The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHER BAMBRIDGE’S ESTABLISHMENT 243 “My good fellow, I need not tell you that the place which we see opposite is a den of infamy. I and my com- panion have just been robbed there, and we mean to get in by some means or another, to compel the wretches to dis- gorge their plunder. Now will you assist us, or will you not? ” © Ah, that I cheerfully will,” exclaimed the little man, “for that Mother Bambridge is the scandal of the neigh- bourhood, and never spends a single penny at my shop.”’ The ludicrous connection of indignant morality and mor- tified selfishness which characterized the chandler’s ob- servation provoked another smile on the part of the two officers, but he was now ready to render them his assistance, and that was the essential. He led them-forth into his little yard, and showed them a ladder, which Stanley at a glance saw was just high enough for his purpose. The wall sepa- rating the two yards was quickly scaled by the captain and Lord Charles, — the chandler not offering to accompany them out of his own premises, for he was not endowed with a large amount of courage. The chief danger to be now appre- hended was that their proceedings might be observed from the infamous house, should any of the inmates be still up. Not a single blind, however, was seen to move; no sign was there of aught threatening to disturb them. The ladder was placed against the window of the room _ over the parlour to which the two officers had been conducted when in the house, and Captain Stanley, with his right hand in his coat pocket ready to draw forth a pistol, began to ascend the ladder, — Lord Charles Meredith remaining at the foot. On reaching the window, which had a dingy calico blind drawn down inside, the captain immediately perceived that the sashes were not fastened, and this was an immense advantage in favour of the success of the en- terprise. As noiselessly as possible did he begin raising the lower sash, and when he had thus lifted it about a foot, he raised the blind in order to peep in. A bed was near the window; a man lay upon it, with his clothes on, and on a chair by the side of that bed was a brace of pistols. The man was sleeping heavily, but a curtain concealed the upper part of his body, so that Captain Stanley could not discern his countenance, and the curtain was beyond the reach of his outstretched arm from the position where he now stood. CONMIC DOO S (C() mM