The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 332: what you’re looking at

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i or any ather officials invested with high authority. q a ee ne a | aS eee ee eee . @w = am @rehe 22 4S eS ST » :] 2 >: <<; 21 Pt = Goes woe | Ehime a THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. | 319 fraps there, and make the eat get off the table, Walk round this way, genelmen. You cin bo all y yourselves lero as comfortable as possible; and ag fur the wine, you will say you never tasted sich ia all your. life.” “T have not the slizhtest doubt of it,” said Mr, Gunthorpe. “ Your name its Solomon Patch, [ pre- aume? You have already told us that it is Patch: But we want to speak to the person who has got the prefix of Solomon." “t's mo, genelmen: that’s my own wirtuous namo for want of a better. But it’s scriptural, genolmen—anil that sanctifies a felle..” My. Gunthorpe: looked as if he thought that for @ person who was sanctified herve never was sich an ill-looking rascal in all the world. ILe however said nothing, but took. his seat at the table im the bar parlour, into which by this time he had proceeded, followed by Dgqvoril. Mrs. Patch, having clearol eveyfrom the table her work-box and the worsted stockings she was darning, returned into the bar to serve the cuetomers; whilo Solomon Patch, having shut the goor of communication between tho atore- said bor and the parlour behind, drew the cork of a bottle of wine, produced three glasses, and then ob- sequiously filled two of them. “Help yourself and sit down,” said Mr. Gun- thorpe. “ We wish to have a little private conver- sation with you; and I may as well tell you at onco that wo have no hostile intont. Woe mean nothine of the sert: but we think you can serve us—ani if 60, you aball be rewarded.” _ At this annowacement Mr. Solomon Patch’s raan- | nev became more obscquious than ever; and he like- had elicited the donation. wjso assumed an air of mystbrious confidence ay ho “A regular tramp,” exclaimed Spider Bil, who drew his chair ‘closer to that in which Mr. Qun- might be the Commissioners of Polico thomselves, or a couple of functionaries from the Home Office, “ And tell them vimon,” yelled out Mre. Patch, “to leave off screaming and skreeking in sich a haw- ful manner.” ,?* Lhe injunctions of the landlord and landlady wero issued to the dirty-looking pot-boy, who accordingly shuffled into the parloyr, and with a knowing wink and a jerk of tho thumb over*the shoulder, said, “You had better be quiet here, cos why there's % couple of nobs jist looked in.” a “Then they'll stand treat,” cried one of the wa- men: andimincdintcly afterwards a half-intoxicated creature, with a brazed look and her. dross in tho most immodest disorder, presented herself right in front of Mr. Gunthorpe, crying, “You'll stand a crown buwl, won't yer? I knows you vill. I can see you are von of the right sort By your vicked old eye.” . . ry Mr. Gunthorpo’s first imppession was to utter a rebuke to the woman: but perceiving the state she was in, and having moreover no inclination to pot into a controversy, he threw down half-a-sovoreign, saying to tho landlord, “I understand what is ro- quired of me: so you can segd in liquor to this amount.” Iereupon there was a burst of hpplause from the half-intoxicated women and somo dozen of ashocking- looking ruffiins whg had crowded out from tho par- lour to sco what was taking,place; and when th uproar had subsided, numerous complimentary re- marks were mate in respeeg to Mr. Gupthorpo. “T told yer ho was-a brick,” said the woman who was ono of the party. r | | thorpe waS seated. This gentleman, producing his “A full-blown tuilp, and,no mistake,” added Mat | purse, drew forth two or threo bank-notes and Inid the Cadger. ° *. them upon the table—an operation which the rap.- “Von uf tho stumpy sort,” observed Tny Wil- | cious landlord. watched with considerable satistic- kins—thercby meaniu# that Mr. Gunthorpe came | tion. © _ duwn with his money handsomely. sj. | “Now,” resumed Mr. Gunthorpe, “I am poing “T on’y hope he’s ag rich as lie’s stout for his own | to ask you two or threo questions; and by tio sake,” cried one of tho women faand then there was | frankness of your raplics will the amount of your ageneral laugh. ° reward bo measurod. [Fn the first place, have you “Now do go in and keep yersolves ta yerselves,” | any correspondence with a lady of high rank, wud exclaimed Sqlomon Patch: “or else not a mag's | who at this present moment is in the country f" worth of lush ehall ye see till you do:”—and then| “A lady of bigh rank?” repeated Solomon, wone- as suon as this threat had proged effectual, the land- | doring whether his interlocutor could possibly mean lord went on to say, addressing himself tothe visitora | Lady Bess: bus alrgost at the same instant the with the most grovelling, fawning, obsequionsness, | thought etruck him the the visit of the two gentle- You seg, genelmen, Ido my best to keep the place | men: migh$ be for tho purpose of ontrapping the ‘spectable; and last time I received the compliments | female bigihwayman—a proceediug to whicll Sule. of the cheerman at the Sessions House when I went | mon was by no means <lisposed to land himself. for my license. Says he in a werry perlite manner, |. “ Yoa—a lady of hich rank,” said Mr. Ganthorpe, ‘Mr. Patch,’ says ho, ‘I have had a eye on your ‘and to. be ‘mora’ explicit, Tinay state that she has house for a many years; and I never knowed one | @ house in London and a country-seut in Lincoln. so well-cdénducted in all London. It does you ahire.”” ‘honour, Mr. Patch; and if knighthoods was given! . “Then I haye no sich a correspondeut, sir,’ re- publicans, the Prime Mimister should recommend | plied Saloman. you to the Queen for that hondur.’— Now raly,} “But wherefore did you hesitate ere you a genelmen, I am not proud, but that’s what the | swered?” demanded Mr. Guuthorpe, eyeing the cheerman did say.” : man ¢losely. > “Aud I have no doubt you made a suitable ac-| “ Because, sir, I’m a cautious and wary &iud of 3 knowledgment,” said Mr. Guathorpe drily. “But |"bird, saving yoyr presepco; and I’m not in the come, can we have a bottle of wine im) a»private | habit of giving information in a hurry.” room ?” : “Perhaps, then, you may not know who your “To be sure, genelmen: you shall baye the bar- | correspondent reully is,” resumed the old gentle. parlour. Now, missus, clear away your neodlework man; “and yct you may have such a correspondent 2, — ee ee ee eee ‘o OOO) C) COMIC SS (CO)