The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

THE BEGGAR’S STAFF AGAIN 331 word of it. The fashionable miliner to whom you alluded is Mrs. Brace of Pall Mall.” ‘‘ Ah! you’re indeed upon the scent, that’s plain enough,” cried Mobbs. “ Go on.” “On the same night when Grumley called upon Mrs. Brace I paid her a visit also,” proceeded the Gallows’ Widow; “ and I saw her and Grumley together.”’ “Ts that possible, Lizzy?’’ exclaimed Carrotty Poll. “Why, you did not tell me anything about it.” ‘“ T have only seen you twice since then,”’ said the Gallows’ Widow; “ last Wednesday and to-night, and on neither occasion had we much time to chatter upon indifferent things.” “ But didn’t Grumley arrest you? ’”? demanded Mobbs. “To be sure he did,’”’ answered Elizabeth Marks; “ and Mrs. Brace made a compromise with him to get me off. In a word, Grumley imposed his own conditions, and she consented.” What was the conditions? ” inquired Mobbs. “Fifty guineas in cash and a share of Mrs. Brace’s bed for the night,” was the startling response. ‘“ By jingo! ” ejaculated Mobbs, a sudden reminiscence striking him. “ I now recollect that when I called upon the milliner she seemed very much excited and confused, and I fancied she had been drinking.”’ ** But did you observe of what nature was the confusion oe she exhibited? ”’ inquired the Gallows’ Widow, her manner | suddenly becoming profoundly mysterious. ‘‘ Because there | is an embarrassment arising from shame, and another from | guilt. A man of your profession, Mr. Mobbs, ought to know the difference. ” | “Well, now, you’ve excited strange ideas in my head,” observed Mobbs, in a reflective tone; ‘‘ and I do remember that Mrs. Brace’s manner was uncommonly suspicious. And the more I think of it, the more it reminds me of the way in which a woman looked and spoke when I went to take her up on suspicion of murdering her husband some years ago,” | “Ah! then Mrs. Brace looked and spoke like a murderess, did she?” said the Gallows’ Widow, her usually tranquil voice now expressing a fiendish malignity. ‘“ You know more than you choose to admit, Mrs. Marks,’’ (C(O) mG