Rosa Lambert — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

i a er ee ery et ne re ee ae ee ' + es ae eee ROSA LAMBERT. Bi 1 eee eerie een ee LE sss). eR ee——E accomplice will soon be here to reconnoitre the premises, and to glean from the Gomenties whatso- ever he can pick up.’ We had four men-servants in the eRiighiment : namely, Ilderton’s valet, a footman, a coachman, and Thomas the groom. ‘Three of these slept in- side the house: Thomas occupied a room over the stables. Then there was the gardener, who like- wise inhabited an outhouse; and thus, including Ilderton himself, there were six males upon the premises—forming a garrison sufficiently strong not merely for the defence of the place, but like- wise to capture the two ruffians who were expected to attack it. Ilderton summoned the men- servants and the gardener into his presence; and he explained to them that it had accidentally come to our knowledge that a burglarious entry would be attempted, and that one of the burglars might be shortly expected to make a reconnaissance under certain pretexts. He furthermore informed the menials that it did not suit his purpose to in- voke the aid of the police, nor conduct his pro- ceedings in a manner calculated to result in public exposure ; and he therefore gave the necessary in- structions for the carrying-out of the scheme which he had devised. The domestics all pro- mised to follow his orders to the very letter; and preparations were at once mace for the expected visit of Grayson’s accomplice, | The pantry was an outbuilding jutting forth from the rear of the mansion; and the window was protected by a shutter lined with an iron- plate. This shutter Ilderton ordered to be at once removed, and put out of sight. He then directed that large quantities of silver plate should be dis- played on the table which stood near the pantry- window; and he furthermore instructed the domestiés as to ‘the observations they were to let drop, as if in a casual roanner, when Grayson’s accumplice should come. In about half-an-hour we beheld, from the drawing-room window, a man ines as a la- bourer enter by the iron gate ; and he addressed himself to the gardener, who was at work upon the flower-beds. As I subsequently gleaned every thing that took place, 1 am enabled to describe it in a narrative form. The man—who was a short, sturdy, strong-built fellow, about forty years of age, and who had nothing in his countenance to indicate the treacherous villany of his character —said to the gardener, “ You can’t give a poor man half-a-day’s work—can you? so that I may get a bit of bread.” “Are you out of work, then?” inquired the gardener, who however knew very well that he was speaking to the expected scoundrel. “Yes—I am,” was the response; “‘and I haven’t broke my fast this blessed day.” : “ Poor fellow!” said the gardener, with a com- passionating air. “I can’t give you any work: but if you step round to the back of the premises, I dare say you can get a bit of bread and some cold meat: for no honest person that is in real want, is ever turned away empty-handed from these doors.” ‘Heaven bless you—and the good people of the house also!” said Dick: and he at once passed round to the back of the premises. There he addressed himself to the faithful Thomas, who appeared to be lounging on a bench, EL A ET TS stesso up again to that pantry window: but who was in reality awaiting the present arrival. “Sit down here and rest yourself, my poor man,” he said; “and I’ll go in and see whether I can make friends with the cook on your behalf.” Dick was accordingly left to sit down upon the bench; and from that point he could feast his eyes on the display of plate which he beheld through the pantry-window, The coachman was washing his carriage in the yard; so that Gray- gon’s respectable accomplice had no opportunity of thrusting his hand through the pantry-window and self-appropriating any article of plate, if he were so inclined. In about five minutes Thomas returned with some bread and meat in one hand, and a large mug of beer in the other. Dick fell to with every appearance of hunger and thirst,-— though, as the reader is aware, he had been pre- viously refreshing himself at Toby Grayson’s ex- ense. “ Don’t you think it’s rather a dangerous thing,’ he presently said to Thomas, “to leave all that valuable plate lying about P” “Oh, we are not afraid of robbers here,’ was the domestic’s answer, given with an air of care- less indifference. “A good many poor creatures like yourself, come to ask charity: but we have never missed anything. By the bye, though, when I think of it, master did give positive orders yesterday morning that the shutter is to be put for the plate is always kept there at night. It was blown «ff by the strong wind that we had two or three days ago I say, Mike!” he exclaimed, raising his voice; “ what about that shutter? I told you to look to it—didn’t I?” “Tt isn’t my place,” answered the coachman, in a growling tone, which was purposely assumed. “Let those who sleep inside the premises attend to the business that concerns themselves,” “ Then it lies between the footman and master’s valet,” said Thomas, “and not with either you or me, Mike. Well, well, Pll see about it the day after to-morrow, when I come back from my holi- day.” “You're a lucky man,” said Dick, “to have a good place and plenty of holidays.” | Yes—the place is a good one,” replied Thomas, stretching himself with a lounging air; “and as for holidays, we can have them as often as we like, Master’s valet and I are going into London pre- sently: we shall be at the theatre to-night—and to-morrow we mean to have a trip to Gravesend. If we are home next morning soon “after br eakfast, it will be quite sufficient.” “Ah! you must have a good place of it,” said Dick, continuing to munch the bread and cold meat. ‘ Does your master let two of his servants go away together at the same time P” | ‘Now and then,” responded Thomas. “ He is a very nice gentleman—and missis is a very nice lady too. Why, that fellow,’—and he indicated the coachman—“ can do just as he likes—and so can I—sleeping outside of the house as we do. But we are really sometimes too bad: for we go off to the public-house at the end of the lane yon- der, and enjoy ourselves when we ought to be in bed. Betwixt you and me, the coachman, I know, means to be out for a spree to-night; and I am deuced certain that it will be three or four in the 93 Os ee eee eee eee ~ ae OS A A A A ELLE NALS LEA LE | CORNICE OOO Ss EO