The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

OR CY TER MYSTERIES OF THK COURT, 49 i a a = Well, 1 s‘pose you ain't far off from the trath,” eneweres the knife-grinder, Jaughing. “Bat come —vwon't you stand a drop of beer after all this long chat ?” “I'l stand a drop of beer and a guinea into the bargain if you'll first do what I want,” said the domestic. “A guinea!” ejaculated the knife-grinder, ins tone of joy and incredulity. “But what's the use of making a fool of a poor devil like me, that hasn't earnt a blessed ha’penny all day long?” “You shall soon nee whether I want to make a fool of you or not,” rejoined the footmsn, dis- playing a golden coin for a moment from his waistooat-pocket. “But, in plain terms, can you really and truly alter a key so as to fit a lock to which it doesn't properly belong ?” “1 tell ye what it is,” answered the knife-grinder, inalow Ley and with 2 sooty look cf mysteriousuess, qT —"1t often happeus that l’os axed by genetmea's servants to du this sort of thing—and it's a wery singular fact, but I've always motiood that wherever 1 have altered 8 key, the house hae invariably been robbed ia s most unacovantable manner a few days or weeks arterwards—aud what is more, the thieves have never been disk vered.” “Ah! I see,” observed the footman, with a semi. smile of deep significancy. ® But how long dues it take you to alter 2 key in this manner ?* * There's two answers to that question,” raid the knife-grinder. “Suppose you give me a common key, and order me to fit it to open all common locks: then I saws and files it away «ll 1 makes it a skeleton, as we calls it” “Well, that’s one answer!” observed the fuet~ man. “Now for the other.” “Sappore you give ine two keys and tell me te make one just like the other,” euntiaued the kuife- Py ———ee comliclbooks.com