The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

SCENES AT MR. PAGE’S ABODE ol _ young female, and, without waiting for a reply, she once more quitted the room. “You see, Julia,’ exclaimed Mr. Page, wringing his hands, “that they are going to despoil us of everything we possess.”’ ‘““T see it all sure enough,” returned Julia, flinging a look of diabolical hatred upon the two women and the Kinchin- Grand. “Then why don’t you do something to prevent them? ” cried the ex-bagman, without pausing to reflect upon what he said in his mingled rage and despair. “Why don’t you?” demanded Mrs. Page, now darting a glance of unmitigated contempt upon her husband. “ I always thought you were a sneaking coward, and now I am convinced of it.”’ “Don’t vex me, Julia, I can’t bear it,’’ exclaimed Page. ‘““T’m wretched and miserable enough as it is. But surely our kind friends here will have some mercy upon us?”’ he added, turning with an air of appeal toward his merciless spoliators. ‘“‘ Kind friends indeed!’ ejaculated Julia. “It is now a war to the knife between them and me,”’ she muttered, in a voice audible only to herself. At this moment Shickster Sal returned to the parlour, with the plate wrapped up in an apron. This portion of the plunder was entrusted to the guardianship of the Kinchin- Grand; and Mr. Page groaned with a most ludicrous misery as he beheld his silver forks and spoons consigned to the depths of the young reprobate’s pocket. ‘“‘ Now their watches and rings,’”’ exclaimed Shickster Sal, exultingly. ‘‘ Ah! I owe them a spite for many a harsh word and mean and stingy prying into the larder to see if I’d eaten too much.” ‘Your watch, earrings, and finger ring,’’ said the Kinchin- Grand, accosting Julia with the pistol in his hand. Mrs. Page divested herself of her jewelry with a calmness that was ominous as the lull which precedes the outburst of the tempest’s rage; but her husband fell upon his knees and implored that his personal decorations might be at least spared. His plunderers were, however, remorseless; and Mr. Page’s jewelry followed his wife’s trinkets into the custody of the Big Beggarman’s daughter. COnniCclooOokKs (S©)