The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 265: what you’re looking at

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260 assurance that the man would act honourably to- wards her in the end, and content himself only with a share. “Five thousand four hundred pounds !” hoe again repeated, in a musing tone, “ Yes—'tis a serious loss! Tho recovery, however, would be two thou- sand seven hundred a-picco: would that suit you 2” ho demanded, turning abruptly towards her. “What?” she said, affecting not to comprehend tho question “ Will you agree to give mo onc half of the sum, if I recover tho whole?” asked Rily. “ That is plain English, I belieyc—and now it depends on you whe- thor our conversation shall bo prolonged or not.” 1 “ Yes—l will cheerfully give you ono half,” re-: turned Mrs. Mortimer, making up her mind to keep to the bargain only in tho case of her inability to depart from it with safety to herself. “Well and good,” resumed Rily, “I must now inform you that the tall fellow who was with tho old man is oncof the most noted cracksmen in Lon- don—a desperate ruffian, who would think no more of shooting a person through the head than of cating his dinner. What hisreal name is, I don’t know—I never heard—although he and J havo been ac- quainted for years past: but he is called Vitriol Bob, from a little peculiarity which ho has intro- duced into Ais professional mode of doing business.” “JT do not catch your meaning,” said Mrs. Morti- mer—though not without a shudder; for she did entertain a vaguo suspicion of tho frightful origin of that singular pseudonym. “11 explain myself more fully, ma’am,” returned the Doctor, “ sinco we have all the day before us, and may chatter a bit to while away the time. You sco that the individual of whom we are speaking, has an awkward knack of lurking about in bye- streets and secluded neighbourhoods, to way-lay gentlemen who happen to havo gold chains hanging over their waistcoats or out of their fobs: for those little articles are pretty faithful evidences that the purses of such folks are not entirely empty. Well, in caso of a struggle, our fricnd is apt to break a phial of vitriol over the faco of his opponent, so that ho may get away, and also that the said opponent may bo blinded, and unable to identify lim on any futuro occasion. Henco his name of Vitriol Bob; and such is the terror he has inspired throughout the districts of Kennington, Camberwell, Peckham, and thereabouts, that the moment any gentleman returning home from a party or from the tavern hears the ominous sound of ‘ Your money or your eyes, ho exclaims, ‘ Don’t throw the vitriol, and Ill give up everything.” “Is this possible?” cried Mrs, Mortimer, with a shudder that was colder and more perceptible than tho former one. ‘‘Oh! quite possible, ma’am. I can assure you,” said the Doctor, calmly, ‘You shall see Vitriol Bob to-night—and then judge for yourself whether ho louvks like a fellow who could do such a thing, or not. A more hang-dog countenance you never saw in your life. I know that I am not particularly handsome,” he added with a horrible grin and leer: “but I don’t look quite such a bravo as he does.” Mrs. Mortimer thought that if Vitriol Bob wero moro hideous in outward appearance than Jack Rily, he must be frightful indeed. “hig is the chap we shall have to deal with to- night,” continued the burglar; “and therefore, as you perceire, we must go well prepared to play the THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, c— Who his companion is in the robe $3 game properly. bery, I can’t make out “But J know,” interrupted Mrs. Mortimer, . hastily: “he is a poor—~weak—emaciated—nervous old man, whom I will undertako to subdue and even bind with cords in a few moments. Oh! he shall find me a very tiger-cat let loose upon him!” she added, her countenance suddenly expressing a livena-like ferocity. “Now you do scem handsomo—royally hand- some—although in reality you are so infernally ugly!” exclaimed Jack Rily. “That is the way in which I like to see a woman look. Why—per- dition seize me! butI could almost love you. What a splendid couplo we should make!” And the idea tickled the wretch’s fancy to such an extent, that he laughed until tho tears streamed from his yellow oyes, and ran down his dark counte- nance, while his hare-lip opened so wide that all bis upper tecth—large, perfect, whito, and cven— were displayed to the gums. “Ceaso this disgusting mirth, sir,’ exclaimed Mrs. Mortimer, unable to restrain her feelings: for—ugly, criminal, and morally degraded as sho knew herself to be—tho observations of the monster and his consequent hilarity outraged her cruelly. “ Come—come; we must not be bad friends,” said Jack Rily, extending lis hugo palm towards the old woman, who proffered her hand in return through fear of offending the wretch that had become too useful for her to loso him until the contemplated business should have been accom- plished. “ There —that’s right,” ho added, as ho shook hor hand with a violonce that made her wince: “now thero is no ill-fecling between wus. But really you must pardon me for what I said, and also forbear from taking offence so easily should I fall into such remarks again. For, look you, madam,—lI do not care about female beauty— neither is old age disgusting to me. What I admire in a woman is her disposition—hor mind: and when T seo you flaring up like a hell-rat—when I behold you waxing infuriate as a beldame—I love you bettor than if you was the most lovely virgin on tho face of the oarth. However—enough of that——” “Enough indeod !” cried Mrs. Mortimer, who experienced the most ineffable repugnanco — the most profound loathing for the monster that thus dinned his hideous idiosyncrasies in her ears: but, veiling her abhorrence as much as she could, sho said, “And now, perhaps, you will have the good- ness to inform me how you intend to proceed in order to recover this large sum of money.” “The explanation is simplo enough,” responded the Doctor. ‘“ Vitriol Bob has a particular haunt— a certain lurking-hole, not a hundred miles from here; andl happen to know where the placeis. In fact, Bob and I have been pals for a long, long time——” “T thought you told me just now that you had a spite against him?” interrupted Mrs, Mortimer, fixing her eyes keenly upon the Doctor, us if to read the secrets of his inmost soul and learn whethr> he were deceiving her. ® Ah! you may look, ma’am—and look as search- ingly as you like,” exclaimed Jack Rily, who un- derstood what was passing in her mind: “ but you won’t find me outin any contradiction—nor yet in telling you any lies. I said that Vitriol Bob and J had been friends for a long time—and I said truly. But that doesn’t provent me from having a hanker- —A. Fr econmlelooolks (CO)