The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

THE MISTERIES. “Damnation!” roared the Magsman,’ flinging himself on the ground, and bestowing three or four kicks of savage ferocity on the constables by whom he was environed. But they speedily mastered him; and he was borne to a hackney-coach, which was waiting in an adjacent street, and in which the Big Beggarman aod Briggs were already securely deposited. Mobbs and two other constables entered the ve- hicle ; and the prisoners received a very plain and un- ceremonious intimation from the official first named, that the slightest attempt at resistance or escape would be followed by the blowing out of the offen- der’s brains. The Magsman, Briggs, and the reated their rage in sullen oaths; and the coach drove rapidly away towards Clerkenwell Prison. We must now retarn to the Gallows’ Widow, Ramsey, and Martin, whom we left at the house in Thacker’s Court. Scarcely had the front-door closed behind the expeditionary party, when a feeling of uneasiness began to creep over the Magsman’s mistress. A sort of presentiment appeared to tell her that her friends were betrayed. Julia’s conduct recurred to her mind, acoompanied with suspicions which every instant grew stronger; and yet she endea- voured to wrestle against them, and persuade her- self that these fears were only imaginary. _* You appear uneasy,” said Ramsey and Martin, both giving utterance to the same observation at the same moment; and they surveyed her with all the acute-suspense inseparable from a conscious- ness of guilt. “TI don't like this business at all,” auswered the Gallows’ Widow. “I wish we had never undertaken i Why couldn’t you have managed your own affairs without coming to us?” she demanded in a savage tone, a sinister light flashing in her eyes. “Now don’t be angry, my dear young woman,” said Ramsey, who, as well as his partner, had caught the infection of her augmenting terrors. “Bat tell us what you fear ?—what is there to ap- prehend ” he demanded hurriedly. “Julia Lightfoot’s manner haunts me,” answered the Gallows’ Widow, with a vehemence quite un- usual on her part. “ But I will just follow them a little distance—I dare say that my fears are ground- lees ———-nevertheless ——” “We will go with you,” sald Ramsey, trembling at the idea of being thus left in a house which treachery might invade with constables at any mo- ment. “And I also,” exclaimed Martin. “Have you any weapons ?” “None,” responded the Gallows’ Widow. “ But you can do no good, and will only draw attention to me if there’s any foul play going on in the street. Stay here—I command you,” she exclaimed, with as much imperiousness as if she were a queen dictating to the servile courtiers who are ever ready to kiss the toe of Royalty. “ Well—we will stay, then,” said Martin, in order A ee the woman of whom he began to be “If there’s any treachery intended, it will be execated close by,” observed the Gallows’ Widow, now resaming her naturally mild and subdued tone: “for the Bow Street runoers would as soon do their work in this neighbourhood as by enticing Eee 168 our friends over into the Borough. I shall not therefore go far—and I hope to return in a fow minutes.” With these words, she auitted the house. Along the court hastened the Gallows’ Widow: she emerged into the street—strained her eyes to penetrate the darkness as she looked up and down —and, perceiving nothing to alarm her, hurried on in the same direction which her friends had taken five minutes previously. All was quiet: for, in truth, the short but ener- getic struggle between the three miscreants and the constables was already over, and they were by this time safe in the hackney-coach, as ere now stated. Suddenly the sounds of light footsteps approach- ing, fell on the ears of the Gallows’ Widow. She stood up in the dark shade of a door-way—and a female passed hurriedly by. It was Julia, who, having watched from a little distance the success of the constables and the discomfiture of the three villains, was retracing her way up the street to endeavour to find where Grumley’s corps, with her husband and Sir Richard Stamford, was con- cealed. The keen eyes of the Gallows’ Widow instantly recognised the young woman, who in a moment felt a hand clutch her by the shoulder. ‘Where are you going?” demanded the former in a resolute voice. So completely unexpected was the appearance of the Gallows’ Widow, and so abrupt was this ques- tion, that Julia was now really confused and em- barrassed ; and her tongue clave to the roof of her mouth. “ What has happened ?—why are you alone ?— speak !” exclaimed the woman, whose desperate character, in spite of her reserved manners and habitually subdued tone, was no secret to Mrs. Page. “ You have no right to question me,” responded the latter; and, bursting away, she flew along the street—the Gallows’ Widow pursuing her with an equal agility. The entrance of the court was gained: but Julia was passing it rapidly by, when the Gallows’ Widow succeeded in overtaking her. “ Now you shall answer me—or I will dash your brains out against the wall!” cried the infuriate woman, flinging herself upon Julia with the rage and force of a tigress. The violence of the assault, which Mrs. Page turned round to resist, brought them both to the ground; but at the same moment the trampling of many feet were heard—and in another instant Grumley’s detachment, headed by this official him- self, appeared upon the spot. “What the devil’s all this ” ejaculated Mr. Page, recognising his wife by her voice—for it was too dark to catch a glimpse of her features—and Julia was crying for help. “Wretch !” shrieked the Gallows’ Widow, dash- ing the young woman’s head upon the pavement; then, suddenly starting up, she bounded away, leaving her shawl in the hands of Grumley who had fixed his iron grasp upon her. Two of the constables rushed off in full pursuit ; while Mr. Page raised his wife, who, though for a few moments partially stunned by the blow which she had received, soon recovered her senses. COMGROO S COMM