The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

190 THE COURT OF LONDON but still listening attentively, he reasoned in the following strain: | | | ‘If this be some fellow captive who is endeavouring to make his escape, he may perchance have been led to believe that the wall through which he is boring opens either into an empty room or an unfrequented passage, or even perhaps into some courtyard or actual outlet. Such may be his im- pression; and therefore if I disturb him in the midst of his labours he may become alarmed and desist. It will be better for me to allow him to proceed so far with his work that he will ascertain for himself into what place he is penetrating, and then it will be time enough to make known to him the presence of a fellow prisoner in this room, supposing that he is now unaware of its being tenanted.”’ Having come to this conclusion, Jocelyn Loftus did not attempt to make himself heard by his neighbour; but he nevertheless continued an attentive listener to the work that was going on. The longer he thus listened the more convinced he became that his first conjecture was well founded, and that it was indeed some fellow prisoner stealth- ily pursuing the means which he hoped would lead to escape. For two hours did the work thus continue, and by following it minutely with his ears, the young gentleman was enabled to comprehend its details. Thus was it that he could dis- tinguish when pieces of mortar were removed or portions of masonry detached and taken out of the excavation; and at the expiration of those two hours he heard his neighbour replacing all the mortar, stones, and bricks in the hollow thus made between the wainscot, doubtless to conceal the night’s work from the eyes of the morning’s visitors. All was now still; but Jocelyn could not again very speedily settle himself to slumber, for an incident had thus arisen not only to break the hitherto monotonous routine of his imprisonment, but also to excite sudden and fervid hopes of escape. Nevertheless, after awhile sleep once more revisited his eyes, and when he awoke in the morning it was some time before he could persuade himself that the occurrence of the past night was not part and parcel — although perhaps another phase — of that dream which had visited him soon after he had retired to rest. Having risen from his couch and dressed himself, Jocelyn CONnMIE OOO KS () (E(0)