The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 366: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. $51 lady—or, in valgar terme, my wife. How long will supper be before it’s ready ?” “ Helf-em-hour, sir,” was the answer ; “leastways, three quarters at the omtside—'cause there's a bit of ham a-biling to eat with the fowl.” “ Well, shen,” said Mr. Page, in a musing tone as he tarned towards his wife, whe had been admir- ing the statues and vases in the marble hali while the preceding colloquy took piace between her hus- band and the ancient domestic: “I think we may a well comamsence our work this evening. At all events, I should like to sert and seal up the papers » “ What's to prevent us?” demanded Julia. “ You have heard that there’s three quarters of an hour till sapper-time—and we may doa great deal in thet interval. For mind you, I don’t mean to sleep in this house to-morrow night. It’s enough, in all censeience, to sleep here one night—with the re- putation that the place has got.” “Oh! that’s all nonsense, Julia!’ exclaimed Mr. Page. “I only wish Sir Richard would make you and me a preeent of the Manor on condition that we must léve io it nine months out of every year: I don’t think we should forfeit possession, let it be ever ee desperately haunted.” “Hannted indeed!” ejaculated Mrs. Bryan, cateh- ing at the word as a new pivot whereon her garrulity had an opportunity of turning. “There's no doubt about its being haunted. Why—after the terrible business took place, and her ladyship died, the servants left one after another, ‘cause it was soon knowed that the sperret of her ladyship walked ——" “ Trash !—nonseuse !” exclaimed Mr. Page. “ An eman, I mean—itke me, scorns such si:ly notions. But how happens it that if her ladyship walks, as you call it,—how happens it, I should like to know, that you have courage encugh to live all alone in the house?” “ Not exactly all alone, sir,” replied Mrs. Bryan: “"eause my husband’s with me—and he takes care of the grounds. But if we wasn’t poor people and gied to earn an honest penny any-how, I’m sure weshouldn’t have uadertook the charge of the Maner fashion they did. Leastways——” “Pray eeaseto imflict your ‘leastwaye’ upon us, my good woman,” said the pragmatical Mr. Page; “and tell us honestly and truly whether you ever saw the ghost of her ladyship ?” “T can’t say that I ever seed anything, sir,” an- ewered Mrs. Bryan : “but I’ve heerd a many etrange melses which has quite freezed the blood in my veins and made my ‘air stand up ——” “Why, you arrant old humbug,” ejaculated Mr. Page ; “ you wear a wig! How can you look me in the face, and talk about your hair standing on end? J suppose you will be telling us next that your teeth chattered?’? he added, the point of his remark ex- tating in the fact that the ancient dame had no teeth at all. “ Well, sir—I didn’t mean no offence,” she said, with a good humour that was imperturbable. © When I spoke of my ’air standing on end, it was what Pve heerd called a figger of speech—or some- thing of that kind. But raly and truly, me and my husband have heerd strange noises at times ;—and if it wasn’t an object to us to live rent-free, have the we of the wegitables, and ten shillings a-wesk into the bargaii—-with the chance ef being retained In the service of them as becomes the owners of the estate after the sale,—if it wasn’t for all this, I was saying, we shouldn't remain bere ne longer—or yet have stayed so long.” “ Then you know that the Manor and ¢he park are to be sold by private contract--eh ft” said Page “To be sure, sir. A many gentiomen and indies bas been to look atit. They tell us that the enivs te take place mext week,” said Mre. Bryan. “I don't know how true the repert may be———* “It is quite tus,” observed Mr. Pagan * Six Richard Stamford feels that he ean never live here again after ail thet has cecarred—and he wants te dispese of the place as econ as possible, Next week, as you have been informed, the sale will wost pro- bably be ascompliehed, I and my lady are fatimate friends of Sir Richard’s—indeed, I may bay We are boeem friends,” econtinaed the ex-travetier pom- pously : “ and he has testified his regard for us by honouring us with his confidence on the present oc- casion. For I suppose veu are aware of our pur pose in visiting the Manor, my good woman ~* “Sir Richard telis my husband and me & his letter that you're going to take away all the papers and wallyabies——” “Bay valuables, you please,” interrapted Mr. Page: “i is more classical.” “ Well—how much longer is this nonsense going to continue ?” asked Jala. “If you mean te look over the papers this evening, wo had better begin at once.” “True, my dear spouse,” observed Mr. Page. “Now, my good woman, have the kindness to con- duct us to the study ar library, as the case may be—and if you get supper ready in about three quarters of an hour, it will be time enough. We will attend to business first, and enjoy ourselves afterwards.” Mrs. Bryan lighted a parlour-lamp by means of the candie which she carried in her hand ; and she then led the way to the library. Placing the lamp on a handsome desk which stood in the room, she would have renewed the conversation with ail the which she obeyed with perfect good humour and a low curtaey. Mr. Page deposited his hat and cloak on s chair while Julia likewise laid sside ber bonnet and maatie; and, having taken a rapid survey of the apartment and its numerous shelves filled with ele- gantly bound books, they proceeded to inspect the contents of the desk, the keys of which the ex-tra- veller had in his “You remember,” said Mra. Page, “that all the, eorrespondence which ever passed between Sir Richard and the bankers is to be preserved.” “JT have forgotten none of the instructions which the baronet gave us, my dear,” returned Page. “You are guite right—the letters you mention are to be preserved, in case they should be wanted for the winding up of the affairs of the bank. ‘Well, it’s a lucky thing for Sir Richard that he will have saved from the wreck of his property so much more than he at first anticipated. It made me quite happy to see him in such good spirits yesterday at Windsor. But what is that bundie of papers you have just taken out of the little drawer there ?”” demanded Mr. Page of his wife. COMGLOO S COMM