The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

THE BEGGAR’S STAFF 65 ascend a staircase so steep and narrow that it was a wonder to Page how such a bloated personage as the landlord could ever force himself into so circumscribed a space; for that he was occasionally compelled to pass that way to the upper regions of the house, the commercial traveller naturally conceived. The landing on the first floor was very small, and had two doors opening from it, but the woman, pausing not there, commenced the ascent of another flight as ladder-like as the former; and on reaching the top, she led the way into a large loft immediately beneath the angular roof. Page looked rapidly around, in the expectation of behold- ing the Magsman; for as there appeared to be no other door than the one by which they had just entered the place, he, as a matter of course, presumed that they had reached their destination. He was, however, mastaken. Giving Page the candle to hold, the Gallows’ Widow speedily removed a quantity of straw that was heaped up in one corner; and raising a trap-door, she commenced the descent of a flight of steps, bidding the commercial traveller to follow her. He obeyed; but at this instant it struck him that should the Magsman suspect his treacherous purpose and seek to do him a mischief, how could he possibly summon the Bow Street officers to his assistance? — how were they to learn whither he had been conducted? Again did a cold tremor come over him, but, experiencing a full sense of the necessity of maintaining his presence of mind, he summoned all his courage to his aid, and followed the woman with a firm step. At the bottom of the stairs she threw open a door; and in another moment the commercial traveller was introduced into the presence of Joe the Magsman. This redoubtable individual was seated in a small cham- ber, furnished in a far more comfortable style than the other portions of the house which Page had as yet seen; and the bed, which stood in an alcove, or deep recess, was clean and neat in appearance. The walls were papered, there was a thick curtain over the small window, and a piece of carpet was stretched upon the floor. The Magsman was about forty years of age, — very tall, (CO) rl 0) Oy 0) (CO)