The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 387: what you’re looking at

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

358 REYNOLDS’ WORKS the Burker to leave him unmolested, the gossoon hastily gathered some herbs, which he selected from amongst the grass, and putting them into his mouth, he began to chew them, his whole frame quivering with the nervous excitement and suspense of his feelings. For a few minutes the Burker looked on, he himself being scarcely able to shake off the horrifying sensation which had seized upon him at this terrific interruption of the struggle with the gossoon, but as he gradually collected his ideas, he began to deliberate on the course which he should pursue. The gossoon, having chewed the herbs into a poultice, applied it to his cheek with one hand, while with the other he made deprecating signs to the Burker, evidently entreating him to let him have this one last chance of life, and that under existing circumstances all personal hostility should be suspended. But the English- man was already reflecting that if the medicinal properties of the herbs should neutralize the venom of the snake-bite, —in short, if the gossoon should continue to enjoy a hale and vigorous life, — they would stand toward each other in precisely the same position as before. They would have the same feeling that the security of the one could only be guaranteed by the death of the other, for they were mutu- ally suspicious. The Burker especially could no longer trust the gossoon, and the latter had moreover given him a suggestion to the effect that the treasure might as well be possessed by one as by both. Thus was it that the Burker came to the conclusion that it were ridiculous to lose the present opportunity, and to suffer the gossoon to obtain an advantage over him. He therefore all in a moment darted back a few yards, caught up a huge stone in both his hands, and hurled it at the Hindu. The latter beheld the movement and started aside, but that movement was too rapid to fail altogether in its effect, and the stone, instead of striking the head of the dervish, smote him on the shoulder. Down he fell, sending forth a howl that reverberated through the ruins, but the Burker suffered not an instant to elapse ere he repeated the assault. An- other stone was flung, this time with better effect; it struck the gossoon upon the head. The crashing of his skull would have sounded horrible upon the ears of any other person but the Burker, who remorselessly hastened to despatch his victim. CONNIE NOOLKKS (E()