The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 324: what you’re looking at

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

. te i OO THE MYSTERIES. 309 bosom: for, Oh! to lose all that she possessed in the world was a blow which seemed of an atrocity too in- fernal for a good God to permit to fall upon the head of an orphan,—a blow which would strike her as with blasting, searing lightning, leaving naught save the blackest misery in her soul! Holding her hand in momentary consideration to her heated, throbbing brow, she reflected that she might have misunderstood Mr. Simmonds—that his offices were not in Tokenhouse Yard—that he was perhaps still waiting for her, but in some other part of the Bank of England—and that an accident had separated her from the man who was leading her to the broker’s placeof business. These thoughts, ra- pidly suggesting themselves, appeared so feasible that she even endeavoured to smile at her own silli- ness in giving way to such harrowing suspicions: but, alas! the smile was sickly indeed, and the suspicions were relieved of little of their agonising poignancy. Hastening back to the Bank of England, Camilla accosted the beadle who stood at the gate, and in- quired whether he happened to he acquainted with an attorney of the name of Simmonds. “T should rayther think you don’t want to ax me such a question, young o’oman,” was the gruff response which the lace-bedizened functionary gave, as ne raised his staff slowly and let it fall suddenly with the butt-end on the pavement. “ You surely cannot understand my question,” said Camilla, the tears starting into her eyes: “or you would at least answer me with the same civility that { exhibited towards you when putting it,” she added, in atone that trembled with emotions. « All J know is that I see you and another o’oman pass the gate just now in company with that noto- rious feller Simmonds and a suspicious-looking man —and I kepta precious sharp eye on all four on yer,” said the beadle. ‘So you'd better be off—’cos we don’t want pickpockets and prostitutes lurking about here But, holloa! what’s the matter now 2?” he ejaculated, perceiving that Camilla suddenly burst into a perfect agony of weeping. ‘“ Come—tramp— be off with you!” he cried in a brutal tone and with savage manner. “This isa new dodge, I suppose— and you fancy that whimpering vill make genelmen pull out their purses and empty ’em into yer hand, Come—be off, I say.” _ And, seizing the wretched girl by the shoulders as she was leaning against the open door to support herself from falling, the beadle bundled her roughly into the street. Three or four persons instantly stopped to witness the proceeding; and Camilla, overwhelmed with mingled shame and grief, fruitlessly endeavoured to utter a few words of explanation. The beadle made a sign that she was an impostress—the persons whom the scene had attracted, shook their heads and passed on, wondering how so young a creature could practise so much deception — and the Bank func- tionary of course obtained the credit of being a very vigilant and experienced officer who could detect a rogue or cheat under any disguise. And the orphan dragged herself away from the spot, ten thousand times more poignantly wounded by the insult she had received than by the loss of all she possessed in the world: for that Simmonds was a notorious character was at least apparent from the words which had fallen from the beadle’s lips. For a few minutes the mental anguish which SS eee ee Camilla endured was so excruciating that it absorbed every other consideration; but suddenly recollecting that she was in a public place in the middle of a crowded city, and perceiving that her woe-begone aspect was attracting towards her the notice of every one who passed, she dried her eyes—drew her veil over her countenance—and walked mechanically on, without however heeding which way she was going. In this mood the poor creature made the complete circuit of the Bank; and she only became aware of the fact when suddenly startled by finding herself once more within a few yards of the beadle who had ere now s0 grossly ill-treated her. Retaining her vei! over her countenance, and sum- moning all her courage to her aid, she aecosted the man who evidently did not recognise her again at the moment. | “ Not many minutes have elapsed,” she said, in a tone the collected firmness of which surprised even herself, “since you cruelly misjudged the character of a respectable young lady, to whom you likewise offered personal violence.” “Ah! and you're the young lady?” ejaculated the beadle, suddenly becoming alarmed lest he had indeed gone too far—for there was now something in her voice and manner which carried a conviction to the man’s heart that che was noé the loose and aban- doned character he had so gratuitously represented her to be. “ Yes—I am the young lady,” said Camilla: “and if you yourself are a father or a brother—if you have a sister ora grown-up daughter whom you love and respect—you ought to feel both sorry and ashamed that you have this day so grossly and unprovokedly insulted me.” The beadle now grew more frightened and began to stammer forth apologies— declaring that there were so many impostors now-a-days it was impossible to know who was honest and who was not—that the Bank especially was made the scene and the theatre of their pranks—and that he was obliged to be very particular or else he should lose his situation. “ All this is doubtless true enough,” said Camilla; “but you ought to exercise greater caution. How- ever, | freely forgive you for thie ill-treatment which i experienced at your hands. And now tell me what you know of those people with whom you saw me ere now 2” “ Respecting the young o’oman and the man with the shawl-handkerchief, [ don’t know nothink, Miss,” answered the beadle, whose tone and manner had changed from the surly roughness of the bully to the cringing servility of a coward who is afraid of the consequences of his ruffianism: “leastways, I could only judge by their looks that they was rum customers. But that scoundrel Simmonds is always lurking about here ——” “Then he is not an attorney, as he pretends?” said Camilla, her heart sinking: within her and all the keen, agonising consciousness of utter misery again coming upon her, as the last lingering gleam of hope was now unmistakably destroyed. “ Well—he was a lawyer once, Miss,” answered the beadle: “ but he’s been struck off the rolls long ago —and ever sinoe he’s hung about the Bank and *>Change——” “Which is the way into the public room where persons sell money out of the funds?” demanded Camilla, in a stifling voice. “Through that door, Miss,” responded the func- GOMmMileaoo <SHIGO | ee