The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

132 THE COURT OF LONDON candles were burning upon the mantelpiece, and a tray, containing a couple of decanters of wine and a dish of bis- cuits, stood upon the table. This little refreshment had been served up for Mrs. Owen when she called upon the marquis that afternoon, and the tray had not been removed. The Hangman was well pleased at the sight thereof; and he speedily poured at least a pint of sherry down his capa- cious throat. This was so much to his taste that he lost no time in paying his respects with equal devotion to the port; and in a few minutes the decanters were completely drained. He then filled one of his ample pockets with the greater portion of the biscuits; and having thus self-appropriated the provender, he proceeded to examine the room with more attention than at first. To remain concealed here was hopeless. The domestics, ere they retired for the night, would come to put out the fire and extinguish the candles. Whithershould he go? Scarcely had he asked himself this question, when his eyes settled upon a door opposite to the one by which he had entered. He advanced to try it, but found it locked. This was no particularly formidable obstacle to Mr. Daniel Coffin. He felt in his pocket, drew forth a bunch of skeleton keys, and speedily opened the door. Taking one of the wax tapers from the mantel, he passed into the adjoining room; and now, as the reader will no doubt have already understood, the Hangman had entered the first of that mysterious suite of apartments which Venetia Trelawney was led to explore on the evening of her visit to Leveson House. Having hastily glanced around the room, which we have previously described as small but luxuriously furnished, the Hangman observed that there were wax tapers upon the mantel. He accordingly lighted one of them, and then took back the one which he carried in his hand into the Crimson Drawing-room. This he did to prevent its being missed; and having restored it to its place, he retraced his way into the other apartment, carefully locking himself in by means of the skeleton key that had afforded him ingress. He now examined this room with admiration and delight, muttering to himself a wish that he was the owner of that little paradise. Having attentively surveyed the sofas ranged around the walls, the vases of flowers, and the various articles of furniture, his eyes were uplifted toward CORNICLOOOKS (E(0)