The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

254 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘““ He spoke of a poor mad lady,” she presently said, in a murmuring tone to herself, “‘ and who was likely to have been driven mad if not my poor dear mistress? That date — but, ah! my ideas grow confused again — No, no,I cannot rightly understand that which it appears as if I seek and want to comprehend.’’ She turned away slowly and mournfully; and just at that instant old Jonathan Carnabie and his new assistant were advancing toward the gate of the churchyard. ‘“‘ Ah,” she ejaculated, ‘‘ there are the men whom I seek! They were together the other night when they said something which struck me so strangely.”’ ‘Here is this poor crazy creature again,” said old Jonathan. ‘“T wonder why she is hanging about the village? We must find out where she belongs, and have her passed to her parish; it will never do for her to become chargeable to our local rates.” ‘You are the man, Mr. Carnabie,” said the Burker, ‘ to get rid of her. Go and try your eloquence. There! blow me if I haven’t forgot the mattock, and I’ll just run and fetch it.”’ ‘“ Do,’’ responded the old sexton, and he advanced toward Crazy Jane, who, being at a distance of about fifty yards, had not overheard a single syllable that passed between the sexton and his assistant. Meanwhile the Burker, turning rapidly away, had sped back to the cottage. | ‘‘My poor woman,” said Jonathan, accosting Crazy Jane, ‘‘ you seem to be a houseless wanderer.”’ ‘‘ A wanderer? — yes,” she ejaculated, ‘‘ because it is my destiny. My mind will not let me rest. Houseless, did you say? No, not when I choose to ask for an asylum, for who would refuse it to a poor creature such as I am? Besides,’’ she added, after a pause, ‘‘ I can pay for what I have when payment is required.”’ Thus speaking, she dived her lank hand down into a pocket, and drew forth a quantity of coin. Silver and hali- pence were all jumbled together, and it struck the old sexton that he caught the glitter of two or three pieces of a still more precious metal. But the next instant Crazy Jane had transferred the money back to her pocket, exclaiming, with a sort of triumph, “ So you see that I am not altogether a mendicant, though you perhaps took me for one? ”’ ECORNIClIOOKS m