The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

278 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘Go on and tell us what you mean, without this round- about palaver,’’ and as the Hangman spoke he tossed off a glass of gin. “ First of all,’’? continued Bencull, ‘‘ I saw that the But- toner and Mother Franklin was talking in a very peculiar and confidential way, as if they had some matter of impor- tance in hand. The Buttoner once or twice put his hand up to his head, and looked, just for all the world, like a chap that is full of remorse; and then Mother Franklin spoke to him with great earnestness, as if trying to persuade him to tell her summat. So I watched the opportunity, got around behind ’em, and then sauntered up as if quite in a promiscu- ous way. They didn’t see me till I was close upon them, and I heard them both mention the name of Nell Gibson.”’ “ Ah! this does really, then, begin to look serious,’”’ ob- served the Hangman. “ But what next? ”’ ‘When they saw me they both looked precious confused. The Buttoner stared at me in quite a suspicious way, just like a chap that means to peach. But that old wretch, Mother Franklin, immediately recovered her presence of mind, and, taking a pinch of snuff, wagged her old jaws and said summat in what she meant to be a good-humoured way. I pretended not to have noticed anything queer, and very soon walked on. Then I at once came back home again, and sent the Durrynacker straight up to you. The Mushroom Faker called soon after, and I told him also what had happened. They are both coming back presently.” ‘But you don’t think the Buttoner really means peach- ing?’”’ asked Coffin, a diabolical expression settling upon his countenance. ‘““T have my fears, I can tell you,’’ answered Bencull, “or else why the deuce should I have sent up for you, or told those fellers to come back again? Don’t you recollect how the Buttoner behaved that night when we did Nell’s business? The moment the gal was strangled, didn’t the Buttoner suddenly burst into tears and cry like a child? Why, I recollect perfectly well you roared out to ask what the devil was the meaning of that blubbering — ”’ “Ah! and I recollect, too, now you speak of it,’’ inter- rupted the Hangman. “ The Buttoner said it was only a sort of nervous fit that he could not help for the moment.” ‘ Ay,” added Bencull, “ and he cried out for us to take EOMMGIOO “<S (C©) im