The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

owe tee i * OO Se lee THB MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 173 zaia—you came shortly after — you both bewil- dered and confused me—I scarcely knew how to act 93 “Ah! hal” said Mr. Fossilton: “I begin to understand! S8o the real mummy-—my mummy— isin that giass case after all P”’ “"Yes—and you may take it away with you at once!” said Bealby: “the cart is at the door. Btop |—there’s no need to go peeping through the baise! Here’s your twenty pounds—examine the mummy,as much as you like when you get it home at your own house—consult all your friends—and if I have deceived you, tell me I’m arogue. But uf not, send me the money by post—or by hand— or bring it to me——anything you like, only be quick and let us make an end of the business!” Mr. Fossilton evidently thought this a very fair, candid, and straightforward proposal. He there- fore took back the bank-notes from Mr. Bealby— and said, “ Well, I accept the arrangement. You know I am a man of honour: if the mummy suits, I will pay you.” “Good!” ejaculated Mr. Bealby: “that will do. I mean to acoompany you to your own house, just to see the case safely delivered, and assure myself that there is no farther accident. Have the kind- ness to call over the landing for Mary, that she may bid the carter come up and help me down with the package.” e Mr. Fossilton did as he was desired; and Mr. Bealby, hastily approaching the case, whispered through the hole in the glass lid, “It is all right !” “So much the better,” growled the Barkcr from within. Bealby gave a last look, but a careful and scru- tinising one at the green baize and the cordage, to assure himeelf that the box was completely enve- loped in the wrapper. A few moments afterwards the man whose cart had been hired by Ben Limber, made his appearance in theroom. He wasastrong burly fellow; and by his stalwart limbs, his broad shoulders and capacious chest, seemed quite capable of carrying the package without any assistance. Therefore, when Mr. Bealby lent his suocour, the carter did not complain of the weight, although the Burker was assuredly not the lightest individual in existence. “You see,” said Bealby, as they descended the stairs, “the box containing this mummy is lined with tin,—which makes it heavy; fur I don’t sup- p.se the mummy itself weighs above half a dozen pounds, wrappers and all.” “Lord bless you, sir! the weight’s nothing,” re- sponded the carter. “If you worked in Common Garden, as I do, and had to carry a vaggin-load of taters, or cabbages, or what not, upon your shoulders at times when unloadin’ the market-carte, you wouldn’t talk about this here package being heavy.” “Well, Iam glad you do not complain,” said Mr. Bealby; ‘“‘and if you are very careful in the business, and don’t disturb this green baize at all, or let the air get into the box, you shall have an extra crown for your trouble.” This assurance greatly delighted the carter; and he resolved by his carefulness to win the present which was thus promised. The front door was opened: the crowd had by this time dispersed, with the impression that there was nothing more to |, on gE wee —wP see; and Mr. Bealby had the suprome satisfaction of beholding the psckage safely consigned to the cart. , “Do you mean to go with us?” he hastily de- manded of Mr. Fossilton. “To be sure!” responded the archmologist, who would not for the world lose sight of the precious object which had already cost him so much trouble. “Then jump up! be quick about it!” said Mr. Bealby ; “and let us be off—or else we shall have more loiterers collecting in the hope of beholding another accident.” The cart drove away: and Mr. Bealby began to breathe more freely. He had succeeded in getting the Burker out of his house; and this was a most important achievement after all the adverse circum- stances which had occurred. For he knew perfectly well that if it were discovered that he had har- boured the escaped murderer, he would have drawn down upon his own head the vengeance of the law. How the Burker might presently extricate himself from the embarrassing position in which he would be placed, when Fossilton shoflld proceed to take off the green baize wrapper,—was a subject of come parative indifference with Mr. Bealby: for he was resolved in his own mind not to return to his lodging until by some means or another he should be satisfied that the adventure issued in a way which was not likely to compromise himself. Mr. Fossilton’s house in Tavistock Square was reached in safety. The old gentleman was a bache- lor: he kept but two servante,—one being a cook, who was more ancient, more blind, and more deaf than himself—the other being a country girl who acted as housemaid, and who being inexperienced in London life, was devoid of any impertinent curi- osity. There was a side-entrance to Mr. Fossilton’s abode; and it was here that the cart halted. The package was safely conveyed into a room on the ground floor, which served as the archsologist’s museum: the carter was liberally remunerated according to promise—Mr. Bealby lost not an in- stant in taking himeelf off—and Mr. Fossilton was now left alone with the baize-covered package, which had been deposited upon the floor in the middle of the room. First of all locking the door, so that he might not be disturbed by the entrance of any of those archsological] friends who were in the habit of fre- quently dropping in to discuss the very interesting and useful subjects to which they so wisely devoted the whole attention and business of their lives,— Mr. Fossilton took a knife and proceeded deli- berately to cut the cords which retained the green baize so closely wrapped round the glass case. Then he took a pair of scissors, and began to cut away the green baise from the top; because, inasmuch as it was folded two or three times round the case, he would have had to lift the case iteelf to remove the baize unless he adopted this shorter and easier plan of cutting it. He was very careful in the operation, for fear of breaking the glass lid: and, as the reader will comprehend, when he had cut one fold lengthways, he bad to do precisely the same to each successive layer of the enveloping cloth. Proceeding thus deliberately, Mr. Fossilton did not choose to take a peep into the case until the proper moment should arrive, when he could at one glance embrace the entire contents thereof. He did not wish to anticipate the pleasure which he flattered y GOnNGIOOKSHeOn