The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

204 REYNOLDS’ WORKS order to control and tranquillize her feelings. She thus un- avoidably became a listener to some portion of the discourse which was going on behind the array of dressing-gowns. “Well, Mr. Solomons,” said a coarse masculine voice, speaking with the half-patronizing, half-stern accents of authority, “‘ so far so good. But we must think of at least a hundred other means of keeping the emporium incessantly before the public. Ah! by the bye, have you seen about some ragged boy or wretched-looking woman, to fling a stone at the pane which got accidentally cracked yesterday? ”’ ‘Yes, sir, it is all right,’’ answered Mr. Solomons, who, we may as well at once inform our readers, was Mr. Emanuel’s principal and confidential clerk. ‘I succeeded yesterday in getting hold of the most pitiable object that ever was seen in female shape, and she will be in the street presently to bang a large brickbat right against the glass.” ‘“ Excellent,’’ exclaimed Mr. Samuel Emanuel, chuckling with a coarse laugh. ‘“‘ The pane, you see, my dear, was cracked, and therefore we should be obliged to have a new one, so that we really lose nothing by getting it smashed completely for us.”’ “Oh, I understand, you cunning rogue!”’ cried Mrs. Emanuel, in a great, rough voice, as if it were a grenadier speaking. ‘‘ But what will follow? —though I can pretty well guess.” | ‘‘ Please, ma’am,”’ said Mr. Solomons, ‘‘ I have arranged it all. The woman agrees to break the pane, and of course she is equally agreeable to be given into custody. She will go before the lord mayor, and whine out a piteous tale about distress having compelled her to do it, that she might get herself sent to prison, as she has such a dreadful horror of the workhouse.” ‘“ And then, you know, my dear,” resumed Mr. Emanuel, taking up the thread of the explanations, ‘‘ as I shall have to attend at the Mansion House to charge the woman, I shall of course appear to be very much affected at her tale; I shall express my regret that I gave her in charge, and I shall beg his lordship to let her off with a reprimand. The lord mayor of course will look grave and pompous, and will deliver him- self of the usual tirade,— to the effect that persons can’t be allowed to go smashing the windows of highly respectable tradesmen in the City of London, and he will send her to ECORNICLIOOKS (EO)