The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

204 THE COURT OF LONDON frowning, the door more prison-like at the bottom of the steps. It was also in some points different from the others, as if the owner or the inhabitant had positively studied to enhance the gloom which characterized it, and render its aspect more ominous and foreboding than that of its com- panions. For large wooden shades projected over the windows in such a way that no one looking out of those casements could possibly catch a glimpse of the sky, but must perforce cast the eyes downward, the effect being the same as that experienced by one wearing a green shade. The real object of these overhanging contrivances was doubtless to prevent the inhabitants of the opposite houses from being able to notice what was going on .in the front rooms of this particular dwelling; but in order to obtain this security against the prying eyes of the curious, the building had been invested with the gloom’of a monastic establishment or a nunnery. But as if those uncouth shades, which were painted a dull leaden colour, were not sufficient to keep out every eleam of cheerfulness that might by any accident happen to light upon this sombre abode, the inmates almost invari- ably had their blinds pulled down, and not unfrequently the curtains down. Nay, often the shutters, which were on the plan that enables them to be folded at will into the sides of the window-frames themselves, were kept closed all day in some of the rooms — ay, and for days and days together; so that, under all these circumstances, the dark pall of funereal gloom was never lifted from off that house. And it was here that the hackney-coach stopped; it was here that Mrs. Brace and her young companion alighted. But when, even through the deep obscurity which pre- vailed at that hour and particularly in that street, the eyes of Caroline Walters were enabled to embrace some portion of this soul-chilling gloominess of appearance which we have attempted to describe, an awful sensation came over her —a cold, slow, and horrified shuddering, as if a clammy snake were gradually — gradually — gradually winding itself around her person, underneath her clothing. A dizziness followed, and for a few moments everything appeared to be in a whirl; then she felt as if she must shriek out and fall headlong into some unknown but terrible and fathomless abyss, when she was suddenly recalled to COMMICLMOOOKSa.