The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

oe ee RE, errr a PE THE WASTERILS OF LONDON. wyr Ss. C Ny a , mS . « *4% - hts ¢ mG req urd 4 ees *4 ZAyATy = os | 3 @;s x te, . qt ae ~~ I wasa lady in every sense of the word—ae far as outward appearance and manners clecant in carriage! srent. Dut now—oh! how altered am! fy tooth- less mouth was once filled with pearls as white as your’s—my buit was a5 voluptuous and as firm--my figure was as upright—my fect and ankles 23 delicate —and my step as tight! Ah! that was many—many years ago, Perdital” “Shall you not be glad, mother, to visit London again?” demanded the young woman. “Yes—for 'tis the only city in the world vhere atventnresses ike onrselves—beggars, f muy say are certain to succeed. Uh! you nave no idea of what a pandemonium is the great metropolis of England!” exclaimed the harridan, with strange emphasis. “’T is a furnace in which millions of passions, interests, and ideas are ever boiling—boiling madly and as if in rage: 'tis a scene of immense iniquity and of bound- lecsy luxury—of wondrous intrigues and ineffable en- joyments.” “Oh! how I Jong to plunge headlong into that fine city! cried Perdite. “It ia a yortex tliat will suit my disposition well.” « Aye—and play your cards as I shall prompt,” ob- served ler mothers “and you will speedily be the No.61*,—Mystrris3s oF LONDOX. SO oe EERE OP 0) es ee 695 \ ayet Toy li ( ayt 4 A Avigaks t A a et a! “h A <1 ~ vio wee Oe a ae pe Sor ———— ee oe ee acl * Pi Labtiewweee ‘ = Ae ee er OO whet or Sinton : ae os Pore — i =e oe 2 eS os -. wyte « 4 oe “ys i Le) ae iM P| { mn pf [eh nustress of all the pleasures which London can afford But, oh! I am ready to drop with weariness—I ami dying with hunger and thirst, Perdita; and not a penny have we to purchase a morsel of bread——” “T seo a strong light yonder—there, mother—it that bye-lane,” said the young woman. “Shall w, repair in that direction—perhaps it may be a hospit- able cottage——” “No: ’tis a gipsy’s encampment—I can distinguisl the cart and the tent,” interrupted the old wretch, « But the gipsy race are good and gencrous; and they will not refuse us a morsel of bread and a cup of water.” The two wanderers accordingly proczcaed towards the strong light which Perdita had first discovered, and which proved to be, as her mother had surmised, the fire of a gipsy encampment situate ina byeslane. As they approached, they observed a female form crouching over the blazing fay.sots, in apite of the mtcnse sultriness of the weather, and a;parently yatehing with attention a huge eauldron that was ansnendad above the fire in the ust il gripsy fashion, When Perdita and her mother drow nearer still, they obtained a more perfect view of that female, whnse countenance wag thrown out in .truug relief by the (C(O) (C DOO (SO)