The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 261: what you’re looking at

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

REVISIT TO THE MIDWIFE’S HOUSE ~ 231 the sounds of the footsteps of the young girl and the two constables, for the females who were lodging in the estab- lishment at the time of the murder had sought other asylums the very morning after the terrible catastrophe. In a few minutes Caroline Walters reached the chamber which had so lately been her own, and the two constables followed her into the room, Mobbs closing the door behind him. : | ‘‘ Now what is to be done? ’’ demanded Caroline, goaded by suspense to a pitch of intolerable impatience respecting the safety and the escape which had been promised her. ‘“‘ Don’t be afeard, miss,” said Grumley; “‘ all will be right in a moment. Look out, Mobbs! ”’ And Mobbs, noiselessly opening the window, thrust his head forth. The night was very dark, and the Thames gurgled as its full tide swept rapidly on beneath that open casement. A vague terror once more came upon Caroline Walters, and her startled looks wandered rapidly from Mobbs, who was still leaning out of the window, to Peter Grumley, who was standing in the middle of the chamber with the candle in his hand. ‘“ Tt’s all right,’ observed Mobbs, suddenly drawing in his head and turning away from the window. ‘“ The boat is about ten or a dozen yards distant.” “The boat again,” ejaculated Caroline; and she threw a terrified glance at the open casement. ‘““Now, young lady,” said Grumley, suddenly speaking in a rapid and decisive tone, “‘ the moment for your escape is come. Don’t you see what you have done already, and what you have still got to do? You have inveigled me and my partner here on pretence of producing some proof of your innocence, and while him and me is looking another way, you opens that window softly but speedily, and you jumps clean out into the Thames.” “Oh, horror!’’ exclaimed Caroline, clasping her hands entreatingly; ‘“‘ would you murder me? ” “Don’t be silly, gal,’’ said Grumley, in a tone which in- stantly recalled her to herself. ‘‘ Well, you jumps out, f ‘was observing, and me and Mobbs haven’t time to save you. To-morrow all London will believe that you preferred suicide by drowning to death on the scaffold by the hand of (@(o) ANC 6)(0)©)