The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 329: what you’re looking at

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

300 REYNOLDS’ WORKS that they might be reposing themselves in the cave. As- suming an aspect of the most piteous entreaty, he approached the cavern, but he beheld no one within. He however saw a wallet lying upon the ground, and he recognized it as that which had belonged to the deceased, and from which he had taken the rice. Before he touched it he assured him- self that no one was in the cavern, — the dead gossoon as well as the living ones had disappeared. Remembering that there were two compartments to the deceased’s wallet, and that he had only examined one, he now lifted it up. In the second compartment he found nothing but the means of striking a light. By this dis- covery he was however gratified, for it enabled him to make a minute investigation of the cave. He was resolved to establish this cavern as his abiding-place, with the hope that some kindly disposed gossoon would sooner or later pass that way and guide him out of the jungle. He had seen enough to convince him that it was used as a halting- ‘place for wanderers and wayfarers passing through that frightful wilderness, and he likewise fancied that it was the securest spot he could find in respect to wild beasts and reptiles. In that jungle no place was altogether secure, for it was evident that even there a snake had stolen in and bitten the old gossoon, probably while he was sleeping. Still in a district where every spot was perilous, this cer- tainly appeared to be the least so of any. At all events it was better to remain stationary there than to go floundering about amidst the pathless wilds where every step was taken at the risk of his life. Having made himself a torch of a resinous branch, holding it in one hand, and with a tolerably stout stick in the other, the Burker entered the cave. It was only at the innermost extremity beyond the loophole that it was quite dark, but now the torch illuminated it fully. He advanced cautiously, fearful lest at any moment a reptile should spring at him; he examined every crevice and corner, and he was just on the point of turning away with the conviction that the cavern was completely free from any insidious foe of the reptile species, when all of a sudden the light of his torch was reflected in two small gleaming objects at the extremity of the cavern, about a foot from the ground, and just in front of him. ‘They were the eyes of a reptile, and the GOmMmicsooks (E()