The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 374: what you’re looking at

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

TORTURES 345 to indicate the sufferings he had endured in the torture- chamber, and he seemed anxious to know with what nature and degree of punishment the Burker himself had got off. The Englishman quickly gave him to understand that he had escaped scot free, whereat the gossoon regarded him with the most unfeigned astonishment. Recourse being had once more to the contents of the flask, the gossoon made a sign that they should continue their way. The Burker could not help keeping in the man’s company again, at least for the present, but he nevertheless resolved to separate from him as soon as possible, for the warning of the officer of the peons rang in his ears, and the spectacle of the torture-chamber was vividly present to his memory. He had ascertained be- yond the possibility of doubt, from the presence of those peons at the town he had so recently left, that he was now upon the soil of the British possessions, and he was therefore relieved from the dread of being apprehended by any of Queen Indora’s emissaries. The gossoon and the Burker continued their way until the sun was low in the western horizon, and the Englishman, being well wearied, made a sign to his companion that they must soon think of finding a place for repose. The gossoon himself was much fatigued, and heseemed uncertain which direction to take. He stopped and looked about him, until at length descrying a house at a distance, he pointed thither. Toward that house the two men accordingly proceeded, and as they drew near the dwelling, the Burker saw that it was a farmhouse. On reaching it, the gossoon did not imme- diately proceed to the front door, but a side window being open, he peeped in. The Burker looked over his shoulder, and they both beheld an elderly man, a Hindu native of the ryot or landholding class, counting his money at a table. He was alone in that room, and so intent was he in the count- ing of his rupees, that he evidently suspected not the pres- ence of the witnesses at the window. The gossoon flung upon the Burker a look of mysterious significancy, which the latter could not rightly comprehend, and then the dervish hastily led his English companion toward the front door. There the gossoon commenced the usual whine with which persons of his profession solicit charity in India, and in a few moments the elderly ryot made his appearance. Nothing could exceed the fawning humility of the gossoon’s demean- COnnIClOoOKS (©)