The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

eee ge ~_ . as . —_— — THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. L5 ————_ -— of that money ; and if you reform your mode of | defensive weapons as came readily to hand, com- menced an immediate search over the premises. — life, depend upon it that I will not be unmindful of you, to the extentof such means as, during the minority of my son, circumstances may place within my reach. But as a condition of what I am now doing for you, I insist upon your depar- ture from the castle; and what I may hereafter do is likewise subject to the condition that you never come near these walls again.” Of course Ralph Farefield readily promised everything that Lady Saxondale required: but his submissiveness, his gratitude, and his contri- tion—all of which he took pains to exhibit—were but a detestable hypocrisy ; for in his own mind he was resolved to take immediate possession of the whole twenty thousand pounds of which her ladyship had spoken. and in due time adopt fresh measures for removing the infant heir from his th. mare Now, Mr. Farefield,” continued Lady Saxon- dale, ‘‘ we are about to proceed together into the vaults beneath this chapel: for there is the trea- sure concealed in a strong chest. But as I am thus compelled to trust myself in such a place and at such an hour, you will not think it im- prudent on my part to have adopted some little precaution. ‘T'ake one of those candles, and just look forth from the door. You need make no observation from your lips.” Ralph Farefield did as he was desired; and taking the candle, he advanced to the chapel- door—opened it—and lvoked forth into the pas- sage. There he beheld Mabel, her ladyship’s confidential tirgwoman, standing in the middle of the corrider. “ Leave that door open,” said Lady Saxondale. Ralph obeyed this command likewise, and re- traced his steps to the spot where her ladyship was standing. on Taking down her own candle from the niche, she said, “Now come with me. But I would rather you should proceed in frout.” “Madam,” he answered, “I am sorry that you entertain such a dreadful opinion relative to me n “Let us not make any unnecessary comments,” rejoined Lady Saxondale. “ Proceed.” “ Shall we not light one of these torches ?” he asked, glancing towards a couple which rested in iron rings fastened to the wall: ‘for I presume we are about to descend into the vaults \ “* No—the candles will do,” interrupted Lady Saxondale. ‘ Proceed.” Ralph accordingly led the way into the ves- tiary, Lady Saxondale following close behind. By her direction he opened the low door commu- nicating with the flight of stone steps leading into the vaults: and they deacended together. ™ ™ * ” mu “4 6 te * A 4s s a On the fourth night after the incidents just re- lated, and as the clock was proclaiming the hour of twelve, the inmates of the castle were suddenly alarmed by acry that burglars had brokenin. This ery emanated from Mabel, who was passing from her mistress’s chamber to her own, and who ob- served the figures of three or four men creeping stealthily along the corridor. In a few minutes the entire household was aroused; and the men-ser- vauts, arming themselves with such offensive and In consequence of the vastness of the building and the number of rooms, passages, corridors, and nooks that had to be thus searched, the investi- gation occupied a good hour; and though there were evident traces of a burglarious entry having been really effected, it seemed equally clear that the thieves had got safe off again—for they could not be discovered. These burglars were none other than Chiffin the Cannibal and three of his infamous associates. Having seen in a London paper the paragraph relative to the old lord’s illness, which had been copied from the Lincolnshire journal, Chiffin had at once called at Ralph Farefield’s lodging; but on arriving there, he learnt that Mr. Farefield had gone down the previous day into Lincoln- shire. Chiffin, thinking that his services might possibly be required—or perhaps having the in- tention of being one of the first to pay his re- spects to the new Lord Saxondale—set off witl three of his associates into Lincolnshire. But on arriving in the neighbourhood of the castle and making secret inquiries, they learnt that Lady Saxondale had recovered her lost child—that the old lord was dead—and that Ralph Farefield hid departed suddenly after a stay of only a very few hours. Whatever Chiffin might have thought rela- tive to the restoration of the infant heir of Saxon- dale to its mother’s bosom, is of no consequence at present ; suffice it to say that finding, as he himself observed, it was “all up” with Ralph Farefield, neither he nor his associates were the men to have come down into Lincolnshire for nothing. They accordingly resolved to pay a visit to the interior of the castle, and self-appropriate what- soever they could lay their hands upon. The burglarious entrance was effected ; but as the four villains were creeping along one of the passages, the alarm was suddenly given by Mabel, as above described. To retreat by the same way they had entered was now impossible; and hur- rying along at random, the burglars reached the western side of the castle. There they paused— listened—and finding that all was still, took a rapid view, by means of a dark lantern, of the place where they had thus halted. A door was standing open a little farther on: they pursued their investigation, and found that it led into the chapel. From a window in the corridor they saw lights moving quickly about in the other parts of the buildings overlooking the quadrangle: it was therefore evident the household was on the alert. Without farther deliberation they sought refnge in the chapel, and found their way to the ves- tiary, which they at first fancied was a means of egress. Opening the door leading down upon the flight of steps, they were about to prosecute their search for an avenue of escape, when the lantern went out, the candle being all exhausted. They were now involved in the pitehy blackness of that place: but passivg in upon the steps, they closed the door, resolving to wait the issue of events. Presently they heard voices in the cha- pel, which the domestics were searching as well as every other part of the premises. ‘The ser- vants even penetrated into the vestiary; and the burglars resolved, if discovered, to make the most desperate resistance. But the servants, not fora moment fancying thatthe burglars were likely to SS COMIC DO© (CO)