The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 266: what you’re looking at

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

244 THE COURT OF LONDON But it flashed in the pan, and quick as the eye could wink, or like a tiger darting upon its prey, Daniel Coffin sprang with a ferocious growl at the marquis, hurled him upon the carpet, put one hand over his mouth to prevent him from crying out, and with the other tore from his person the second pistol with which the nobleman was provided. ‘‘ You accursed old scoundrel! ”’ said the Hangman, in a terrible voice, ‘‘ what’s to prevent me from blowing out your brains? But no,” he immediately ejaculated, as a thought struck him, and his eyes flashed with malignant fires. “ I will punish you in another way. Come, get up. But, by Satan! if you dare to cry out or approach the bell-ropes, I’ ll shoot you through the head with your own weapon.” The public executioner made the wretched marquis rise from the floor, and seizing him by the collar of his coat, he pushed him into the next room. There he hurled him at once and with terrible violence into the nearest mechanical chair. The sharp click was heard, the machinery performed its work, and the Marquis of Leveson was in a moment a captive in one of the engines which had so often favoured his lustful designs against virgin innocence. For nearly a minute the nobleman was so overcome by terror, consternation, and dismay that he could not give utterance to a word. All that had just passed so hurriedly seemed to be a phase in a hideous dream, but as his ideas began to collect themselves, he raised his looks in a beseeching manner toward Daniel Coffin. There was little light in the room, for the candle had been left burning in the adjacent one, and its beams shed but a faint lustre through the open doorway. In that uncertain light the Hangman’s features appeared horrible indeed, with the expression of devilish malignity and glowering triumph that was upon them; so that when the unhappy marquis raised his eyes to that repulsive countenance, he beheld nought encouraging in the looks which met his own. Nevertheless, so utterly desperate was his position that he was ready to catch at any straw of hope, and in a supplicating voice he said, ‘‘ Coffin, you indeed have reason to be angry with me, but let us come to terms.” “Terms, indeed!” echoed the Hangman, with a savage growl. ‘‘ What terms can I come to with a treacherous old villain like you? It would be a pity, however, to leave any- thing valuable about your person.” im comicboooks.c@