The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 339: what you’re looking at

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

a yg ee pe — —— THE MYSTERIDS. our friend there is,” continued the Big Beggarman, aodding his head towards the nobleman who was still poring over tne register. “But I say, Joe,” added the ruffian, sinking his voice to a whisper that was acarcely audible, “what's to prevent us from knocking him on the head and helping ourselves to the contents of his pocket-book, instead of waiting till he pays us the balance at Liverpool ?”’ “ Lord bless ye, my dear Stephen,” returned the Magsman, in the same subdued tone; “do you sup- pose that I haven’t been thinking of the same thing ever since I saw him take out his pocket-book for the first time, this morning when we were standing behind the pile of granite blocks? To be sure I have—and when we were smoking our pipes after dinner in the cottage, I was half a mind to propose to you to cut Aie throat and the old man’s and wo- man’s throats also, and so make light work of the business at once. But I thought better of it~—and I tell you now that it’s more to our interests to Jet things take their course.” “How so?” demanded the “ Sap- pose the pocket-book contained more than he has still got to pay usf—then we should be the “And suppose it contains Jess?” returned the Magsman, with a knowing look: “in this case we should be the losers. And it may be probable that the gentleman intends to get more money at Liver- pool—or that he has left his pocket-book behind him at the cottage——” “ Well, there’s certainly them chances against us,” said the Beggarman, in a musing tone, although still speaking in a low whisper. “But that’s not the only calculation I’ve been making,” continued the Magsman. “Of course we don’t mean to go to America :; that you and me have already decided upon between ourselves. Well, now— suppose we some day find out who he is—and who the Jady is—and what all this business means?—why, let his fortune be whatever it will, at least half of it must find its way into our pockets. He couldn’t re- fuse it—nor the lady either, whoever she is. They’re completely in our power; and as they’re no doubt well off already, and most Jikely mean to be much richer still—for this affair hasn't been undertaken for nothing, mark ye—it will be a splendid thing for us to find out who they are and have a hold upon “You're right, Joe,” observed the Big Beggarman, convinced by this reasoning : “ we muan’t knock him on the head. He'll be more use to us living—I see that now.” “To be sure,” rejoined the Magsman; and, the question being thus disposed of, the matter dropped. But while the two ruffians had been thus coolly and calmly deliberating upon the propriety or im- propriety of assassinating their masked employer,— he on his part had succeeded in discovering the par- ticular record which he sought in the parochial volume, A smile played upon his lip—and he rabbed his hands together joyfully. Then, taking a pen-knife from his pocket, he carefully scratched out certain words in that entry which regarded his inte- rests or his et and win equal caution he rubbed over i€ a very fine powder, or species of poun which he had brought for the purpose. The effect was that when he wrote other words in the place of those which he had erased, the ink did not run with an )mproper thickness upon the paper, -nor afford any sign or indication that such a substitution had taken place. In fact, the forgery was complete and fault- less in its execution: the handwriting of the original entry was imitated to a nicety ;—and when the ink | was entirely dry, the nobleman rubbed the paper | gently with the tip of his fore-finger on which he collected a little dust by passing it along the mante!- piece. The result was to take away from the leaf | that whiteness which appeared where the pen-knife had scratched it; and the page thus wore an uniferm | aspect, as if it had never been tampered with. | The register was now returned to its place—the | safe was locked again—and the nobleman quitted | the vestry, followed by his two agents. Along the aisle they proceeded, their footsteps raising echoes which made it seem as if there were other midnight visitors in the church: but this they knew to bea delusion—and in safety they emerged from the temple which their presence had so desecrated. | The nobleman was careful to lock the door behind bim; and the trio retraced their way through th | cemetery—across the fields—back to the cottage, at | the door of which they found the travelling-carriage in readiness. In The reader will remember that the masked lady had taken her departure in the vehicle immediately | after breakfast in the morning: and it had now re- turned to convey the nobleman and his two hired bravos to Liverpool. | The old couple were sitting up at the cottage, into | which the Magsman and the Beggarman were invited to enter and partake of some hasty refreshment. | The clock in the room showed them it was net two in the morning ; and thus their nocturnal expe- dition had occupied three hours. : While they were regaling themselves with some . cold meat and hot spirits-and-water, the nobleman | presented them each with a hundred ob- | serving, “ This is for the extra work which you bare | done to-night. The balance of the large sum due to both of you shall be paid, according to agreement, when you stand upon the deck of the American : packet at Liverpool.” The men expressed their satisfaction ;—and, the meal being concluded, they entered the carriage, | followed by the nobleman. The blinds were drawn up—total darkness reigned within—and the vehicle rolled rapidly away, —thes | perpetuating that deep mystery which had all along been maintained towards the Magsman and the Big Beggarman respecting the whereabouts of these scenes through which they had passed, and the locality of those incidents in which they had borne | eo large a share. CHAPTER XCIL THE WAY-SIDE COTTAGE.—THE ACCIDENT. Tue journey was continued in profound silence; for the nobleman did not choose to converse with hus ireling assassins—and the two men themselves, overcome with weariness, goon fell into a profound | slumber. Even when the carriage stopped to change horses, they did not wake up: but at length they were aroused by some one shaking them violently— and then they found that several hours must have passed away. For the blinds were down—the misty grey light of the dawn was throwing a sort of hal! COMGDOOKSHGEOk