The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 322: what you’re looking at

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

296 THE COURT OF LONDON sure to be set upon your movements. If I want to com- municate with you, it shall be through old Humpage. So now you understand; and if Larry Sampson or any of his people call, mind you pretend that you haven’t the slightest idea where the deuce I can be.” “ Trust me for that,’ answered Sally Melmoth. Jeremy Humpage now returned to the room, saying, * Well, my good friends, have you had your little talk out? I suppose you are ready to go now, for I must think of retiring to bed.” “T tell you what it is, friend Humpage,’”’ responded the Hangman, “I am going to sponge on your kindness till night comes on again.” ‘‘ What! stay here? ’’ screamed the old man. “ Impos- sible! impossible! ’’ and he shivered from head to foot. ‘““ Now, come, don’t be inhospitable,” said the Hangman, soothingly. ‘ If you was in trouble, and came to Fleet Lane, saying, ‘ My dear Mr. Coffin, I rely upon your courtesy and friendship,’ or some suchlike gentlemanly terms, you would receive a noble reception. So I expect the same from you.”’ “But, my good friend,’’ remonstrated Jeremy, “ you know that I never mix myself up in the concerns of others; and this too,” he added, with a visible shudder, “‘ is so very, very serious.” ‘““Come, don’t you pretend to be a saint,” interrupted the Hangman, with a return of his wonted gruffness of man- ner. ‘“‘ That dodge won’t do. What the devil are you think- ing of? To turn me out here at three o’clock in the morning, just when it is getting light? Why, I should be grabbed up directly.” ‘“‘ Well,”’ observed Humpage, liking the present adventure as little as might be, “‘ if it’s only the matter of a few hours, of course I cannot be so cruel as to refuse. But on the positive understanding that when night comes again —” “To be sure! I shall only be too glad to be safe off,” cried the Hangman; but he darted a significant look at Sally Melmoth, as much as to say that now he was once safely installed beneath the old man’s roof, he should not take his departure until it fully suited his convenience. To be brief, Sally bade her paramour farewell, and issued forth on her way back to Fleet Lane. Old Jeremy then conducted the Hangman to a bedroom, and having seen 99 COMicloe S (C(O) im