The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

-_— = LC LA cS SC A recta MYSTERIES. { : ‘ ' TIER i et an ae a_i tel three steps into a house, the door of whicl: had been previously opened in obedience to the sum- mons of the Gallows’ Widow who had gone on in front for the purpose. Along a boarded passage Page was now con- ducted—then down a flight of steep stone steps, at the bottom of which he heard the Gallows’ Widow removing the bolts and chain of a door. This pro- cess caused a few moments’ delay; and the instant the door swung round upon its grating hinges, a voice, apparently coming from the bowels of the earth, exclaimed, “Fiends! will you give me my liberty ?” “Not till the conditions are complied with, my ben- cull,” responded the Magsman. “ But we’ve brought you a companion—and you ought at least to thank - gs fue that.” “ Miscreants!° ejaculated the voice, in a tone of dee p, conceutrated rage, At the same moment the Big Beggarman pushed h a the commercial traveller forward into the cellar or dungeon—and the door was immediately closed with violence. Then there was the din caused by replacing the chain and by shooting the massive bolts into their sockets ; and that ominous noise was followed by the sounds of retreating footsteps up the stairs. Page remained standing motionless—breathless —stupified, until all was silent: then, tearing off the bandage from his eyes, but finding himselt in total darkness, he sank down upon the damp earth with an ejaculation of indescribable misery. “Who are you,°unhappy man, that have thus been brought hither to share with me the horrors of this den ”” asked the voice which he had before heard. “Tam indeed an unhappy man!” cried Page, clutching his hair on each side of his head with his two hands and tearing it with frantic violence. “ Not more unhappy than IJ,” responded his com. panion, bitterly. “Oh! my God! when I reflect ee bole FD) SS 33 co