The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 181: what you’re looking at

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170 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. who might have forgotten to take the latch-key.{ ‘Stop! there is another cart!” ejaculated the But when two or three minutes elapsed and Ben | landlady; “and it is a man which I know and did not make his appearance, Mr. Bealby began | which selle pertaties. Mary!" she shrieked forth to get uneasy lest inquiries were being made | from the landing to which she flew; “stop taat relative to the Burker. He did not dare leave his | pertatie person—and say I have got him a job |” apartments to step out pon the landing to listen| ‘“ What the devil does all this mean?” de. —much Jess to steal down stairs to see who it was | manded Ben Limber, as he now made his appear- —because Mary was running to and fro, preparing | ance. “I have hired a cart, and made a capital the breakfast: he knew ber to be inquisitive, and | bargain.” he feared that she might be seized with the incli- | ‘ And now there are two,” said Mr. Fossilton: nation to draw aside the green baize and peep | “therefore I may at ofce take my mummy home. into the coffin-like box in order to see how the | Here, Mr. Bealby, is the amount agreed upon— mummy looked when lying flat upon its back. | twenty pounds:” and the old archeologist, pro- Thus Bealby was kept in a state of anxiety for | ducing his pocket-book, drew forth the bank-notes several minutes, until he at length recognised the | from amidst a profusion of documents, all relating footsteps and then the voice of Mr. Fossilton as fto his favourite science—especially a copy of « he ascended the stairs in company with the land- | speech of seven houra’ duration which he delivered lady. ” ) "" | the last meeting of the British Association fur Mr. Bealby foresaw that he should have some | the Advancement 6f Science. difficulty in respect to this visit: for Fossilton|'’ Ben Limber now' understood it all; and he per- might ask to havo another look at thé mummy bé: | ceived in what an awkward ‘dilemma his friend fore he concluded the bargain—or ho inight insist | Bealby appéared to be placed. But Mr. Bealby upon taking it away with bim; and Bealby, well | had by this timé made up his mind how to act; acquainted with his landlady’s garrufous disposi- | and he therefore said with great coolness, “ Well, tion, was quite certain shb’had already acquafnted | Mr. Foasilton, since you are in euch a burry to him with the supposed fact that the mummy was | become possessed of the mumniy, we wilj conclude in readihess for such immediate transport to its|the bargain atonce. Here it is :"—and he dpened destination. However, Mr. Bealby hoped that | the trunk to ‘which it had been consigh¥d'on peing the difficulty occasioned by Fossilton’s visit might | taken from thé glass case. hors be speedily surmounted by his own ready wit;| “Well, dear me!” exclaimed the landlady, “I and he therefore prepared himself for the emer- | thought it was in that package whith was ‘alfeady gency. ‘* | done up to be rembved.” “Tam sure J re right to tell you to walk up,|“ “I wish, ma’am,” said Bealby, “you would ——— a sir,” said the landlady, who eince éhée had received | have the goodness to leaye me to manage my own her rent was all civifity, and was now prepared to business.” re make herself most officiously obliging. “Mr.|° “Oh! well, sir, ]’m sure I don’t want to inter. ‘ Bealby will be quite charmed to see yéu. You] fere,” said the landlady, tossing her head indig- will find the mummy already packed up ——” nantly. “I was on helping to the best of my “ Well, well, ma’am,” said Mr. Fossilton, “you | ability: but I hops J may hever speak another | have tuld me so two or three times; and ve | word if yot didn’t'say just now—or leastways givo | no doubé it is the case. How do you dd, Mr.|us all to understand, that the big packags yoa- - Bealby ?” der ” a } “How do you do, my dear sir?” cried the} “There's sometiing strange in all this,” said younger archmologist. ° Pray walk in. ‘Your! Mr. Fossilton. “Aro you sure it’s the same visit is an early one—I am sorry to say I am ex- mummy you are now selling me,—the same that cessively busy just at this moment——” used to stand in the glass case——” “ Busy in getting your breakfast?” said Mr.| ‘“ Look you, Mr. Fossilton,” interrupted Bealby ; Fossilton: “but that won’t prevent us from | “a few words will explain it all. I have got some settling our little bargain. I have brought the | articles of a delicate and peculiar kind which I money—and I understand your friend bas gone for | have sold to a gentleman ; and I have packed them the cart —— ” up in the glass case. For that reason I put the “ Here it is!” exclaimed the officious landlady, | mummy into the trunk. Your profound know- rushing to the window, as she heard the sounds | ledge will show you that it is the same mummy. of the vebicle stopping at her front door. Here it is, with its wrappere—I forget how many “Ah! but I have a few other goods to remove | years old you pronounced it to be.” first,” said Mr. Bealby; “and the mummy shall| ‘Well, well,” said the old gentleman, who in come next. You need not pay me now, Mr. Fos-| the meantime had been carefully examining the silton: I will bring you up the mummy in the/| mummy through his green glasses: “it certainly course of the day—a few hours indeed-———” does seem the same—it is no doubt all right. And . _“ My dear sir,” interrupted the old archwologist, | now let it be conveyed in that trunk down to the | “IT have set my mind upon having it at once: I | cart.” have walked down from Tavistock Square at this| ‘“ Here, ma’am,” said Bealby, thus hastily whis- eatly hour on purpose to see you. You can let! pering to his landlady, “just give the potato ype have this cart—and your friend can hire | person, as you called him, a little drop of gin to another.” drink, as it was very civil on his part td stop when “TI can do nothing of the sort,” said Mr.| Mary called him :”’—and he thrust a shilling into Bealby, who was getting uncommonly anxious, | the woman’s hand. ° though he dared nut for tho life of him betray} She sped away to give one drop of gin to the his uneasiness. “I must remove some goods| potatoe person, and bestow half a dozen upon her- first-———”” self: a cord was put round the trunk ; and Limber, GOnNGIOOKSHeOn