The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

THE BANK-NOTES 367 tion, hastened to say, ‘‘ I have already told you on what conditions I am inclined to deal mercifully with you. Speak, give me the explanation I have sought.” “ T will, sir, — trusting to your goodness,”’ responded the false Lascar. ‘‘ You see, the fact is, sir, — and there’s no use in denying it, — I thought as how the night you had that grand party would be a favourable one for me to do a little business in my way, and so I went to have a look about the premises; for it sometimes happens, you know, that genel- men’s servants theirselves has no objection to what we call a put-up affair, — that means an arranged and planned rob- bery. Being rayther skilled in reading people’s counte- nances, I could pretty easy tell which servants you may talk to in a particular way, and which you may not — ”’ “Well, well,’’ interrupted Sir Frederick Latham, ‘ you were lurking about my house the night of the party. What next? ”’ : ‘“‘ T took the liberty of peeping in at a window,” replied the Burker, ‘‘ and what the deuce should I see but a genelman helping hisself to a lot of notes and gold out of a kesh-box, and there was a safe a-standing open. Oh, ho! thinks I to ) myself — ”’ ‘Never mind what you thought,” interrupted the City merchant. ‘‘ Who was that gentleman? ”’ “Ah! sir, I knowed him pretty well,’ replied the Burker, ‘for the fact is, I’d met him before. He was your brother- in-law, as I’ve heerd tell, Lord Rushbrook.”’ ‘‘ And he emptied the cash-box? ’”’ demanded Sir Frederick. “That, by jingo, he did, and in no time, too! ”’ rejoined the Burker. ‘‘ Then he put the kesh-box back into the safe, and just at that moment I do believe he twigged me a-looking at him through the winder, for he gived such a start and turned as pale as death, but I bolted away like a shot. Of course | suspected in a moment he was doing summut he didn’t ought to do, and so when I arterward found myself in his power, I thought I’d just see what alittle hint on the subject would produce, and bless you, sir, he let go his hold on me just for all the world as if he was dropping a hot tater.” ‘ And now one word more,” said the City merchant; ‘‘ and you need not be afraid to answer me, for I have reason to know that you have just been telling me the truth, and I COMIC OOO <S (C(O)