The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 294: what you’re looking at

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

THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 2U3 erenea— siateen boys and girls, of the same gradation of | what with being trodden down and therefore made ages and of the same stamp and description as those | to encroach even upon that limited space, and what previously scen. Some few were stretched upon the with the coverlids spreading over or tossing about, mass of putrid rags, sleeping soundly despite the being kicked off in consequence of the heat, the noise made by the others who were awake. These floor of every room appeared to be completely latter were romping and frolicking at the moment covered with this wretched bedding. Wholo fami- when the visitors entered: but they left off to stare lies—consisting for instance of father, mother, and at “the swell coves,” and then to chaff the police- ' two or three children—oocupied one bed: grown up man. Thus was it that persons of both sexes were | brothers and sisters slept together: fathers and accustomed to herd and huddle together in that vile : daughters, mothers and sons—all adulte—were simi- den, cach paying twopence a night for the acoom- | larly situated. But we can proceed no farther: modation. the picture is too hideous to be dwelt upon. Those A couple of minutes’ survey of the disgusting ' of our readers, however, who have nevor visited scene was quite sufficient for Staunton and Saxon- | such frightful dens, may rest assured that none of dale. They experienced a horrible sickness at the | their details are here exaggerated. Indeod, it would stomach ; and their very clothes appeared to creep | be impossible to any terms sufficiently byper- upon them, as if alive with vermin. Biddy Bur- bolic to transcend the stern reality of the abhor- ley offered to show them the rest of the house: | rent truths. bus they were quite satisfiod with what they had | Lord Harold Staunton and Lord Saxondale libe- already seen; and Staunton having given her a | rally rewarded the policeman fur having accom. guinea on his own account for her trouble, the | panied them in these visits: and they made the best of their way, the one to Jermyn Street, the other to “ Widder Burley and her daughters,” eaid the | Park Lane, to put off the raiment which they had constable, as proceeded along the street, “ drives on, and which appeared to cause the most unples- they a roaring trade with them boys and gals. Why, | sant sensations. We need scarcely add that these would you believe it, my lords, ahe’s got at least seventy or eighty of ’em in that house of only six rooms! The whole place swarms with thieves as plen- tiful as vermin: and it’s supported too by thieving. There iex.’t a morsel of food or a drop of drink that goes into that place, that’s bought with honest ununey. Perhaps your lordships think that it’s the clothes were never worn again, but were given to tpait valet to be got rid of according as they might think fit. In our former works especially devoted to the de- scription of the mysteries of London life, we have introduced our readers to low dens of the same de- scription sa these of which we have now been writ- only place of the sort? ‘Well, I oan tell you there’s | ing: but we do not consider that we are to be hundreds of such cribs in London: and that isn’t even the worst. Down in Whitechapel and over in the Mint, there’s worse still. But now, if your lordships like, I will take you into @ lodging-house for grown-up people—trampe, thieves, beggars, and w Lord Saxondale at first positively refused the blamed on the score of repetition or supererogation. We purposely and with studied intent recall public attention again and again to the horrible abodes which poverty is compelled to seek, where vice lurks, and where crime conceals iteelf. For we boldly and unhesitatingly charge to the account of our logisla- eonstable’s proposal: but Lord Harold, feeling some |} mination. euriosity on the subject, accepted it, and succeeded in over-raling his companion’s scruples. They did accordingly visit a low lodging-house in the same neighbourhood : but we need not follow them throughout their investigation. A few particulars will suffice. The houso was a large one, in the CHAPTER LIX. BLIZABETH AND YFRANE. occupation of a ruffian-looking fellow, who had to| Wm must now return to Lady Bess’s pretty little pay a very high rent to the principal landlord; and in order to do this, he had to make the most of the premises. The original landiord had a dosen such houses, and rolled in his carriage. His tenants being eo highly rented, could not afford, even if they felt inclined, to expend any money upon the cottage in the neighbourhood of Edmonton; and if we peep into the elegantly furnished parlour, one morning after breakfast, we shalk behold the ama- zonian heroine and her brother Francis Paton seated together upon the sofa. Four or five days had elapsed since the youth received the terrible confirs improvement of the houses: consequently it was | mation of Lady Saxrondale’s averment that his sister not altogether their fault if those dens were of the ' was a female highwayman. That during these few most loatheome and unwholesome description—with days Frank had been very iil, and had suffered much, no drainage—no ventilation—and wretchedly sup- | mentally and bodily, a glance at his pale counte- plied with water, which was also unfit to drink. ' nance would show. The colour had completely left But let us look inside the particular house which his cheeks: he seemed drooping and languid, as if the two noblemen visited on the night in question. physical exertion were attondod by pain; and it al- In every room the lodgers were crowded together. most appeared as if the unfortunate young man ex There was a sort of attempt at a distinction of beds, perienced a thorough lassitade of life. but there were no bedsteads—merely a number of His sister, apparelled in the garb befitting her dirty etraw mattrasses stretched upon the floor, each sex, also looked mournful: but with one arm thrown provided with one coarse horse-cloth coverlid. These round her brother’s neck, and one hand clasped in were filthy to a degree, and ewarming with vermin. his own, slie was doing her best to console and cheer Tbe beds—if they deserved the denomination—had him. . eut an interval of about a foot between them; and’ Dearest Frank,” she said, “it euts me to the eee eee, «eee COMM a a OO SS aG iin