The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

ltl il ti tc CR eee _—_-— whe 5 te — | BA VHE MYSTERIES. ae chains, watches, and ear-rings in the jewellers’ win- dows shone only like tarnished gold, While the wealthy and the well-off were seated at home, in their warm rooms and by their cheerful fires, how many thousands of houseless wretches were wandering about the wet streets—or crowding in gate- ways—or lying crouched up on the door-steps! In the mansions of the great there were luxuriously spread tables, the delicious viands being served up on silver, and the generous wines sparkling through crystal ;—and at the same time, and in the same city, children were crying for food in cold, damp, and wretched garrets. While the merchant sate down to his supper, rejoicing in the day’s gains which amounted to hundreds, the hard-working man was devouring a sorry crust, the thought that he had no employment for the morrow imparting bitterness to the sorry meal! But let us return to our narrative. It was, as we have cbserved, nine o’clock in the evening when Mr. Page, enveloped in a cloak, and with a thick shawl-kerchief tied round his neck, reached that point whence Tooley Street branched off from the foot of Old London Bridge. Being very cold, he entered a public-house to take a dram at the bar ; and while drinking the same, his eyes happened to light upon the countenance of Mr. Grumley, who was seated ina corner smoking a pipe in a manner so free and easy, that no one unac- quainted with him could possibly have suspected that he had any important business in hand. Giving a slight and rapid sign of intelligence to Page, the officer raised a pewter-pot to his lips, and indulged in a long draught of porter; and the com- mercial traveller, understanding that the Bow Street functionary did not wish to be spoken to or in any way recognised, paid for his dram, and quitted the house. Scarcely had he crossed the threshold, when he observed a female attired in deep black within a few yards of him; and as she passed, she stared at him in a peculiar manner. ‘he light of the tavern- lamp, dim though it were, gave him a good view of her countenance, which, in spite of its paleness, re- tained the traces of great beauty. She was of middle height—thin, but not badly shaped;—and when she had ceased to gaze so intently upon the commercial traveller, she suddenly assumed a de- meanour so retiring and modest that a stranger would have taken her for the wife of a small trades- man or respectable mechanic. Page felt convinced that this was the woman whom he had to meet; and he was hesitating whether to follow her or not, when she turned back; and as she repassed him, she again regarded him with a pecu- liar significancy. “ One moment, young woman,” said Page, touch- ing her upon the shoulder as she was walking ra- pidly on. “ Are you looking for any one ?” “J have found something and am in search of the owner,” she replied, in a voice that was far from dis- fF agreeable, her lips at the same time revealing avery good set of teeth. “Then I am the person you want,” returned the commercial traveller ; “and I have got fifty guineas to pay you.” “ Who told you to meet me here, sir?” asked the woman, examining him attentively. “A person called Joe the Magsman,” was the minediate response. - SE “Good!” remarked the Gallows’ Widow. “ Fol- low me.” ‘ And thus speaking, she led the way into a narrow court forming the side entrance to a pawnbroker’s shop: then, stopping short under a lamp over the door of that establishment, she said, “ Give me ihe money,”—at the same time producing the much coveted pocket-book. Page handed her a small canvass bag containing the gold: but before she parted with his property, she drew out a quantity of the money, examined the pieces with a keen though rapid glance, and having thus satisfied herself that they were genuine, gave him his pocket-book. “You may open it, sir,’ she remarked; “and everything will be found quite safe. The bills were | of no use to us.” The commercial traveller hastily inspected the documents; and perceiving that the woman had spoken the truth, he secured the pocket-book about his person. The Gallows’ Widow was then about to take her departure; but Page stopped her, say- ing, “I want very much to see your friend the Magsman as early as convenient. Indeed, I did think of pushing my way as far as the Beggar’s Staff this evening.” The female darted upon him a look of suspicion ; but the commercial traveller kept his countenance admirably—and he saw her features gradually re- lapse into an expression of confidence. “Well,” she said, after a brief pause, “I am going that way—and so you can accompany me if you choose.” “ Willingly,” answered Page. And away they went together. Plunging now into the vile, filthy, and dangerous district on the southern bank of the Thames,—a neighbourhood which was lighted only by the shop- Windows and not by street-lamps,—and unable to see his way clearly enough to ayoid the pools of water and the heaps of mud which abounded in that locality,—the commercial traveller walked by his companion’s side, at first in profound silence. In fact, he had quite enough to do in endeavouring to pick his path: for at one moment he stumbled over a stone—at another he trod upon a dead dog, -—then he slipped intoa hole, spattering himself even to the very countenance with slime—and next he was wading through a pile of filth accumulated at some corner. The farther he went, the darker be- came the neighbourhood; for the inhabitants were shutting up their shops, and the sky was so densely eovered with clouds that not a glimpse of moon- light nor a single star relieved the obscurity of the scene. Having proceeded some distance along Tooley Street, the Gallows’ Widow turned up Mill Lane, Page still keeping by her side; and breaking the long silence which had prevailed, he observed, “This is a frightful neighbourhood.” “J dare say—to those who are not accustomed to it,’ replied the woman. «But you seem to walk easily and comfortably enough without splashing yourself,” said the com- mercial traveller. “ J know every inch of the way,” was the answer, Page wished that he did;—but as such was not the case, he was compelled to make the best of it. “ Where are we going now?” he demanded, as his guide took a turning to the right. — OR COLMA (El NOO| KS, COM