The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXIX A COMPROMISE Mrs. Brace had not failed to recognize Elizabeth Marks the instant her looks fell upon the pale but far from ill- favoured countenance of that woman whom she knew to be her husband’s mistress. And here we should observe that the Gallows’ Widow was not attired in her wonted apparel of mourning weeds; for she had laid aside that too distinctive dress ever since she became notoriously implicated in the affair of Joe Warren’s escape from Newgate. Nevertheless, it was easy to recognize her, now that the dark veil which she wore to conceal her countenance was lifted from those pale features; and thus a mortal terror was carried to the soul of Mrs. Brace at the very same instant that Peter Grumley pounced upon the Gallows’ Widow and made her his prisoner. For the milliner now perceived at a glance all the variety and menacing nature of those difficulties which had suddenly sprung up around her. Elizabeth Marks knew that her real name was Warren, and that she was, in sooth, the wife of the redoubtable Magsman; and these facts she might blurt forth in the presence of Grumley. Nay, more, she might even pro- claim Mrs. Brace’s complicity in the escape of the Magsman from Newgate; and thus the reputation, the honour, and even the personal safety of the unhappy milliner would be so completely in the power of the Bow Street officer that she would not dare return a negative to any favour he might ask of a tender nature, or any extortion he might practise in a pecuniary point of view. Nor did Mr. Grumley fail to observe the stupor of conster- ea nation which seized upon Mrs. Brace the moment her eyes encountered the Gallows’ Widow; and even if he had not noticed any such emotion on the part of the milliner, he 247 (C(O) ANC 6)(0)(0) <Sii