The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 207: what you’re looking at

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

AN EXPLOSION 181 thought that the Reverend Mr. Sneaksby’s confidential domestic had suddenly gone mad. But Mr. Jones, to whose comprehension all the perfidy of the pious gentlemen suddenly became clear and apparent as daylight, was resolved to recover his daughter; and, rushing up the steps, he began to knock furiously at the front door. For some time no regard was paid to his noisy summons; and _ therefore he continued to knock, and knock, as if inspired with a determination to break in the door on the one hand ‘and arouse the whole neighbourhood on the other. Doubt- less both these catastrophes were at last apprehended by the inmates of the house, and they therefore thought it prudent to capitulate. Accordingly, Mr. Ichabod Paxwax opened the door and besought Mr. Jones to step in and “ settle the matter amicably; ”’ but Mr. Jones being a very passionate individual was not to be soothed or coaxed by the bland appeal of the chosen vessel. He therefore preferred taking his stand on the threshold, and bawling out to his daughter to come forth from “ that den of hypocrisy.” Awfully scandalized at this proceeding; Brother Paxwax used every endeavour to pacify the irate Mr. Jones; but Mr. Jones was not to be pacified at any price short of the surrender of his daughter, and as this consummation did not appear to be nigh at hand, he continued to bawl and vociferate more lustily than ever. The Reverend Mr. Sneaksby accordingly came forth to see what effect his eloquence would have in the matter; and he began by denying in the most positive terms that Ann Jones was in his house at all, alleging that he certainly possessed a maid servant very much like her, but whose name was Mary Smith. For a few moments Mr. Jones was staggered, and really began to think it just possible that he had made a mistake; but all on a sudden he caught sight of an umbrella — his own umbrella — which he instantaneously recognized as the one that his daughter had taken away with her on the day of her disappearance. Bounding into the passage like an infuriate bull-dog, Mr. Jones seized upon the umbrella, and therewith set to work to belabour the Rever- end Mr. Sneaksby so unmercifully that the pious vessel was covered all over with bruises before he had even time to raise an arm in self-defence. Mr. Paxwax roared out, ‘* Mur- der!” and Mr. Sneaksby vociferated, “‘ Fire!’’ or anything COU Doo SS (EO)