The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

* Come and look here,” said Ohiffin. Taking up the candle, he epened that newly made door which had already engaged the woman’s notice, ani led her into the adjoining room, which for many years had served as the chamber where Solomon Pateh and hie wife were wont to cleep. Madge, as before stated, knew it well: but she now found it completely changed. The bed had been removed— i¢ was no longer fitted as a sleeping-room at all, but was arranged as a parlour; though still meanly enough furnished. There were a few windsor chairs; a table stood upon a carpet about twelve feet square ; and a large piece of furniture, like a bureau, was placed against the original door of communication, which opened from the landing. This door we will |i henceforth call the eld one, to prevent any confasion when speaking of the sew one which had been mado as they were well paid. Why, I ve old Solomon fifty guineas to let me pull his honse to pieces like this here. But I Madge,” ho said, continuing to epeak in a low mysterious voice, “you will understand it al} in a fow minutes. Didn’t you know that in one of years, | see that that the two gentlemen who are to be so pleasantly disposed of, will pass, one close wpon the heels of the other, through this new door; and then the instant they stand on the teap-dont, down % is to “If you had coneooted it all yourself, yeu couldn't have described it better,” ebserved the “You see, I shall lead the way, as if it was all fair and right enough, and make believe as if I was going to sit down with them swell coves to deliberate at thistable. They will follow—and then, as you have so well twigged it, down they must go! You eee, on account of the situation of the well under- neath, it was necessary to have the trap-door exactly in this spot; and therefore it would not have done to introduce. them by the eld doer. If eo, when coming in, they would pass clear of the trap. Now, as it is, the moment they pass the thresbold of the new door, they pat their fest qu the trap, and it’s done in a jiffey.” “And the assistance you require of me,” said Madge, now fully penetrating the object for which her own services were needed, “is to pull the belt, or touch the secret spring, or whatever the contriv- ance is, just at the proper ingtant P” “ Bight again, old gal!” answered Chifin. “ You great lumbering bit of furniture against the up | old door. Well, it’s nothing but front and adee— the back and the shelves are all taken out; end so any person can hide inside of it. That's the place where you will be. There’s a hole in the front here —— look, you ace it —— where you can peep through. You will have to go oa your knees, be eause the spring that lets the trap fall is ia the floor jest behind that furaiture. So, when once you have plaumped down on your knees ——~ not to say your prayers,” perenthetically observed the Cannibal, with another diabolical laugh -——— “ you can peep with one eye through the hole, aad catch hold of the iran knob of the spring with one hand at the same time. It works precious easy, as I will show you when the moment comes. But you must take precious good eare not to let me down through the trap instead of the two genelmen.” | | | (GO) iC 5 DOO CS (COL