The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 369: what you’re looking at

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

338 REYNOLDS’ WORKS what to think. They speak cool and look distant, but I do my best to ride it with a high hand, and seem as if I did not notice their altered behaviour. Well, I advised that card should be kept up in the window as usual, just as if we felt our own respectability to be totally unimpaired, and as if we were at least conscious of our own innocence. Besides, the keeping up of the card was only a blind, for we agreed that we would not let the lodgings even if anybody applied, because you and I have al- ways so many things to talk about now, and we must not stand the chance of being overheard. And then, too, the Burker may turn up at any moment, — for Barney is such a desperate fellow, he’s almost certain to find his way to London, — and if he does, he would be sure to come to us, the worst luck on it.’’ ‘‘There’s enough,” ejaculated Mrs. Smedley. ‘‘ Some one has been to apply for the lodgings, and I don’t like his appearance a bit, I can tell you.” “Who?” asked the gold-beater, with a look full of startled anxiety. ‘‘ Ah! who?” ejaculated Bab. ‘“‘ How do I know? But who should come prying about this place here, and trying on all sorts of dodges to get in amongst us for more reasons than one — ”’ ‘Do you—do you think he was a—a— detective? ”’ asked Jack Smedley, with an awful elongation of his pale countenance. ‘ As like as not,’”’ rejoined Bab, petulantly. ‘‘ However, I stalled him off. I told him the lodgings were let to a decent old couple. I was precious short with him, and I shut the door. Now, the fact is, Jack, things can’t go on like this; [ am getting uncommon tired of living constantly on the fidgets —’’ ‘“ Not more tired than me,I know,” exclaimed her hus- band. ‘“ Didn’t I propose a bolt to France immediately after your mother got into trouble? But it was you that said we must stick here at all hazards, and when we de- cided to remain, I did the best I could to keep up a show of respectability.” ‘Of course I said we would remain,” ejaculated Mrs. Smedley. ‘ Do you think that the house wasn’t constantly watched after mother went down to Liverpool to Lettice EORNICLIOO KS (E(0)