The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 388: what you’re looking at

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

886 chamber in France: the key, fortunately for the safety of the sleepers, was left in., Wilmott’s dreams were disturbed: fortune, it is trie, had once more smiled upon him, but his gains had not brought peace to his heart; the recollection of that dreadful night, when his hands became stained with blood, was ever present to him; and the fate of poor Hawk, who had been sacrificed to screen him and Fadd le, haunted his pillow. In his dreams he saw him as he beheld him on the morning of his execution, dan- gling from the fatal beam. The very air he breathed seemed to him to smell of blood. Waking or sleeping, conscience poisoned life by the recollection of his crimes, A sharp creaking noise was heard; it was Paulo with his diamond ring cutting the window to enable him to introduce his hand to open it. He had almost succeeded, when his companion, who was perhaps the more experienced villain of the two, whispered te him: “Stop; it will fall inside and alarm the sleepers.” “No matter, we can easily settle them,” replied the Italian in the same under-tone. “Not so easily as you imagine; Wilmott is a powerful fellow, and 1 am sure is not without arms. Try the sucker.” “‘ Have you Cua “Catch me without the implements of my trade,” said Faddle, “and I'll forgive you. I am not so green as that.” With these words the ruffians changed places, and the speaker, after moistening it well in his month, applied to the half-severed pane of glass one of those common suckers that school-boys make with a piece of leather and a string, to raise stones with. ‘Does it hold?” demanded Paulo. “ Like a lawyer’s conscience. Now, then, give me the ring.” The Italian handed him the diamond, and the operation was speedily completed, the cut glass being cleverly drawn outside by means of the ingenious contrivance. Having both entered the apartment without dis- turbing the sleepers, Faddle cautiously made his way to the cabinet, leaving Paulo to guard the bed, lest either Rose or her husband should awake. From the state of the chamber it was evident that the in- mates had been preparing for their departure: trunks were packed, papers and letters had been burnt; all indicated a removal. “‘T think we have stopped their journey,” whispered the Italian, with a grin; and he drew his knife, and crept close to the curtain. “ What would you do?” “Pay the rascal some portion of my, debt,” said Paulo. “I am not one of shoeamhe either forget or forgive easily.” “Fooll”’, seid Faddle, ‘the present hour is for plunder, net revenge, A thousand opportunities will oceur for the latter—few for the first. Recollect that if we deprive him of his winnings it will be impossible for him to leave Paris. We shall have time enough for revenge.” * Butshould he awake?” “Bury your knife in his throat, and leaye me to settle the woman, I have an old acceunt to balance with her.” “ A love affair?” “Something of love, and more of hate. She scorned me. Few ever did so with impunity, “e These words were exchanged in a tone so low that LL ONAN OLOKe) those cabinets which are so generally found in every > ce THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. they failed to disturb the sleepers, and the speaker crept stealthily towards the cabinet, while his comrade remained on guard. After a few moments’ hurried search, Faddle found on one of the drawers the prize he had been seeking—a roll of bank notes, Wilmott’s winnings at the gaming-table. “ All’s right,” he whispered. ‘ Come.” No lover ever quitted his mistress, or miser his wealth, with more regret than Paulo did the bed-side of the sleepers, Like most Italians, revenge to him was dearer than gold, and nothing but the hope of again encountering the man he hated could have induced him to quit the room without imbruing his hands in his blood, when he had been so completely , in his power. ‘ “Come,” added Faddle, impatiently, “orlam off] alone,” , The last hint was sufficient, The money, the prize for which they had hazarded so much, was in the | speaker’s possession, and Paulo had not so high an opinion of his companion’s honesty as to trust him with it alone. He knew the true value of the proverb of honour amongst thieves. Descending from the window by the same means they had mounted—namely, the water-spout at the back of the house—they found themselves once more {| in the waste ground, with only the palings between them and the lonely deserted street. “I think we have nicked them this time,” said Faddle, “Why a London cracksman might make a fortune at Paris. The police, with all boasting, are net worth a damn.” . “ Ain’t they?” replied Paulo, Faddle’s | — example, and mounting the 3 “don’t cry | till you are out of the wood. The police have as many tricks as a fox, and double like a hound. For my part, I shall not deem myself safe till I have| placed the Alps between us.” “They be damned!” said Faddle. As the two robbers dropped to the ground—for | the last observations had been made while they were | — climbing the barrier—they found themselves seized by | half-a-dozen men, who, with a dexterity which con- | vinced them into whose hands they had fallen, hand- | — cuffed them in an instant. The Italian, with the | impetuosity of his countrymen, raged and stormed like a madman; the Englishman, on the contrary, | took it coolly: his only observation was: | “The darbies, by God!” Pierre, the sergeant de ville, wko had so conducted the capture, gave a loud whistle, and fiacre drove up to where they were standing. The prisoners were handed in, and the whole party driven | — off to the prefecture of police; Paulo continually ex- | claiming, as they rode along: | “ Why did I not stab him, cospetto? why did I not ~ stab him ?” t As soon as they arrived, they were both searched. | The notes, and what money they had upon their | persons, aS well as every instrament by which rm J could injure either themselves or others, weretaken from | them and carefully noted down in a book kept for the | purpose. This was no sooner done, than they were | locked up in one of the strongest cells till <a A “ Take it coolly,” said Faddle to his comr who was pacing his cell, cursing and gesticulating like a maniac. “If I could only communicate er { Wilmott, all would be right yet.” ‘ “ How right?” demanded Paulo. “ Because I have a hold over him which even his | a.