The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 248: what you’re looking at

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

346 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. SS ee ae eae two stout-looking gentlemen by her side, whose red waistcoats caused the blood to rush to the heart of the conscious Michael Flash, “ Been surweying the premises?” with a sarcastic smile. “Vy, yes. No offence 2” “Quite welcome.” * Seeing as how Mike vill be landlord in the morn- ing, he vished to ask my ’pinion about some change in the pantiles,” observed Aaron Wolf. “Not quite vot ye expected to find, I dare say,” said the widow, with a grin; “but it’s all right, for Mike és landlord this blessed day.” * Yer don’t say so.” “T make him a present of the day in. And here,” she added, “is a hansel for the house and the bottle of brandy I and these gentlemen have drank, If he is wise,” she added, “he'll keep ’em as a nost-heg, Many a worse has been laid by a good hen before now.” She thrust a small roll of notes into the hand of the new landlord as she spoke. He felt by the touch, for he was an experienced hand in such matters, that they were his forged notes ; and if he did not feel grate- fu), he felt relieved. The fact was, Bet had by some means discovered the plan which had been laid that very night for robbing, and perhaps murdering her, With her usual promptitude she had placed the temptation beyond their reach ; and, with a generosity which perhaps few in her situation would have imi- tated, returned the villain the forgeries which would have hanged him. She knew that they were for- geries from the first. Flash, without saying a word, walked into the inner Bar; and, after carefully counting the notes to assure himself that all was right, thrust them into the fire, and watched them fill they were reduced to ashes; then returning to the general room with an impudent swaggering air. Like many more civilised rascals than himself, he felt he was a safe man, and imagined that he was a respectable one. The widow had taken a wise precaution, perhaps, in bringing a couple of Bow Street officers with her; she paid them well for the protection which their pre- sence afforded. As furniture, stock in trade, and uten- sils were all included in the bargain, her arrangements were soon made. Mostof her clothes she had already distributed amongst the wretched females who fre- quented the house, Advice she did not know how to give, nor would it have been welcome. A couple of old trunks were packed in front of the coach, and the children placed inside, who, delighted with the novelty of the ride, shouted with impatience for her to fol- low. Aaron Wolf and Flash, as well as the two officers, accompanied her to the vehicle, which stood at some thirty paces from the door, the ground being too broken and rough to admit of its nearer approach. “ Rayther an unhansom vey of quitting the Rising Sun,” observed the Jew, who could scarcely suppress his rege at the sight of his intended victim escaping. «“ Damned unhansum,” echoed Flash, “ Better so than be carried out with my throat cut, ruffians,” she added. “ There’s one secret in the Rising Sun which only my poor lamb and I ever knowed.” “ What's that?” demanded the disappointed ruffians. “The wall of the dark ken is holler, and the entrance is from the closet in the inner bar. Don’t forget it, Michael,” she added, with a Jaugh, “when you have made a forten at the Sun, and wants to sell it. 1t may be useful, specially if the buyer and his cuffin are shown in there.” demanded Bet, ee ‘The two worthies, who saw at once how their scheme had been detected, looked very, foolish. “T bear no malice,” continued “ The proof, is in the flimsies. You know I ave hanged, you. So good-bye, and success to you. mind how you come near me again—all George's secrets did not die with him.” The next minute the « coach rolled off,, fvine. the respectable Mr, Aaron Wolf and his no less amiable companion rooted with astonishment and confusion to the spot. “Vell, that is a yoman !” exclaimed the Jew, with | an involuntary burst of admiration. “If she vasn’t a Christian I'd marry her to-morrow; I could make a fortin vith her.” “What's that to do with, it?” demanded Flash, “ Christian or gipsy, she’s flesh and blood.” . “ You’re little better than a heathen, Michael; you have no more religion than——”’ “You have,” tpterrupted the fellow. .“ Did I ever know ycu refuse a bargain aSabbath?” “ Vell, vell, to serve a riend, p’raps; but she’s a vonderful voman—a damned knowing voman.” Two or three days saw the widow comfortably settled in her new in Lambeth. To the aston- ishment of the neighbours; all the back windows in the course of a day or two were strongly grated, and the front shutters plated with sheet iron and secured with bolts and massive chains; in fact, the cottage was fortified like a lock-up house. To those un- acquainted with the mysteries of the place, it seemed as difficult to get out as in. One brace of pistels— they had been her dear lamb's—hung over the little parlour, chimney- piece, and another by her bed-side ; and Bet was one who had courage, if necessary, to use them. The only inmate beside herself and the children was a tall raw-bened woman, who had lived as servant with her for many years at the Rising Sun,—a creature with a thousand vices and slatternly habits, amongst which drunkenness was not, the least; but they were redeemed, in her mistress’s sight, a thousand times over, by one virtue —fidelity. For instance, she would steal liquor of any kind, but might have been trusted with uncounted thousands; would lie to all the world except to Bet ; ignorant, as the children of poverty too generally are, she looked upon the profession of a highwayman with a species of veneration, which diminished to simple respect as it descended through the various stages of crime to simple petty larceny; and was much better acquainted with the lives of Turpin, Wild, and Pte Sheppard, than with her Catechism. or the Bible, Had she lived to the present day, sh she would have considered Ainsworth a greater man than the author of the Pentateuch. | | But we begin to think that it is time we should introduce more particularly to our readers the two boys, thrown by pride and villany from their | mate sphere into the arena where childhood loses its innocence in its earliest bud, where crime becomes second nature, and from whence society draws the annual hecatomb which it offers on the altar its own mistaken prejudices have reared. It is astonishing, in the yarious schemes for the regeneration of mankind, how ea modern philanthropists begin at the wrong end, th primer ought to precede the catechism, not to foll low George, as the deserted grandson of the haughty Sir Walter Mowbray had been called, was @ and- , headstrong boy, about ten years of age, He ie Same datk eye which distinguished his ee SS tcomicbook (Efe)