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Updated: May 21, 2025
While they were thus conversing, Leonard entered the chamber, and informed his master that Chowles, the coffin-maker, and Mrs. Malmayns, the plague-nurse, desired to see him. "Mrs. Malmayns!" exclaimed Hodges, in surprise. "I heard that something very extraordinary occurred last night in Saint Faith's. With your permission, Mr. Bloundel, she shall be admitted; I want to ask her a few questions.
In this order, the fantastic procession marched between the pillars, the unearthly music playing all the while, and disappeared at the further extremity of the church. With the last of the group, the mysterious light vanished, and Chowles and his companion were left in profound darkness. "What can it mean?" cried Judith, as soon as she recovered her speech. "Are they human, or spirits?"
Villain! you have purloined our hoard!" "I have done so," replied Solomon Eagle, "and I will carry off all other spoil you may obtain. Think not to hide it from me. I can watch you when you see me not, and track you when you suppose me afar off." "Indeed!" exclaimed Chowles, trembling. "I begin to think he is possessed of supernatural power," he added, in an undertone to Judith.
I have a plague-cart of my own, and bury all my customers." "God grant I may not require your services, sir!" replied the grocer, shuddering. "But I will give you timely notice." "If you are in want of a nurse, I can recommend an experienced one," added Chowles. "Her last employer is just dead." "I may need assistance," replied the grocer, after a moment's reflection. "Let her call to-morrow."
What could it mean? Neither of them could tell. It seemed like strains of unearthly music, mixed with shrieks and groans as of tortured spirits, accompanied by peals of such laughter as might be supposed to proceed, from demons. "The dead are burst forth from their tombs," cried Chowles, in a quavering voice, "and are attended by a legion of evil spirits."
"Revenged!" cried Chowles, in astonishment "for what! What have I done!" "You do well to affect ignorance," rejoined Judith, "but you cannot deceive me. No one but you can have done it." "Done what!" exclaimed Chowles, in increased astonishment. "Has our hoard been discovered?" "Ay, and been carried off by you you!" screamed Judith, with a look worthy of a fury.
Little opposition was offered; for, on hearing the cry, Chowles quitted his hold, and retreating to a short distance, exclaimed, with a look of surprise, "Why, the fellow is not dead, after all!" "I am neither dead, nor likely to die, as you shall find to your cost, rascal, if you do not restore me the clothes you have robbed me of," cried Leonard, furiously.
"Heaven be praised!" exclaimed Chowles. And he skipped about with the wildest expressions of delight. A gleam of satisfaction, too, darted from Judith's savage eyes. She had neither risen nor altered her position on the arrival of the party, but she now got up, and addressed the enthusiast. A small iron lamp, suspended by a chain from the vaulted roof, lighted the chamber.
Delighted with the alarm he occasioned, Chowles chased a large party along the northern aisle, and was pursuing them across the transept upon which it opened, when he was arrested in his turn by another equally formidable figure, who suddenly placed himself in his path.
"I have found out a means of propagating the distemper," pursued Judith, in a low tone, and with a mysterious air, "of inoculating whomsoever I please with the plague-venom. I have tried the experiment on Mr. Quatremain and that youth, and you see how well it has answered in both instances." "I do," replied Chowles, looking askance at her. "But why destroy the poor minor canon?"
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