The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

THE OLD FENCE’S ABODE 299 sold by his friends at last, either by his mistress or his pals? And there is Bill Taggarty, too, he knows that I am here, and he is such a miserable, sneaking coward that if it was known I had been to his place at all, and Larry Sampson went and questioned him about it, he is just as likely as not to let the cat out of the bag at once and send Larry down here to look for me. Malediction! I can’t stay here, and yet where the deuce am I to go, with scarcely any money in my pocket? ”’ From these reflections which the Hangman made to him- self, the reader will comprehend the troubled state of his mind. It was therefore utterly impossible that he could lie down quietly and think of composing himself to rest. He suffered no remorse on account of his crimes, no, not even for that blackest one of all, the consequences of which had gathered the present storm over his head. But if he knew not the compunction of his tremendous guilt, he at all events experienced its terrors, and now was he chafing in that little chamber like a wounded lion in its den. Suddenly an idea struck him, an idea which was but too consonant with the desperate character of this fiend in human shape. What if he were to lay violent hands upon Humpage, ransack the old man’s coffers, take possession of everything in the shape of money or valuables which he could find, disguise himself in some of the clothing from the establishment’s ample store, and then sally forth, even in the broad daylight, in the hope of escaping safe and sound out of the metropolis? For it was broad daylight now. This plan the public executioner speedily fixed upon, but ere he stole forth from his chamber, he lingered to settle beforehand the mode of procedure. He knew that the old housekeeper was ordinarily the only inmate of the dwelling besides Humpage himself, and he thought it would be better to dispose of her first ere he carried his fearful scheme into execution against her master. He had murderous weapons about him, more than sufficient to enable him to overcome a decrepit old woman and an aged man, even if he found them both awake in their respective chambers and they were to offer resistance; he had his crowbar, his clasp-knilfe, and his pistols. But the puzzle was, where were those cham- bers? How could he find out in which room the house- keeper slept, and in which Jeremy Humpage? If he went (C(O) nn) GDoOOo <Si nin