The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

) t | 72 sequence of the blackness of the osiling and the walla, which were seen dimly through it; while the floor was eo begrimed with dirt that it seemed as if the cleansing effect of water was unknown at the 8 On the side of the room nearest to the street there was a long and very narrow window, covered with a blind of baise which once was green, but had com- pletely faded into a dirty brown. On the opposite side was a semicircular counter, or bar, behind which an open door afforded a glimpes of a little den, de- nominated “ the parlour.” Within the bar stood a fat, burly, red-faced man, with a dirty cotton nightcap upon his head and a short pipe in hie mouth. Having thrown off his coat in consequence of the heat, he was now in his shirt-sleeves; and his linen was certainly the foulest ever thus displayed. His countenance was sinister and forbidding ; and his bloated appearance indicated that he was no indifferent admirer of his own liquors. This individual, we need scarcely obeerve, was the landlord of the Beggar's Staff; and though his name was in reality Stephen Price, as proved by the in- scription on the sign in front of the house, his cus- tomers invariably denominated him the Big Beg- garman. He was assisted in his cocupation at the bar by his daughter—a young woman of eighteen or nineteen, and whose forbidding features contrasted strange!y in their vixenish with the coarse and bloated countenance of her sire. She was dressed in a very slovenly manner: her flaming red hair was more villancus and repulsive assembly of hewen beings it would be difficult to conceive. Rascality and dissipation characterised the coun- tenances of the men— and debauchery marked those of the women. Many, of both sexes, were in rags: others were more comfortably attired; —and a few were flashly dressed. But the oimis- takable stamp of inveterate vice and loathsome immorality was apon them all; and if any doubt as to their principles had existed in the mind of a person entering upon that scene for the first time, the conversation which was going on would have cleared up all uncertainty in a very few mo- ments. The women positively appeared anxious to outvie the men in the horrible nature of their oaths, the dis- gusting obscenity of their jests, and the coarse frank- nese with which they giorified in their profligacy. Some of the younger females assumed the most las- civious attitades, in order to wheedle the men out of their money or induce them to expend it pro- fasely; and here and there might be seen half- ! drunken thieves and burglars rendered maadlin by ardent spirits, sitting with these wanton giris upon their knees and with their hands in their bosoms. When Page first entered the room, preceding the Gallows’ Widow in the manner already described, he could scarcely distinguish any object through the dense cloud of tobacco smoke : but in a very few moments the persons preserf and the features of the place developed themselves rapidly, the same as the ships of a fleet stand oat in bold relief as in such disorder that it looked for al) the world as if i the smoke of their cannon rolls away. In this case, she had been creeping through a bush ;—and her face and hands appeared to have had a desperate quarrel with soap aud cut it accordingly. Her gown was open in front, displaying her ecraggy neck and chest —for she was as flat in respect to bosom as one of the upposite sex. Her Christian name was properly Mary: but the sobriquet by which she was coinmouniy known, was either Carrotty Poll, or plain Carrots. The wall bebiud the bar was arranged with shelves, whereon stood a variety of drinking vessyls, bottles of ardent spirits, jars of tobacco, and plaies and dishes—these last being for the accominuda- tion uf thuse customers who cooked their own meals at the huge fire blazing in the grate. Within the bar, aud raised upon freseels of rough-hewn tiuber, were two vast barrels—one of porter, the other of , ale: fur the apparatus whereby malt liquor could be drawn from the oellar into the bar, was nut as yet invented. Over the little door which has already been men- tioncd as leading into the parlour, was painted —or rather scrawled with a peint-brush, the eusuing droggrel :— All them as comes to ask for beer, Mus tip the ready rhino here : Fur pipes and bakker please to pag Afore you takes the things away {— For bingo and blue ruin too Naught but the stumpy down will de: Short reckoning makes long-standing fiends— W hile tick in strife and trouble ends. And when you go, I hope youTl not Walk of with glass or pewter pot. The rules and recommendations laid down in this precious composition would not have appeared un- pecessary or misplaced in the eyes uf any one who atudied the aspect of the company present: for a however, the smoke did xof dissipate : but the eyes of the commercial traveller grew accustomed to it —and when the scene becawe fully apparent, his first impulse was to turn aside in loathing and etfect a rapid retreat. But the remembrance of the Gallows’ Widow's pistol, ang a sense of the imprv- dence of exciting her suspicions, or of strengthen ing them if she already entertained any with regard to the object of his visit to the Beggar's Staff,—all this flashed to his mind and prompted him to assame as courageous an air and as unembarrassed a de- meanour as possible. The Gallows’ Widow, on her entrance, was warmly greeted by several of the men and women present; and one or twodrawing her aside, spoke to her in whispers— their manner indicating that they were asking questions relative to hercompanion. Her replies were evidently satisfactory, though harried ; and, beckoning Page to accompany her, she con- ducted him straight up to the bar. Carotty Poll obligingly opened the little gate or door which closed the barrier at the side; and the Gallows’ | Widow, exchanging a familiar'nod with that female, entered the parlour, followed by Page. The Big Beggarman attended upon them, closing the door behind him ; and the commercial traveller pow found himself in a little room, scarcely large enough to hold six persons, and dimly lighted by a single candle. The wal. were black with smoke and dirt ;—the floor was strewed with sand ;—and the scanty furniture: was old and ricketty. A small, low door stood at oue end of the place. “Well, what news, my beauty?” demanded tne Begyarman, addressing the Gallows’ Widow ina familiar tone; “and who i this swell-cove®™ he inquired, glancing towards the tra- relics, ECOMICOOOKS CO