The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 178: what you’re looking at

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THE taking the body away naked in a hackney-coach: but up comes the solicitor for the executors aud says, says he, ‘ Your powers as a sheriffs’-officer dont allow you to make a forcible entry. The lid of this coffin is the front door of the dead body's present residence; and you will break it open ai your peril,—So my master saw the force of this reasoning and gave up the matter. There’s technicalities for you.” “ Very remarkable,” exclaimed Page. “Not so wery wonderful neither,’ resumed Mr. Grumley, “when compared with other things that I can tell you. There was my old friend Duggins, the horse-dealer. He was a twenty thousand pound man ——and he made a will which said, ‘JZ leave all my black and white horses to my eldest son Joshua Dug- gins ; and the residue of my live stock I leave to my youngest son Samuel.’— Now it seemed that some of the horses was black—others was white—and others was piebald, or black and white. Well, Joshua claims ’em all; and Samuel insists on having the piebalds. A law-suit takes place; and Joshua’s counsel argues in this manner:—‘ The black and white horses are clearly bequeathed to my client. He is entitled to the black: that is not denied. He is entitled to the white: that is also undisputed. Well, then, the will gives him the black and white; and therefore he must have the piebald.”’ --The Court couldn’t resist this reasonin’; and Joshua gets a judgment accordingly.” “This counsel deserved the verdict as a reward for his logic,’ observed Page, highly delighted with these anecdotes, “T'll tell you a case that come off last Sessions at the Old Bailey,” said Mr. Grumley. “One Bill Starks, a noted thief, was charged in the indictment for feloniously taking a diamond ear-ring from a lady’s person. It seems he was togged as a swell- cove and sate next to her at the theatre, where the offence was committed In a moment when all the au- dience was greatly excited. But Counsellor Sharply pleaded in his defence that there was no robbery from the person: because when the prisoner un- hcoked the diamond drop from the lady’s ear, it fell into her lap—and she, instantly perceiving what was done, gave him into custody. So the fact was that there was no taking from the person at all; and he was acquitted.” “ Your stories get better and better, Mr. Grumley,” said Page. “It’s only half-past ten,” he added, re- ferring to his watch. “ Have you got any more to tell us?” * Lots,’ replied the constable. “ But we must be jogeing now—and I'll give you a few more anecdotes another time. Come, genelmen.” Thus speaking, Mr. Peter Grumley rose from his seat; and, opening a cupboard, he took thence a rough and heavy upper-coat, into which he worked himself by innumerable contortions of his portly frame. In each of the two pockets he thrust a huge horse-pistol: he fastened a cutlass to his waist, so that it was concealed by the great thick coat when buttoned across his ample chest ;—and grasping a stout club, he intimated by a familiar nod and a smile that his preparations were complete. “ Now we'll take a hackney-coach and be off,” he observed. “ My men, under Mobbs’s orders, are al- ready half-way there.” Mr. Gremley. Sir Richard Stamford, and Mr. Page sallied forth accordingly. MYSTERIES. CHAPTER XLVIL. THE RESULT. SHORTLY before midnight the Magsman, the Gal- lows’ Widow, Briggs, the Beggarman, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Ramsey were assembled in conclave at the house in Thacker’s Court. It was very evident, by the manner of the parties, that a reconciliation had taken place between Ram- sey and the landlord of the Beggar’s Staff: in fact, it was indispensable to the interests of the former to forgive, thouch he might not forget, the murderous attempt made upon him on the river;—and it was owing to the intervention of the Magsman that the affair had been thus patched up. “Well,” said the formidable Joseph Warren, who might be looked on as the president of this council of iniquity, “we can resolve upon nothing until Julia Lightfoot returns. It was fortunate that she happened to be here at the time, Briggs—or you would have had no one to send on this business, and the night would have been lost.” “Tere she is!” exclaimed the man to whom the latter remark was addressed: for at the moment a low knock at the front door was heard. In less than a minute Julia found herself in the presence of the miscreants thus assembled in solemn conclave; and she was welcomed by the Magsman, the Big Beggarman, and the Gallows’ Widow as an old acquaintance. Believing, too, that she was sin- cere in her wish to join them, they congratulated her upon the resolution which she had formed to that effect. “ And now what news, young woman?” demanded Ramsey, as she took her seat at the table. “Sir Richard Stamford lives at the house to which I was sent,” she replied, without the least indication of embarrassment. “ He has lodged there since yes- terday, and is in and out a great deal. I pretended to be a poor servant out of place, and got into con- versation with the landlady. It happens that she requires a maid-of-all-work just at the present time; and I gave her a reference to some fictitious person and feigned address.” ** Good,’ murmured the Gallows’ Widow, with that inward kind of low chuckle which was more dread- ful to hear than the boisterous mirth of the wildest orgie. “Sir Richard went out while I was there,” con- tinued Julia. “ Heis a tali, stoutish man, of com- manding appearance, and very handsome—wears hessian boots and a short cloak.” “Exactly so!” eried Martin. “ You have tracked him to his kennel—and he shall not escape us.” ‘‘Ashe was going out,’ resumed Mrs. Page, “he asked the landlady for a latch-key, saying that he should not be home again until between two and three in the morning, as he had a consultation with some Bow Street runners to attend rn “Ah! I told you that the warfare had begun!” exclaimed Ramsey. “He has been collecting his proofs—and now he has fairly opened the campaign. What next, young woman?” “ The landlady gave him the latch-key,” proceeded Julia ; “but as he took it from her hand, it fell upon the pavement and rolled towards the gutter. We were all three standing close by the threshold of the door when this happened. I officiously stooped dowr Com Ghbooksseom