The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF LONDON LIFE, 245 ae one ee and merry heart to mix liquors draw beer for the motley crew of unfortunate beings who thronged her well-known den. It was gradually observed that the moment of her return from one of these hurried visits was the best for an old customer who was hard up to ask credit; she seldem refused, and had even been known to accord it without an oath or a pledge for future payment. The morning before she left the house where she had resided for so many years, she called Mr, Aaron Wolf on one side, and, after giving him a glass of brandy by way of a retainer, began by lamenting her lonely unprotected state since the loss of her dear ; “Vell,” exclaimea the Jew, smacking his lips, “ s’elp me, Abraham, I can’t make itout. George vas fly to most things. Comfortably off, I should say ?” he added, with an inquiring voice; “ wery comfort- ably off?” “ Pretty well,” said the widow; “nothing more,” “ Vell,” resumed Aaron, “ for him, vot had run more risks of hanging than a gipsy’s dog, to take to the road agin, ven he vas so respectably off—quite looked up to, as I may say, by the hofficers—is remarkable !” “Very,” sighed the widow. “Then their refusal to let any one of his old pals in to see him, AsI am an honest man, Bet, but I borrowed a laced hat and gold-headed cane of Blistered Solomons, and vent myself to seehim. Vot do you think the blaguard of aturnkey axed me?” “ Lord knows.” ** Vether I vas come to bid for his clothes.” * And if you had,” exclaimed Bet, “you need not have been ashamed of it, for they were nearly new. I paid two couter and a bob for his coat and kickses only two months afore. They were fit,” she added, with an air of pride, “for any man to be hanged in; wouldn’t have disgraced a lord. But ‘taint that— "taint that.” “Vell, vot is it, then? "Pon my soul, Bet, but you're a fine woman. Pity you’re a Christian!” *¢ Wot for?” demanded the widow, opening her eyes wider than usual at the observation. “ Vy, you see, Icouldn’t marry a Christian—that’s all. I sticks to my religion—buys and sells—eats no pork—and can’t marry a strange voman, But vat is it you vont?” “ A hackney coach,” whispered Bet. “A vot?” “ A hackney coach,” repeated the woman. “ Vell, that is extraordinary. Here have I beena customer for ten years, off and on (the speaker alluded to certain intervals he had passed in retire=- ment), and never seed a hackney coach at the door of the Rising Sun before. Vere are you going to?” “ That’s my affair,” said the woman, sharply ; “ will you go for me?”’ “Vell, vell, don’t be so uppish!” exclaimed the Jew; “it’s more than that I’d do for you, Mistress Sedler.” In the course of half an hour the coach was at the door, and the gipsy’s widow, dressed like a respectable dame, with a small box under her arm, took her seat, and, in answer to the jarvey’s demand of “ Where to?” answered without hesitation “The city,” and away they drove. “There’s some mystery in this,” muttered the respectable Mr, Aaron Wolf, half aloud. “] thinks there is,” whispered Michael Flash, the landlord of the Rising Sun that was to be; a ferocious looking fellow, who had long been engaged in supply- ing talse coin and forged notes to the numerous smashers who infested the metropolis, and who annually supplied acrop of victims for the gallows, whilst he, the tempter who speculated upon their hunger and misery, was daily growing rich at their expense. He was too prudent ever to attempt to pass any of his counterfeit merchandise himself, or to er- gage in the manufacture, It was generally sent to him from the great fabric in Birmingham, and he had a depot ia the city, the discovery of which had hitherto baffled the search of the most active officers. Still his business was a dangerous one; and having madea considerable sum, he had invested a part of in the purchase of the public house. He had not haggled with the widow respecting the price, as he and his partner, the respectable Mr, Aaron Wolf, had decided upon robbing the woman of the cash that very night. If necessary, they were prepared to add murder to burglary. “ After her,” said Flash; “double the dodge.” His companion perfectly understood him, and catch- ing up his hat, bolted through the half-hatch, or rather over it; for in his haste he could not wait to draw the bolts. The coach, from the broken nature of the ground, was still in sight, rolling lazily along; indeed, who ever saw a hackney coach progress other- wise? Their gallop was never swifter than the trot of a tortoise or the waddle of a plethoric alderman; and the active Israelite found no difficulty in over- taking it. In about three hours he returned. Michael Flash was smoking his pipe before the door, expecting him. “ Well?” he growled, puffing at the same time the smoke from his sallow cheeks. “ Vell!” repeated Aaron; “it aint vell, Ve are done.” “ Brown?” said Flash. “That’s it, and no mistake; “ yvhere do you think the artful trull has been ?” ‘* Not to the beak ?” “Vus; to the bank,” “The bank!” exclaimed his companion, and his complexion suddenly became of a dirty waxen hue “The bank! not with my notes?” “ Every vun of ’em.”’ “Then I’m sold. Damn her!” he added, fero- ciously ; “do you think she has blown the gaff?” “Can’t say. How many flimseys did you plant?” “ Five twenties,” replied the smasher, “I’m off,” “Quite as vell,” said the Jew. “ Vhere’s the plant?” “ All right.” Weak Theth weal the tue. wacthinn Ge th | house, and made their way up stairs to the widow’s room, As Flash was known to have purenased the establishment that very morning, and to have paid for it, no objection was made to his proceedings: the | wretches below concluded that it wasall right. On | entering the chamber, they saw at once what had been the motive of Bet’s visit to the city. Herstrong | box, which in her husband’s time had been a subject of speculatien to many a dariag burglar, was open— — the key in the lid; in fact, the prudent landlady had — taken her wealth, the accumulation of years of crime | and daring, to invest it in her own name in the bank. The question was, whether the notes which Flash had incautiously given her to make up the purchase money were amongst the sum. Finding that nothing was to be done up stairs, they descended te the bar. On reaching it, they saw Bet | comfortably seated at a table with the children, and ECORNIELIOO SS (EC)