The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

46 THE COURT OF LONDON hood drawn over his countenance, which was further shaded by a dingy cap having an enormous frill. He carried a bundle of matches in his hand, and in this disguise posted himself exactly opposite the door of the chandler’s shop. Nearly an hour passed, and no one came forth. But several halfpence were thrust into Sampson’s hand by poor working men and their wives returning home, and who took him to be an aged beggar-woman. He was sorry thus to receive the donations of humble charity; but he could not refuse them, for fear of exciting suspicion and perhaps leading to detection and disturbance. Time passed on, midnight was proclaimed by the iron tongue of Clerkenwell Church, and still Larry stayed at his post. He would have remained there till morning if neces- sary; but observing no lights in Taggarty’s bedroom, he felt assured that the chandler had not as yet retired to rest. Presently the shop door opened, and Taggarty himself appeared upon the threshold, looking anxiously up and down. Sampson, in a whining voice, besought charity; but the chandler, taking no heed of the prayer, retired into the shop. Immediately afterward a woman came forth as far as the threshold, and also looked intently up and down the narrow street. A light from an opposite window gleamed upon her countenance, and Sampson had no difficulty in recognizing Sally Melmoth. She retired into the shop, the door of which still remained open; and in a few minutes Dick Melmoth, whom Larry also recognized, came forward with the evident object .of ascertaining if the coast was clear. Sampson saw that something strange was going on; but of what it was he had not the most distant suspicion. He nevertheless determined to ascertain the point, if possible, and was rejoiced that he had thus kept watch upon the chandler’s premises. Dick Melmoth having retired again as the others had done, there was another pause in the proceedings; and then, at the expiration of about two minutes, a man hurried forth and sped down the hill toward the Sessions House. He was muffled in a great thick coat, wore a broad-brimmed hat, much slouched over his features, and all the lower part of his face was concealed in a thick shawl neckerchief. ‘Do, dear sir, for the love of Heaven, bestow your charity on a poor old woman,’ said Larry Sampson, with CORNICE OOKS.EO