The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

184 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Of course.” observed Taggarty. “For if Sampson and his people hadn't been planted there, the Hangman wouldn’t have run off and been drowned in the river. ‘That’s quite clear.” “ Quite clear indeed,” whimpered Sally Melmoth, avain seeking consolation in the gin. At this moment the shop-bell tinkled as the glazed door was opened by some one entering the place; and Taggarty, observing that it was no doubt some customer, hastened from the parlour, elosing the door behind him. Immediately after- wards, Dick and Sally Melmoth heard the outer door shut again also: then an ejaculation of amazement, bursting from Taggarty’s lips, met their ears ;—and this was followed by some hurried and subdued whispering between that individual and the person who had just entered the shop. “Something’s going on,” said Dick Melmoth in a low voice to his sister. But before the woman could make any reply, Taggarty re-appeared, followed by a man so mufiled up in a great thick coat, a shawl neckerchief, and a slouched hat, that he was not immediately recog- nizable. But a presentiment of the truth flashed to the mind of Sally Melmoth: and starting at once from her seat, she exclaimed, “ It’s Daniel !” “Yes, it’s me safe enough,” said the Hangman, in a surly tone, as he laid aside his hat and shawl neckerchief: then having submitted somewhat im- patiently to the caresses of his paramour, who was quite maudlin with strong drink,—and after shaking Dick Melmoth by the hand,—he sate down between the astonished pair. ‘Taggarty hastened to bolt the street-door : then, returning into the parlour, he poured out a tuinbler full of gin, which he handed to Coffin, who at once partook of a deep draught. “Well, I suppose you're rather surprised to see me,” said the Hangman, gasping with the effects of the potent fluid which for nearly a minute took away his breath. “No doubt you thought I was dead and gone? I’ve seen the newspapers, and find that the beliefis Iwas drowned. Well,so much the better. But it’s a precious bad job, after all.” “Bad indeed,” observed Sal. “I suppose you won’t be able to come home again in a hurry ?” “T don’t see how the deuce I’m ever to come home again at all,” replied the Hangman, his coun- tenance assuming an expression of diabolical fero- city, as if he thought the whole world had turned against him. ‘“ There’s only two chances for me— and they’re not likely to come about.” “What are they ?” inquired the Melmoths, speak- ing as it were in the same breath. “Why, one is the death of Larry Sampson,” an- swered Cofiin: “because if he was out of the way, the other constables could be easily bought over to say they couldn’t identify me as the burglar. I know ’em all well enough to be aware of what a ten- pound note would do with each.” “And what is the other chance?” inquired Taggarty. “ Why, if there’s somebody to be hung and no one to hang him, some fine morning,” returned Coftin, “a free pardon for any past offences would be offered to the individual that would take the place of the executioner: and then I might come forward and step easy enough into my old berth. Those are | “Less probable things have come about,” ob- served Taggarty. ; “Well, we shall see,” said Coffin. Jack ?” he demanded, abruptly. “ At home again,” answered Dick. ™ You don’t suspect him at ali?” “Not a bit of it,” rejoined the Hangman. “He wasn’t aware that such a thing was in contemplation at Richmond at all. But I can guess how it was. Me and the footman— poor fellow !—was foolish enough to discuss our plans one night last week in a tap-room at Richmond, where a country bumpkin was getting his supper. We thought he went to sleep after he’d gorged himself with bread and cheese: but he must have shammed,and so over- heard what we said. It was infernally stupid on our part: it’s cost the poor devil of a footman his life, and made me a sort of exile and wanderer like Cain, Perdition take the whole business!” added Daniel, with savage earnestness. “But what have you been doing all this time?” asked Dick Melmoth: “and how did you manage to escape drowning?” “Oh! the tide carried me ashore a little way lower down than where I jumped in,” responded Coffin; “and then I cut across to Beechey Manor —you know the place,” he observed, with a signifi- cant glance at Dick Melmoth. “ There I’ve been hiding until now: but I got so deuced tired of living cooped up in a small bed-room, and the two old ser- vants have shown so much uneasiness at my pre- sence, that I could endure it all no longer. SoI got this thick coat, this broad-brimmed hat, and that shawl neckerchief of the old fellow, and resolved to come and pay my friend Bill Taggarty avisi.. If you two hadn’t been here by accident, I should have got Bill torun downto Fleet Lane and fetch you up to meet me. So now you know all about it.” “ But what are you going to do?—and where do you mean to live?” asked Sally Melmoth. “ Well, I haven't exactly made up my mind,” re- turned Coffin. “You must continue at the shop, and let people fancy you still believe me to have been drowned. I have got plenty of blunt—that’s one good thing: and it’s fortunate it was all in gold, or else the soaking I enjoyed in the Thames would have spoilt flimsy-notes beyond all redemption. Perhaps I shall stay with Bill Taggarty for a time: —he’s all alone in this house——ain't you, Bill?” “Yes—I’m all alone,” was the chandier’s response: but it was given with an evident aversion to the pro- posed sojourn of the Hangman at his house. “Or else I shall go over to Bencull’s crib at the ** Where’s —— en ee ———————————————ae Folly Bridges,” continued the Hangman, not choos- | ing to observe the disinclination of Bill Taggarty to harbour him as a guest. “ Hark!” said the chandler, abruptly: “there’s a knock at the street door.” * And rather an impatient one, too,” added Daniel Coffin, rising from his seat with evident trepidation. “JT musn’t be seen here by any body, Bil, you know.” “Then just step up-stairs along with Sal and Dick,” sail Taggarty, opening a door and thus dis- closing a flight of narrow steps formed as it were iu a recess. ‘“‘It may be some one that 1 must see— and you'll be more quiet up in my bed-room.” The Hangman took up his hat and neckerchief— the two chances: but they’re far away off'at present | Sally Melmoth possessed herself of the gin —and and no mistake.”’ ——— eee OO ere | Dick laid hands on the glasses: they then all three ——_——- a$$ 0 FAH KE ON OKO) rn 0)