The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 106: what you’re looking at

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94 tal easiness as to the presence of the officer in his neighbourhood. “ Holloa, Mr. Sampson!” he exclaimed, as Larry seemed about to pass on the opposite side of the way without noticing him: “how are you this morning sir?” “Ah! Daniel,’ cried the functionary, stopping short: “I really did not observe you at the mo- ment, nor yet recollect that I was going by your house. In fact I was thinking of some information which I have received from a fellow in Newgate, who has peached against his comrades in 4 job that was done down in the country some months ago.” “6 You’re always on the look-out, Mr. Sampson,” observed Jack Ketch, now totally relieved of any little lingering apprehension or misgiving that might have remained in his mind relative to Larry’s presence in Fleet Lane so soon after the tragedy of the Folly Bridges. “Well, l am obliged to be pretty sharp, Daniel, at times,” said the officer. “ But business never was so Slack as at the present moment.” “ Nothing doing, eh, Mr. Sampson?” remarked Coffin. “Nothing of any consequence,” was the reply. “Indeed I had not a single job in hand till I got this little information just now at Newgate: and I was thinking yesterday of going out of town for a few days’ holiday.” “Well, why don’t you, sir?” said the Hangman. “I’m sure no one deserves a holiday more than you do: you have worked hard enough in your time and sent a shoal of rascals through my hands. Ah! sir, many a fellow that you begun with I’ve finished with: the officer first—the executioner last. ‘That’s the way of the world.” “Why, you are moralizing, Daniel,” exclaimed Sampson, witha laugh. “I have half a mind to treat you to a pot of egg-flip at the public house, only 1 am afraid of making your hand unsteady for shaving.” * Well, thank’ee, sir,’ said the Hangman, “I don’t care about liquor this morning—I mean so early in the morning. I drank a little too much last night and feel out of sorts.” “What? Keeping it up at the public-house down at the corner—eh?” observed Larry, with another good-natured smile. “I dare say you spent last night the produce of all the beards that had blunted your razor inthe morning. But tallk- ing of razors puts me in mind that I came out unshaved: and so you shall operate upon me, Daniel.” ‘You do me honour, Mr. Sampson,” said Jack Ketch. Walk in, sir.” Larry accordingly entered the shop—sate down —and resigned hiniself to the tomsorial skill of the Hangman. This miscreant had often wondered whether his | secret mode of life was at all suspected by Samp- son; and his guilty conscience had on several oc- casions led him to fancy that the officer eyed him with a degree of suspicion. But that funetionary’s present conduct was a complete reassurance in respect to all past misgivings; for as the Hang- man deftly manipulated the razor over Larry’s chin, he thought to himself, “If he did know any ill concerning me, he would naturally fancy that THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. and he would not in such a case trust his life in iny hands as he is doing at this moment. One single gash across the carotid—and all would be over with Mr, Lawrence Sampson! But, no—he | has not an idea that Lam anything besides a penny barber and the public executioner: and I may | make myself perfectly easy on this head.” These reflections swept through the Hangman’s | ' brain during the first minute that he was shaving © the officer: and then, for an instant—but only for an instant—he thought what a good thing it would be for the whole tribe of criminals in Lon- don if he were just to draw his razor across Sampson’s throat. neously discarded—not through any sudden fit of compunction, but because detection must instan- taneously follow the committal of such a desperate deed in an open shop at broad day-light. But the idea was instanta- Never- | theless the thought was entertained by the Hang- © man for a moment—though only a single moment. The temptation was so great: the throat was so conveniently held up—the razor so handy! And then there was the momentary indefinable im- pulse to do the deed—just as the individual leaning over a precipice or the parapet of a high tower, longs to leap down in spite of himself. Verily, for a single instant did Mr. Lawrence Sampson’s life hang by a thread: and if he had known the nature of the idea which thus seized for that moment, with the gripe of a demon, upon the mind of Daniel Coffin, he would not probably have continued to sit so calmly and confidently as he did. CHAPTER XXVIL. THE FOUNDEING. * You must see a number of strange faces from day to day, Daniel,” observed Mr. Sampson, as he rose from the chair and proceeded to wash the re- mains of the lather from his face. “Ah! you're right, sir,—I believe you,” returned the Hangman: “some very queer customers at times. ‘There’s many a man I’ve shaved in this room and afterwards tucked up in the Old Bailey. You remember Peter Pluffers, Mr. Sampson?” “Who committed the horrid murder down in Chelsea, you mean?” said Larry. “ Why, I rather think that it was I who traced the crime to him and got up all the evidence that was brought for- ward at the trial.” “To be sure—so it was!” exclaimed the Hang- man. ® Well, sir, the very day after the murder he came and got shaved here, and talked about it with as much coolness as if he was as innocent as a lamb. Of course I hadn’t the least suspicion concerning him; and 1 little thought as I lathered his throat that I should put a hempen neckcloth round it precisely that day four weeks. But so it was: and when we stood on the drop together, just as I was going to pull the night-cap down over his face, he says, ‘Dam el, says he, ‘do you recollect shaving me just this day month ?—‘ To be sure I do, Peter, says 1.—‘ Weill, says he, ‘when I felt your hand touch my neck on that occasion, I had a sort of @ sensation come over me all no how, but just like a secret warning at the moment that your I must suspect he had acquired this knowledge ; | fingers would soon touch my neck for another pwr ———— ew 2 wom ee 2° 2 eS = = _ rr — ———————L LL SL ——--< = GO) MIGIIOOKS) (EC)