The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 65: what you’re looking at

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a aa 48 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ~_— and here is a guinea to indemnify you for your loss of so much of the punch as will be disposed of in your absence.” Touy Wilkins promised to acquit himself faith- fully of his errand; and taking the little parcel he secured in the pocket of the greasy coat that hung louse about his person. He then stuck a battered hat upon his head, and was about to hurry forth, when. Lady Bess stopped him for a inoment,—saying, “I do not question your honesty towards me, Tony, because | know that all of you here would do me a service if you could-—yes, even Chiffin who growled at me just now :”—and as she spoke she bent her eyes with a perfect blaze of lustre upon the Cannibal, who evidently shrank from their overawing power. “ But still I may as well hint, Tony,” she con- tinued, again turning round towards her mes- senger, “that there is nothing in the packet of any value toa soul save the individual into whose hands you are to give it; and therefore if the devil should tempt you, it will not be worth your while to sneak out of your way and open it in the expectation of finding money or bank- notes.” “JT wouldn’t do it—I wouldn’t do it,” answered Tony Wilkins, with an air of sincerity which for an instant ruse dominant above the sinister ex- pression of his countenance; and without an- other word he darted away. The old landlord and his wife now made their appearance with the two steaming bowls of punch; and when they were placed upon the table, Lady Bess filled a wine-glass, saying, ‘“‘ I drink success to you all. Come, Chiffin, I am determined to put you into a good humour, and you shall pledge me in a glass.” . ‘* Well, I don’t know how it is, but you make ‘us all do just as you like, Lady Bess,” said the Cannibal, half good-humouredly and half-sullenly. “You've got a power over us—lI suppose it is because you are so superior to the general run of of us folks i “ Never mind what is the reason,” exclaimed the amazonian lady, laughing. ‘“ Drink your punch, Chiffin, and do try to took good-natured for once.” ‘I'he Cannibal, as if obeying a sort of magical influence which he could not resist, did as he was ordered; and as he put down the emptied glass he smacked his lips, while a grim smile expanded completely over his hang-dog countenance, as he said, ‘“‘I do really think that if I saw anybody trying to do you an injury, Lady Bess, I should give them six inches of my clasp-knife, even though [ swung for it.” ‘Well, it may be useful to have such a cham- pion as you, Chiffin,” exclaimed the dashing lady, with a merry langh which displayed her ivory tecth to the utmost advantage. ‘“ But now I must he off.” “ Will you not wait,” inquired one of the women, “ to see if Tony comes back all right ?” “ 1 know he will,” replied Lady Bess. ‘ He is one of the greatest scamps amongst yon and there- fore the best to be trusted. And now good night.” With these words she quitted the room—. paused at the bar outside to pay for all she had ordered—and then issuing forth, mounted her steed which the pot-boy was holding. It was a splendid animal, of dark chesnut colour, with a proudly arching neck, and of Arabian fineness of a ——————E—————————eEE——E—E—EEE———————————————S———— i eenrstnnnIn nnn NEN limb. Lady Bess tossed the pot-boy half-a-crown, and then gently walked the noble aniinal, which she bestrode with the most perfect experience, over the rough uneven road til] she emerged from Agar Town; and entering Maiden Lane, galloped away in the the direction of the country. In about a quarter of an hour after her depar- ture, Tony Wilkins returned to the tap-room of the Billy Goat; aud to the inquiring look which his friends, both male and female, flung upon him, he answered, “ It’s all right. I met the gen’leman in the cloak: he give the watchwords—and so I gived him the packet.” “ What sort of a looking feller was he ?” asked one of the women. “Tm blowed if I could see his face,” replied Tony: ‘he took precious good care of that. But he was tall and dressed like a reg’lar gen’leman.” ‘Perhaps he’s Lady Bess’s lover ?” suggested another of the women. “‘ Lover indeed!” growled Chiffin, contemptn- ously: ‘I don’t think such a woman as Lady Bess knows what love is. She’s altogether above common things In short she’s a strange crea- ture, and I’m hanged if I can half understand her. Since first sb The Cannibal’s observations were here inter- rupted by the opening of the tap-room door, and the entrance of a woman wlio was at once wel- comed by all present and saluted by the name of Madge Somers. She was between forty and fifty years of age, had very harsh features, and dark hair turning grey. She wore an old cloak, the hood of which was drawn partly over her head, but not so much as to conceal a dingy white cap with great frills very much tumbled, as if she were wont to sleep in it at night as well as wear it in the day-time. “Well, Madge, what's brought you here just now ?” asked Chiffin. “To speak to you,” was the response. ‘“ Some- thing has turned up to-day that promises a har- vest: so I want you to help me to reap it.” “ Well, you sha’n’t have to ask twice. But are we to talk it over now?” ‘‘ Yes—at once; because I want to be getting back homeward :”—and the woman, who had no’ sat down, beckoned Chiffin to follow her from the room. He did so—and they ascended to a private apartment on the upper floor, where they remaived together for half-an-hour in earnest conversation. At the end of this interview Madge Somers took her departure from the Billy Goat, while Chiffin the Cannibal rejoined his companions in the tap- room to partake of the supper for which Lady Bess had paid. --er--OO-— CHAPTER XII. THE COTTAGE AGAIN, Ir was about nine o'clock on the following evening, when Lord Saxondale, in pursuance of theappoint- ment he had made with the woman at the cottage, knocked at the door of that lonesome habitation. His summons was at once auswered by the woman herself; and he was admitted into the same sordid little room where he had held his conference with ECORMICOOOKS EO) & * ;