The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 341: what you’re looking at

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

310 REYNOLDS’ WORKS “Tt’s nothing particular after all,’”’ said Jack Smedley. “But here it is— No, you have got it, Bab, and you can let Barney read it for himself.’’ “If the writing’s at all queer,’ responded the Burker, ‘‘it’s of no more use to ask me to read it than to tell a pig to dance a hornpipe on stilts. My larning might all be put into a thimble, and then leave room for the young lady which is accustomed to use it to put her forefinger in.”’ ‘Well, the writing isn’t so trembling and shaky as one might expect to find it,’’ said Bab Smedley, ‘‘ and so you may read it for yourself.”’ With these words, she drew forth the intercepted letter, which she handed to Barney the Burker, who, having imbibed another draught from his tumbler, proceeded to peruse it in a cool and deliberate manner. “No, there’s nuffin here that’s of any consequence to us,’ he observed, when he reached the end, “‘ and so I sup- pose I may just as well light a pipe with it.” “No such thing,” exclaimed Bab, snatching the letter out of the fellow’s hand. ‘“‘ I mean to keep it —I have a fancy for doing so. Who knows but what some day or another it may be of use? ”’ ‘““ Ah, well, do just as you like,” said the Burker, “ but of course you don’t mean to seal up the letter again and deliver it to-morrow morning at the place it’s directed to? ”’ “Not quite such a fool,” rejoined Mrs. Smedley. “To be sure not,’’ observed Barnes; ‘“‘ for him or her who took it to the house might be knowed again on any future occasion by the servant, or by them to which it is addressed, and then if any stir was made about the disappearance of a partickler individual— though by the bye, he doesn’t give no name and no address in that there letter — ”’ ‘But he says enough,” cried Jack Smedley, “‘ to prove that he has been a jolly rogue in his way.”’ “How would it be,’’ asked Mrs. Webber, “‘ to make free with his purse before his very face; take it in a bold manner, I mean, and tell him to do his worst, for that we have found out all about him — ”’ “No,” interrupted Bab Smedley, “that will not do. How do we know that he has really done sufficient to make him so terribly afraid of the law as we may think that he ECORNICLOOKS (EO)