The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 339: what you’re looking at

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

—_— II ND TERS, I ty ee THE MYSTERIES. gur friend éhere is,” continued the Big Beggarman, nodding his head towards the nobleman who was still poring over the register. “But I say, Joe,” added the ruffian, sinking his voice to a whisper that was scarcely audible, “what’s to prevent us from knocking him on the head and helping ourselves to the contents of his pocket-book, instead of waiting till he pays us the balance at Liverpool 2” “Lord bless ye, my dear Stephen,” returned the Magsman, in the same subdued tone; “do you sup- pose that I haven’t been thinking of the same thing ever since I saw him take out his pocket-book for the first time, this morning when we were standing behind the pile of granite blocks? To be sure I have—and when we were smoking our pipes after dinner in the cottage, [ was half a mind to propose to you to cut Ais throat and the old man’s and wo- man’s throats also, and so make light work of the business at once. But I thought better of it—and I tell you now that it’s more to our interests to Jet things take their course.” “How so?” demanded the Beggarman. “ Sup- pose the pocket-book contained more than he has still got to pay us?—then we should be the gainers.” “And suppose it contains less?” returned the Magsiman, with a knowing look: “in this case we should be the losers) And it may be probable that the gentleman intends to get more money at Liver- pool—or that he has left his pocket-book behind him at the cottage——” “ Well, there’s certainly them chances against us,” said the Begearman, in a musing tone, although still speaking in a low whisper. “ But that’s not the only calculation I’ve been making,” continued the Magsman. ‘ Of course we don’t mean to go to America : that you and me have already decided upon between ourselves. Well, now— suppose we some day find out who ke is—and who the lady is—and what all this business means?—why, let his fortune be whatever it will, at least half of it must find its way into our pockets. He couldn’t re- fuse it—nor the lady either, whoever sheis. They’re completely in our power; and as they’re no doubt well off already, and most likely mean to be much richer still—for this affair hasn’t been undertaken for nothing, mark ye—it will be a splendid thing for us to find out who they are and have ahold upon them.” “ You're right, Joe,’ observed the Big Beggarman, convinced by this reasoning: ‘ we musn’t knock him onthe head. He'll be more use to us living—I see that now.” “To be sure,” rejoined the Magsman; and, the question being thus disposed of, the matter dropped. But while the two ruffians had been thus coolly and calmly deliberating upon the propriety or im- propriety of assassinating their masked employer,— he on his part had succeeded in discovering the par- ticular record which he sought in the parochial volume. A smile played upon his lip-—and he rubbed his hands together joyfully. Then, taking a pen-knife from his pocket, he carefully scratched out certain words in that entry which regarded his inte- rests or his views; and with equal caution he rubbed over it a very fine powder, or species of pounce, which he had brought for the purpose. The effect was that when he wrote other words in the place ot those which he had erased, the ink did not run with atl improper thickness upon the paper, nor aflord any ee ees | —awe ee eee Te sign or indication that such a substitution had taken place. In fact, the forgery was complete and fault- less in its execution: the handwriting of the original entry was imitated to a nicety ;—and when the ink was entirely dry, the nobleman rubbed the paper gently with the tip of his fore-finger on which he collected-a little dust by passing it along the mantel- piece. The result was to take away from the leaf that whiteness which appeared where the pen-kuife had scratched it; and the page thus wore an uniform aspect, as if it had never been tampered with. The register was now returned to its place—the safe was locked again—and the nobleman quitted the vestry, followed by his two agents. Along the aisle they proceeded, their footsteps raising echoes which made it seem as if there were other midnight visitors in the church: but this they knew to be a delusion—and in safety they emerged from the temple which their presence had so desecrated. The nobleman was careful to lock the door behind him; and the trio retraced their way through the cemetery—across the fields—back to the cottage, at the door of which they found the travelling-carriage In readiness, The reader will remember that the masked lady had taken her departure in the vehicle immediately after breakfast in the morning: and it had now re- turned to convey the nobleman and his two hired bravos to Liverpool. The old couple were sitting up at the cottage, into which the Magsman and the Beggarman were invited to enter and partake of some hasty refreshment. The clock in the room showed them it was nearly two in the morning ; and thus their nocturnal expe- dition had occupied three hours. While they were regaling themselves with some cold meat and hot spirits-and-water, the noblemau presented them each with a hundred pounds, ob- serving, “ This is for the extra work which you have done to-night. The balance of the large sum due to both of you shall be paid, according to agreement, when you stand upon the deck of the American packet at Liverpool.” Yhe men expressed their satisfaction ;—and, the meal being concluded, they entered the carriage, followed by the nobleman. The blinds were drawn up—total darkness reigned within—and the vehicle rolled rapidly away, —thus perpetuating that deep mystery which had all along been maintained towards the Magsman and the Big Beggarman respecting the whereabouts of those scenes through which they had passed, and the locality of those incidents in which they had borne so large a share. CHAPTER XCILI. THE WAY-SIDE COTTAGE.—THE ACCIDENT. THE journey was continued in profound silence ; for the nobleman did not choose to converse with his hireling assassins—and the two men themselves, | overcome with weariness, soon fell into a profound slumber. Even when the carriage stopped to change horses, they did not wake up: but at length they were aroused by some one shaking them violently— ind then they found that several hours must have vassed away. For the blinds were down—the misty grey light of the dawn was throwing a sort of half es ee — ee CS SEE SES ERE SE ee i ‘ ‘ ! ' | i tag gases ——EEEE— LDL LLDLADL LL DRA LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL ELLIE AL EAE =m te - — —_—— (C(O) (C(O ‘@. nn) 6)(0)() So