The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

176 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘“T never saw pastilles before I came to this great city,” he said. ‘‘ How are they made? ’”’ “ Chalk,” was the curt response. : Chalk? indeed!’ said Mr. Carnabie. ‘‘ What, black chalk? I never heard of it before.”’ ‘Charcoal, then,’”’ growled the Burker, inwardly venting a bitter imprecation against the old sexton’s visual organs and limbs. ‘‘ Ah, charcoal, eh? And how are they scented? ”’ ‘““ Don’t know! ”’ rejoined the Burker. Old Jonathan, suspecting not for a single instant who it was that stood thus disguised before him, said, in a somewhat angry tone, ‘* Well, at all events, you might give a person a civil answer, — particularly when he has laid out money with you.” But the Burker vouchsafed no response, and Jonathan walked away, muttering something sulkily between his teeth. ‘He didn’t know me, he didn’t suspect nuffin’,’”’ thought the Burker chucklingly to himself. ‘‘ The old rascal! I thought at one moment his eyes was a-piercing like needles through this here gabardine and beard. Howsomever — ”’ At this moment the Burker beheld the Duke of Marchmont advancing on foot along the street. His Grace had just come from assisting at the installation of Mrs. Oxenden in a splen- didly furnished house which he had taken for her reception, and he was gratified on finding that such was her love of pleasure and of gold she would be sure to keep ten thousand secrets relative to as many crimes if it only suited her selfish purposes. Such was the impression he had formed of her during an hour’s conversation, and he felt himself safe enough in that quarter. But was he so in other respects? His wife had faithfully reported the particulars and the issue of her interview with Indora, and therefore if he were sat- isfied in respect to Mrs. Oxenden, he was full of apprehen- sions in respect to the Oriental lady. ‘“‘ She will forgive me all that I have done towards herself,”’ the duke kept thinking within his own mind as he slowly paced along, ‘‘ but this means that she will not or cannot forgive me in respect to what I have done toward others in whom she is interested. And, all things considered, in whom can she be so interested as in him who is assuredly alive, who is in England, and whom I have seen? Yes, they must ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)