The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 90: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. puree. Now then, what shall we say? Three thousand ?”” ‘Three thousand P” groaned Mr. White Choker, with a countenance uncommonly blank. “It’s a very large sum “Yes; but the injury inflicted is very large also,” responded Mr. Downy. “Take my advice —it’s only six and eightpence you know ;”—and here the facetious gentleman chuchled again. ‘Don’t haggle at a few pounds. To settle it for three. thousand, and a fifty pound note for my costs, will be dirt cheap. In fact, between you and me and the post,” added Mr. Downy, ina mysteriously confidential whisper, “ the Captain will be a cursed fool if he settles it at all. He’s got a capital case —a capital] case. Why, sir, it beste oock- fighting.” Mr. Downy evidently thought that this last ar- gument was a smasher; and poor Mr. White Choker was too miserably bewildered to discern any incongruity in the metaphor. He pleaded hard for Mr. Downy to reduce the demand to a couple of thousand: but the legal gentleman was obsti- nate. At length he said, “ Well, I must see what ITeando. I have a great respect for & pious man like yourself; and I shouldn’t like to see you driven out of society, and poor Mrs. White Choker drown- ing herself in the Serpentine, leaving all the little Chokers to misery and wretchedness. No, no— that isn’t the way business ig done by honest Ike Shad——Mr. Downy, I mean, of the eminent firm of Catchfiat, Sharply, Rumrig, and Oo.” With these words the peeudo-lawyer—whom our readers have had no difficplty in recognising as an old acquaintance-— accosted Captain Cartwright, and drew him aside. Mr. White Choker kept groaning inwardly, as he watched them with most anxious suspense. For several minutes Mr. Downy appeared to be pleading very energetically on the saint’s behalf, 20 far as could be judged from his gesticulations: while the Captain seemed to be jistening with a stern and dogged resoluteness. At length this gallant gentleman, as if growing impa- tiant, exclaimed vehemently, “ No, not one farthing lees! Serve the writ, Mr. Downy.” . “‘No, no!” eried the wretched saint imploringly: “let us settle it at once—anyhow!” “It’s the best thing you cari do, my dear Sir,” hastily whispered Mr. Downy, as he again accosted the unfortunate Mr. White Choker. “Sit down and draw the cheque—three thousand and fifty To “Pounds,” said the miserable victim. “ Guineas |" rejoined Mr. Downy emphatically. “The Captain will only treat with guineas as a basis: that is his ultimatum.” Mr. White Choker gave another deep groan, it being about the six hundredth that had cote up from his cavern-like throat on this memorable day: but resigning himeelf to his fate, he sate down and drew up the cheque according to dictation. “And now,” said Mr. Downy, “we will pith these things into the grate :—and he tore up the writs, both original and copy, into infinitesimal pieces, for fear lest they should be collected in order to form the groundwork of a prosecution for conspiracy to extort money under false pre- Cences. Having written the cheque, Mr. White Choker’s 79 mind became relieved of a considerable load; ‘and he looked towards the chair which Linda had occupied a few moments back. But she was gone: she had flitted from the room. “And now goed morning to you, Sir,” said Captain Cartwright. “For your own sake you will keep this business as secret as possible.’ ** Good bye, old fellow,” said Mr. Downy, with a singular leer upon his countenance. “ You be- haved uncommon well after all; and you'll bless the moment you listened to the advice of honest Ike Shadbolt.” The Captain and his acolyte passed out of the toom, closing the door behind them. For a few instants Mr. White Choker sate bewildered. A suspicion had flashed to his mind: ite growth was marvellously rapid: it amounted to a certainty— ho saw that he was done. He started up to his feet: he stood for an instant—and then he rushed §o the door. Just as he opened it, he heard a sort of titter or giggle in a female voice. Was it pos- sible P—the musical voice of his Linda! She was descending the stairs with the two men. Mr. Choker was on the very point of shouting out “ Stop, thieves |” when it struck him that he would be thereby provoking the very scandal and expo- sure which he had paid so heavily to avoid. He dashed his hand against his forehead, and gave vent to a curse bitter enough to electrify ten thou- sand Exeter Hall audiences if there had been so many and if they bad happened to hear it. He rushed to the window: and lo! he beheld Captain Cartwright gallantly handing Linda into a cab,— both of them evidently in the highest possible spirits. As for Mr. Downy—or honest Ike Shad- bolt, as he had proclaimed himself to be—he was almost convulsed with laughter; and looking up towards the window, he waved his hand wit the most impudent familiarity at Mr. White Oboker. The cab drove off at a rattling pace; and we need hardly inform the reader that its first destination was the establishment of the saint’s bankers in order to get the cheque eashed. Mr. Choker, on bebolding the vehicle thus dis- appear, rushed up stairs to Linda’s chamber; and & glance at ite condition showed him that she had carried off all the jewels and valuables which he had presented to her. A similar research in the dining-room made the saint painfully aware that the handsome service of plate he hed bought for her use, had likewise disappeared. Hoe threw him- self on a sofa—buried his head in the cushions— moaned and groaned—swore and snivelled—whined and whimpered—and wished hitmeelf at the hottest place he could think of, and in the society of a personage whose name must not be mentioned to polite ears. But the cup of his humiljations and miseries, though full enough, heaven knows! was yet to be made to overflow. The servante, consisting of a footman and three females, had got something moore than an inkling of what had passed: for they had been carefully listenings on the stairs. <Ac- cordingly, these amiable beings, on whose trust- worthiness the saint had flattered himeelf he could so implicitly rely, suddenly made their appearanes in @ posse, and requested to know his intentions. With affrighted looks he intimated his purpose to pey them their wages at ance and decline their farther services. The footman, as spokeaman, CONIC OOO <S co