Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

THE BEGGAR’S STAFF 61 The rules and recommendations laid down in this precious composition would not have appeared unnecessary or mis- placed in the eyes of any one who studied the aspect of the company present; for a more villainous and repulsive as- sembly of human beings it would be difficult to conceive. Rascality and dissipation characterized the countenances of the men, profligacy and debauchery marked those of the women. Many of both sexes were in rags, others were more comfortably attired, and a few were flashily dressed. But the unmistakable stamp of inveterate vice and loathsome immorality was upon them all; and if any doubt as to their principles had existed in the sand of a person entering upon that scene for the first time, the conversation which was going on would have cleared up all uncertainty in a very few moments. The women positively appeared anxious to outvie the men in the horrible nature of their oaths, the disgusting obscenity of their jests, and the coarse frankness with which they glorified in their profligacy. Some of the younger females assumed the most lascivious attitudes, in order to wheedle the men out of their money or induce them to expend it profusely. When Page first entered the room, preceding the Gallows’ Widow in the manner already described, he could scarcely distinguish any object through the dense cloud of tobacco smoke; but in a very few moments the persons present and the features of the place developed themselves rapidly, the same as the ships of a fleet stand out in bold relief as the smoke of their cannon rolls away. In this case, however, the smoke did not dissipate; but the eyes of the commercial traveller grew accustomed to it,and when the scene became fully apparent, his first impulse was to turn aside in loathing and effect a rapid retreat. But the remembrance of the Gallows’ Widow’s pistol, and a sense of the imprudence of exciting her suspicions, or of strengthening them if she already entertained any with regard to the object of his visit to the Beggar’s Staff, — all this flashed to his mind and prompted him to assume as courageous an air and as un- embarrassed a demeanour as possible. The Gallows’ Widow, on her entrance, was warmly greeted by several of the men and women present; and one or two, drawing her aside, spoke to her in whispers, their manner GOmMmiicdooks (C(O) im