The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

-** wg ' 6 quires such sentinels and scarecrows to keep off] while a few young girls of tender age wore sitting those who will not content themselves with survey- , together in a group, each apparently strainiug every ing it from the distance, but are venturesome enough to approach its walls in order to ascertain by close inspection whether it be really as solid, as faultless, and as beautiful as the lying tongues of sycophants, place-men, sinecurists, and pensioners have pro- claimed it to be! One word more upon this subject! {n this country we have illimitable luxury for a few and a misery as boundless for the many—we have the most gorgeous palaces overlookiog the filthiest hovels which the dwellers in those mansions would not have as styes for their pigs—we have the horses and dogs of the Royal Family better cared for, better lodged, and better fed than the humana sona and daughters of toil—we have royal, aristocratic, and civic processions and festivals, where diamonds glitter like a galaxy of stars, while the countenances of the gazing multitudes are haggard with want, misery, and vice—we have families in whom vast estates are entailed, thus anticipating the property of the future, and others in whom appalling des- titution is as certain a heritage, thus ensuring the sorrows of the future,—in fine, we have a pampered Aristocracy. rolling ia riches and revelling in luxury, and we have millions of honest, hard-working, meritorious people who are clothed in rags and can scarcely get a morsel of bread to cat! Now, then, gentle reader—tell us, and tell us truly—is Great Britain free?—are Britons happy and prosperous ? And now to resume our tale. . We said that it was about seven o'clock in the evening ; and the candles were lighted in the public room at the Beggae’s Staf— A blazing fire roared half-way ug the wide-mouth chimney ; and the heat therefrom was increased by the vapour which steamed from fifty pipes, and which impregnated the stifling atmosphere with the sickly odour of tobacco. Within the bar stood Carrotty Pall, sery- ing the customers and rigidly enforcing the ryth- mical injunction painted over the door leading into the parlour. Her appearance was more untidy and slattern-like than ever: her flaming red hair was in a disorder so complete that it resembled a bundle of tow and was as deficient in arrangement as a new.mop;—and her gown was all open in front, displaying the scraggy neck and chest the skin of which resembled dirty tallow. In her avocations she was assisted by the slip- shod waiter of whom mention has been before made in our narrative: and whenever she had a moment’s leisure, she passed into the little parlour, where she indulged in a whispered chat with some friend who was seated there, until the wants of the next customer called her forth again into the bar- enclosure. Matters were progressing in the usual way at the Beggar's Staff on the special evening in question : that is to say, there was no deficiency of obscene jesting, coarse conversation, smutty songs, and savage quarrelling,—no deficiency either in coin to procure the alcoholic poison which makes depravity more depraved, vice more hardened, wantonness more orasen, aud crime more desperate. In sume cases the men were sitting with prustitutes apon their knees: in others, they were literally reclining in the arms of the loose women whose half-naked forms glowed ruddy ia the lurid light of the fire -— effort and racking her invention to the utmost to talk in a style more libidinous and filthy than the rest. . While the inmates of the publie room at the Beggar's Staff were thus diverting themselves after their own fashion, a man muffled up in a drab great coat and wearing an ample woollen comforter roand his neck, entered the pandemonium. His hat was slouched over his eyes : he carried a short bat stout ash stick ip his hand ;—and an ugly mongrel followed at his heels. The moment this individual made his appearance, a sudden damp seemed to full upon the company— for to the experienced eyes of ihe frequenters of the Beggars Staff there was every indication of the Bow Street runner about that man. Nor was the conjecture erroneous ; for as he walked ina free and easy fashion up to the bar, he pushed his hat somewhat back from over his face, and the well known features of Mr. Mobbs were immediately re- cognised not only by Carrotty Poll herself, bat also by the greater portion of the company present. “I don’t come officially, my dear,” he hastened to observe in a loud tone to the Big Beggarman’s daughter: and the announcement instantaneously allayed the suddenly excited apprehensions of many whose consciences were not so clear but that they fancied it quite possible that they might be “ wanted.” “ Well, Mr. Mobbs, we're always glad to see you in a friendly way, you know,” exclaimed Carrotty Poll, rendering her vixenish voice as soothing and her manner as cordial as she possibly could. “ Per- haps you'll walk round,” she added, afver a few mo- ments’ pause, during which she knew that the person who was in the little parlour had retired into concealment. “Thank’ee, Miss Price,” said Mubbs, accepting the invitation. “I do want to have a word or two with you in private,” he observed as he walked leisurely behind the counter and entered the snug~ gery. “Wait one minute, Mr. Mobbs,” exclaimed the red-haired young woman ; “and I will be with you. Let me see—what spirits do you like? Oh! ram— I remember—so it is!” she added, taking down a bottle from the shelf;—and then, arming herself likewise with a jug of hot water, a tambler, and a sugar-basin, she followed the dreaded individual into the little parlour. “Shut the door, Miss, please,” said Mobbs, as he snuffed the solitary tallow candle which burat with a dim and sickly light even in that little place, * Have you heard from your father lately, Miss ?” “ Well, that’s a pretty question coming from a Bow Street Officer!” exclainied Carrotty Poll, affecting a jocose laugh, but in reality not much liking the query, inasmuch as she was instantly seized with the appre- hension that her sire had been captured, and that Mobbs was come to break the tidings to her. “*’Pon my soul, I only made the remark out of politeness,” said Mobbs, in a reassuring tone. “Of course I know your guv’ner is out of the way—and though I had a hand in taking him in the first in- stance, it was o’ny in the way of dooty and not througk any disrespeck towards him. Quite tother: for me and the Big Beggarman has had many a glass together ——” =a ow cfumibewrO@ 4S - ——a— ee ElOOO® SS