The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 362: what you’re looking at

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

Oy BD THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. Jal Sa a ee sp SSS ils ss Se For afew moments he regarded her in ad- miration. Then the sound of approaching footateps struok his ear, Tt was Mra, Carton who approached. She smiled and curtseyed as she entered the room. “Tf you please, my lord,” she said, “do you want me ?’’ “Yes,” said Lord Lovaine, throwing himself carelessly into a chair. “You, I am in want of your services. See yonder lady ?” “TI do,” returned the old woman, smiling. “Oh! whata lovely creature! What a face ! what lips! what a figure ! what little hands and feet |! and what a delicate ankle! Oh, my lord, you are a lucky man.” Lord Lovaine frowned. ‘‘ TI know not yet whether I am lucky-or not,” he said. ‘‘Then why sleeps she in your presence thus fully ?” ‘‘ She is drugged.” The old woman laughed hideously. A leering, odious lauyh. “You have prepared her for her fate then?” she said. “Not so,” cried Lord Lovaine, angrily, “it is nothing of the kind. She was thus drugged when I found her.” “Well, my lord,” said the old woman, “ you have done so before.’ ‘* Yes, yes; but in this case I have given her nothing, believe me.” Mrs. Oarton looked incredulously at the speaker. She had been used to Lord Lovaine’s style of proceeding, * Reckless in everything, be was still more reckless when a woman's virtue was concerned. Yet, in this case, her suspicions were entirely out of place. While he had held her in bis arms, and fore- bore even to kiss the rich dew off her lipse— while her lithe form had pressed against him, and her warm bosom heaved against his breast — he had felt an indefinable sentiment of passion surging through his veins. Bat he had called to his aid. the light of reason, In fact he was an epicure ia love. He had no desire to possess the lovely Alicia against her will, He preferred keeping her captive until he could persuade her to be his. He no doubt of this. He had, in fact, been wondrously successful in love, and a rebuff was a thing he could not un- derstand. So he made himself certain of his prey. He little knew who was listening. He little thought that in the next room, which communicated by a folding door, stood Ben Firebrace, with his arm round the waist of the rescued Lizzie, listening to all his words. ‘You may disbelieve, or believe me, which you choose, Mrs. Carton,” he said, “but I have, nevertheless, told the truth, I did not drug this lady, and, as far as I am concerned, sho is as pure as an angel. Farewell, dearest Alicia, farewell,” he added, as he stooped down and kissed her cherry lips, passionately. Mrs. Carton, take care of her and respect her, or it will be the worse for you.” So saying, he quitted the room. “Now,” said Ben Firebrace, “now we will spoil his plans,” CHAPTER V. THE RUSE—THE SLEEPING BEAUTY—THE AT- TEMPT TO SAVE ALICIA—THE HAND IN THE DARK—THE UNDERGROUND CELLAR—THE RATS—THE DESPAIR OF THE STBONG MAX — BEN FIREBBACE’S PASSION, Mrs, CARTON, the woman in whose char: e the insensible Alicia, the virgin wife of Rupert Changeling, had been left by Lord Lovaine, was, to a certain extent, a friend of Lizzie Woodhea‘'s. She had visited at Martin's ferry house, and had, on certain occasions, before becoming housekeeper to Lord Lovaine, been very kind to her in illness, It is not at all surprising, therefore, that we find her and her lover, Ben Firebrace, in the room adjoining in which lay the unconscious beauty. She little imagined, however, that her plans had been overheard ! As soon as Lord Lovaine had left the room, Mra, Carton gazed on Alicia fixedly with the eye of a connoisseur. ‘‘ Well,” she said, as she smoothed down Alicia's ruffled hair, and patted her glossy shoulder, “ Lord Lovaine has good taste. All his mistresses have been beautiful, but this one exceeds all, What eyes !|—what a bust !—what limbs! Well, well, I was very like her once, at least so my Carton said tho day ws were married. I musn’t stop here ell night, though ; perhaps she'll sleep a goodish bit yet, No, she wakes.” She was right, Reason was reasserting its sway. First a quiver passed through Alicie’s limba, then she atretched them to their full extent ; then her eyes began slowly to open, and she sat a Feat up to gaze in amazement around her. Glad, however, was the expression of her eyes when they fell upon the form of a female. She little knew who Mra. Carton was. Little guessed what kind of respect she was to expect from her. | “But where am I?” she asked. “ With friends, my dear.” The old woman was used to this kind of scene. “ Whore house is this?” “ Mine, my dear.” ‘But who are you; [know you not?” ‘+6 My name is Carton.” “ And where is my husband ?" ‘ Oh! oh !"’ thought Mrs. Carton, as her eye caught the glitter of a wedding ring, “that is the thing, is it, Lord Lovaine has married her. There has been some performance of a mock ceremony, and this young beauty will yield her rson to him willingly.” “And pray whom do you mean?” asked she aloud. 7 Rupert, my husband; Sir Rupert Change- ling.’ : A disguised name,” thought the old woman. —_ “> 4 ; COMMUNE OOKSEEON of