cealed it in some part of his dress, that it escaped the notice of the constable who searched him.” ‘As he is now in a position in which the ring can be of no possible use to him,” continued the Duke, “he may perhaps be inclined to givd it up to me-—supposing your latter suggestion to be the true one, and that he has it concealed about his person. It is not for the value of the ring in @ pecuniary sense—but it was given to me bya deceased relative ” “TJ will go and speak to the prisoner, my lord,” exclaimed the Inspector. “Thank you—I shall feel grateful,” said the Duke: and he suffered the Inspector to get as far as the door, ere he exclaimed, “ But when I think of it, the villain ie much less likely to acknowledge the fact to you than he isto me. Persons of his class invariably regard the fanctionaries of the law in the light of enemies whom they have a right to beffle and set at defiance to the utmost of their power.” “ True, my lord,” said the Inspector: “this is unfortunately too much the case.” “ Well then, my lord,” continued the Dake, “ if I were to see the fellow, he might perbaps do for me that which he would not do for you.” “If your Grace has no objection to step across the street to the cell where he is confined: for I regret that I have not the power to order him to be brought here into your Grace’s presence.” “Neither would I have you do such a thing,” exclaimed the Duke. “I will acoompany you.” The Inspector bowed; and Marchmont went with him across the street to the police-office. Procuring the keys from the gacler—and taking a lantern, or bull’s-eye, in his hand—the Inspector conducted the Duke of Marchmont to the back part of the premises, where a low door admitted them into a narrow little yard — or rather uncovered passage—whence the cells opened. “ Will your Grace speak to him through the wicket P” asked the Inspector in a whisper : “or will your lordship enter the cell ?” “ Oh, with your permission I will enter it,” re- plied the Duke : “for then he may possibly recog- nise me as having given him alms to-day.” EOMINE OOK (G “But if it were not discovered apon (CO