The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

154 THE COURT OF LONDON said the turnkey, somewhat softened; ‘‘ but it’s after the hours for wisitors, and it’s agin the rules to let anybody enter now. I’m wery sorry, I say, but you must come to-morrow mornin’ at eleven o’clock.”’ ‘Oh, can you not let me see my poor brother, if only for a moment? ” asked Ariadne Varian, in a voice that was convulsed with bitter, bitter anguish. “It can’t be done, miss,” said the turnkey; ‘‘ but you can ax the guv’ner. Go on a little farther, and ascend them steps which leads to the door of his house.” Then, having waved a huge key in the direction to which he had alluded, the man disappeared from the gate, and poor Ariadne, hastily wiping her eyes, passed along the front of the frowning prison until she reached the door of the governor’s dwelling. The knock which she gave was low and timid, for there was in her soul a sense of such deep, deep humiliation that it seemed to her as if her prayer would only be granted by a display of object servility on her part, and that even too loud a knock would ensure a refusal. Alas! this poor young girl was already doomed, at so tender an age, to experience the degradation which even innocence feels when visiting the abode of the criminal. A woman servant answered the door, and the instant Ariadne began to make known her business, the governor himself issued forth from an office close by. “|’m sorry I can’t help you, young woman,” he said; “but it is altogether against the rules to admit a visitor after the proper hours. It is more than I dare do. You must come to-morrow morning. But what case is it? ”’ “Tam the sister of Theodore Varian, sir,” replied Ariadne, again bursting into tears, and leaning against the entrance for support. “Ah! I recollect,’ cried the governor. ‘ Committed just now from the Mansion House, eh? Embezzlement and fraud — my friend Emmerson the prosecutor. Ah! young woman, it is a bad case; your brother should have known better. There, now, don’t cry like this; people will think I am ill-using you, perhaps. Come to-morrow at eleven.”’ With these words the governor closed the door of his house, and Ariadne turned slowly away from the prison, weeping as if her heart would break. COU () IDOOKS (C(O)