The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 345: what you’re looking at

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

314 REYNOLDS’ WORKS which he had not carefully practised. Slowly withdrawing his head from the vicinage of the keyhole at the expiration of a minute, he gave his accomplices to understand by a sig- nificant nod that their intended victim slept. Yes, he slept at the midnight hour, when the ruthless miscreants were bent upon his destruction. The key, as Mrs. Webber had represented, was in the lock, and Barney now ascertained that it was turned around in such a way that it could not be pushed straight into the room, even if he had entertained the notion of adopting a course which by being certain to make it fall on the boards within, would stand the chance of startling the lodger. The end of the key projected out a very little way from the hole, on the exterior side of the door, and the Burker, having di- rected Bab to hold the light in a particular manner, pro- ceeded with his operations. He drew forth from his pocket a stout piece of wire, and this he fastened around the end of the key. It was now easy to turn the key in such a way that it could be thrust out of the lock on the inner side of the door; while the wire not merely prevented it from falling on the boards, but likewise held it pendent at a sufficient distance from the door itself so as to preclude the possibility of its knocking against the panels. A skeleton key was now introduced into the lock thus skilfully cleared, and in a few minutes the door was opened. Barney made a sign for Bab to stand back, so that not a single gleam of light should penetrate into the room, and again he listened attentively. All of a sudden he closed the door, and made another sign, to indicate that the lodger was awakening. A panic-terror seized upon Jack Smedley, and clutching the Burker with one hand, and his wife with the other, he endeavoured to drag them both away from the spot. Bab herself was irresolute how to act; the Burker, ferociously determined, shook Smedley off, and made fierce gesticulations to the effect that the work must be finished, for that they had gone too far to recede. But Jack Smedley was no longer master of himself; he was trembling all over, his countenance was as pale as death, and the infection of his own terrors was being rapidly communicated to his wife. The Burker continued to gesticulate in a menacing manner, and his looks denoted supreme disgust and con- tempt for Jack Smedley. CORNICLIOOKS (E(O)