The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

104 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ~ the best possible entertainment to so liberal, generous, and hospitable a friend, and as he himself had dined at two o’clock, he had no disinclination for a supper. He therefore suggested a rump steak, and was preparing to ring the bell to order the same, when the Burker caught him by the arm, saying, “‘ Stop, my good friend! don’t trust that dirty drab of a servant to go out and buy anythink for you. There’s nothink like a lobster for supper, and it just happens that my own fishmonger lives close by. No offence, but Ill go myself and send in the finest he’s got.” | Jonathan vowed that he would pay for the lobster, but Mr. Barnes would not think of such a thing, and he issued forth accordingly. Proceeding to the nearest fishmonger’s he purchased a very fine lobster, which he ordered to be sent to Mr. Chubb’s, and on his way back the Burker just dropped into a chemist’s shop, where he procured a small phial of a certain liquid drug which he pretended to be under the necessity of taking. He then returned to Mr. Chubb’s abode, and rejoined his friend Mr. Jonathan Carnabie. The lobster was served up, and the old sexton relished it all the more that he had not been compelled to pay for it. Another jug of hot water was brought up; the tumblers were refilled, and the Burker seized the opportunity to pour a few drops from his phial into Jonathan Carnabie’s glass. Five minutes afterward the old sexton was lying back in his armchair in a state of complete stupefaction. The Burker rose from his own seat, took a candle in his hand, and crept softly up the stairs to the bedroom over- head. ‘To force open the box was the work of a few moments, and at the bottom of all the clothes the villain discovered about thirty sovereigns in a stocking. ‘‘ Well, the game was worth playing for,” he said to him- self, as he secured the coins about his person, and then he cautiously crept down the stairs again. At that very instant there was a loud double knock at the front door; the Burker, hastily puffing out the candle, put it in a corner, and the next instant he himself opened the door. A tall gentleman in a cloak was on the steps, and Barney at once recognized the person who had so sudden! interfered to prevent his murderous design on old Jonathan Carnabie at Woodbridge. But not for an instant did the Burker lose his presence of mind; he issued forth; and ECORNICIOOKS (E(0)