The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXIII THE FEMALE GAMESTERS Ir was about half-past ten o’clock when Madge Somers emerged from the precincts of Agar Town. For a little while she walked on slowly and thoughtfully, as if pondering deeply on all that had taken place at Solomon Patch’s and likewise hesitating as to what particular course she should pursue. But by degrees her thoughts settled themselves into a resolution, and when this was once taken, she quick- ened her pace as she proceeded on her way. She reached King’s Cross, and passed down Gray’s Inn Road. In half an hour from the time she left Agar Town, she drew near the maze of streets, alleys, and courts which constitute that vile district whereof Saffron Hill may be deemed the principal thoroughfare. Still she walked on, and, at length, on reaching Saffron Hill itself, suddenly stopped short. “No,” she said, in subdued but vehement ejaculation, ‘‘T will not go there again. I have a duty to perform, and it must be done.”’ Nevertheless, there appeared to be an inclination in this woman’s mind stronger than that sense of duty to which she had alluded, and while she fain would have obeyed the latter, she was irresistibly urged on by the former. She advanced for some twenty or thirty yards, and then stopped short again; a powerful struggle was taking place within her. But her weak point proved the stronger one, para- doxical as the expression may seem, and still she walked on. On reaching the entrance of a court, dismal and dark as the mouth of a cave, she paused once more, she endeav- oured to turn her steps in another direction, but her evil genius prevailed. She plunged into a court, and muttering to herself, ‘‘ Only just for one short half-hour,’ knocked 268 ECORMIClIOO KS (E(@)