The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

peerage A THE MYSTERIES OF TITE COURT. = es Cape EE a p Geers Le es 8A eee a ee a ee aew-fangled laws and soon. Why, if I only stand ; a mutter of a little more than two months could n minute or two in the street, just to fake a look | have made such a change in a human being. Bat at what is going on, up comes a blue-bottle and | that’s why you, Jack,” she added, turning to her staros at mo {ust of all as if there was threats of | son-in-law, “call him old. His face is as thin and treadmills in hie eyes; and then ho bide me move | aa pale asa ghost’s: he wasn’t very fat when he off just as if his tongue had borrowed its tones | frst came—but he bas ao shrunk away that his from the of Nowgate. But if f happen | clothes hang on him just as if they wore never to look rayther hard at aome swell cove passing! made for him at all.” ‘ along, and chance to foller in the samo direction — | “ But has he got the roady ?” demanded Barncy : then, by jingo! I'd better cut and run for it; or , “for that’s the principal thing we ‘ave got to look else up afore the beak—no ono to spoak to my st.” character—all in wain to say I'm a honest ’ard-| “We know he has got some money,” responded working man—but off to the stono jug, and six’ Bab; “and I will tell you how we found it oat. weeks on the everlasting staircase asa rogue and I¢ was only the first thing this morning that we wagabone.” i discovered it—but we all alung suspeSted that he ° r. Barnes the Burker’s language increased in ‘hed a hoard, though he did come without anything vehemence and bitterness as he thus enumerated but a smatl carpot-bag ——”' atreel, Then, after a pause—during which tho injured man looked slowly round upon his listeners to ascertain the effect which his words had pro. ducod—he added doggedly, “ And all that’s called justice |” “‘T’m afraid times have beon as bad with you lately,” asid Mrs. Smedley, “as they have with us. For a matter of ton months we had no Joder----——” “Till this presont one come,” observed the him P—-for I suppose it’s about ¢hat you sent up the message to me to-day by youog Tin Suott,” “Right onough, Barney,” exclaimed Smedley. “ Te's a queer file, that old fellow up-stairs——~” “@ld indeed !”” said Mrs. Webber, who was her- solf sixty—and therefore she spoke with some degree of indignation: “he is not more then fifty —and I am sure [ call that quite young !” * Nonsense, mothor!” interposed Bab Smedley, with her usual sharpness. “Don’t waste time about such silly trifles:” then lowering her vuice to a mysterious whisper, she said to the Barker, “Wo wean to do it.” ° ‘ “ And right enow too!” ho answered; “if 60 be you've made sure it’s worth while.” “Trust us for that,” responded Bab. “ My mother, though she is so silly in some respects, is precious sharp in others; and she has wormed her- | Pe ecif into the lodgor’s good graces “What's his name again P” inquired Burney. “Smith,” reaponded Bab: “but of course we | that it wasn't his right name. his wrongs; ond when he bad finished, he struck | the tablo so violently with his fist that the bottles, | jugs, and glasses appeared as if they were dancing | Burker. ‘“ Well, and what do you make out of, He looked so wild | any ono—buat he “Well, but sbout tho money?’ asked the Barker, mixing bimself another glass of hot spirits. and- water. “Why, you soo,” resumed Bab, “my mother went up as usual this morning to ask him about his dinner; and she gave him lus weekly bill to pay. 8o0——” “Let me tell tho story, Bab,” interrupted tho old woman. “ You must know, Barney, that he's always in a constant tromble; and every time tho door is opened, ho looks as frightened as if he expected to sce the constables walk in. Well, when I gave him his bill, he put bis hand into ~ his pocket; and in his agitation, instead of one purse, he drew out two. confused, and shoved one of the purses back avain —but not before I had time to see that it was well fillod with gold at one end—and [ rather think, but of course I can't be sure, with bank- notes at the other. Te got into conversation, and talked more familiar than be had ever done before,—tclling me that he had a deal of trouble on his mind—that he didn't think he should got over it—and then he stopped short, looked very hard at me, and seemed as if he was sorry for letting out so much as he bad done. I tuld him I thought he was ill and wanted the doctor: but I only said that just to try and draw him out farther—for I can toll easy enough he Aas somo- thing on his mind.” “1 shouldn't wonder,” observed Barney, “if he has run away from his place of employment, or summut of that sort—perhaps bolted off with thee contents of the ecash-box. But go on, Mrs. | Webber.” “Well,” continued the old woman, “ Mr. Smith ht he should go on the e 33 knew very well, the moment he came to the house, | sad he didn’t . tl no doctor—he wouldn’t see and frightenod-and svomed giad to be able to. hide himself any where; and when I had showed | Continent for c f air “Ho won't, though!” said the Burker, with Then ho got terribly | hira the lodgings, told him what the‘ peice was, | a lock of savage ferocity, “if he bas got all that and asked for a reference, he said he coulda’t give | gold in his parse. I’m rayther hard up just at any, byt he would pay his rent in advazoa And this moment-—=All my togs, you see, is in Queer then I asked him his name; and he seemed to ' Street .’—and he looked slowly down at ins coarse eo“ hesitate for a minute whether he should call him- belf Brown, Jonea, Thompson, or Smith.” “Aad he has never once been out sings he came hore,” vubserved Smedley, taking up the tale: , never once crossed the threshold of the front gory." : “And he has been al of a-nervous fidget the whole time,” said Mre. Webber. “Ah! and how he has altered tua! I shouldajt bare thought that | sordid apparel. “Now you kuow as much of him as.we do,” remirked Bab Smedley, taking up the thread of the discourse, “So, when mother told us all that —how she had seen the second puree, and how he had hinted about going away—we thought the best thing we could do was to send up to you at on¢e, to tell you W come down this evening and talk over, the business. But hark! the up-stairs COMM { NOG SS