The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 362: what you’re looking at

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

332 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘Since your ladyship has bribed me to come over to your side, I must speak out plain, I suppose,” said Austin, putting a bold front upon the matter. ‘‘ The truth is, then, that I know Earl Montgomery there as well as one man can know another; and I am also aware that the lady is Miss Fernanda Aylmer, or, I should say, Lady Holderness.”’ ‘What have you in particular to relate concerning them? ” demanded the marchioness, with a solemn seriousness alike of tone and manner. ‘‘ Upwards of four months ago the earl came down alone to my cottage near Bellenden village,’’ resumed Austin, “and told me that if I would serve him in a particular manner he would recompense me well. I agreed, and he « ordered me to go to Birmingham and procure several things which he named.” . ‘‘ What were they?” inquired the marchioness. “ First, some skeleton keys that would open locks of any size, from a church door down to an iron safe, next, some implements such as resurrection men use, and a box of their peculiar cement, and third, a coffin-plate with a particular inscription upon it. Those were the articles,’ continued Austin, “ which I was ordered by my lord to obtain; and I did so, with the assistance of some friends that I went to at Birmingham. About three weeks after that, as near as I can guess, his lordship sent me a letter to say that he should be at my cottage on a particular morning, along with Miss Aylmer and two men, and that I was to lay in quantities of provender.”’ “And they arrived sccordinahe? ’? said the marchioness. ‘““Yes, my lady, they came in a carriage on the morning named in the letter,’”’ returned Austin. ‘‘ The earl and Miss Aylmer wore masks, and the two men were the greatest ruffians I ever set eyes upon. Miss Aylmer went away in the carriage, which took her to Congleton; but at night it came back without her — ‘‘Never mind that point,” interrupted the marchioness. “What happened on the night of which you have just spoken? ” “ The earl and the two men went to the church, taking the implements, the cement, and the skeleton keys ‘along with them —”’ ‘“‘ And the coffin-plate? ’’ inquired the marchioness. CONNIEIOOKS m