The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

THE SUPPER DEVOURER 63 are, to be sure! However, a capital thing it was for me that this should have happened to-night, for I do believe I should have been dead before morning. Now, so far from dying or any chance of it, I am in the best possible feather, — two hundred pounds in my pocket, a good supper and a couple of bottles of wine under my waistcoat, and one of the hand- somest women of the aristocracy for my mistress.’’ Ernestina gave a sudden start and a faint cry as these last words, so full of terrible menace, smote her ears; but feeling the next instant how utterly powerless she was, she sank back in the chair with a low, deep moan, and her head fell forward upon the luxuriant volume of her naked bosom. ‘It’s above an hour and a half ago that I was let loose from that cursed chair,’’? resumed the Hangman, “ and | meant to come straight up to this room at once, but I heard some one about on the stairs, so I just slipped into another chamber, the first that was handy, and, locking myself in, laid down on the bed a bit, for I was regularly tired out. However, when I had done my nap, I found my way to your room, and here I am safe and sound. But I suppose,’’ he added, with another grin and ironical leer, ‘‘ you can’t guess why I am sitting here chattering to you in this familiar style? In the first place, it’s because this wine has put me into a little better humour than I was just now; and, in the second place, because you are my mistress, and so I want to put ourselves on an intimate and comfortable footing together.”’ Ernestina’s countenance grew haggard and ghastly to a degree as the public executioner thus spoke; and as she raised her eyes in mingled entreaty, horror, and uncertainty toward him, all the intensity of her varied feelings was de- picted with a frightful eloquence in her looks. “ Well, and what are you thinking of, then? ’’ he demanded, with brutal abruptness. ‘‘ You must not give way to regret and so on, or else it will spoil your beauty. And mind, yours is a beauty of which I shall be very proud when I introduce you to all my particular friends.”’ “ Eternal God!’ shrieked Lady Ernestina, suddenly shaking herself in a paroxysm of hysterical frenzy, “ is it possible that all this can be true, that I hear aright? ”’ “True? Of course it is. Why the devil shouldn’t it be? But come, I will give you a proof of my love and affection.” Thus speaking, and with a horrible chuckling laugh, the CORnNICLOOKS (CO)