The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

224 THE COURT OF LONDON you inspect bail in the Bench just as you do horses at Tattersall’s? ” ‘“ Ay, and a precious sight keener, too, when you want to see whether they will pass muster,’ said Mr. Jenkins. ‘So if you like to give me a hundred guineas, — that is to say, forty for each of the bail to put in their pockets, and twenty for myself, — the job shall be done; and in less than a week you shall be out.” ‘But is it possible,’ cried the colonel, more and more bewildered, ‘‘ that any two wealthy gentlemen, worth ten thousand guineas each, can be moved by such a paltry consideration as forty pounds to incur so vast a risk on my account? ”’ “Oh, yes,” said Mr. Jenkins, with a peculiar smile; ‘“‘ the two chaps that I have got along with me here this evening would bail the devil if he would only pay them for it.” ‘You surprise me! ”’ cried the colonel. ‘‘ But where are these two immensely rich money-making gentlemen? ”’ ‘TI left them in the Tap, eating bread and cheese and onions; and I paid for a pot of half-and-half for them to enjoy themselves,’”’ coolly answered Mr. Joshua Jenkins. The colonel started with the sudden indignation of one who thought he was being bantered; but as a sudden idea struck him and the real truth flashed to his comprehension, he said: | ‘‘T suppose, then, that these people are what you call straw bail? ”’ ‘‘ Just so,” replied Mr. Jenkins. ‘‘ I am astonished you did not twig it all along. Lord bless you, it’s as easily done as possible. I’ll give you a proof. About a year ago a noble- man owing three thousand pounds was arrested by Simon the money-lender up at the West End. The nobleman’s father offered Simon fifteen shillings in the pound; but Simon obstinately refused anything less than the whole. Well, so the nobleman sent for me. I dressed up a tinker and a dog’s meat man in fine clothes, paid their rates and taxes for them, took them up before a judge, made them swear they were each worth six thousand pounds, and so justified bail for the young nobleman. He was let out and bolted to Guernsey, where he remained while I made terms with Simon for him. And now, sir, how much do you think that Simon was glad to take, after all?” CONMIC OOOlKS (EO) m