The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

216 REYNOLDS’ WORKS some bread. No such thing! They went on singing away in most frightful discord, until the sudden appearance of a policeman, who was advancing in a manner which plainly showed that he knew the arch-impostors full well, spread the utmost dismay and bewilderment in their ranks. The singing ceased in a moment, and the man hurriedly said, “Come along, Bet, or that bluebottle will precious soon blow the gaff,” and they made a rush toward the next street, dragging the youngest children hastily along with them. Such was the spectacle which the twins beheld, and it certainly afforded no encouraging picture of London life. It shocked the pure minds of that youthful pair to think that such impostures should be practised under the guise of honest poverty, for they knew that the consciousness that that these things were done must often prevent the really charitably disposed from dispensing the alms which they would otherwise bestow, and that therefore the really de- serving suffered very frequently and severely for the ras- eality of practised deceivers. Early in the forenoon of the following day, Christian and Christina were again in Redcross Street, at the door of the house to which their benevolent purpose brought them. The landlady made her appearance, and the tale which she told was as gratifying to the twins as it was almost completely unexpected. It appeared that a tall gentleman, with a dark complexion, and wearing a cloak, had called at the house in the company of a medical practitioner from the neigh- bourhood, about two hours after Christina left on the pre- ceding day. The medical attendant ascended to see the invalid, while the gentleman remained below to question the landlady. What followed, had evidently been prear- ranged, and was speedily accomplished. A hackney-coach was fetched, the dying young woman was placed in it, and was borne away to another house, somewhere in the suburbs of Islington. The landlady mentioned the address, and concluded by observing that the tall, dark gentleman did not accompany Mary Wright to her new abode, but sent the surgeon with her, placing in his hand a handful of money ere he hurried away. The twins had no difficulty in recognizing Mr. Redcliffe in the tall, dark gentleman, and they experienced the utmost CORNICLOOKS (EO)