The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

280 THE COURT OF LONDON This suggestion was cordially approved of by his compan- ions, and the Hangman accordingly proceeded forthwith to the neighbouring street where Mrs. Young dwelt. On arriy- ing there, he was admitted by old Mother Franklin, who for a moment looked as if she were startled by his appear- ance; but immediately recovering herself, she said, with a grin, “ Well, Mr. Coffin, so you have come to see us again, eh? You don’t desert us altogether. But it’s a long time since you have been here. I don’t think since Nell Gibson left us,’ and she looked very hard in the Hangman’s face as she thus spoke. ‘“‘T have not had any business down this way since then,” answered Coffin, whose features betrayed not the slightest indication of conscious guilt. ‘‘ Is Mrs. Young in? ”’ ‘““No, she be not,’”’ replied Mother Franklin. “ But you can walk into the parlour, Mr. Coffin, and wait till she comes.” Thus speaking, the old woman threw open the door, and the public executioner passed into the room. He found no one there, and taking a seat, asked, ‘‘ How long will Mrs. Young be before she comes back? ”’ ‘“ Not above half an hour or so,’”’ was Mother Franklin’s response. Then, as she took a huge pinch of snuff from her box with an indecent picture on the lid, she said, “ Will you take anything, Mr. Coffin? ”’ ‘'That’s one word for me and two for yourself,’ answered the Hangman, affecting a good-humoured smile. “ Well, get some gin,” and he flung half a crown upon the table. The old woman sped forth to secure the liquor, and when she returned, in about five minutes, Coffin said, ‘‘ Now you shall mix two glasses, one for yourself and one for me. I don’t know how it is, but I think I am no great favourite of yours, just because I chaffed you on one occasion.”’ “Yes, when you was here to see Nell Gibson,’’ Mother Franklin hastened to add; and the quickness with which she spoke brought on a fit of coughing that nearly choked her and made the scalding rheum run down her wrinkled cheeks. ‘Now, then, old woman,” observed the Hangman, “‘ you will go out of the world in one of those shaky fits, if you don’t mind.” ‘Ah, well, I suppose my time ain’t wery far off,’ she replied, wagging her toothless jaws. “I am eighty-two EORMMGIOO S (C(O) im