The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 279: what you’re looking at

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264 Se ee Reo eee SPS i to curdle in her veins—the pulsations of her heart stood still—and an appalling consternation seized spell-like upon her. A form {in human shape was stretched upon the huge oaken chest wherein the silver plate of the altar and the gar- ments of the priests were wont to be kept in the Catholic period of that chapel’s existence. But only for an instant lasted the superstitious na- ture of her horror :—transient as any human feeling can be, it was succeeded by another though scarcely less fearful species of consterna- tion, a8 she recognised in that recumbent sleep- ing figure the unmistakablo form: and features of Chiffin the Cannibal ! CHAPTER LV. THE VESTIARY OF THE CHAPEL. | Lapy Saxonpavez’s first impulse was to fly—to raise an alarm—and to have the villain arrested: but all in a moment the light of the lamp flashing upon his eyes, awoke him—and he started up. He had slept with a loaded pistol by his side, which he instinctively clutched and presented at her ladyship, so that she still remained petrified with horror: but immediately recognizing her, he lowered the weapon, and giving vent to a subdued chuckling laugh, said in his usual growling tone, “ Why, what on earth brings you here, ma’am, at this hour ?” Lady Saxondale, recovering somewhat of her pre- sence of mind, glanced around to assure herself that the ruffian had no companions with him; and per- ceiving that he was alone, she grew more cour- ageous—so that it was even with a return of her accustomed haughtiness of look and manner, that she said, “ Rather should I ask how dare you set foot | within these walls ?” “ For want of a better home at the present,” replied Chiffin, as coolly as if there were not the slightest cause for alarm on his own account: and indeed such was his conviction. “But what is to prevent me from summoning my domestics and handing you over to the grasp of justice?” demanded Lady Saxondale, wishing to ascertain the precise grounds of the man’s self- sufficiency: for she could not help seeing that he considered her to be to a certain extent in his power. “What should prevent you?” he said: “why, several things, to be sure—and I dare say you ain’t far off from guessing some of ’em,” “Name them,” rejoined- Lady Saxondale, ab- ruptly: for the terrible suspicion flashed to her mind that perhaps Madge Somers had betrayed her secret to the Cannibal, although the woman bad po- sitively sworn to her ladyship in the morning of that day, at Saxondale House, that she had treasured it closely in her own breast until it was inveigled from her by Juliana—but that to Juliana alone had she ever mentioned it. “ Name them—eh?” echoed the Cannibal. “Well, in the first place, it was rather a rum thing the way that my friend and employer Mr. Ralph Fare- field E “Ah!” ejaculated Lady Saxondale, starting as if a viper had suddenly plunged its fangs into her leg: and then she glanced instinctively towards the door leading down to the subterranean vaults. nervous petulance. been in communication with me?”—and she fixed her eyes earnestly upon the Cannibal. hastily. Somers asserts a claim upon my gratitude :”—and with a secret feeling of indescribable relief and satis- faction she mentally added, “ He does not know the secret. THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, “Oh! then you didn’t know that me and Mr Farefield was intimate?” said the Cannibal: “but such was the case. I should have thought Madge Somers would have mentioned that circumstance to your ladyship. I told her all about it one night not very long ago; and as of course I Know she’s been in communication with your ladyship, I thought she might have spoke on that subject.” “She never did,” observed Lady Saxondale, with “Do you know why she has “Why, I suppose because she saved your son’s life that night up at her cottage—for what reason though I never could tell, as I shouldn’t have spared him—and that’s the truth.” “Yes, yes—you are right,” said Lady Saxondale “That is the reason why the woman Madge has proved faithful.” “Well, but as I was saying,” resumed Chiffin, “wasn’t it rather suspicious that Mr. Farefield should have met his death in so queer a way? It isn’t likely he went down into that vault and drowned him- self of his own accord: he wasn’t the man to do it— partickler as when the old lord was dead, there was only the bantling betwixt Ralph and the title as well as the estate—and he knowed that I was ready to lend him a helping hand in the matter. tell your ladyship the truth, I never had any sus- picion that Ralph met his death by foul means—I always thought it was an accident—till t’other night, when I took the little liberty of introducing myself to your ladyship at Saxondale House by the aid of a skeleton key and a crow-bar: for them’s But to generally my letters of introduction.” * And why, on that night, did you begin to think otherwise concerning Mr. Farefield’s death ?” asked Lady Saxondale, pale and motionless as a statue, but her eyes burning like living coals as she kept them fixed upon the Cannibal. “ Because it struck me when I come to think of it afterwards,” replied the man, with a look of sardonic significancy, “that for a lady to have that scent-bottle filled with stupifying stuff was a queer thing enow; and that if she had it, it could only be to use it—and that if she was bold enough to use it, it couldn’t be for the very best of purposes. So putting two and two together, and remembering that your ladyship might have had good reasons for putting Mr. Ralph Farefield out of the way nine- teen years ago——” “You dare not throw such an accusation at me!” exclaimed Lady Saxondale. “Ah! but I do though—and within the last few minutes your own conduct has confirmed the suspicion.” “My conduct ?” echoed her ladyship nm mingled astonishment and alarm; for she was at a loss 40 conjecture the man’s meaning, but feared that she had unknowingly committed herselé “ Why, the moment I spoke of Mr. Ralph Fare- field, you turned round and looked at that door be- hind you,” answered Chiflin, with a still more satanic sigiificancy of look than he had ere now worn. “Where does that door lead to? Down into the vaults. AnJ what have the vaults got VnOOLKKS (CO) (E©)