The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 260: what you’re looking at

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

THE MUMMY’S CASE. 233 position in which it was folded, and thus far the work was complete. ! “Now,” said Bealby, ‘‘ the girl shall lay the breakfast- table, and I will go and settle with the landlady, or else I know very well she will not let the case go out of the house.”’ ‘ But you will be parting with fifteen pounds? ”’ whispered Ben Limber, with an air of discontent. ‘““T am certain to sell the mummy for twenty pounds to- day,” responded Bealby, ‘‘ and therefore in any case I must pay the old woman her rent. Besides, I have forty pounds in my pocket, and when I have settled the rent we shall still have twenty-five left. That fellow has got money,” added Bealby, drawing his friend Limber apart, ‘“‘ and I must get some more out of him when the moment of liberation comes.”’ There was now a knock at the room door, and the servant- girl of the house made her appearance. “ That’s right, lay the breakfast, Mary,” said Mr. Bealby, “and be quick about it, for I’ve got to go out on business almost directly. There’s the mummy to be taken to old Mr. Fossilton’s house — ” ‘“ Beg your parding, sir,’”’ said a shrill voice of command coming from the passage outside, ‘‘ but nothing leaves this house until my rent’s paid. You know the agreement of yesterday, sir,’ continued the landlady, for she was the speaker, and she now pushed her way past the servant-girl into the room. ‘I am to receive the money when Mr. Fos- silton comes, — leastways, fifteen pounds of it, for rent and things which is due.” “Softly, softly, my good woman,” said Mr. Bealby, as- suming an air of dignity. ‘“‘ You must not treat people as if they were all a pack of swindlers.”’ “ Swindlers, forsooth! ” cried the landlady, who possessed a very vixenish countenance, and the short tip of whose nose, habitually red with drinking, was now still more inflamed with passion. ‘I don’t like to use a harsh term, sir, but you yourself said it. I suppose now you are going to try and chouse me out of my rent, and to smuggle that there mummy out of the house? Why, bless me, Mary, if it isn’t packed up all ready! ”’ and it was with a perfect scream of rage that the landlady vociferated these words. “Don’t be foolish,” exclaimed Bealby, ‘“‘ here is your money.” At the same time he produced the bundle of bank- EOMINIGIOOKS (CO)