The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

THE RUINED TEMPLE 300, Instead of opening like a trap-door, the mass of masonry rolled aside, disclosing an aperture large enough for a stout person to pass through. An ejaculation of joy burst from the gossoon’s lips, and the Burker was now full of excited curiosity and suspense. The stone covering of the aperture was fixed by rings, on its underneath part, to two iron bars running horizontal and parallel three or four inches below the aperture, so that the masonry could not be raised, but it slid with comparative ease sideways when the spring which retained it fast was acted upon by the turning of the iron ring. There was a flight of stone steps leading down into utter darkness, nor was it possible to conjecture to what depth the abyss de- scended. The gossoon collected together a quantity of dry branches and leaves from some trees in the immediate vicinage of the temple, and making a loose fagot, he set fire to these combustible materials. He threw the blazing torch into the subterranean, and the glare was sufficient to show that it was a room, or cavern, of about ten feet in depth, to which the steps led down. The gossoon rubbed his hands, laughed gleefully, ae gave every evidence of his conviction that some discovery most important to himself and his companion was about to be made. He then proceeded to manufacture three or four torches, and when this task was accomplished, he signalled the Burker to descend into the cavern for the purposes of research. But the Englishman, terribly suspicious of perfidy, shook his head, and intimated that it was the gossoon who ought to be the first to descend. The Hindu, thinking that his companion required some fresh proof of his sincerity toward him, drew forth his poignard, snapped the blade in halves, and tossed the fragments amidst the ruins. The Burker now thought that he need no longer hesitate, but still he made a sign for the gossoon to follow him. The Hindu assented; two torches were lighted, and the Burker, carrying one, began the descent of the stone steps. The Hindu, carry- ing the other, was close behind him. They found themselves, as they expected, in a small room of about the depth which we have already specified, and it was probably eight feet square by six in width. Along one of the walls several small vases were ranged, and on the lids of these being lifted off, they were found to be filled GomiilGcaooks (©)