The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

THE cottage, you will perhaps explain at your lei- sure:”’—and once more she fixed her eyes upon him with a scrutinizing look. ‘“What makes you think that I have some other purpose in view?” he asked, observing how she gazed at hin. “ Because a young gentleman like you,” she at once answered, ‘‘does not knock at such a place as this without a motive. If you did not choose to mingle with the working-class people that you seem to despise so much, you would have lain down on the dry grass to rest yourself de “TI see taat you are a very shrewd woman in- deed,” interrupted Edmund, laughing : '‘ and per- haps if 1 confess that I had an object in knocking at your old tumble-down hut, you will not mind giving me the information I want—especially as here is something to oil your tongue for you.” As he thus spoke, he drew forth a well-filled purse, the contents being a portion of the proceeds of Mr. Gunthorpe’s cheque; and taking out a so- vereign, with true aristocratig indifference in re- . spect to the value of the money, he tossed it ints the lap of the woman who had seated herself at a little distance from him. “ Now then, tell me what you want,” she said, taking up the coin coldly and leisurely, as if it were by no means so great a godsend as from the poverty of the place one might have suppposed it to be. “ That pretty little villa which you see yonder, about three quarters of a mile across the fields — who lives there ?” asked Saxondale. “JT .do not know her name. It is a young lady ‘Very beautiful, is she not ?” “Very. Ihave seen her once or twice, and she struck me as being very beautiful.” “But do you not know who or what she is ?” asked Edmund. ‘No: I have never had fhe curiosity to make any inquiries,”’ replied the woman. ‘Have you not lived long here? or perhaps I - should rather ask whether she has not lived long at that. villa ?” ‘‘] can answer both questions. Jn the first place, 1 have lived here for many years: and in the second place the young lady at Evergreen Villa has only lived there a few weeks—perhaps not more than a month.” “Ab! then it is not surprising you should know nothing about her,” observed Edmund, “I think I will go and make inquiries elsewhere :"— and he rose from his seat as he spoke. “Stop!” said the woman; “you may not be more fortunate in learning elsewhere the particu- lars you have sought here; but if you like, and are not in a very great hurry for a day or so, I will ascertain everything you want to know. And besides,” she added, with another meaning look, “‘ perhaps { may assist you in the design you have in contemplation.” “ What design ?” demanded Saxondale, sharply, afraid of trusting the woman too far or suflering her to peuetrate his views too deeply. * You must not think Iam a fool,” she replied, a momentary expression of contempt flitfing over her harsh features. ‘ For what earthly reason can MYSYERIES OF THE COURT. 43 —_—_—. -_——_—_ - -—- ——E ———___ I saw it was only pretence that made you say you were tired when you knocked at my door, so can I read the motive of vour questions relative to the girl at Evergreen Villa.” “ Well, at all events tliere is a bluntness and frankness about you that I like,” observed Ed- mund, who began to think that so shrewd, pene- trating, and cunning a woman as this evidently was, miglit be made a most valuable instrument in the furtherance of his design. ‘To speak with equal candour, then, I must admit that I do feel a very great interest in the beautiful girl of whom we are talking: and if you will consent to serve me a - ‘“T have already said that I will,” interrupte the woman. “Coine now, do not beat about the bush—tell me what you want. I see that you have g¢old with which you can repay my services; and it’s very sure the young lady at Evergreen Villa will not come and bribe me to act against you.” “Tn the first place,” rejoined Saxondale, ‘ you must find out how many servants she keeps—whe- ther she hasa maid who, like most of her class, will accept a bribe and enter into my interests——” “That is a point wiuieh may be almost re- ckoned upon with the fullest confideice,” observed the woman. ‘ But go on. What other inquiries am I to make ?” ‘Whether the fair one goes out for a walk by herself at all—and if so, which direction she usually takes—what her habits are—whether she sees any company or lives retired ——” “In fact, you-want to know everything about her,” again interrupted the woman, “ and to glean all such circumstances as may suggest the plans that you are to adopt. All this I understand at a glance.” “Then I am very certain that I could not have alighted upon a more able assistant,” remarked Saxondale. ‘‘ But I have not altogether explained myself. The truth is, | wisb to throw a little spice of romance into this proceeding: for I have the outline of my plan all cut and dried—but as a matter of course the substance of it must be filled up according as circumstances may suggest.” ‘Now then for the romance part of it ?” said the woman interrogatively : and agaiv that trau- siently contemptuous expression deepened for a moment the lines of her harsh countenance. “Romance is pleasant enough fora fine young gentleman of your age, and perhaps for a swect young girl such as she is at yon villa; but I ques- tion whether my matter-of-fact assistance will not in the lovug run prove nore useful to your aims than all: your romance. However, go on.” “What Irequire is a sort of disguise,” answered Saxondale—“the rude dress of a mechanic - not too greasy or dirty, lest it should make me sick ig “You want gentility in the workman's garb ?” interrupted the woman. ‘' Well, if you leave it to me lL will procure you that dress to-morrow. Ll observe your beight—you are not very tall— but you are nicely made.” “Yes—lI flatter myself,” observed Saxondale, caressing his beardlesss clin, “that I am not al- together amiss.” “On the contrary,” said the woman, whose a young gentleman like youcome making inquiries | eagle eyes penctrated the frivolous weak-minded about a beautiful girl, unless it is that you have an ulterior object in view? In the same way that - young vobleman’s wretched conceit aud vanity at a single glance, “you are in every respect a ee te ECOMmiclboooks (CO)