The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

130 REYNOLDS’ WORKS dering about the by-streets of the metropolis, or sit down in some public-house, with the chance of being recognized and captured. The time passed, the shades of evening fell, but as the stars came out and the weather was so mild and beautiful, the Burker thought to himself he would tarry yet a little longer, in case Indora should by chance come forth to take another ramble. Presently his ear caught the rustling of a dress at no great distance; he listened with suspended breath; nearer it came, he heard the flowing skirt of the costume sweeping over the grass, and then brushing by some plant overhanging the border. The Burker peeped forth, and the next instant his hand clutched his clasp-knife, for he felt assured that 1t was Indora of whom he caught sight. Yes, the very same costume which he had seen her wear that day and on the preceding one, and though the veil was now over her head, yet was it evident beyond all possibility of doubt that this was his intended victim. All of a sudden there was a rush from amidst the trees; a faint shriek escaped the lips of the veiled one, but in the twinkling of an eye the weapon which the miscreant held was buried deep in the victim’s bosom. Down she fell with- out another cry, with only a low, brief moan, and at that very instant the Burker was alarmed by the sounds of foot- steps approaching from behind the clump of evergreens that had formed his ambush. He darted away, plunged amongst the trees at the farther extremity of the garden, clambered the fence, and gained the adjoining fields. After making a long circuit, the Burker reéntered London somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Edgeware Road. It was now ten o’clock, and as he passed along at a moderate pace, he said to himself, ‘ At eleven punctiwal every night, — that was the agreement! I shall be in plenty of time, and if so be I wasn’t, his Grace would not be pertikler to a minit or two.” Mr. Barnes remembered that inasmuch as he was per- sonating a Jew of venerable appearance, with a long black gabardine and a gray beard, he must not proceed too quickly, for fear lest the eye of some detective should settle its glance upon him. ‘It’s a burning shame,” said the miscreant within him- self, ‘‘ that one can’t walk through the streets of London 1) ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)