The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 125: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSIERIES OF THE COURT. proclaim the conspiracy aloud to the world: for the world would not believe you—while its laws would punish you as a slanderer and a calumniator. You cannot—at least for the present—warn the Duchess of Marchmont of her danger: or at all events it must not be done by words from your lips. Yet you must remain in your present situation—you must keep a strict watch, upon all the Duke of Marchmont’s proceedings yes, all of them, You must not hesitate—with false compunctions or Over-nice scruples—to listen, when opportunity serves, to conversations between the Duke and his villanous accomplice Stanhope. Everything that comes to your knowledge, must you report to me; and in me shall you find a faithful adviser as well as a sincere friend. Henceforth you will regard me as such; and you must never hesitate to seck my abode, no matter how often or at what hour. You possess feelings, Christian Ashton, which do you honour; and I experience a lively interest in your welfare. You need have no care for the future: for when the time shall come that you must leave a service which is evidently distasteful to you, it shall be my care and my pleasure to procure you another and a better situation. Fare- well for the present.” With these words Mr. Redcliffe grasped Chris- tian’s hand cordially; and they separated. The youth felt infinitely relieved at having made a con- fidant of one in whom he had also found a friend; and he proceeded with a much lighter heart to- wards the Regent’s Park. He saw his sister; and affectionate was the embrace in which the twins held each other. Christian mentioned the circum- stance of his being already aware that Lord Octavian and Mr. Percival were one and the same person; and Christina frankly told him all the conversation which had taken place between herself and his lordship on the preceding day,—thus describing the motives which had induced her to conceal from Zoe the fact that she was previously acquainted with Octavian. Christian fully appreciated those mo- tives, and expressed his belief that his sister had acted as she was bound to do under the circum- stances. Christina then remarked that the Duke of Marchmont had called on the preceding day,— adding, “ He seems a very nice nobleman, and spoke in kind terms of you.” Christian had already made up his mind not to reveal to his sister those circumstances of which he had been speaking to Mr. Redcliffe: for he knew full well that Christina would only be afllicted at the thought of her brother being compelled to re- main in a position which was distasteful to him. That observation of her’s, so artlessly eulogistic of the Duke, would have thrown Christian into considerable embarrassment, had not Zoe at the moment entered the room where this inter- view was taking place; and she welcomed the youth to the house in the most cordial manner. He walked out with his sister for an hour or two in the Regent’s Park, and then returned to Bel- grave Square. 119 CHAPTER XXIII. THE CRIME, It was between nine and ten o’clock in the even- ing of that day of which we have been writing in the preceding chapter, that three persons were ad- vancing in three different directions towards the goldbeater’s house in the midst of that maze of buildings lying between the lower parts of the Waterloo and Westminster Roads. One of those individuals was Barney the Burker—the second was Bill Scott—the third was his brother Tim. The two lads had been informed by Barnes that if they jomed him at the Smedleys’, they would pro- bably be able to render some little assistance in a particular business which was then in hand: but beyond these few words the Burker gave no special explanations. The night was dark and cold,—not with the fine frosty weather which properly belonged to that December season of the year—but with a raw mistiness that damped the garments and collected on the hair and whiskers. It was an evening when those who were well clad would wrap their upper coats or their shawls, as the case might be, more closely around them—and when the scantily apparelled and the ragged children of poverty would hurry on with a continuous shivering of the frame which no acceleration of speed could how- ever mitigate. Hyen the very baked-potato man would shudder visibly as he bawled out “ All hot !” in alustier voice than usual; and there was no need for naked-footed mendicants to affect a quiver- ing misery of the form as they huddled up in door-ways or hung upon the track of passers-by, imploring alms; for the reality of their half- perished state was keen enough. The strect- lamps appeared to burn mistily: and the jets of gas at the butchers’ shops and the coal sheds threw forth a less vivid glare than usual. Barney the Burker raised the collar of his coat over his ears, and pulled his greasy comforter up to his lips,—at the same time diving both his hands into the capacious pockets of his coat, as he sped briskly along. The Scotts respectively pursued their own shivering ways, without the advantage of either upper coat or comforter: for the good luck which they had experienced in their preda- tory exploits the evening but one before, had led to no improvement of their costume, inasmuch as Barney the Burker purposely kept them in this impoverished and half-ragged state that they might have the appearance of mendicants and thus all the more easily conduct their operations on the pockets of the unwary. Barney was the first to reach the Smedleys’ house, which he entered by means of the alley leading by the side of the chapel ; and in a few minutes he was followed by the elder Scott. At the expiration of a few more minutes the younger lad joined them; and they were all three soon seated in the scullery in company with the Smed- leys and Mrs. Webber. Liquor and glasses were upon the table; and supplies of hot grog were mixed, while the conversation commenced. ‘Well, so nuffin was done yesterday ?” said the Burker, after a few indifferent remarks had been exchanged. “I should have looked down last CONNICLOOO S CO) can: i PM eI ce: EAS SEO ice A OMA RL ee