The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

50 grinder,—* this work may take a little longer time. But I could do either in an hour, generally speak- ing.” “That will do. Now wheel your rattle-trap out of the road, behind these trees, and wait till 1 come back.” Having thus spoken, John the footman hastened back into the house; and in a few minutes he re- turned with an umbrella and a couple of pairs of scissors in his hands. “ There’s our cook’s old cotton umbrella which she wants mended,” he said: “and these scissors belong to the housemaid and tiring-woman. You'll do them nicely, of course? But these keys,” added the footman, in a lower tone, as he produced the articles named, “ are mine—and this old rusty one must be made exactly like that new bright one.” “ All right—and no questions axed,” returned the knife-grinder. “Come back in three-quarters of an hour, and everything shall be done.” John the footman accordingly hurried back into the house; and the knife-grinder fell to work in the field, behind the clump of trees, where he had wheeled his machine. He first ground the scissors, whistling all the time in a free and easy fashion, as if perfectly at case within himself, despite the little trouble to which he had alluded as the cause of a somewhat precipitate flight from London. Having disposed of the scissors, he sate down and cobbled up the umbrella: and then he examined the keys. They were both small, but of the same size, al- though utterly dissimilar in respect to the wards ; and as the knife-grinder examined the bright key, he muttered to himself, “ Ah! this belongs to » patent lock—and a pretty intricate thing it is, tov - But I dare say I can manage the business.” Then, opening a drawer which fitted into the frame-work of his machine, he carefully examined a number of keys contained therein. ‘Those keys were of all sorts, shapes, fashions, and sizes; and it seemed impossible that there could be in ex- istence a lock which at least some of them would not open. At length the kmnife-grinder found amongst the collection a key which exactly cor- responded with the bright one which the footman had left with him. As for the old rusty key also placed in his hands by the livery-servant, he tossed it amongst the others in the drawer, which he then shut and carefully fastened. Having. thus easily performed his work, he smoked his pipe until the three-quarters of an hour had elapsed—when John re-appeared from Mrs. Owen’s mansion. “ Well, have you finished 2” he inquired, anxiously. “If Lhadn’t, L should still be at work,” answered the knife-grinder. Here’s the humbereller—and here’s the scithors ——” * But the keys?” demanded. John, with an im- patience which he could not subdue. * Here,” returned the knife-grinder. “ And now I'll be bound you can’t tell me which is the new’un and which is the old ’un.” * No—imay I be hanged if I can!” exclaimed the livery-servant, comparing the two keys with mingled admiration and surprise. “By jingo! you're a clever fellow and a quick workman: why, one would think it must have taken pretty nearly all the time to polish that cursed old rusty key that I gave you—to say nothing about the altering of all the wards,” ite Tso THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. * You see I’m accustomed to it,” observed the knife-grinder, carelessly. “But I should think you yourself can hardly tell which of these keys was the rusty one,” said John. “T should be a foolif I coulan’t diskiver my own work,” replied the man, bluntly. “But come—tip us the rhino—I want to be off and get a glass of ale— for this is cussed dry work.” “Well, I won’t keep you, my good fellow,” said John. “There’s the guinea I promised—and here’s half-a-crown to pay for the other things and get yourself some ale with.” “Thank’ee kindly, master. And now just tell us where they draw a good drop of beer?” “ Why, the best is at the King’s Arms yonder,” returned the footman. “Good evening.” “Good evening’, master,” said the knife-grinder: and catching up the handles of his barrow-like machine, he trundled it back into the road, whistling blithely as he went along. CHAPTER XIV. THE TAP-ROOM. An hour afterwards — that is to say, at about nine o’clock in the evening — John the foot- man repaired to the King’s Arms ale-hiyuse. As he passed the bar, he nodded to the lancilord with the familiarity of a well-known frequenter of the ‘house; and he was about to enter the tap-room, when a thought struck him and he stopyyed short. **Has a knife-grinding fellow been here this evening ?” he inquired of the host, who ‘jas a stout, jolly-looking man, with an honest countenance and a rubicund complexion. * Yes—about two hours back, I should think it must be,” was the answer. “He only tooka glass of ale and went off. But why do you ask?” “ Oh! merely because I wanted th fellow to do some little jobs for me; and as he passed along: the road just now Lasked him where he was going, and he said to the King’s Arms. But it’s no matter—I suppose he’s off on the ‘7amp again.— Is any one in the tap-room ?” “Two persons, I think,” answer:d the landlord: “and one of ’em inquired if yoa’d been in this evening. I fancy he’s the sami that Ive seen here before in your company.” “Ah! I expected some one—-it’s all right—an acquaintance of mine,” observed John, affecting: a careless manner. ‘ Who’s the other ?” “T don’t know—a country-looking fellow,” was the reply. “ What shall I bring you in?” “ Ale—a pint of your best,” returned John: and having thus given his orders, he passed on and en- tered the tap-room. As the Jandlord had stated, he found two per- sons there. One was his friend Daniel the Hangman: the other was an individual in a pea- sant’s garb, with a matited shock of light hair, a florid complexion, and a peculiarly stolid look, His age seemed to be midway between thirty and forty; and from his gemeral appearance he was evidently a farm-labourer. He sate in a corner of the room, and was busily engaged in discussing a supper of bread and cheese, which he seasoned : Gomichooks:com