The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 330: what you’re looking at

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

_——— hws WYSTERIES OF THE COURT. =p Bm might be the Commissioners of Police themselves, | traps there, and make t of Police themselves, or a couple of functionaries from the Home Office, or any other officials invested with high aathority. “And tell them vimen,” yelled out Mrs. Patch, “to leave off screaming and skreeking 1 in sich a haw- ful mauner.” The injunctions of the landlord and landlady were issued to the dirty-looking pot-boy, who accordingly shuffled into the parlour, and with a knowing wink and a jerk of the thumb over the shoulder, said, “You had better be quiet here, cos why thore’s a couple of nobs jist looked in.” “Then they'll stand treat,” dried one of the wo- men: and immediately afterwards a half-intoxicated creature, with a brazen look and her dress in the most immodest disorder, presented herself right in front of Me. Guathorpe, crying, “You'll stand a crown bowl, won’t yer? I knows you vill. I can see you are von of the right sort by your vicked old Mr. Guathorpe’s first impression wae to utter a rebuke to the woman: but perceiving the state she was in, and having moreover no inclination to get into a controversy, he threw down half saying to the landlord, “I understand what is re- quired of me: so you can send in liquor to this amount.” Hereupon there was 8 burst of applause from the helf-intoxicated woman and some dosen of shocking- looking ruffians who had crowded out from the par- lour to see what was taking place; and when the uproar had subsided, numerous complimentary re- marks were made in respect t. Mr. Ganthorpe. “T told yer he was a brick,” said the woman who had elicited the donation. “A regular trump,” exclaimed Spider Dill, who was one of the party. “A full-blown tulip, and no mistake,” added Mat the Cadger. “Von of the stumpy sort,” observed Tony Wil- kins—thereby meaning that Mr. Gunthorpe came down with his money handsomely. *T on’y hope he’s as rich as he’s stout for his own sake,” cried one of the women: and then there was a general laach. “Now do go in and keep yerselves to yerselves,” extlaimed Solomon Patch: “or else not a mag’s worth of lush shall ye see till you do:”—and then es soon as this threat had proved effectual, the land- lord went on to say, addressing himself to the visitors with the most grovelling, fawning, obsequicasness, “ You see, genelmen, I do my best to keep the place "spectable; and last time I received the compliments of the cbeerman af the Sessions House when I went for my license. Says he in a werry perlite manner, ‘Mr. Patch,’ says he, ‘I have had a eye on your house for a many years; and I never knowed one so well-conducted in all London. It does you honour, Mr. Patch; and if knighthoods was given publicans, the Prime Minister should recommend ‘you to the Queen for that honour,’— Now raly, genelmen, I am not pruud, but that’s what the eheerman did say.” “And I have no doubt yon made a suitable ac- knowledgment,” said Mr. Gunthorpe drily. “Bat come, ean we have a bottle of wine in a private room ?” “To be sure, genelmen: you shall have the bar- parlour. Now, missus, clear away your needlework : 319 traps there, and make the cat got off the table, Walk round this way, gonelmen. You can bo all by yourselves here as cumfortable as possible; and as for the wine, you will say you never tasted sich in all your life.” “J have not the slirhtest doubt of i6,” said Mr. Guntborpe. ‘“ Your name is Solomon Patch, I pre- eume? You have already told us that it is Patch: but we want to speak tu the person who has gut the prefix of Solomon.” “It’s me, genelmen: that’s my own wirtuous name for want of a better. But it’s scriptural, genelmen—and that sanctifies a feller.” - Mr. Gunthorpe looked as if he thought that for n who was sanctified there never was such an fl-looking rascal in all the world. He however said nothing, bat took his seat at the table in the bar- parlour, into which by this time he had proceeded, followed by Deveril. Mrs. Patch, having cleared away from the table her work-box and the worsted stockings she was darning, returned into the bar to serve the customers; while Solomon Patch, havin shut the door of communication between the afure- said bar and the parlour behind, drew the cork of a bottle of wine, produced three glasses, and then ob- uiously filled two of them. “Help yoursclf and sit down,” said Me. Gun- thorpe. “ We wish to have a little private conver- sation with you; and I may as well tell you at onev, that wo have no hostile intent. We mean nothin: of the sort: but we think you can serve us—and if so, you shall be rewarded.” At this announcement Mr. Solomon Patch’s man- ner became more obsequious than ever; and he like- wise assumed an air of mysterious confidence as he drew his chair closer to that in which Mr. Gun- ‘ thorpe was seated. This gentleman, producing his purse, drew forth two or three bank-notes and laid them upon the table—an operation which the rapa- cious landlord watched with considerable eatisfac- tion. “Now,” resumed Mr. Gunthorpe, “I am going to ask you two or three questions; and by theo frankness of your replies will the a:nount of your reward be measured. In the first place, have you any correspondence with a lady of high rank, and who at this t moment is in the country P” “A lady of high rank?” repeated Solomon, won- dering whether his mterlocator could possibly mean Leafy Bess; but almost at the same instant the thought struck him that the visit of the two gontle- men might be for the purpose of entrapping the female highwayman—a proceeding te which Solo- mon was by no means dis to le :d himeolf. “ ‘Yea—a lady of high rank,” said Mr. Gunthorpe, “and to be more explicit, I may state that ehe has a house in London and a country-seat in Lincoln- ebir e.”” “Then I have no sich a correspondent, sir,” re- plied Solomon. “But wherefore did you hesitate ere you te swered ?’ demanded Mr. Gunthorpe, eyeing the man closely. “ Because, sir, I'm a cautious and wary kind of e bird, saving your presence; and I’m not m the habit of giving information in a hurry.” “Perhaps, then, you may not know who your ent really is,” resumed the old gentle- | man; “and yet you may have such a correspondent. 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