The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

THE RUINED TEMPLE 369 ever from giving credit to the tale, whatever it were, which the elephant-driver had told them. A personal examination, moreover, made them aware that the two prisoners had large amounts of similar coin concealed amongst their gar- ments, and therefore the minds of the police officials were made up relative to the course which they should pursue. This was communicated to the mahout, who furtively flung upon his English companion anything but a pleasant look. Some of the tenants of the homestead now gathered at the stable door, and the Burker saw that himself and his com- rade in misfortune were looked upon with a very evil eye, as if indeed they were a couple of arrant knaves and thieves, or even worse. To be brief, when the sultry hours had passed away and, evening was approaching, the cavalcade was put in motion; the peons took charge of the elephant, the mahout and the Burker were conducted as prisoners to that town which they had already seen in the neighbourhood. On arriving there, the captives were led into the presence of an officer of the peons, and the mahout told his story, at the same time producing his passport. We should observe that all the coin which he and the Burker had about their persons was already taken possession of by the peons at the farmhouse. The officer of the peons listened with attention, and when the mahout had finished, he addressed a few words to the Burker. This individual gave the official to understand that he was not acquainted with the Hindustani tongue, but a native interpreter was speedily forthcoming. Through this medium the Burker was desired to explain what he knew of the circumstances that had led to the arrest of himself and his companion. He felt horribly perplexed. What tale could he possibly tell? How could he render it consistent with that which the mahout had already told, and of the nature of which he was in the profoundest ignorance? Some- thing, however, must be said, and the Burker was not very long at a loss upon the subject. He accordingly declared that he had fallen in with the mahout on the previous day, that the elephant-driver had given him a lift upon his animal, and that as the bags were too plethoric with their metallic contents, he had been asked as a favour to carry a portion about his person. The Burker was then desired to account for the fact that two small bags of new rupees had been found GOMIIGDOG SS) (S©)