The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 173: what you’re looking at

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es __, Be 162 THR MYSTERIES. nN ne 4f they could bribe those people to let them quietly duto the house, they would make easy work of the matter. Now you understand all about it,” added Julia, “ and can tell me how to proceed.” Mr. Grumley smoked his pipe for several minutes in profound silence, looking up all the time in a thoughtful manner at the ceiling—just asif its black- ness could possibly throw a light on the subject of “There's two ways of going to work in this here : business,” said the officer at length. “ One is for me : and my people to make a regular assault on the pre- mises in Thacker’s Court, and take the whole gang prisoners: or else to separate them first by a strayty- “A what! demanded Page. “A stratagem, my good friend—don’t interrupt sthe constable,” observed Sir Richard Stamford. “ And I prefer the last method,” continued Mr Grumley; “because it will make the thing more surer. Now, ma’am,” he said, turning towards Mra Page, “I'll tell *ee what must be done. You'll go back a little while before twelve, and you'll pitch the rascals such a tale that some of ’em will set out to way-lay the baronet this very night. You must eanage to accompany the party that’s chosen to do the business; and some of my men will be on the wok out at one end of the street from which Thacker's fLourt opens. They'll take care of the party that goes with you. Me and the rest of my people will be hidden close by the court—and when we've seen you and your companions-go off, we shall know how to lay our hands on t'others that’s left in the honse. . Now, do you understand me?” “ Perfectly,” answered Julia. “I think you have ¢ Gecided on the best plan.” “Mest assuredly,” exciaimed Sir Richard. «I shal] accompany you, Mr. Gramley.” “ And so shall J,” Mr. Page hastened to observe. * I've got my pistols about me on purpose.” “It’s now ten o’cloek, ma’am,” said the officer, ‘pulling out from his fob a huge silver watch which certainly was not smalier than a moderate-sized tar- Hip and could not have weighed Jess than a couple of pounds avoirdupois. “I will depart at once,” observed Julia ;—and Mr. Grumiley politely escorted her to the front door of the -Police Office. “Now, then, Mobbs!” vociferated the officer at ‘the top of his stentorian voice, as he returned along the passage into the room where he had left Page and the baronet; and, in obedience to this summons, a man of most repulsive exterior made his appearance from another part of the establishment. “Well—what is it?” growled Mobbs, as he on- dered the room. Mr. Grumley gave him a few hasty instructions telative to the taking a posse of constables down into the neighbourhood of Thacker’s Court, and the man- ger in which he was to dispose of them in two par- tes ; and the fellow, who seemed to relish the busi- ous grinned knowingly and withdrew, closing the r behind him. “Thats the best man Ive got under me,” ob- @erved Mr. Grumiey, as soon as Mobbs had dissp- “ Well—one certainly must not judge by outward Yooks, in that case,” said Mr. Page. “One must be a fool who does,” answered the offi- ver, laconically, “That’s as desperate a chap a you’d wish to meet in a summer day's walk. He'd think no more of cutting your throat from ear to ear than eatin’ his dinner.” “Then I'd much rather not meet him at all in my summer rambles,” observed Page, with a cold shad- der. “Ah! but I’m obleeged to employ such fellers,* , continued Grumley. “You heerd talk, may be, of - the man which throwed his ‘-ife out of a three pair : back and cut his child’s head clean off, some five or | six years ago, Over the water yonder?” demanded | the constable, waving his pipe in the direction of Lambeth. “To be sure I did,” exclaimed Page. “ But what has that to do with your friend Mobbse “Why, bless ye—he’s the wery man,” answered Grumley. “ Your health, Sir Richard—my respects to you, Mr. Page ;”—and he buried his countenance in the pewter-pot. “You don’t to say that you've got such a miscreant in your service, Mr. Grumliey f cried the ex-traveller, literally bounding on his seat. | “TI tell ye you've just seen him,” responded the officer, having finished his draught of porter. “ There was two flaws in the indictment. One of ’em described the woman as being named Maria, whereas it was Mary; and t’other represented the murder to have been committed in the parish of Lambeth, ' whereas ‘twas showed that half of the house stood in Lambeth and half in Southwark, and that it was | in the Southwark half where the business took | place. So the indictment was quashed@=and our friend Mobbs got off Then I took him inte my eervice, where he's been ever since.” “ But this must: be a most extraordinary state of the law-ehich: allows such a wretch to eseape with im- | pussity on sush miserable technicalities,” observed Sir Richard Stamfosd. ' “Lord bless ye,” exclaimed Grumley: “that’s nothink atall. There's a many chaps gets off 'twice as easy. Last Sessions I inp a feller at the Old . Badley for priggicg from his master, who was a ’bak- ! kinist. The indictment charged him with feloniously stealing twenty pounds of eigars; and everything was as clear against him as possible. But qhen , Counsellor Sharply got up for the defence, he de- | manded that the cigars should be brought into coart. | So they was—and they were found to be them kind | that has straws in ‘em. So the Counsellor orders : all the straws to be taken out and has the cigars ' weighed ; and then they prove to be less than eighteen | pounds in weight. So he makes a fine speech for ; three hours and a half, arguing that the prisoner is accused of stealing twenty pounds’ weight of cigars, and not twenty pounds’ weight of cigars and straws. So the feller gets off” “ And this is really true?* exclaimed Page. “ As trae as I’m sitting here,” answered Grumley. “When I was a youngster, I was a sheriff's-officer# man—whats called a bum-bailif—f One day my master received a writ of ca. sa. to take the hody of a genelman who'd died very much in debt, and whose executors wouldnt pay a mag of his liabiliues Well, my master and me went and stopped the fune- | ral just as it was entering Pancras Church. Out. Jumps the chief executor from the black coach; and | he says, says he, ‘ You're welcome to the body: but tf | you dare lay hand on coffin or shroud, or anything : that the corpse is wrapped up in, we'll have our ac- | tion against you.’—So my master de‘ermined of Say, ate 4 at em l ELOOO SS co