The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

THE PASTILLES 183 ‘‘ But did you happen to notice whether there was a rent in the front part of his gabardine, just about here?” and the gold-beater indicated the left breast of his own coat. ‘To be sure,’’ rejoined the old sexton, ‘‘ I did observe it. But what —”’ “It’s all right, then,” ejaculated Smedley. ‘“‘ And now, sir, pray be good enough to hasten back after that Jew, just get him into conversation, do anything to engage his attention for a few minutes. He 1s an old scamp, the police are looking for him, but don’t let him know that there is anything suspicious.” ‘“ Dear me!” said Jonathan, ‘‘ what a place this London as! 7? ‘““ Pray be off, sir, and do as I ask of you. You will have time to overtake him. There, he is stopping, a woman is buying something of him. Be off with you, sir, and keep him engaged for a few minutes.” Jonathan Carnabie accordingly retraced his way, while Jack Smedley, full of feverish suspense, again looked around in search of a policeman. Meanwhile the Burker, thankful at having got rid of the Woodbridge sexton, had been beating a retreat as fast as his assumed character of an old Jew would permit him to proceed and he was near the extremity of the street when he was stopped by an elderly dame who began to bargain with him for some pastilles. The Burker inwardly vented his rage at being thus detained, by means of a bitter imprecation, and he gruffly bade the dame take as many pastilles as she chose and pay for them exactly what she liked. But she was a slow-going old creature; she counted a pile of pastilles with the utmost deliberation, and then she fumbled in her pocket for some half-pence to pay for the purchase. The Burker, who had plenty of money about him, and cared not one fig for the expected half-pence, was ready to burst with impatience, but he dared not even for an instant do aught that might create a suspicion. The old dame drew out a small packet of halfi-pence wrapped in a piece of paper, and as she delib- erately opened this paper, the Burker’s eye caught sight of the name of Smedley amongst the printed contents thereof. Then he beheld his own name, and the words ‘‘ the mercy of the Crown” likewise met his view. “Here, my poor old man, here’s thrippence for you,” EGOMIGIOOKS (CO)