The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 67: what you’re looking at

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50 Fre meaiately after breakfast- —SOTeoIES alone, but ge- nerally attended by her maid “Ah! and af what o’clock is that?” demanded Saxondale impatiently. “ Between nine and ten o'clock,” replied the woman ; “quite in the cool of the morning.” “Capital!” ejaculated Edmund. “I will throw myself in the way of my fair one to-morrow. Have you got the disguise ?” he asked eagerly. “Yes—here it is,’ responded the woman, as she pointed to a large brown paper parcel. ‘The maid is already initiated with respeet to your intentions, and she will not fail to draw the notice of her young mistress to you in your mechanic’s dress. Oh! I warrant you she will know how tu manage the thing cleverly enough, bidding her mistress observe what a genteel, elegant-looking young fellow it is for a working man——” “Nothing can be better!” exclaimed Saxondale, rubbing his hands together joyfully with the antici- pations of success. “I tell you what I think I shall do—I shall go up to the tavern, pass the night there, and come back here early in the morning to put on the artizan dress 4 “ And stand the risk of being eeaiingd by the people of the tavern,” interrupted the woman, “so that it will get spread all over the place like wildfire, that there’s a young gentleman going about some- times in the clothing suitable to his station, and at others in a humble garb. Thus you will be watched, and dogged, and have all your motions pryed into— so that all hope of carrying out your romantic plan will be effectually destroyed.” “You are right, my worthy monitress,” observed Edmund. “I must do nothing foclish to mar the plot.” “ Besides,” she immediately continued, “TI hada room up-stairs ail nicely cleaned out for you to-day and put into the best possible order. There’s a comfortable bed that I bought—a washing-stand— and everything requisite, though m a humble way. It’s true the bed is upon the floor, as there was no time to get a bedstead put up—and besides I did not like to make too many preparations for fear of attracting notice.” “Enough,” my good woman!” exclaimed Saxon- dale. “I had forgotten at the moment our under- atanding of yesterday afternoon, that I was to have a shake-down bed here. At all events I can try it for one night.” “And then,” added the woman, “if you feel your- self uncomfor table, you might take some ‘little obscure lodging in the village, passing yourself’ off as a mechanic.” “To be sure!” cried Saxondale: “your advice is in all repects excellent. It shall be as you say: and now, as the night 1s remarkably fine, I will just take a stroll for half-an-hour, smoke a cigar in the fields, and then on my return go to bed. I suppose you have got sucha thing as a drop of spirits in the house P—for wine is not to be thought of here.” “On the contrary,” said the woman, “I have done my best to make you as comfortable as I can:” —then opening a cupboard and taking forth three bottles, sho said, “I brought these with me in my basket from town to-day.” ovt in the fields every morning when it is fine, im- | water TE I EL THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ——————— . Saxondale uncorked the bottles and tasted their contents one after another: then repudiating the wine, he mixed himself a tumbler of brandy- and-water. This he quickly imbibed, and then lighting his cigar, strolled forth from the cottage. For about three quarters of an hour he sauntered through the fields, enjoying the fragrance of his havannah in the calm freshness of the evening, and thinking over the brilliant conquest he felt certain of achieving. It was about half-past ten when he returned to the hut, where he was immediately ad- mitted by the woman; and on being again con- ducted into her little room, he found the «table spread with a clean napkin, and a little supper con- sisting of a cold fowl, a lobster, a new loaf, and some bottled porter, arranged upon the board. Everything looked perfectly clean, notwithstanding the sordid appearance of the place itself and the untidy aspect of the woman. The walk had given the young nobleman an appetite—the romantic ad- venture, as he considered it, had put him into good spirits—and so he sat down and did justice to the fare. Another tumbler of brandy-and-water exhi- larated his spirits still more ; and when he had thus concluded his repast, he felt every inclination to retire to rest, so that he might rise early in the morning and prepare for the “love campaign,” as he called it. “1 do not know,” said the woman, as she lighted another candle ere conducting him to the chamber up-stairs, “ whether it is an oversight on your part, or whether you have purposely forborne from telling me who youare. If you desire to keep your name secret, of course I do not wish to know: it cannot be any business of mine. But if otherwise, and you have no reason for hiding your name, you may as well tell it to me.” “T have not the slightest objection,’ answered the young nobleman, “ because I have every reason to believe that you are as discreet as you are astute. I am Lord Saxondale.” “T felt convinced you were a young gentleman of rank,” said the woman; “ and I told the lady’s-maid so last night. And now excuse me for hinting that it will be as well to give the complaisant abigail a bribe as early as possible; and if you like, I can manage to see her the very first thing in the morn- ing before she accompanies her mistress in her walk.” “Oh, to be. sure!” exclaimed Saxondale. “ By all means put the lady’s-maid in a good humour :”— and as he thus spoke he drew forth his purse which had a quantity of gold in one end and several bank- notes in the other. ‘“ Here, give her this note,” he continued, selecting one for ten pounds. “ But, no —gold is better. The fair sex always prefer gold. So you shall present her with these ten sovereigns as an earnest of still more liberal rewards :’—and he tossed the money down upon the table. “The maid shall have this before eight o’clock to-morrow morning,” said the woman. “Tsee that you will not let the grass grow under your feet,” observed Saxondale, with a smile. “And now for this room where I am to sleep. “But, by the bye, let us take up the garb in which I am to appear to-morrow.” “Your lordship would enfbellish even the most wretched rags,” said the woman, knowing how to She likewise produced a corkscrew, some glasses | flatter him; “and therefore you cannot possiblr (evidently newly purchased), and a jug of fresh | look otherwise than well, even in this rough suit” ae EEE eee CORNIELOOO <S (Go) _—_