The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

THE BURKER’S ADVENTURES 103 ‘’ A murderer, and everything that is bad,” replied Jonathan. ‘‘ He came down into the country. I took him | as an assistant; the ungrateful wretch was very near mur- dering me, but assistance came at the very nick of time; the villain fled precipitately, and plunged into the river. It was thought that he was drowned, but only a few days ago he turned up somewhere in London. Surely you must have heard, Mr. Smith, of a house that was entered by the police, and where on digging up the cellar or some under- ground place, evidences were discovered of barbarous mur- ders having been committed? ”’ “To be sure. Now you mention it,” said the Burker, “T do know summut about it. It was in the papers, wasn’t Me? 2? ‘““Yes,”’ replied Jonathan, ‘and heavy rewards were offered for the discovery of the wretches. I hope they will be found.” ‘“T hope they will,” added the Burker, as he coolly set about compounding his third tumbler of punch. ‘ Well, all them things, Mr. Carnabie,’”’ he continued, ‘‘ shows how careful you ought to be in locking your doors of nights and stowing away your cash in a place of safety. I tell you what I do; I always have a matter of five or six hundred guineas in my house, and I poke it all up the chimley in my bedroom. That’s betwixt you and me, but no one would think of looking up a chimley in search of money.” ‘““T content myself,’’ answered Jonathan, ‘‘ with locking up the little I have got in my box. ‘“ It isn’t much, but still it’s too much to lose.” “ Quite right! quite right!’ said the Burker; ‘ never throw away a chance.” In this manner they continued to discourse for some little while longer, until old Jonathan Carnabie began to feel the effects of the hot brandy and water which he was drinking. Then the Burker suggested something about the propriety of a little bit of supper, adding “‘ that he was always accustomed to take a mouthful at nine o’clock in the evening, at his mansion, Number 347, Grosvenor Square, where he should be happy to see his friend Mr. Carnabie to dinner at five o’clock on the morrow.” The old sexton, in spite of the penuriousness of his habits, thought that he could not possibly do otherwise than give CORnnICLOOOKS (C(O)