The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 335: what you’re looking at

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

820 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. "= —_—_— Now, in plain terms. did you not receive a letter | “ Well, sir, he’s a genelman which frequents this the day before yesterday, posted at Gainsborough, | house, and is a wery good customer of mine. But — and addressed to you in just these words—WMr.| to tell you the truth, he would prove rather a Solomon Patch, the Billy Goat, Agar Towm, St. | orkard kind of customer if I was to break open his Pancras, London ?” letters. He hasn’t been here for a week ortendays > “Well, I did have such a letter,” answered the | past; and Idon’t know what’s become of him.” landlord. At this moment Mrs. Patch opened the door of | “ And now, to come to the point at once, will you | the bar-parlour, and whispered something in her show me that letter if I give you fifty pounds?” husband’s ear,—having done which, she disappeared The old man hesitated for nearly a minute; and again, closing the door behind her. then he said, “ Before we go any farther, sir, I think “Now this is fortunate,’ observed Solomon. I ouzht to know who you and this young gentle- | “Mr. Chiffin, the wery highly respectable genelman | man be——” which this note is addressed to, has just gone into | “Very well: you shall have that information. | the tap-room. If you like to negutiate with him, | IIere is my card. William, produce your’s.” [ll introduce him.” ; Deveril did as he was desired; and Solomon, 66 By all means,” replied Mr. Gunthorpe. | having looked at them both, fixed his eyes on our “Just let me put this letter back again intomy | hero, observing, “Ah, sir—I have seen your name | pocket-book,” said Patch; “and you needn’t say a in the newspaper about some duel-business. I hope | word about the little matter of fifty pounds— | you've got ovér your wound ?”’ ’cos why, Mr. Chiffin’s rather an eccentric character, | “You see that I am not suffering very much from | and he micht take it intc his head to cry halves.” it at present,” replied Deveril. “And now that; “Never fear,” said Mr. Gunthorpe. “Go and | you know who we are, I think that you need not | bring the person in.” hesitate to comply with our wishes.” “Oh, you will find him a wery nice agreeable “T don’t mind showing you what i received from ' genelman, and easy to do business with, when there’s Gainsborough two or three days ago,’ observed money in the matter.” Patch: “ if so be you promises as how that you} Having thus spoken in exalted eulogy of his won’t break open t’other thing what’s inside.” friend, Solomon Patch issued from the bar-parlour ; “Very good. Here are the fifty pounds,” said | and as the door closed behind him, Mr. Gunthorpe Mr. Gunthorpe; “and you may produce your let- | said to Deveril, “ Depend upon it we shall succeed ter.” yet. Gold will do anything with such characters as Solomon Patch drew forth an old greasy pocket- | these. But I confess I am rather curious to see book ; and from the midst of some papers he pro- | this Mr. Chiffin who is in correspondence with the duced a letter, which Deveril at once recognised, | brilliant and splendid Lady Saxondale:”—and the by the blotch of ink as well as by the handwriting, | old gentleman uttered these last words with a sneer. to be the one he had seen at the post-office at Gains-| Ina few minutes Solomon Patch returned to the borough. bar-parlour, introducing Chiffin the Cannibal. The ‘““Give me over the money with one hand,” said | ruffian was clad in his usual style, with the great Patch, “and take the letter with t’other. There’s | shaggy coat—his rough trousers turned up so as to nothing like doing things all square and proper.” | form a hem and leave his heavy boots fully exposed ; “Do you think I should cheat you out of your | while his battered white hat, with the rusty black promised reward ?” exclaimed Mr. Gunthorpe, some- | crape, surmounted the most hang-dog countenance what indignantly. ‘‘ Here is the money: give me | that either Mr. Gunthorpe or William Deveril had the letter.” ever seen in their lives. Chiffin had not shaved for The exchange was made; and notwithstanding _ three days; and the growth of his black bristly beard his servile obsequiousness, Solomon Patch could not was noimprovement to a face the villanous grimness avoid showing a low cunning leer of satisfaction of which was enough to frighten any nervous person. upon his countenance as he consigned the bank- | He had his club under his arm; and the looks notes to his greasy pocket-book. which he threw upon Mr. Gunthorpe and Deveril But Mr. Gunthorpe and Deveril did not notice | on entering the bar-parlour, were rapid, searching, the expression of the man’s villanous countenance: | and suspicious. Mr. Gunthorpe was certainly not for the former was opening the envelope, and the prepared to behold such an awful-looking character ; latter was regarding him. That envelope was a and he stared at him in mingled consternation and blank; but it contained a note marked Private, | curiosity; while Deveril shuddered at the suspicion and addressed to Mr. Chiffin. Gunthorpe and | which he entertained from the circumstance of such Deveril at once exchanged looks to imply that they a ferocious wretch being in correspondence with had been taken in; and that though fifty pounds Lady Saxondale. were already gone, they were not a whit wiser than| “This is Mr. Chiffin,” said Solomon Patch, clos- they were before. ing the door very carefully. “I respect the pledge I gave,” said the old gentle-| “At your service, gentleman,” observed the Can- man, replacing the note in the envelope; “and I nibal, in his gruff deep voice; but he tried to look will not open this enclosure without your consent. | as amiable as he could at the moment. Now, will you take another fifty pounds for allow- “Sit down, Mr. Chiffin,” said the old gentleman, ing me to do so P” whose object it of course was to be as courteous as “It can’t be done, sir,” responded Solomon Patch. | he could possibly render himself towards such a “ You see that note is directed to another party; and bloodthirsty-looking miscreant. * “And now help if I hav’n’t had the curiosity to open it myself, I yourself to a glass of wine: for we have a little san’t suffer you—not by no means whatsomever.”’ —_ business to discuss. I suppose the landlord here Who is this Mr, Chiffin ?” inquired Gunthorpe. has told you who we are?” a ee ee meme mn e COINMIECLOOKS eo)