The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 240: what you’re looking at

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

210 THE COURT OF LONDON pointing in a particular direction with one hand and holding the lantern high up with the other. “Ah! I see,” ejaculated his assistant, drawing back a pace or two with a visible shuddering of his entire form. At the same instant the marchioness and Mr. Roberts caught sight of the object which had produced such a sensa- tion upon the sexton and his man; and exclamations of mingled horror and disgust broke from the noble lady and the reverend gentleman. For, behold! on the uppermost row, at the farthest extremity of the vault, a coffin had burst open, and a putrid corpse was exposed to view. | ‘“‘ How shocking! ”’ exclaimed the Marchioness of Bellen- den, a raw, damp, and mouldy smell now offending her 4 nostrils, and a thick clammy taste clinging to her palate. ‘“ But whose corpse can it be, that it is comparatively so well preserved? ”’ “Why, my lady,” cried Northwitch, “‘ that body may have been here twenty, thirty, or even forty years, and yet be no more than half-decomposed as it is now. It is the embalming and the leaden coffins that preserve them. This particular coffin has, however, burst, as your ladyship perceives; shell and all, it is laid completely open. But I’ll soon see whose corpse it is.” With these words, the sexton approached the coffin and - held the lantern in such a manner that its rays might fall upon the piece of the broken lid where the plate still re- mained. As a matter of course the light streamed upon the dead body, from which a considerable portion of the winding- sheet had fallen away; and not only was its countenance - exposed, but the neck, chest, and right side were all laid bare. ‘“‘ T should think that this body must have been placed here at least twenty years ago,’ observed the sexton, as he thus took a near view of the loathsome spectacle. ‘‘ It is even more swollen and discoloured than it is decomposed, now that examine it close. In fact, it must have been splendidly embalmed, for the features are well-nigh perfect, and the hands are entire. Ah, here’s actually the mark of a ring upon one of the fingers! Why, the ring that made the mark must have been on the hand until lately.. It has evidently been plucked off within a recent period. There’s the scraping, as one may call it, which the ring made along the rotting finger as it was drawn away. But, Heavens! how curiously -_ CONNKEIOOKS m