The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

THE MUMMY’S CASE 231 it’s no use turning me adrift only half-togged as I am. I should deuced soon be nabbed by the police.”’ “IT had not forgotten all this,’”’ replied Mr. Bealby, “‘ but I meant to take a disguise with me, so that you might put it on when emerging from the case. I thought it would make you too big to lie down in that box.”’ ‘“ Well, what is it? ’’ asked the Burker, sweeping his looks around upon the various articles aggregated in that museum. “‘ What do you say to dressing yourself up as a poor Lascar sailor? ” inquired Mr. Bealby. ‘‘ Here’s a costume, I have a dye for your flesh, a dye also for your hair, and a thick black moustache. And then, too, a Lascar’s disguise has this ad- vantage, that you may pretend to be dumb if you like, or else not to understand the English language, so you don’t be compelled to speak to a single soul that you may happen to encounter. If you don’t like that disguise, I can dress you up as the old Norwood gipsy — ”’ “ What, as a o’oman? ”’ exclaimed the Burker. ‘‘ No, no, none of that ’ere! ”’ “Hush! not so loud. We must not be heard talking in this room, because I am supposed to be alone here.”’ “Well, I decide upon the Rascal sailor,’’ said the Bur- ker. “The Lascar sailor, you mean,” observed Bealby, with a smile. ‘“‘T dessay it’s all the same, Lascar or Rascal,’’ responded the Burker. ‘I think I’d rayther put on the disguise at once. I’m pretty sure as how I can stuff myself into that there box, and it will save a world of trouble when we get to the place where you mean to let me out.” ‘Good! ”’ ejaculated Mr. Bealby. ‘‘ Make haste and ap- parel yourself. Here, let me assist at the toilet; it will only be the work of a few minutes.”’ The archeological gentleman speedily produced a bottle of dye for the complexion, and which figured in the catalogue of his curiosities as an extraordinary liquid which some newly discovered tribe of Central South America were accustomed to use for staining their skins. He next produced a hair- dye, which also had its appropriate legend in the same cata- logue, and which legend was about as true as the one attached to the first-mentioned pigment. These two dyes’ were speedily used with such effect that the Burker’s appearance GOMINIGIOOKS (C(O)