The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

es THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 151 and the table in the middle, crowded with phials| ‘ But the phial containing the deadly poi- filled with fluids of all colours and qualities, saucers | son?” she observed. “That, I fear, was amingst containing crystals, and the other results of a won- | them.” drous science perseveringly pursued by one of its| ‘Still no matter!” rejoined Dr. Ferney. “It most ardent disciples. perhaps serves me right for leaving it about in so The lady, after examining the various implements | negligent amanner. Come and let me show you the with great apparent interest and curiosity, turned | wonders of my museum.” towards the table, and inspecting the phials, asked | The lady accordingly followed him from the la- several questions relative to their contents. Dr. | boratory; and as she did so, she took the opportunity Ferney, who for years had never been excited by of thrusting into her bosom something which she any tribute of praise or any personal homage shown had held in her hand, to his scientific genius, was now perfectly overjoyed They now ascended a flight of stairs; and on at the interest which the lady seemed to take therein. reaching the landing above, Dr. Ferney opened a But then he loved her—he had worshipped her door which led into the suite of apartments contain- image for those long, long years—and she was nuw_ ing the various objects of physiological curiosity, present with him in the living reality! He ex- anatomical preparation, and waxen effigy, to which plained to her one after another the natures and_ we alluded at the opening of this chapter. uses of the various fluids contained in the phials; | “Here,” said the doctor, as he held the lamp be- and at length taking up one which she herself had fore an array of skulls upon a shelf, “ are the heads not noticed, he said, “ Here is a liquid of so deadly | of many celebrated criminals, procured ——no matter a poison, that I am even surprised. at my own indis- | exactly how. To the lover of the phrenological cretion in leaving it here. It is fortunate however science each head tells its own peculiar story, and that my servants possess no undue curiosity, and without previous knowledge, affords a certain clue to never penetrate to my private rooms without pre- the reading of the history of the individual to whom vious orders. Indeed, the foolish creatures declare it belonged. The very crimes which the wretches that they are haunted,” added the doctor with a perpetrated and for which they suffered, are dis- smile. tinctly evidenced by the construction of their skulls. “ But this remarkable poison of which you began ' Now, here,’ continued the doctor, carrying the to speak,” said the lady: “is it also anew discovery lamp to the front of a mummy in its case, “is an of vours?” Egyptian Princess dug out of the Pyramid of “Tt is an elimination which I succeeded in obtain- Cheops. This one next to it is the petrified form of ing but yesterday,” replied Dr. Ferney. “There is a male slave found in a kitchen belonging to a no poison so fatal in existence. It needs not even ' palace in Herculaneum. It was dug out from so much as a drop poured down the throat: the amidst the lava, which had preserved instead of de- point of a feather dipped therein and placed with stroying it. See that iron chain upon the leg: it was _ the gentlest touch upon the lip, would produce in- | the badge of servitude! Here, in this next case, is stantaneous death. The peculiar property of the a corpse which, to tell you the truth, I procured from fluid is that it is mmodorous as it is likewise clear as the resurrection-men several years ago. Ah! I water.” used to be a good customer to them, when bodies “And wherefore this deadly—this terrible dis- | could not be so easily obtained as they can now. covery?” asked the lady: “ what purpose can it | This furnishes the result of an experiment of mine serve?” inembalming. See how admirably it is preserved ! “Not that to which I may have seemed to al-| does it not seem as if the individual had only died lude,” replied the physician, again smiling: for he | yesterday ? But while I think of embalming, I can experienced a rare happiness in the company of the | show you another specimen. That also I procured object of his undying affection. “ But by means of'| from the body-snatchers; and, by the bye, it is just this fluid, used infinitesimally with large admixtures, | about nineteen years azo—shortly after our acquaint I have no doubt of accomplishing some wondrous ' ance in London ended and you quitted my mother’s cures. Let us now pass on into the museum:’— | abode. Business called me into the country ; and and thus speaking, Dr. Ferney placed the little phial | there I purchased this subject which 1 am about to containing the deadly poison on the edge of the table. | show you. It seems he was drowned. He must He now took up the lamp once more, and was | have been a very fine young man; and I flatter leading the way out of the laboratory, when there | myself that it is the most successful experiment I was a sudden crash and a sort of stifled shriek on | ever made in the process of embalming. Here, this the part of the lady. Dr. Ferney turned hastily | way.” round ; and on perceiving what it was, he besought | Thus speaking, Dr. Ferney led the lady into the her not to vex herself on account of the accident. | adjacent room: and there, advancing close up to a “Oh, how awkward—how careless on my part!” | tall coffin-looking case, which stood upright on one she cried, with an air of the utmost annoyance. “It | end, and with a glass front, he pointed to its in- was the fringe of my shawl that swept all these | mate, saying, “ This is the one.” phials from the table.” The lady, though naturally of strong mmd, had “No matter! no matter!” said the physician. | contemplated with some degree of cold horror the “Pray do not blame yourself.” various objects hitherto pointed out: but, as already “ But the fruits of your labours?” she exclaimed, | stated, it suited her purpose to manifest as much looking down at the quantity of broken glass and interest as she was able in the things that consti- the pool of liquid on the floor. tuted the doctor’s favourite studies. Sbe now ad- “ Again I say no matter !” persisted the physician, vaneed up to this fresh object of curiosity to which who was annoyed only on the lady’s account—for Dr. Ferney had alluded: but what words can depict she appeared deeply vexed. | her horror, astonishment, and dismay, when sne ee ee eee ECOMmiclboooks (CO)