The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXX OCCURRENCES IN NEWGATE THE scene changes from Stamford Manor to the gloomy gaol of Newgate, but the day is still the same on which the preceding incidents took place. It was shortly after the hour of noon, and Caroline Walters was taking exercise in the low-arched, stone-paved hall, whence the door opened into several of the felons’ yards. We have already stated that the discipline of Newgate was by no means strict at the period whereof we are writing and that money could purchase many indulgences; hence the privi- lege which the young woman had obtained of walking in that hall, instead of being confined to the yard allotted to female criminals. | It was now the dinner hour. Those prisoners who received the gaol allowance had their rations duly served out to them; while those who were able to maintain themselves were gathered at the gratings around the doors of the yard, in eager expectation of the arrival of their provender from out- side. This was brought either by the waiters of the taverns and coffee-houses in the Old Bailey, or else by the friends of the prisoners; and during the ten minutes that the process of bringing the various dinners lasted, the hall where Caroline was walking was full of bustle and animation. She stood to watch the scene; and as the doors communi- cating with the yard now stood open, she was enabled to observe the countenances of the men who thronged around the iron gratings which interposed their barrier between the prisoners in those yards and the visitors, waiters, or friends who came by way of the hall. And many villainous, ill- looking, hideous faces did Caroline now behold, — faces every line and lineament of which bespoke whole catalogues 270 Gomichdoo cS (©)