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

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

with onions and washed down with copious draughts of ale. The Hangman was dressed as we have already de- scribed him in a previous chapter. His shabby shooting-jacket—his corduroy breeches—his leathern gaiters—his lace-up boots—and his blue cotton neck- erchief, all helped to complete the ruffianism of his appearance: while his ghastly countenance and glaring eyes gave him a hideous and spectral air, reminding one of the gholes, or devourers of corpses, that so often figure in orieatal tales. “Well, you see I’m punctual,” he said, as John the footman entered the tap-room. “I’ve been here this quarter of an hour ——” “ And I’m as punctual as I could be, old fellow,” replied the servant. “ But what news ?” “Oh! allright,” was the response: and the Hang- man glanced significantly towards the country bumpkin as much as to imply that they must not speak too openly and too plainly before a third party. “ So it came off, then, last night?” said the livery- servant. “Yes—richt as a trivet,” answered the Hangman. “ Just as you expected, Dan’el ?” “Just as I expected.” And then the two exchanged looks of deep means ing. The countryman, having by this time disposed of his meal and drained his pewter-pot, seated himself in the corner for anap; and the Hangman proceeded to light his pipe—an example that was followed by the footman. “The young ladies all leave to-morrow,” observed the latter, after a pause: “and missus will be alone in the house—that is, with me and the servant- gals.” “ Ah! they leave to-morrow, do they?” said the Hangman, as he puffed his pipe: but through the faint blue wreaths of smoke he exchanged another significant look with his companion. “They take their departure to-morrow morning,” continued the latter: then, glancing towards the countryman and perceiving that his eyes were shut, the footman drew a key from his pocket and showed it to the Hangman. “Good!” muttered this individual, ‘his counte- nance expressing great satisfaction. “T got it from arascal of a travelling tinker or knife-grinder,” said John, in a low tone, as he return- ed the key to his pocket. “The fellow is clever at his business——” Now the country bumpkinin the corner began to snore: and both the Hangman and the livery-ser- vant continued tosmoke in silence for a few minutes, “ He’s fast asleep,” at length observed Daniel, in an under tone. “ Fast as a church,” replied the footman. “ Come, hand me over my regulars, old fellow—for I suppose you've got the golden boys about your precious person.” “ Here’s ten guineas—and ten you’ve had in ad- vance, makes up twenty for -your regulars in last night’s job,” said the Hangman, as he counted down the coin. “Thank’ee. And so the thing went off all com- fortable—eh ?” inquired the footman, as he dropt the ten guineas into his waistcoat pocket. “Nothing could be better, The Prince and the Marquis didn’t bluster or ride rusty a bit,” continued (8 Nt ee ee ae RE Pa eee ee SONG OOIKS UNIVERSITY OF SSL LT LLL LLL LLL LLL IS THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 51 the Hangman. “ They submitted to circumstances. in a way very creditable to themselves,” he added, with alow chuckling Jaugh: “and I'll stake my existence that they couldn’t suspect where they were taken to. But wasn’t it a rum lark altogether ?” “ From what you told me beforehand about it, I should say it was,” returned thefootman. “ But tell us all the particulars, Daniel.” * Not now—another time,” answered the Hang- man. “ We've got something else to talk about at present. I suppose that fellow’s really asleep ?” he added glancing towards the countryman in the cor- ner. “Tf he isn’t, he shams snoring uncomimon well,” replied John. “ But of course he is.” “Well, then, what about this little business over the way?” asked the Hangman. “ You say that all your young missusses are going off to-morrow—and you’ve got a duplicate key ?” “Just so. It was the luckiest chance in the world that sent the knife-grinding fellow through Rich- - mond to-day,” continued the footman: “for I was thinking at the moment how the devil I should manage it, when I heard the rascal bawling out all kinds of nonsense about locks to mend and keys to fit.” “And you happened to have the key in your hand at the time, I suppose?” observed the Hangman. “Exactly so. You recollect, when I first hinted at the little affair,’ proceeded John, “1 told you that every now and then there’s a regular clean out of the great iron safe where the plate is kept —and while it’s being cleaned and counted up I have the key in my hands: but the moment the plate’s put back again, I have to give up the key to missus again. She keeps a devilish sharp look- out, I can tell you!” “So I suppose—with such a valuable lot of plate in her possession,” observed the Hangman. “ Of course it’s all got the royal arms and so on upon it?” “Every spoon, knife, fork, dish, salver, and pep- per-box,” responded the footman. “By jingo! Dan’el, won’t there be work for old Jeremy’s melt- ing-pot !” “T hope so,” rejoined the Hangman. “And won’t there be a precious rumpus, too, when it’s missed from the iron safe! Suppose the knife- grinding fellow that made the key, should hear of it—don’t you think he’ll come for’ard and give evidence in the matter?” “JT shouldn’t have trusted him to make the key if I hadn’t found out beforehand that he was all right,” answered John, “Ah! didn’t I pump him nicely? He let out that he was wanted in London for something queer that he’d done—and he’s off into the country as far away as hecango. Vm sure it’s quite safe with him, in fact.” “Well, you're not a fool, John—and you wasn’t born yesterday,” observed the Hangman: then, after a pause, he said, “ And now, when is it to be done?” “ Name your own time,” responded the footman. “ But recollect that this job is betwixt you and me alone, and that nobody else is to have a finger in the pie. It will make our fortunes, Dan’el.” “ Yes—it won’t be a bad haul for our nets,” ob- served the Hangman, in a tone of satisfaction. “The worst of it is that we shall be so completely at old Jeremy’s mercy. But this is athing we must (©)