The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

—— 84 atmosphere was suffocating and fetid; the bedding was tossed about in all directions;—and the table was strewed with pewter-pots, broken pipes, and cobacco ashes. For at the period of which we are writing, the prisoners were allowed to expend their money freely; and the turnkeys and ward-keepers reaped a rich harvest by supplying indulgences to those who had the coin wherewith to procure them. In the felons’ apartment the assemblage was as motley as that in the misdemeanants’ ward. ‘There, likewise, the mere boy who had commenced his no- viciate in crime by thieving a handkerchief, was thrown into the society of the accomplished house- breaker; and the friendless orphan who had pilfered a loaf was placed within the contaminating influence of the desperate highwayman. The miserable urchin who had filched a piece of bacon from a cheese- monger’s shop-board was classed with the ferocious resurrectionist or the daring burglar ;—and the young clerk who had embezzled a few shillings of his mas- ter’s money and was sincerely, bitterly repentant, found himself compelled to associate with the swell- mob’s-man, the coiner, the smasher, the incendiary, and the returned convict. “Them’s four of the gang which was committed the day before yesterday,” whispered Soper to Mrs. Brace, as he pointed to two persons who sate to- gether at a table, and two others who were in con- versation at one of the windows. The first pair thus indicated, consisted of Martin and Ramsey. The once luxurious, proud, and re- spected bankers of Aylesbury were now as woe- begone as fallen men weil could be. Their pale countenances—downcast looks—and subdued tone, were strong indications of the awful sense which they entertained of their degraded condition and of the terrible doom which most probably awaited them ;—while their unbrushed clothes—soiled linen —and neglected toilette proved how deficient were the conveniences and how slight were their inclinations to render themselves decent in that loathsome place. From the persons of Martin and Ramsey the eyes of Mrs. Brace turned towards the other two indivi- duals who had been pointed out to her, and who were conversing at the window. These were Briggs and the Beggarman: but scarcely had the milliner caught a glimpse of the latter, when a sudden vertigo seized upon her—and, staggering back, she would have fallen on the floor, had not the lady’s-maid caught her in her arms. ** Holloa! here’s a blowen a-faintin’ !” cried half- a-dozen coarse voices; and several of the inmates of the room were rushing towards Mrs. Brace in the hope of being enabled to secure her purse or any trinkets which she might have about her— when the milliner, suddenly recovering her self- possession, hurried from the apartment. Harriet was close at her heels—and Soper banged the door violently in the faces of the felons who were thus coming officiously forward with the osten- sible purpose of rendering assistance. “It was the close air of that room,” murmured Mrs. Brace, leaning against the wall in the passage and drawing along breath; while she inwardly con- gratulated herself on escaping the observation of the Big Beggarman during the few minutes she had remained in the felons’ ward. For it will be remembered that this individual was the Magsman’s companion on that occasion THE MYSTERIES. when the milliner’s house in Pall Mall was broken into during the night; and therefore Mrs. Brace and the Beggarman were no strangers to each other. We should likewise observe that as she was unacquainted with the fellow’s real nomenclature as well as with his nick-name, she had not gleaned from the newspapers the fact that the Magsman’s associate in the burglary at her dwelling was one of the gang so recently arrested and now in Newgate. * Yes—I des say it were the stink of the place that made your missus ill,’ observed Mr. Soper to Harriet. “It’s quite enow to breed a plague—and I wery often wonder that it don’t. The City au- thorities wouldn’t care a cuss if it did. But, come along, ma’am,” he added, turning towards Mrs. Brace: “ you’re quite rekivered now—and I'll show you the condemned cells. It’s in one of them that we’ve been obleeged to put the ’torious Joe Warren —better knowed as the Magsman—on account of his being sich a owdacious feller that’s it quite a blessin’ there’s any walls strong enough at all to keep him close. This way, ma’am.” Thus speaking, the man conducted Mrs. Brace and Harriet into a corridor whence opened five cells. This was on the ground-floor ;—and he ex- plained that there was the same number of cells on each of the two floors above. Mrs. Brace knew this already—as indeed she was acquainted with the situation of every ward, passage, and stair- case which she had just visited: for she had a complete plan of Newgate at that very moment about her person ! ‘ “ Now, ma’am,” said Mr. Soper, in a whisper, “ you shall see that terrible fellow which you’ve no doubt heerd of, and whose name is in all the newspapers.” A cold shudder passed through the frame of the milliner, striking to her very heart’s core, as this announcement met her ears: for she knew that she was about to appear in the presence of her husband! Not that she apprehended any recognition on his part: the Gallows’ Widow had succeeded in con- veying to him, through the agency of the Kinchin Grand, an intimation of the probable visit of Mrs, Brace and its object ;—and that this had been done the milliner was wellaware. But she trembled be- cause she loathed the idea of acting as an accom- plice, even in so covert a manner, in any scheme with which her brutal husband was connected. Unhesitatingly would this woman assist any one of her aristocratic patrons in the seduction, or even the rape, of a virgin victim: but her exquisite re- finement was shocked at the thought of mixing herself up with a Magsman or a Gallows’ Widow, even though the former was her own husband, Oh! how strange a thing is conscience,—sometimes con- cealing itself in the heart’s innermost recesses, and there remaining voiceless,—at other times speaking loud and trumpet-tongued in the ear! The heayy bolts were drawn back —the key turned with a crashing sound in the lock—and the door of the cell which was last in the row, and consequently at the extreme end of the corridor, swung heavily round upon its hinges. The eyes of Mrs. Brace instantly met those of the Magsman; and, although he gave not the slight- est sign of recognition, she could nevertheless per- ceive that a grim smile of satisfaction swept rapidly over his countenance. The cell in which the Magsman was confined, resembled a massive sepulchre. It was nearly os com Ghbookseeom