The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 389: what you’re looking at

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

378 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. several streets, until they reached a small low building consisting of two rooms, and which was a sort of charitable institution where wayfarers might rest themselves and cook their rice without having anything to pay for the accommodation. There were several other Goseoons in this piece, and to whom the Burker’s companion was evi- dently well known. They had plenty of rice and other provisions, which they liberally shared with the new-comers. When the meal was over, the Burker’s friend borrowed a few copper coins of the other Gossoons; and he then beckoned the Englishman to sccompany him. They went out together, and proceeded to a shop where articles of cutlery were sold. Here the Gossoon purchased a couple of common rudely-constructed knives, the blades of which were fixed in the handles dagger- shaped; eo that indeed they resembled oyster- knives. <A piece of cork was stuck on each point ; and the Goesoon, giving the Burker one, made a sign for him to secure it about his - He then led the way back to the khan, Or publie ac- commodation-house; and there some of the other Gossoons produced opium and strong spirits. The Burker partook of the latter, but refused the former: his companion however regaled on both: and after a while the whole motley company stretched themselves to sleep on the benches in the inner room. When the Burker awoke in the morning, he found that himself and his companion were the only two persons remaining in the place: the others had all gone fotth on their respective avoca- tions. No breakfast appeared to be forthcoming ; and the Gossoon made a sign to the Burker to fol- low him. As they paseed by a shop where eomes- tibles were sold, the Gossoon pointed to the provi- sions, then to his own mouth and $o thes of the Burker—aa much as to imply thet some of that food should presently find its way {nto those avenues to the stomach. The Burker was ohoered by this intimation; and he followed the Gossoon, wondering to what proceedings he was about to - address himself in order to procure the means to purchase the inviting provender. Presently the Goseoon halted in a somewhat crowded thorough- fare; and placing his back against a dead wall, he made the Burker stand by his side. Then the Gossoon, taking forth his knife, signalled the Burker to do the same, but to draw off the cork from the point. The Burker, watching the pro- ceedings of his leader, hid the knife up his sleeve; and the Gossoon began to appeal to the charity of the passers-by. At first it was in a whining tone of entreaty; then it was with howls and lamenta- tions; and he kept nudging the Burker to imitate him. This the Englishman did to the best of his endeavour; and several persons—no doubt struck by the novelty of seeing an European in such a condition—stopped for a moment to contemplate him. But his was a countenance little calculated to excite sympathy: the townspeople therefore only shook their heads dubiously, and passed on their way. The Goassoon, seting how matters were going, | bent a look of rage upon the Barker, as if to re- and his squinting eye darted forth vivid lightnings. The Burker was actually terrified by his com- panion’s aspect ; and he went on howling, yelling, and lamenting more vociferously than ever. Still however the passers-by seemed incredulous in respect to the elpjme of the Gossoon and the Burker upon their charity; and thus about a couple of hours elapsed without & single coin being dropped into the outstretched hand of — either. That period of the day was approaching when the streets would become deserted on ac- count of the intense sultriness of the sun; and thus there appeared to be little chance, as matiers now stood, for the Gossoon and thé Burker to obtain the wherewith fog the purobase of a break- fast. Yet the Gossoon had a resource left: but it was evidently one to which he only thought fit to address himself as @ desperate giternative when the easier and more legitimate means of mendicity failed. He had his eoncealed in his sleeve : the Burker likewise had his weapon hidden up his own arm; and the Gossoon made him a sign to draw it forth. The Burker hesitated,—not under- standing the object which the proczeding was to serve: bus when be beheld the dervish draw forth his own knife, he followed the example. Then the Gossoon went on howling, roaring, and yelling more terrifically than ever,—the Burker doing his best to play his own part in the appalling chorus. All of a sudden the Gossoon made him a sign to eut himself with his knife; and tearing open his own sleeve, he drew the biede, as if in perfect frenzy, along hisarm. The Barker, by no means relishing the frantic example thus eet him by the Gossoon, muttered something in his special rer- nacular to the effeet that be would see himeelf in the hottest place he could possibly think of before he would stick a knife into his own flesh. Quick as lightning, however, the Goseoon tore up the Burker’s sleeve, and stuck his knife into the fleshy part of the man’sarm. The Burker, roaring with the pain, was on the very point of inflicting sum~ mary chastisement on the Gossoon by plunging the knife into his heart,—when a quantity of ccina showered down upon them from the windows of the opposite houses. Several of the passers-by, on seeing the blood of the two menilicants thus flowing, quickly bestowed their alms; and thus the Burker’s rage waa somewhat appeased. ‘The money thrown from the windows was speedily gathered up; and the Gossoon, beckoning the Burker to follow, burried away. In a few minutes they stopped in a secluded place; and the Goesoon, producing a simall pot of ointment, applied some of it to his own arm, and then to the Burker’s. Haviag done this, he produced bandages likewise; and having made the Barker twist one round hie arm, he proceeded to perform the same good office for that individual. The Burker could not however help perceiving that whereas the Gossooh had inflicted upon himself a comparatively trifling scratcb, he had dealt far less considerately when plunging his knife into the arm of his comrade. But ae the Burker now felt no pain since the application of the ointment, and as the bandage had stanched proach him for the failure of their appeal to the | the blood, he suffered himself to be appeased by public charity. Nothing could exceed the vil-| the prospect of a good meal—for h a was ravenously lahowd expression of the dervish's countenance as hungry. "6 ded toleriate feelings thus convulecd bis features ; The Gossoon led the way to that comestible SCOLMUC OOO SS} (COLL