The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

94. — The watch and the two rings were replaced in the packet, which was folded up and carefully tied; and the work-box was locked again. Then THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. towards Christina. She comprehended what he meant, and at once reassured him by explaining what she had done, and that the little memorials Christina went to her own trunk; and selecting | which they possessed of their long dead mother her best dress and shawl, she enveloped them in a /|had not been touched. They sat down to eat; handkerchief and issued forth from the lodging- house. ‘The poor girl bent her way to the nearest pawnbroker’s shop. It was now completely dusk —the gas was lighted inside—the plate and jewel- lery in the window shone with resplendence. Christina lingered for a few moments at the shop- door: but she had not the courage to enter—and she passed along the street. Again did the tears stream from her eyes at the thought of the dis- tressing position to which her brother and herself were reduced. ‘Then she recollected that he would return presently, fatigued with his walk—hungry too, as he had gone forth; and that there was not a morsel of bread at the lodging for him to eat, She abruptly turned back—wiped the tears from her eyes—and mustering up all her courage, sped in the direction of the pawnbroker’s shop. <A loutish-looking boy was gazing in at the window, devouring all the fine things with his eyes: but as Miss Ashton approached the door, he suddenly looked round, and with a coarse grin said, “ Ah, young o’oman! it’s easier to take things there than to git em out agin.” It was not that the fellow ill-naturedly intended to wound the poor girl’s feelings: but his words had that effect,—piercing indeed like a barbed arrow into her heart ; for she was in that despond- ing, almost wretched state of mind, when any in- cident of this sort suddenly assumes the aspect of an ominous prediction to be fearfully fulfilled. With almost a preterhuman effort she kept back the tears that were again ready to start forth from her beauteous black eyes; and in a fit of despera- tion she rushed into the shop. The pawnbroker, with spectacles upon his nose and pen stuck behind his ear, bent a scrutinizing glance upon the young girl, so as to assure him- self,-as far as such survey would, that she had not stolen the articles she came to pledge:—and then he examined them. She was ready to sink with shame during the process—and all the more so, as in the middle of it a couple of ill-looking half-tipsy women came in, with brazen effrontery in their looks—for they were not humiliated at the thought of being seen in such a place. The pawnbroker asked her how much she required upon the articles: but she was so confused that she was unable to utter a word. The man’s experience in such matters at once enabled him to detect the difference between shrinking bashfulness and con- scious dishonesty : he therefore received the pledges —handed her over thirty shillings, together with a small ticket—and Christina hurried out of the shop, infinitely relieved at escaping from the coarse looks and jeering whispers of the two women. She purchased provisions, and re-entered the lodging. When her brother returned from his unavailing errand, his eyes instantaneously glanced from the food which was spread upon the table, towards his sister—and he burst into tears. He comprehended in a moment the generosity of her purpose in sending him temporarily out of the way; and he embraced her fervently. But then a but it was with no small degree of bitterness that they partook of the food obtained by money raised from such a source. Christian rose very early on the following morn- ine, and told his sister that he should renew his inquiries after a place, notwithstanding the dis- appointments he had already experienced. She replied that she also should go about to solicit work, and begged her brother to return in a few hours to escort her for the purpose. He promised that he would; and he sallied forth. Repairing to a neighbouring coffee-house, he carefully inspected the advertising columns of the newspapers; and his eyes settled upon an announcement to the effect that a young man of intelligence, and who wrote a gentlemanly hand, was required by a no- bleman as an amanuensis, or private secretary. Application was to be made at a particular address in Piccadilly. Off set Christian in that direction —we cannot exactly say with hope in his heart, because he had already experienced so many dis- appointments and rebuffs: but at least he was de- termined not to lose the opportunity for want of following it up. On arriving in Piccadilly and reaching the particular address indicated, he found that it was a jeweller’s shop. He thought there must be some mistake: but as the number of the house was precisely that specified in the newspaper advertisement, he resolved to inquire. Entering the shop, he addressed himself to one of the serving-men; and on naming his business, was at once informed that it was the proper place at which to apply in the first instance. Then the shopman gave Christian a card, and recommended him to go at once, as there had already been several applicants for the situation. The youth felt that the advice given was some- what cheering, inasmuch as it appeared to promise that he would not be’considered too young for the employment which he sought. He looked at the eard, and found that it was that of the Duke of Marchmont, whose residence was in Belgrave Square. Christian had never, to his knowledge, heard the name mentioned before; and he was stricken with timidity at the thought of appearing as the candidate for a situation with a nobleman of so lofty a rank: but he was not to be deterred by any such feeling from making the attempt—and he was soon in Belgrave Square. The Duke of Marchmont was at home; and when Christian mentioned his business, one of the numerous pow- dered and liveried lacqueys who were lounging in the hall, conducted the youth to a sumptuously furnished apartment, where his Grace, enveloped in a splendid silk morning-gown, was lounging on a sofa, reading the newspapers—for it was yet early in the forenoon, We must observe that Christian took great care of his clothes: he was neatly dressed—and from the description already given of him, we need scarcely add that he was not merely respectable- looking, but of an unsurpassable gentility. The Duke, slowly turning his head without raising painful idea smote him; and through his tears he | himself up, and lazily depositing the newspaper again glanced—but now with anxious inquiry—{| by his side, surveyed Christian attentively ; and (E©) 0)(0)6) ANIC S (C(O)