The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXII THE FISHERS OF MEN -Havine engaged a fiacre, or vehicle answering in descrip- tion to a London hackney-coach, Jocelyn proceeded in the first instance to the town hall, where he made inquiries relative to the lodging which a certain Mr. Thompson, an English gentleman, had occupied while recently sojourning in Geneva. It being what would be called in England ‘‘ after office hours,’’ our hero had to pay double fees for the search, to which he of course did not object, and in a few minutes the clerk in charge of the registry gave him a slip of paper containing the information which he required. But as he put the slip into Jocelyn’s hand, the official asked, “Is this all you desire to know concerning Mr. Thomp- son? ”’ : ‘‘] wish to ascertain all I can concerning him,” replied Jocelyn, ‘* and if you can give me any additional particulars, I shall most cheerfully and liberally remunerate you for your trouble.” Thus speaking, he laid two louis upon the table, and the clerk, after consigning them to his pocket, unlocked a cup- board, took out a bulky volume, and opening it at the letter T, searched for the name of Thompson. ‘Tt appears to be a very common name with your fellow countrymen, sir,’’ he remarked, with a smile, “‘ for a large number of English visiting Geneva are called Thompson. I have observed, too, it is the same with Smith and Jones and Brown and Green and White, but I think that of all, the Smiths predominate.”’ ‘“‘ There is no doubt a great number of Englishmen bear- ing those names,” said Loftus, ‘ but 1t must also be observed that whenever an Englishman, no matter how fine a name his 226 } (COLUM (A) LOOKS 4(EO)