The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 378: what you’re looking at

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372 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. who have felt them Yes, and I have expe- rienced them too !” “My good woman,” said the old sexton, “ what are you doing here at this time of night? where do you come from? and who are you?” ‘‘T know no more whence I come,” exclaimed the woman in a species of wild frenzy, “than the wind itself does.) Who Iam, matters not to you. But who are you?’—and her bright eyes were fixed upon the old sexton—for she did not appear to notice the Burker, who had shrunk back a few paces at her sudden appearance. “ My name is Jonathan Carnabie,” was the old man’s sententious reply. “I am clerk, bellringer, and sexton to this church—and yonder is my habi- tation.” «* And you have spoken of a ‘poor lady who died mad?” said the crazed creature—for such indeed she was. “I would fain ask you a few questions ; but they go out of my brain—something has agi- tated and excited me—I cannot collect my thoughts now :”—and she pressed her hand to her forehead. “* Another time—another time!” she abruptly ex- claimed: and darting away, passed through the pate and was speedily out of sight. “The poor creature is demented,” said Jonathan Carnabie; “and she catches up anything she may hear fall from the lips of astranger. Poor woman! she has doubtless some heavy grief upon her mind! But come along I had temporarily forgotten that you must be in want of refreshment and repose.” The old sexton accordingly led the way out of the churchyard,— Barnes the Burker following him in silence: for he did not altogether like the strange apparition of that poor crazy woman. CHAPTER LXXI. THE MOUNTEBANK. WE must now return to Ramsgate, to take up the thread of our narrative at the moment when we left Christian Ashton rushing out of the Royal Hotel, after having so earnestly bidden Edgar Beverley await his return. Our young hero had a particular aim in view: for it will be remembered that he had just been suggesting to his new friend the necessity of communicating with the impri- soned Laura at Verner House, in order to ascer- tain by what means her interests could be served or her escape effected. He had bethought himself of the mountebank with whom he had that day conversed in the streets of Ramsgate relative to Baron Raggidbak; and he was now speeding in search of that public performer. He had proceeded some distance in the joyous excitement of the idea which had thus struck him, before he began to reflect that it was scarcely pro- bable he should find the mountebanks displaying their antics at that time in the evening—for it was now past nine o’clock. He relaxed his pace, and took time to breathe and to deliberate. In a few moments an individual passed him at a somewhat rapid rate; and he recognised the unmistakable form of the starveling Baron Raggidbak. He was about to rush after the ex-Groom of the Stole, when he beheld that once high and mighty noble- man plunge into an obscure court—and he was im- mediately lost to our hero’s view. ‘‘He must live with the rest,” thought Cristian to himself; “and they therefore must be dwelling hereabouts.” He accordingly turned into the same court; but his progress was almost immediately arrested by several persons of both sexes that came pouring forth from a public-house ; and though the group was small in number, yet it was quite sufficient to choke up the narrow place. ‘The excitement was produced by a desperate combat between two men, both of whom were much intoxicated. Baron Raggidbak had evidently passed along ere the portals of that public-house vomited forth its in- ebriate frequenters: for he was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd. Christian was soon enabled to force his way amidst the excited group; but his progress had nevertheless been delayed for more than a minute; and as he hurried along the dimly lighted court, the German was nowhere to be seen. There was no outlet at the farther extremity ; and therefore it was quite clear that the Baron must have entered one of the houses in that court. Christian stepped up to a man who was standing on the threshold of a door gazing in the direction of the pugilists and their backers; and he inquired if the man happened to know whether the moun- tebanks who had that day been performing in Ramsgate, resided anywhere in the court? “Why, yes, sir,’ was the man’s response: “they're lodging here in my house: but if so be any one of ’em has wrongfully taken to prigging, and you've lost summut, I hope you won’t make no noise over it: for 1 see by your cut that you are a regular gentleman, every inch of you me * I can assure you,” interrupted Christian, “ that I have no such ground of complaint—and indeed no complaint whatsoever to make. But I wish to speak to one of those men.” “Step in, sir,” said the man: “ and you may see ’em all at supper as happy as kings—with the exception of the German cove, which didn’t like the beautiful dish of tripe and cow-heel that my missus took so much trouble to dish up for ’em so he must needs go and buy hisself some German sassage—and he’s only just this minit come back.” “Thank you—I would rather not walk in,” re- plied Christian, who was by no means anxious to encounter the ex-Groom of the Stole: “ but if I described to you the particular individual whom [I wish to see, could you not whisper a word in his ear P” “ To be sure, sir,” exclaimed the lodging-house keeper, “ But dear me! how them chaps is a fighte ing! It’s Bill Rough-and-Ready, which is a costermonger—and Tom Kagmag, which sells cats’- meat ie: “ Never mind those ruffians,” interrupted Chris- tian, by no means interested in the names or ayo- cations of the pugilists. ‘“ Have the kindness to listen to me while I describe the particular mounte- bank that I wish to converse with :’—then having given the description, Christian added, “ Whisper in his ear that the young gentleman from whom he received two shillings this afternoon, desires to say five words to him.” The lodging-house keeper passed into his dwell- ing to execute this commission ; and while Chris- tian remained standing upon the threshold, he saw EO JOO S (C©)