The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

78 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. across a long corridor that communicated with the eastern wing of the building, and only reminding him by a sign not to allude to the information he had im- parted, he threw open the door, and ushered Sir John Barrington into the presence of the agent. CHAPTER XVII. THER PLOT THICKENS. THe room into which the stranger was introduced was a spacious apartment that presented a very different appearance to those through which he had previously passed. Here there was no evidence of the ruin into which the other portions of the hall had fallen, and though the furniture had formed palpably no part of the original embellishments of the man- sion, it was distributed with so excellent an arrange- ment, that there was no incongruity visible in its transfer to the place that it now filled. The high- arched window had been closed in with long curtains, a fire had been kindled in the old-fashioned grate to remove all dampness from the interior, and was now blazing cheerily with that sparkling ge which even on & summer night is not felt to be an unwelcome addition to the comforts of a large lofty room; and at a round table drawn within the sphere of its warmth, and illuminated by two candles, flanked by a couple of decanters containing port and sherry, and having glasses to correspond, was seated the indivi- dual to whom the preceding colloquy had referred. Directly the announcement was made Mr. Jarvis rose from his seat, and sliding the pen behind his ear, with which he had been employed, entering a few professional notes into his memorandum-book, he advanced with a polite bow, and begged his visitor to be seated, The agent was one of those men whose habits of thought and mode of life seem to have stamped a permanent impression on the outward features. He was attired in a closely-fitting suit of black, thaf, on his slim and slightly attenuated figure, made more ‘perceptible the whiteness of the ruffled shirt that protruded from his creaseless waistcoat of black silk in a curious arrangement of complicated pleats. His face was thin and sallow, and about his mouth and chin, which was embedded in the folds of a carefully tied white cravat, there were deep lines visible, that matched with the furrows on his brow. His long, wiry hair, of jet-black hue, was carefully smoothed down across his forehead, and there was a sleeky primness about his person that gave him the appear- ance of one who was accustomed to execute his func- tions in the most quiet and methodical manner. As with a profusion of bows he glided towards the door, and indicated the chair placed for his visitor’s recep- tion, there seemed something so sluggish in his move- ments, and so slimy in his tread, that the feet could hardly be expected to touch the floor without leaving the shining snail-like trail behind. “Pray be seated—Sir John Barrington, I believe ?— to be sure, sir, I have heard of the name; you have been making some extensive purchases in the rail- ways about here, I think? Johnson, be good enough to retire, and close the door, if you please; I will ring the bell should I require your services—you are within hearing, I believe?—thank you. You can tell your wife I am quite satisfied with the arrangements she evening, Mr. Johnson; and be good enough not to leave the kitchen until my supper has been brow up, in case I should wish to see you before— you—that will do nicely ; $ ge evening, Mr. Sok at son ;” and with these studiously polite eagtnable, AG a with the smoothest utterance smc acknowledged the parting bow of Wa dome: Fy when the door had ne ech oar eatin @ personage who was seated op and preserved through the above broken address the most dignified and reserved composure, “You will excuse this want of ceremony, Sir Johiti, I hope,” apologised the agent, in the same silky t and quiet manner as before; “ the fact is, I am to seeing a fire blaze again within the walls of et 7 old mansion, and, when business calls me into this quarter, I generally make a point of during the short time of my stay, in Ay to putting up at these small village inns, charge very high for very execrable “T am not disposed to take offence at trifle remarked the other drily; “and I was agreeal occupied during the time I was looking over the — building.” “Ha! our man at the lodge was i ang th me, Si John, you were anxious to take ie aiithe it was to be let,” resumed Jarvis, gentle stir as he spoke; “ Fe ny I ie that I received a letter from you upon the subject really, amidst the multiplicity of business, I am s afraid that I neglected answering it.” “TI am surprised,” observed Barrington, “ that it should have escaped your recollection, since it was owing to your own appointment, Mr. Jarvis, that I came hither. Being in the neighbourhood, and hearing that you were likely to come to Bradley y fis I determined to drive over to-day instead of postp¢ ing my visit till to-morrow.” | “Dear me, I did appoint to morrow, fo be sure, Sit John, so I did. How exceedingly stupid of me to forget! but really, in the multiplicity of ars bel I had quite overlooked it—quite ; ” and Mr. J. ing himself to a glass of wine, pushed the ne dail forward with the glasses. “Do me the favour to fake — a glass of port or sherry, Sir John,” he continued ; “ you will find it excellent, I know. It is some of old stock—has been in the cellar here these fifty years at least; I keep the keys, you see, myself.” “T have no doubt of it,” was the response, | hardly loud enough to reach the ears of the it 5 but believing the remark had reference only ty. quality of the wine, he noticed with sati at Sir John had filled his glass, and was not with the silent manner in which the contents were drank, and which he interpreted into a symptom of its approval. “ And go, Sir John, you were thinking about becom- ing the owner of Bradley,” resumed Jarvis, as he again replenished; “it is a fine old hall, and an excellent estate goes with it. The mansion is a great deal out of repair, and a amount mu be expended upon it before if can be rendered pro- perly habitable; but the land, Sir John, possessés great capability, very great capability, though the purchase money required for it will be considerable.” “It is now, I believe, as it has been for some time past, the property of the Earl of Winterton?” said Barrington, inquiringly. “ Yes, yes, I may say the estate has almost p has made, and I shall not forget, the next time I atrive, | entirely into his hands,” returned Jarvis, to bring hor that little present I promised her. Good | cautious, silky manner; “the earl, whose b le eee — Gomicbooks.co here — ”" me a aad EE —<_.. —— “ rr at tities i -