The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 294: what you’re looking at

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

THE BURKER 263 manner of means. Howsomever, he’ll get on in time, and then let me tell yer there won’t be two such rare fellers in all London as them Scotts, — chaps arter my own heart.’’ ‘To be sure,”’ said Mrs. Smedley, with an approving look. ‘You require such instruments.” “ You’re right enow there,’ exclaimed the Burker, with a terrible imprecation. ‘ To get a livin’ nowadays, a man ought to have a dozen hands and arms, and them too always at work, and he ought to have a dozen pair of eyes, to see which way the wind blows, — ay, by jingo! and a dozen pair of legs, too, to run away from them bluebottle rascals, or the sneaking detectives, when there’s a hue and cry arter him. I tell yer what it is, them as has the power is making the country one that ain’t fit to live in, what with their new- fangled laws and so on. Why, if I only stand a minute or two in the street, just to take a look at what is going on, up comes a bluebottle and stares at me fust of all as if there was threats of treadmills in his eyes, and then he bids me move off just as if his tongue had borrowed its tones from the knocker of Newgate. But if I happen to look rayther hard at some swell cove passing along, and chance to foller in the same direction, then, by jingo! I’d better cut and run for it; or else up afore the beak, no one to speak to my character, all in wain to say I’m a honest ’ard-working man, but off to the stone jug, and six weeks on the everlasting staircase as a rogue and wagabone.”’ Mr. Barnes the Burker’s language increased in vehemence and bitterness as he thus enumerated his wrongs, and when he had finished, he struck the table so violently with his fist that the bottles, jugs, and glasses appeared as if they were dancing a reel. Then, after a pause, during which the in- jured man looked slowly around upon his listeners to ascer- tain the effect which his words had produced, he added, doggedly, ‘* And all that’s called justice.” “Tm afraid times have been as bad with you lately,” said Mrs. Smedley, ‘‘ as they have with us. For a matter of ten months we had no lodger —”’ “Til this present one come,’ observed the Burker. , “ Well, and what do you make out of him? for I suppose t’s about that you sent up the message to me oar, by nad Tim Scott.” (ECON a IDoOaks (E(O)