The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 385: what you’re looking at

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

oo4 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘“My poor mother,” sobbed Mrs. Smedley. ‘‘ But what could my husband — ” ‘Have to do with it?” ejaculated the officer. ‘‘ Why, he gave her the poison as a matter of course. Who else could possibly have done it?”’ ‘“Oh, sir, I can assure you Jack is incapable of such a thing. He went to Liverpool to see my poor mother, — to teach her which was the right path if she had really gone into the wrong one.” ‘““Come, ma’am; this gammon won’t do for us. Tom, let another of our people come in, and you follow me. Sorry to be rude, ma’am; very natural for you to try and screen your husband, but it won’t do. Please to favour us with this light.” | Bab Smedley had thrown herself upon a chair, in which she now sat rocking herself to and fro with every semblance of being utterly disconsolate, and likewise as if heedless of the words that were spoken to her. The tall detective took up the candle, and followed by his man Tom, he passed into the back room. No one was there. They ascended the staircase; the upper chambers were speedily searched, but still without success. They de- scended, and Bab Smedley joined them in the passage, saying, ‘‘ Well, gentlemen, you see my husband is not in the house, but I almost wish he was that he might convince you of the error under which you labour concerning him. A pious vessel like him, a deacon of the Shining Light’s Chapel — it is out of the question. But you have behaved so civil in doing your duty that I hope you'll just step into the parlour for a moment and take a small glass of something? ”’ ‘Stop a minute,” said the tall detective, “ there’s a place down-stairs. Come along, Tom.” ‘Oh, well,” said Bab Smedley, still admirably preserving her presence of mind, and simulating an air of mournfulness in which there was no betrayal of anxious apprehension, “you can speedily satisfy yourself in that quarter, and then you shall accept the little refreshment I offer you.” The two detectives descended the stairs, — Bab Smedley following, to procure, as she said, two or three more glasses. Her conduct appeared so natural, her part was performed with such consummate skill, that the detectives began really to think her husband could not be anywhere about the ECORNIClIOOKS (E(0)