The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 90: what you’re looking at

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84 Ce was holding on. On the right of the front rank, an impudent-looking minx of a girl, with an old cotton handkerchief about her head, was staring up at a window and proffering a box of matches. In the rear an older girl and @ boy—both with villanously hang-dog countenances—were likewise doing their best to excite compassion. It needed but a partially scrutinizing glance to perceive that this tribe of children could, with scarcely any de- gree of possibility, belong to those who were pass- ing themselves off as their parents: for not between any two of them was there the slightest family similitude. There they were, slowly making their way along the street,—singing at the top of their discordant voices; and when the song temporarily ceased, the man whined forth the same tale he had already told to Christian—with this trifling difference however, that he happened to substitute Portsmouth for Liverpool as the place whence he and his family had tramped up. Halfpence from the windows rattled down into the street: these were quickly snatched up by the children, who scudded about in all directions for the purpose: the man prayed “that the Lord might bless the kind ladies and gentlemen who thus assisted a poor mechanic out of employ’—the woman dropped divers low curtseys—and then the singing recom- menced. It did not seem to strike the charitable donors as being at all strange that the poor family, though a few minutes before they had proclaimed themselves to be starving, did not at once rush off to the nearest baker’s and buy some bread: No such thing !—they went on singing away in most frightful discord—until the sudden appearance of a policeman, who was advancing in a manner which plainly showed that he knew the arch- impostors full well, spread dismay in their ranks. The singing ceased in a moment: and the man hurriedly said, ‘‘Come along, Bet—or that blue- bottle will precious soon blow the gaff!”—and they made a rush towards the next street, dragging the youngest children hastily along with them. Such was the spectacle which the twins beheld ; and it certainly afforded no encouraging picture of London life. It shocked the pure minds of that youthful pair to think that such impostures should be practised under the guise of honest poverty : for they knew that the consciousness that these things were done, must often and often prevent the really charitably disposed from dispensing the alms which they would otherwise bestow, and that therefore the really deserving suffered for the rascality of practised deceivers. Early in the forenoon of the following day, Christian and Christina were again in Redcross Street, at the door of the house to which their benevolent purpose brought them. The landlady made her appearance; and the tale which she told, was as gratifying to the twins as it was almost completely unexpected. It appeared that a tall gentleman, with a dark complexion, and wearing a cloak, had called at the house in company with a medical practitioner from the neighbourhood, about two hours after Christina left on the pre- ceding day. The medical attendant ascended to see the invalid, while the gentleman remained be- Jow to question the landlady. “What followed, had evidently been pre-arranged, and was speedily ac- complished. A hackney-coach was fetched—the | THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. dying young woman was placed in it—and was borne away to another house, somewhere in the suburbs of Islington. The landlady mentioned the address, and concluded by observing that the tall dark gentleman did not accompany Mary Wright to her new abode, but sent the surgeon with her, placing in his hands a handful of money ere he hurried away. The twins had no difficulty in recognising Mr. Redcliffe in the tall dark gentleman; and they ex- perienced the utmost delight at all the intelligence which they thus received. They repaired at once to the address named; and on arriving at the house, in an open, airy, and healthy part of Islington, they found that lodgings of the most cheerful and comfortable description had been taken for the poor sufferer—that a nurse had been provided for her—that ample funds had been placed for her benefit in the hands of the landlady, who was a kind, benevolent woman—and that poor Mary Wright herself had received Mr. Redcliffe’s assurance, delivered through the medium of the worthy surgeon, that she need have no farther care in respect to her maintenance, as she would be well provided for. Mary Wright had also learnt that it was through Christina she had thus become the object of such noble charity; and we may add that she had not forgotten to inform the medical man of the kindness received from a beautiful young creature with dark hair and eyes, but whose name she had not learnt. CHAPTER XVI. INDORA. Ir was the eighth evening after that interview between Mr. Redcliffe and the Princess Indora which has been described in a recent chapter; and we must revisit the secluded abode of that oriental lady. On this occasion we shall find her in the drawing-room, which was furnished with a mingled sumptuousness and elegance corresponding with that species of boudoir where we first beheld her. The draperies were of the costliest description : the sofas and ottomans were covered with a dark green velvet, of so rich a texture and with such a gloss, that it appeared almost a sin for a human form to press upon it. There were chairs in this room, made of some precious wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and having luxurious cushions of the same material as that which covered the otto- mans. ‘The ornaments upon the mantel-piece, the nick-nacks upon the tables, the vases filled with flowers, or whence perfumes exhaled their fra- grance, were ail of the costliest and most curious eastern description. A mellowed lustre, but quite sufficient to flood the apartment, was thrown out by superb chandeliers: a fire burnt cheerfully in the grate—and its blaze was shrouded from the eye by screens curiously painted, and the frame- work of which was elaborately as well as delicately carved. Fans, formed of the feathers of tropical birds, lay within the reach, wheresoever the Princess might choose at the moment to seat herself; and a large cage, standing on a table near the window, contained within the sphere of its golden wires a dozen or so of birds of the EO DOO S CO)