The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

© The affair of the pocket-book,” was the Gallows’ Widow's laconic answer as she took a seat. ® Ain't it settled, then ?” asked the landlord. “Yes: and the gentleman wants to see my man,” responded the female. “But to speak candidly, I am suspicious—I am afraid there is something wrong ; and therefore we bad better question him “Oh! that’sit—ceh?” exclaimed the Beggarman : and taking up the candle, he held it close to the cvuuntengace of the commercis! traveller, saying, “If eo be he means treachery, I shall see it depicted in his wisage—and then In blowed if we don’t make @ stiff ‘un of him in no time.” This menace caused Page's blood to run cold in his veins : but arming himself with the courage of desperation, and to some degree sustained by the idea that succour was at hand in case of emergency, he underwent the scrutiny of the landlord without moving a muscle of his face. Indeed, he returned the stare of the man with a steady look of calm defiance, and through the ordeal in a way which was positively astonishing to himself. “It's all right—or I'm dencedly deceived,” ex- claimed the Big Beggarman, at length replacing the candle upon the table. “But we'll see what the nib-like cove has to say for himself. First, how- somever, ] suppose he'll stand a bottle of wine 7” “ With great pleasure,” observed Page, thrusting his hand into his pocket. “ Port—eh ?” said the landlord. A sign in the affirmative was made by the Gal- lows’ Widow. to whom the query was addressed; end the Big Beggarman speedily produced the wine. Then having placed glasses on the table, he took a chair, bidding Page imitate his example. “ And now, my good sir,” said the bloated fellow, after having filled the glasses; “you will teste the lush and then favour us with an explana- tion relative to this wisit.” “The wine is good,” observed the commercia] traveller, setting down the glass which he had emptied, and paying a compliment to the Port which it was far from deserving. “ But to come to business, 1 must ask what guarantee | have that you won't peach against me for anything | am going tosay, supposing you and yoor fricuds refuse to join in the matter.” “ This isn’t the shop where it’s necessary to put such questions, my good gentleman,” respuuded the “Three inches of cold steel under the ribe is the reward we give for treachery— and as the Thames ruus pretty handy, there’s no difficulty in disposing uf the dead’un.” “ Well, I will trust you,” said Page, who had ap- peared to hesitate only for the purpuse of giving a better colour to the part he was playing. “The truth is I'm a commercial traveller——” “In the employ of Hodson and Morley of Wood Street,” interrupted the Beggarman; “and your name's Page. Go on.” “How did you know all that?” demanded the bag-man, in astonishment. . “The pocket-book was our anthority,” answered she isadiord. “What! do you suppose we didn't overhaul it while it was in our keeping ?” “ Ah !—true!” ejaculated Page. “ Well, the fact is that this affair ofthe robbery made my employers eo cursed suspicious—as it natarally miht—that they insisted in going inte my acconuts; and | a aaa tacaaaaan, amma, aes saa aaa aaa aaa aaa aa aasaaaaaaaaemaaaaaadaaaaaaamatacataseaaaaaasasaaaaaaa aaa 2B MYSTERIES. wasn't very well prepared for the investigation.” “ That's the case with a many of you vut-men,” observed the landlord. “Unfortunately it is,” returned the commercial traveller. “You see we are naturally a jovial set and when we get together -——* “ Pray go on as quick as possible, sir,” exclaimed the Gallows’ Widow. in a tone of impatience. “| beg your pardon for digressing,” said Page, “To come to the point, then, I am placed in a very awkward predicament. My accounts are most disagreeably inaccurate—and I stand a chance of having to give an explanation to the Lord Mayor, and afterwards to the Recorder of London, unlees I can get together a couple of hundred pounds by the day after to-morrow.” “ And so you think that it would be as well & finger some of your empluyers’ bard cash, in order to pay them in their own coin?” observed the Beg- garman. “I begin to twig, you see,” he added with a knowing wink. “You're just right,” responded Page. “ If I am to be transported, it may as well be for a burglary as for embeazsziement—aund that’s the plain Englist of it. ° “Spoken like a man!” oried the Big Beyyarinan exultingly. “The thing's as clear as dayliyit,” he added, turning towards the Gallows’ Widow : “ this gentleman will assist in robbing his employers ; and therefore we must suppose that he is well ac- quainted with the place where they keep their cash and the probable amount that is to be gut by the venture.” “I know that they never have leas than seven of eight hundred pounds in the strong-box,” said Page; “and I should not be foul enough to risk the matter unless I was convinced that snocess is certain.” “We may let him see the Magsman,” observed the Gallows’ Widow, in her abrupt, laconie way: for the suspicions which she had previously enter- tained were now almost completely dissipated. “ Follow me, sir,” she added ; and rising from her seat, the woman opeued the little duor already mentioned. “Take the candle with you, my gal,” said the Beggarman. “1 must remain at the bar; for there’s no lack of customers to-night.” The Gallows’ Widow took up the light, and began to ascend a staircase so steep and narruw that it was a wonder to Page how such a bicated personage as the landlord could ever force himself into s0 circumscribed a space: for that he was occasionally compelled to pass that way to the upper regione of the house, the commercial traveller naturally conceived. The landing on the first floor was very smal, and had two doors opening from it: but the woman, pausing not there, commenced the ascent ol another flight as ladder-like as the former; and on reaching the tup, she led the way into a large loft immediately beneath the angular roof. . Page looked rapidly around, in the expectation of beholding the Magsman: for as there appeared to be no other door than the one by which they had just entered the place, he as a matter of courne presumed that they had reached their destination, He was however mistaken. Giving Page the candle to hold, the Gallows Widow speedily removed a quantity of straw that COLT CLOOOLK CO