The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

THE ITINERANTS 317 the man on whom he felt himself to be so completely de- pendent. The gossoon surveyed him with a kind of sombre con- tempt as he slowly raised himself to his feet, and then he grinned with a horrible satisfaction, as if contented with having shown the European that he was his master. That he was well acquainted with the cave the Burker had al- ready perceived, from the fact of his searching the niche so promptly after his arrival; and another proof thereof was now furnished by the circumstance that the gossoon passed around to the back of the well to drink of the water. The sun was by this time beginning to set, and the Burker there- fore knew that it was useless to think of setting out upon a journey through the jungle during the hours of the night. He made a sign to the gossoon to the effect that he would pile up the stones at the mouth of the cavern, but the itin- erant dervish burst out into a scornful laugh, as if ridiculing such a precaution or means of defence. He set to work to sather together a quantity of dried wood, and he made a sion to the Burker to imitate his example. Fearlessly the gossoon plunged into the long grass in the thicket, and tore down some branches of the most resinous trees. When an immense quantity of fuel was thus collected, the gossoon arranged it in the form of a semicircle near the front of the cave, and churlishly motioning the Burker to follow him within the rampart, he set fire to it by the means of ignition which he carried about his person. He then threw himself down in the cavern, and composing himself to sleep, was soon wrapped once more in a slumber as profound as that which throughout the livelong day he had enjoyed. But the Burker could not sleep. He was half-famished with hunger; he trembled lest the Strangler should insidi- ously work his way, despite the fire, into the cave; he was afraid likewise of the repulsive gossoon who lay snoring at a little distance. Perhaps the wretch, thought the Burker, was only pretending to be asleep, in order to watch an op- portunity of taking his life, — though he certainly could not see of what avail such a proceeding would be to the Hindu. The fire continued to burn steadily for a long time, and as there was no wind, but the night air was still and stagnant, the smoke beat not into the cavern, but ascended straight upward. At length a sensation of drowsiness began GOMIIGdOG <S) (S©)