The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

80 THE COURT OF LONDON to-morrow along with Mrs. Ranger,” said the turnkey. ‘‘ The priest is with them, for they are all three Catholics, and they are allowed a light in their cell.”’ | “And how do they bear themselves?’”’ asked Loftus, “for I was told yesterday that they are thoroughly reckless and impenitent.”’ “There! ”’ said the turnkey, ‘‘ that is a proof,’’ and he drew Jocelyn beneath the barred window of the cell, where they both paused for a few moments. The three men were singing, not a hymn, but a bacchana- lian song; and then suddenly breaking off with a loud laugh, they began flinging taunts and ribald jests at the priest. Then arose, however, the voice of that pious man enjoining them to listen to the words he had to speak, but again they broke forth into a coarse guffaw; and Jocelyn, with a cold tremor passing throughout his frame, whispered to the turnkey, “‘ This is horrible! For Heaven’s sake let us move on.” “Think you,” asked the prison functionary, as he pro- ceeded to conduct our hero across the yard, “ that those men will continue thus until the last? Idonot. My experi- ence is against such a belief.” “And I also think,’”’ answered Jocelyn, ‘‘ and indeed I hope, for their own sake, that there was something false, hollow, and unnatural in their dreadful mirth. It sounded like the desperate attempt of men to drown care in a forced excitement.” ‘“ Just so,” rejoined the turnkey. ‘‘ But here we are, in the women’s division.” While thus speaking, the prison official had opened a door leading into a second courtyard, and here also one light was alone seen shining through the window of a cell on the ground floor. The turnkey opened another door, which led into the building, and conducting our hero along a gloomy passage, where their footsteps raised echoes that had a fear- ful and ominous sound, he presently stopped at a door through the chinks of which a feeble glimmering shone forth. “Do you wish to see her alone? ”’ he asked, in a subdued whisper. “ Just as you like.”’ “Yes, alone,” replied Loftus. ‘Is any one with her now? ”’ ‘“ No; she desired the clergyman — for she has a Protes- i commiclooolks (© im