The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

NEWGATE 161 instantaneously came forth from the apartment which was furnished with the luxurious sofas, he having experi- enced no inclination to entrust himself again to either of the armchairs in the central room of the suite. Guided by Ernestina, Coffin descended the stairs on tip- toe, and when they reached the hall, he said, in a low tone and with a cunning leer, “‘ Ah! my lady, your friend the prince is a precious rum customer. He’s down to a dodge or two, he is! ”’ ‘‘ But he pays well those who serve him,’ replied Ernes- tina, with a look of deep meaning, “ and he is remorseless in his vengeance against those who deceive him.” “I shall be one of them that he pays well, ma’am,”’ answered Coffin. He then stole out of the house, and Ernestina, infinitely relieved by the departure of a man whose looks always produced upon her the impression of a hideous reptile’s gaze, tripped up-stairs to her own chamber. But as she passed the door of her uncle’s room, she was seized with a sudden inclination to return into the mysterious suit of apartments and explore them fully. The deep silence that prevailed through the mansion struck, however, ominously to her soul; and, continuing her way to her own room, she decided upon postponing the gratification of her curiosity until another occasion. EORNIC OOO (GO) mM