The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 126: what you’re looking at

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se tu le THE MYSTERIES. tain an interview with him as soon as possible.” “ He is not here—neither is the Gallows’ Widow, which is his blowen,” answered the Big Beggarman, “They’re gone over into Wapping together, and won't be back again to-night.” “Perdition!” ejaculated Ramsey, in a tone of “Kvery minute’s delay is profound vexation. ruinous !” “Now don’t excite yourself, sir,” said Carrotty “We can guess pretty Poll, in a soothing voice. well what it is that’s annoying you——” “Sir Richard Stamford is at liberty!” exclaimed Ramsey, interrupting the young woman impatiently, and striking the table with his clenched fist. “We know it,” observed the Beggarman. “ But it is not our fault: he escaped!” “You are not deceiving me?” cried Ramsey, in a tone of mingled excitement and menace. “ Howcan you prove to me that he did indeed escape—and that neither you nor Joseph Warren, nor any of your associates, connived at his flight 2?” “Well—it may be a difficult matter for me to convince you, Mr. Ramsey,” returned the villain: “but if you was t’other side of the river at this mo- ment, I could take you to the place where the baro- net was confined, and show you the hole that he made in the wall of the cellar.” “ { am inclined to believe you—I do believe you,” said Ramsey. “In fact, if I had really suspected treachery on your part I should not have come hither this evening. Mr, Martin assured me that the ut- most reliance was to be placed upon Warren—and he urged me to come to London and see him without delay.” ‘But how did you learn that the baronet had escaped?” demanded the Beggarman: “for the Magsman only wrote this evening to let you know what had happened—and the letter won’t reach Aylesbury till to-morrow morning. He was in hopes of being able to discover Sir Richard again, and take him back to his old quarters: and that’s the reason why he didn’t send you immediate intelligence of his flight.” “Last evening Mr. Martin received the most positive information that Sir Richard had been seen in the neighbourhood of Aylesbury,” said Philip Ramsey: “and, as you may suppose, we were stricken with dismay. In fact, it will beruin to both Martin and myself—positive ruin,” added the young man, with frightful emphasis, “if the baronet is allowed to remain many more hours at large. What is to be done?” “What would you wish to be done?” asked the Beggarman: “and when you have told us, what will you pay for having it done ?” “You are disposed to assist us—to any extent— to any extreme?” said Ramsey, sinking his voice to a low whisper, which was nevertheless full of mean- ing: and he bent his looks with kindred significancy upon the villain whom he thus addressed. “Let us understand each other, Mr. Ramsey,” observed the Beggarman. “You gave us a good round sum for carrying off the baronet, and keeping him in limbo: and we fulfilled our bargain as far as we could. Wedon’t hold ourselves answerable for his escape—cause why, we couldn’t help it. We put him in a strong and secure place;—and we knowed that we might rely upon Briggs—that’s the Chap which had him in his care—as well as on our til “Ttis of the greatest consequence that I should ob- ownselves. He wouldn’t sign the paper which you and Mr. Martin had drawn up—and that was no fault of our’n neither. But we should have kept him jn the cellar till he did: and if he’d held out much longer, we meant to have starved him into compliance. Now, then, you perceive that we did our dooty towards you and your partner as well as we was able: and we don’t see that anythink fresh or new which you may want us to have done or to do for you, should be executed free gratis for no- think.” “ Your observations are perfectly just and your reasoning is correct,” said Ramsey. “ Weare pre- pared to pay you well for what you must do next.” “In that case, we shan’t have no quarrels,” re- marked the Big Beggarman. “ But how go on mat- ters at Aylesbury? We saw by yesterday morn- ing’s paper that Lady Stamford was not dead—that she was not even mortally wounded—and that the Coroner’s Inquest was held to examine into the cause of the fire, and not the death of the lady, as was at fust reported.” “It is all these circumstances which render it so necessary that Sir Richard Stamford should either be got out of the way—or else put out of the way,” returned Ramsey, again fixing a look of dark and Sinister meaning upon the countenance of the Beggarman. “The Coroner’s Inquest has de- cided,” he continued, “ that the fire was the result of accident—caused by a candle being upset on the supper-table. Thus, the charge of arson no longer presses against Sir Richard Stamford. Then, again, a surgical opinion declares that the wound was inflicted on Lady Stamford with her own hand: and therefore the accusation of murder is likewise quashed.” But the forgeries, Mr. Ramsey—the forgeries >” exclaimed the Beggarman. “Perhaps the less we say on that subject, the better,” was the reply, delivered ina sombre and gloomy tone. “But it is useless to remain here, idly conversing on these matters,” he continued, his tone suddenly becoming impatient and excited. “Sir Richard Stamford is in the neighbourhood of Aylesbury—we know where he is concealing him- self, while he doubtless waits to ascertain how it may turn out with his wife, ere he takes any actual proceedings ——” “ And that lady—is she sensible ?—can she speak, So as to give any account of matters that may tell against you, sir?” inquired Carrotty Poll: “for the Magsman informed us that you was pretty intimate with her,” she added, with a chuckling laugh. “She is still hovering between life and death,” answered Ramsey, scarcely able to conceal his disgust at the grossness of the woman’s manner. “ But again I say, do not waste time in asking me questions: assist me, if you will,” he continued, ad- dressing himself to the Big Beggarman ; —“and if not, I must adopt other means to ensure my safety.” “have not refused to assist you,” replied the burly, red-faced villain doggedly ; “ but you haven’t given me no instructions.” * You are dull at comprehending a hint,” said Ramsey, with an impatient uneasiness and restless- ness which indicated that he had already planned a a terrible deed, but shrank from ayowing his thoughts. : “ {remember you observed just now that the Sa Ee aa ROE nT po UP USE ae AN er Clooolks. conn Com