The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 394: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. had concealed his hoarded rupees. These were contained in two bags, which seemed to be of tolorably equal weight and dimensions: the Gos- goon accomlingly took one—the Burker the other. They then issued from the chamber of death by means of that window throggh which they had first become scquainted with the fact that the Ryot posssessed the coin that proved the tempta- tion to commit this heinous erime. But it seemed as if the Gossoon were not con- tented with what he had done: or at ali events he thought that another crime must be perpetrated to conceal the first one. There was an immense quantity of rice-straw in the immediate vicinity of the dwelling ; and by the means of ignition which the Gossoon always carried about with him, he set fire to the stack. The flame blased up,— almost immediately seising upon the house iteelf, which was built of combustible materials; and away sped the incendiary, closely followed by the Barker. The latter oould not help thinking that the crime was a bojd one altogether, though he had no remorse on its account; but he fancied that if the other inmates of the house should escape from the conflagration, the murder and the rob- bery might possibly be discovered; and they could scarcely fail to know that the Ryot had awarded his hospitality to two men who would be missing. However, the triple turpitude of murder, robbery, and arson was consummated: it was too late to recall either of the foul deeds; and the Burker thought within himself that the Gossoon must have had excellent reasons for superadding the last crime to the two former. On they went together, and every now and then as they looked back, they beheld the tremendous conflagration; but the Burker could distinguish no persons moving about in the vicinage of the flames, At length a grove hid the burning scene from the view of the criminals; and they reached a cave, where they passed the remainder of the night. At dawn they resumed their journey ; and the Gossoon was now careful to avoid towns or large villages. They procured refreshments at iso- lated cottages, either through charity or by paying for their food; but they were equally careful not to display the large sums of money which they pos- sessed. Ten days passed after the terrible crimes which we have just recorded; and many a long mile had the criminals journeyed togethér, thus continuously increasing the interval between themselves and the scene of their turpitude. At length the Gossoon evidently thought that they were completely safe; and they entered a small town which they now reached. Hero they purchased a quantity of ex- cellent provisions; and some article which they thus bought, was wrapped up by the shopkeeper in a piece of a newspaper. On reaching the khan, where they purposed to pass the night, the Burker happening to look at the fragment of newspaper, discovered that it was printed in the Englieh lan- guage. It was one of the smali local journals which are issued in that tongue in India. While eating his supper, the Burker looked over ite con- tents,—until his attention was riveted to a para- graph, headed “ Terrible fire and loses of life.” Ho read the paragraph ; and he found that it related to the very deed of blackest turpitude which himself and the Gossoon had perpetrated. It appeared (according to the journal) that every soul in the house had perished in the flames, which had spread with such rapidity that there was no possibility of escape. A wandering Gossoon and some European of a very low description were re- ported to have perished at the same time,—the particulars of the conflagration having been far- nished by two labouring men who had partaken of supper at the house, but had afterwards quitted it to retire to the cottage which they inhabited at little distance. The Burker now comprehended why the Gossoon had set fire te the premises. With a devilish shrewdness he had foreseen this catastrophe: or af all events he had thought is was worth while to perpetrate this last erime with the chance that it would conceal the previous ones. The Englishman pointed to the newspaper; and partly by signs, partly by aid of the few words of Hindostanee he had picked up, he made the der- vish comprehend the nature of ite contents. A diabolical satisfaction was expressed on the Hin- doo’s countenance; and the Burker could not help regarding the Gossoon as a villain endowed with a boldness and a shrewdness well calculated to win any other villain’s admiration. The meal of which they partook was a copious one ; and they washed it down with proportionate quantities of alcoholic fluid. It happened that they were alone together in the khen; and they were likewise alone when they lay down to roet. The Burker was more than half intoxicated with the liquor he had imbibed; and he slept most soundly. awoke ; and he immediately missed the Gossoon. An idea of treachery flashed through his brain : he thrust his hands beneath his garments ; and a ter: rible imprecation burst from his lips as he diseo- vered that his bag of money was gone. He looked about him in the last wild faint hope that it might have slipped out from his buttoned-up coat while he was slumbering: but no—it had vanished ! Nothing could exceed the rage of the Burker. It was only the night before that he had resulved upon playing the Gossoon precisely the same trick : but he was foiled—he was bafiled—he was fore: stalled. Oh! if he could only fall in with the squinting villain, what a terrible vengeance would he wreak upon him! From the very first mo- ment he met that Gossoon at the cave in the jungle, he had hated him: he had continued to bate him throughout the three weeks of their wandering companionship ; and now this hatred expanded into a craving for the direst vengeance. OHAPTER CLX. THR RUINED TRMPLE. Oncn more did the Burker find himself a money: less outcast in a strange lend. He had not even a morsel of food to put between his lips; for the Gossoon had earried of the wallet which coc- tained the remnant of the provender purchased om the preceding evening. Hungry and miserable— almost as desponding and as despairing as he had ever been even when in the depths of the hideous jangle —the Englishman went forth from the The sun had risen some time when he y GOnNGIOOKSHeOn