The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

ee THE MYSTERIES. 191 OE nme ape em ea ee A EARS TFSI TIT SR a IS RE SSeS GER Se I ST a please, so long as you do not speak too loud,” said the woman, George Woodfall made no answer: but a hollow moan escaped the picture-dealer ; while the female seryant heayed a profound sigh. As for the boy ‘Tom—he dozed off into a comfortable nap ;—and a deep silence now reigned in the kitchen and throughout the house. CHAPTER LIV. JOE WARREN IN NEWGATE, WE must now return to the Magsman, whom we left at the moment when Mrs, Brace, with a studied hypocrisy assumed in order to blind Mr. Soper, raised her hands and eyes in apparent despair at the prisoner’s hardened nature. The heavy door clanged again upon the solitary occupant of that cell: he heard the key turn in the lock and the bolts shoot into their sockets ;— and then he waited until the sounds of the retreat- ing footsteps died away in the passage. But so soon as all was still—save the low rum- bling of the vehicles in the adjacent street—the Magsman lost no more time ere he examined the parcel which his wife had so dexterously slipped into his hand. The contents thereof were as fol- low :— 1. A map, or plan, of Newgate. 2. A small file. 3. Four stout and well-pointed nails. 4. A cord of twisted silk, not much thicker than common string, but strong enuugh to sustain an immense weight. 5. Three pieces of iron, each about four inches in Jength and of the thickness of the thumb, and which were made to screw together soas to forma small but effective crowbar, or “jemmy.” 6. A little piece of putty, mixed with black lead. Such were the contents of the parcel; and, although miscellaneous and numerous, they were easily packed into a very limited compass. A grim smile of satisfaction passed over the Magsman’s countenance as he examined those articles one after the other; and having secured the file, the nails, the ball of silken cord, the disjointed “jem- my,” and the scrap of paper containing the morsel of putty, about his person, he proceeded to study and scrutinize the plan of Newgate. We have already stated that he was confined in that condemned cell which stood last in the row of five on the ground-floor; and the map now be- fore him showed that his cell was, as he had already suspected it to be, in the north-eastern angle of the gaol. The loop-hole looked upon Newgate Street ; and the people passing along that thorough- fare, under the frowning wall, were within a yard of him. ‘The eastern side of his dungeon joined Mr. Shrubsole’s house. We have also informed the reader that there were five condemned cells overhead, on the first floor; and another row of cells higher still, on the second floor: consequently there were two rooms between the ceiling of the Magsman’s dungeon and the roof of the prison, Having thus examined those details of the plan which especially concerned himself, the Magsman thrust the map iuto his pucket, and drew forth the file. This little instrument, scarcely larger than the blade of a pen-knife, was as admirably tem- pered asa watch-spring, The Magsman bent it into a complete circle, and it flew back into unim- paired straightness; and he knew thereby that a Sheffield workshop, and no imitative London ma- nufactory, had produced the file. Seating himself on the pavement-fioor, and hay- ing spread his handkerchief to catch the glistening particles of metal, the Magsman began to file one of the huge links of his massive chains, To ong less courageous, persevéring, and experienced than himself, the task now undertaken would have ap- peared about as hopeful as an attempt to pull down a house with a nail: but Joe Warren knew well what he had to achieve, and the amount of worl which the trusty file, with its sharp and irresis- tible teeth, could accomplish. Presently, the clock of St. Sepulchre struck one, It was dinner time—and the Magsman hastened to conceal the file and gather up his handkerchief, Then, into the space which the file had opened in the half-severed link, he put some of the putty, whieh, being black and shining, corresponded so well with the iron that the most keen and piercing eyes could not have detected the process which was in operation. Scarcely was this little arrangement made, when heavy footsteps were heard in the echoing passage- the bolts were drawn—the door was opeued—and the man Soper appeared with a covered dish in one hand and a pot of beer in the other. “Your friends take good care of you, old feller,” said the gaol functionary, as he removed the cover from the dish, more out of curiosity than politeness. “Roast fowl, sassages, mashed taturs, and new bread—my eyes! don’t you come it strong? A quart of strong beer, too: well, you ain’t wery much to be pitied, I don’t think. Your grub is a deuced sight better than gaol allowance.” “Will you sit down and have some dinner with me?” asked the Magsman, “ Can’s stop—or else I would,” responded Soper, “But I don’t mind a drop of beer;’—and, with these words, he took a tolerable long draught. “J say, old feller,” he observed, setting down the pot and wiping his mouth with his coat-sleeve, “you trial comes on the day arter to-morrow. Ive just seed the calendar.” “ Well—it can’t be helped,” said the Magsman. “V’ye made my mind up to the worst.” “The wery best thing you can do,” responded Mr. Soper, intending his remark to be of a consola- tory nature. “ What a precious fine woman that was which I showed round the gaol just now! Such eyes—and such teeth—and sucha bust! She give me half-a-guinea for my trouble. But I’m perwent- ing you from eating your dinner—and I’m a-vastin my own time, So I'll be off now and come back in twenty minutes or so for the things.” Soper accordingly retired—locking and bolting the door carefully after him. For, with all his apparent familiarity and good feeling towards the Magsman and with ali the characteristic avarice of an official he was incorruptible in this capacity ; and no money which Joe Warren or his friends had it in their power to offer, would have induced him to wink or connive at anescape. Indeed, during the short time he had remained in the cell, his eyes had travelled rapidly, but keenly and searchingly, over every link ee ee Com Clooolkks.con