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,” eaid Chiffin. T up the candle, he opened that newly made door which had slready engaged the woman’s notice, anil led her into the adjoining room, which for many years had served as the chamber where Solomon Pateh and his 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, bet was arranged af © Perour j though still meanly enough furnished. There weres few windsor chairs; a table stood upon a carpet about twelve feet square ; and a large piece of furniture, like a bureau, wee placed against the original door of communication, whieh 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 ting curiosity upon “Now, Madge,” Ihe sald, ootinuing to speak in a low mysterious voice, “you will understand is all in a few minutes. Didn't you know that in one of years, | see that and of courses it was managed that this opening should be just abore the month of the well. third to be done was to ast a squsre cut of this floor here where a res we are standing presence of mind, her “Yes: and it’s arranged just like a gibbet-drop too | Look here—the trap-door is exactly in this 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 snatant thay otand om the teap-dont, down % is to qos “If you had concocted it all yourself, you 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, aa you have so well twigged it, down they must go! You see, on account af the situation of the well under- neath, it was necessary to have the trep-door exactly in this snot; and therefore it woakd not have done ta introduce. them by the eld door. If eo, when coming in, they would pass clear of the trap. Now, as it is, the moment they pass the threshold of the new door, they pat their fect qn the trap, and it’s done in a jiffey.” “And the assistance you require of me,” sid Madge, now fally penetrating the object for which her own services were needed, “is to pull the belt, or touch the secret spring, or whatever the contriv- anee is, just at the proper ingtant P” “Bight again, old gal!” answered Chiffio. “ You great lumbering bit of furniture against the old door. Well, it’s nothing but front and ades— the beck and the shelves ere all taken out; and so eny person can hide inside af it. That's the place where you will be. There’s a hole in the front here —— look, you ae it ——- where you can peep through. You will have to go on your knees, be: cause 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.” | | | (COLLUUG 5 DOO CS (COL