The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

THE SUPPER DEVOURER 63 are, to be sure! However, a capital thing it was for me that this should have happened to-night, for I do believe I should have been dead before morning. Now, so far from dying or any chance of it, I am in the best possible feather, — two hundred pounds in my pocket, a good supper and a couple of bottles of wine under my waistcoat, and one of the hand- somest women of the aristocracy for my mistress.”’ Ernestina gave a sudden start and a faint cry as these last words, so full of terrible menace, smote her ears; but feeling the next instant how utterly powerless she was, she sank back in the chair with a low, deep moan, and her head fell forward upon the luxuriant volume of her naked bosom. ‘‘ It’s above an hour and a half ago that I was let loose from that cursed chair,’’ resumed the Hangman, “ and I meant to come straight up to this room at once, but I heard some one about on the stairs, so I just slipped into another chamber, the first that was handy, and, locking myself in, laid down on the bed a bit, for I was regularly tired out. However, when I had done my nap, I found my way to your room, and here I am safe and sound. But I suppose,’ he added, with another grin and ironical leer, ‘‘ you can’t guess why I am sitting here chattering to you in this familiar style? In the first place, it’s because this wine has put me into a little better humour than I was just now; and, in the second place, because you are my mistress, and so I want to put ourselves on an intimate and comfortable footing together.” Ernestina’s countenance grew haggard and ghastly to a degree as the public executioner thus spoke; and as she raised her eyes in mingled entreaty, horror, and uncertainty toward him, all the intensity of her varied feelings was de- picted with a frightful eloquence in her looks. “Well, and what are you thinking of, then?’’ he dowdkded: with liruéal abruptness. ‘‘ You must not give way to regret and so on, or else it will spoil your beauty. And mind, yours is a beauty of which I shall be very proud when I introduce you to all my particular friends.” “Eternal God!” shrieked Lady Ernestina, suddenly shaking herself in a paroxysm of hysterical frenzy, ‘is it possible that all this can be true, that I hear aright? ”’ “True? Of course it is. Why the devil shouldn’t it be? But come, I will give you a proof of my love and affection.”’ Thus speaking, and with a horrible chuckling laugh, the KS at mn