The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

56 THE COURT OF LONDON their shops, and the sky was so densely covered with clouds that not a glimpse of moonlight nor a single star relieved the obscurity of the scene. Having proceeded some distance along Tooley Street, the Gallows’ Widow turned up Mill Lane, Page still keeping by her side; and breaking the long silence which had pre- vailed, he observed, “‘ This is a frightful neighbourhood.” ‘“T dare say’-— to those who are not accustomed to it,” replied the woman. “But you seem to walk easily and comfortably enough without splashing yourself,’ said the commercial traveller. ‘“ T know every inch of the way,” was the answer. Page wished that he did; but as such was not the case, he was compelled to make the best of it. ‘Where are we going now?” he demanded, as his guide took a turning to the right. “ Along Pickled Herring Street,” she responded. In this thoroughfare the houses were all shut up; and it was only when a light gleamed from some window that Page could catch a glimpse of the principal features of the path which he was pursuing. That the Thames was close by he, however, knew, alike from his general acquaintance with London, and from the low moaning of the vast volume of water as it rolled onward in its mighty bed; and then it struck him how easy it would be for evil-intentioned persons to assail, rob, and murder the defenceless individual in that lonely district, and dispose of the corpse in the river that was so near at hand. Shuddering at this idea, he looked back to ascertain if any one resembling a constable was following; but the darkness was so intense that he could distinguish nothing even at a distance of three or four yards. At length the young woman stopped at the corner of Horslydown, which is a street branching off to the right; and, hastily seizing the arm of her companion, she drew him into a deep doorway, saying, Mad will remain here a few minutes, if you please.”’ ‘But for what purpose? ”’ bsked Page, astonished at the movement. ‘Hush! ”’ whispered the Gallows’ Widow. A profound silence now reigned, disturbed only by the gurgling of the adjacent waters as they broke against the piles of a wharf; but in a short time footsteps were heard CONNIE OOO KS (E(o)