The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 315: what you’re looking at

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

288 THE COURT OF LONDON were specially prompt in emptying their glasses, and they looked particularly satisfied when Mr. Coffin refilled them. Then, after chatting on various subjects for about a quarter of an hour, the Hangman said to Nell Gibson, “ I want to speak to you upon very particular business.” She looked at him for a moment with a strange gaze, in which astonishment, indignation, and disgust were all clearly and plainly blended; then, suddenly bursting out into a loud laugh, she said, “‘ No, Mr. Coffin, any living soul but the public executioner.”’ “What does the girl mean?” growled the Hangman, his countenance all of a sudden assuming a look of diabolical ferocity; but the next moment, recollecting that it was his policy to conciliate instead of angering Ellen Gibson, he said, in as mild a tone as it was in his nature to adopt, “‘ I didn’t mean any tender proposal, Nell; but it’s on a matter of business I want to speak to you, and so if you'll just put on your bonnet and shawl and step out with me, we can chat as we walk up and down the street; or may be you would step around as far as Bencull’s for half an hour or so.”’ ‘No, I don’t want to go out to-night,” said Nell; “it’s raw and damp, and I’ve got a cold. But we can talk here,” and she made a sign to Mother Young and the four girls, who all took the hint accordingly and quitted the room. “ Now, then, what is it? ’’ inquired the young woman, still retaining her indolent attitude as she lolled in the armchair near the fire. “And so you wouldn’t have accepted me as your lover? ”’ said the Hangman, with a jocose look, as he really began to feel somewhat excited by the provoking abandonment of the young woman’s fine person in that attitude of indolent wantonness. “Faugh! there is a smell about you as if you had been touching dead bodies,’”’ replied Nell, who was of a very independent spirit and did not mind saying what she thought. Indeed, vile, depraved, remorseless prostitute as she was, and ready also to sell herself to even the most disgusting old men so long as she was adequately paid, she nevertheless recoiled in unfeigned loathing and aversion from the idea of such contact with the public executioner. “Well, at all events, you are candid, Nell,” said Daniel Coffin, after a brief pause, during which he bit his lip almost GOmMmicbooks (@) (E(0)