The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

312 REYNOLDS’ WORKS The Burker and Bab Smedley conversed together for some minutes in whispers; then whispered remarks were also in- terchanged betwixt them, the woman’s husband, and her mother, and in a short time the plan of proceeding was duly settled. Soon afterward — it being now about half-past ten o’clock — Mrs. Webber lighted a chamber candle, and quitted the scullery. In a few minutes she returned, and having carefully closed the door, she observed, “‘ I have been up to ask him if he wants anything more; he says no, for that he is going to bed.”’ “And you didn’t tell him,’ asked the Burker, with a horrible grin, ‘‘ that you had some friends here which would presently bring him up his gruel? ”’ ‘““ He told me to call him early,’”’ continued the old woman, not heeding the interjected remark which was so replete with a revolting levity in its allusion to the dreadful crime that had been determined upon. ‘I asked him at what hour, and he said at six o’clock, as he wanted to get off before daylight, for now that his mind was made up for departure, he says, he has a very great way to go.” ‘“¢ His departur’, I rayther think,”’ said Barnes, pursuing his vein of hideous, horrible jocularity, ‘‘ will take place sooner than he suspects, and the way he has to go will be a precious deal longer than he has bargained for.” ‘He says he is going upon the Continent,” added Mrs. Webber. ‘‘ Well, if he likes to give that there name to the place where old Nick lives, he is wery welcome,’ observed Bar- ney. ‘T left him, and he locked the door, as he always does,”’ sald Mrs. Webber. “ve got my tools with me,” exclaimed the Burker. ‘‘There’s as tidy a lot of skellingtons as ever was seen,’ and as he thus spoke, he produced an old cotton pocket-hand- kerchief in which the skeleton keys thus alluded to were so wrapped up as to prevent them from rattling or chinking as he walked. | ‘Tam afraid your tools will be of no good, Barney,” said Mrs. Webber, “‘ for the lodger always leaves the key in the lock. The door must not be forced open with any degree of violence; he would raise the whole neighbourhood with his cries and yells in no time.” CORNICLIIOOKS (EO)