The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 115: what you’re looking at

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just left half-a-dozen good fellows in the banquetting- room—and you shall join us. We intend to keep it up till three in the morning, and shall put your ser- vices in requisition for the curacoa-punch. Come!” “Your Royal Highness will excuse me this even- ing,” said Meagles, who for the first time in his life felt indisposed to mix in conviviality. * Ah! I presume you have some little love-affair in hand,” exclaimed the royal voluptuary. “ Well—I wish you success, Let me spe you to-morrow.” And having shaken hands with his friend, the Prince returned to his companions in the banquetting- room, where he passed tbe greater portion of the night in dissipation : but during the many hours that thus elapsed, the heartless miscreant never once bestowed another thought upon the Fosters ! . Tim Meagles retired to his own lodgings in a pen- sive mood, the image of the orphan Rose being uppermast in his mind. But the reader will have obeerved that, during his interview with the Prince, he never once alluded to her, nor even intimated that there was such a being in existence | CHAPTER XXVIII. VERRIALE AND STRANGE REVELADIONS. We must now return to Mr. Page, whom we shall find seated at the breakfast-table with his bride, at their lodgings in Southwark, the morning after the wedding-da Julia was dressed in a new stuff gown, and ware a neat cap—had her hair nicely arranged—and al- together appeared rather attractive, as she did the honours of the morning meal to her husband. Upon this individual’s countenance there was an expression of satisfaction which indicated that he was very far from repenting of hig matrimonial bar- gain; and as he drank his chocolate and discussed his eggs and buttered toast, there seemed to be an air of domestic comfort about him, proving how readily he had cast off his bachelor habits and assumed those of a man who enjoys his own fire- side. Whien breakfast was over, and the servant-girl of the house had cleared away the things, Mr. Page drew his chair closer to his wife; and producing the ket-book from the bosom of his dressing-gown, esaid, with a cunning smile, “ I suppose you know this, Julja ?” “ Yes—it belonged to my father,” she replied. “I | have often seen him poring over the papers it con- tains—and he has read most of them to mea great many times.” “ Then you know all about the matters they re fer to remarked Page, interrogatively. “ Most of them, nq doubt,” returned the young woman. “ But how came you by the pocket- book hd “ Your father gave it to mein his dying moments. He could barely gasp forth a few words,” continued Page: “and those were scarcely intelligible. Let | me see—] think I can recollect them exactly. He | said, ‘ Puke that pochet-booh——tel! Juliga——Oh ! LT am going——My God! mer¢y — mercy— Hannah——Julia —-Oh ! pardon —mercy —~ pardon And then he expired.” _ “Aht he was touched with remorse on his death- QO EL THE MYSTERIES, bed,” observed Julia, a slight humidity appearing upon her eye-lashes: but, hastily wiping it away, she added, “ He was neither a good brother nor a good father; and I suppose that the way in which he had behaved to his sister, and the manner in which he brought me up, troubled him at last. I was a baby when my mother died; and my father neglected me altogether. When I was able to run alone, I was allowed to paddle about in the gutter from morning to night; and all the education I ever had was got at a charity school.” “ But you speak very well, my dear, considering that you had so little instruction in your infancy,” said Page, chucking her under the chin. “Oh! I was fond of reading once—and then, my father was a very well-educated man, and it was im- possible not to glean something from him: fot of late years—since we settled in that court where he died—he always wanted me to be with him as much as possible. He disliked to be alone.” # You think that his conscience was troubled, Julia ?”-said Page, inquiringly. “JT am sure it was,” responded the young woman, emphatically. “But it’s not worth while for me to have any particular secrets from you 2ow, sinca we are one, as the saying is: and therefore I’ll tell you & great many curious things about my father—and also abou: the matters which some of the papers in that pocket-book refer to.” “Just what. I want!” exclaimed Page, drawing his chair sti]] closer to the one which his wife occu- pied. “It is snowing fast,* he continued, glancing over his shoulder at the window; “and we will have a camfortable ehat tagether for an hour ortwo. If it clears yp presently, I will take you out shopping; and then we can have a nice little dinner at 4 tavern. But all this is on condition that you speak unre- servedly, and tell me everything you know. Besides, it will be ta your advantage as well as mine—for we may make money by these papers.” “So much the better,” @bserved Julia. “In the first place, then, | must inform you that my father waa skilied in chemistry above all things. He was acquainted with many wonderful secrets in that branch, and could compoynd poisons of the most deadly nature. Oh! my father was a terrible man, though I say it!” she added, with an unaffected shuddering. “Indeed! But go on,” exclaimed Page: “ you are not answerable for any of his sins, you know.” “ Thank God, I am not!” cried the young woman energetically. “My life has not been very regular, I confess: —but such things as he has done——no, no—neyer !” “Don’t vex and annoy yourself, Julia,” said the commercial traveller, soothingly. “I am dying with impatience to hear what your father did. Pray 0 on.” . “First let us speak af his chemical knowledge,” continued Mrs. Page, her excitement almost instan- taneously passing away—for she was naturally of a cold and imperturbable disposition. “No man was more expert in that branch thanhim. He used to compound drugs which produced abortion with ease and never failed in their effects; and all the old mid- wives in London patronised him.” “God bless my soul—how shocking!” exclaimed Page, involuntarily. , “It is as I tell you,’ saidJulia. “One woman in particular—a Mrs. Lindley, who has a large esta= COMGLOO Ss COMM