The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

1< * . | “has the merit, at least, of being to the party I lates oe . but the your illustrations indeed surprises me. I was unaware that you had been such an attentive student of literature and the fine arts.” “Humph!” added Greene, “if I had not feeg> it was not for want of opportunity; but have I never told you that I was at college for a few years in my youth ?” | « Never !” exclaimed it, with some mani- festation of surprise. “ ut knowing so little of your op life, of course my i se ‘a> 2 norance of that circumstance cele Fes | remember that our acquaint- in b bas ¢ short time back, and that when I osed the project I had in ‘view you were in different grade of society, t that——” “Th ve the subject,” interrupted his er. “Now, come to the point at once—what is it you vould have me ¢ do?” as my own part,” replied Mr, Parkins, his former oiliness of manner, “I do not see ba ca do better than consider the matrimonial wn ‘he It will give you that intro- ) eh which we want so much ain ons, and from which, besides, oe en be unjustly excluded.” * # And the lady—who is she?” “That, in return for a reservation upon your side, I must refrain from communicating until I know whe- ther my proposal be accepted.” me Well in a few days I will converse with you again on the subject; but fully understand, Parkins, that I still retain the right of having my actions un- restricted in this affair.” “ Certainly, certainly,” echoed that individual ; “un- restricted, of course. You shall sée her and judge for And now about those shares in the Man- chester and Huddersfield line?” “T went down this morning, as you suggested, to the share- broker, and secured them.” “Right; we shall have thus a command over the company, and after the ground has been bought, and our purposes answered, a sale can be easily effected.” -“* By the way, my business transactions seem to be so rapidly, that I was thinking of ist correspondence; for té confess the truth, it is what I care about the least. Besides, it takes such a con- foundedly long time to——” Mr. Fitzroy Greene’s remark was here interrupted 6 hs en’ ft serene who came with a note, which he handed to his master, and who added that there was a young man below from the firm of Free- man and Jakes, that wished to speak with him when at leisure. | raf ~ “Show him into the Greene, as he observed, “ our, John,” cried Mr. mething about those rail- | way shares, I suppose.” The servant left the room. ' ® And the note?” réminded Parkins, as he glanced y at the superscription. : -* Oh, I know what that is,” was the reply, “ a box for the opera to-night that I sent my fellow to’ pro- cure.” ' *Well, I must say you really know how to dispose of your funds,” continued Parkins, somewhat sar- castically, as he rose to depart. “I shall see you again about "that other little affair of ours, I suppose, on Thursday ?” --®J shall be at your disposal for that evening.” “Tf I¢an but once fix him securely in my toils,” muttered’ Mr. Parkins to himself, as, te yaar: the at the lich o¢ staircase, ha regained the outer street, “I shall then of | feél secure, and I cannot better ensure this than by putting my little plan into practice. I have no notion | of being the ladder that raised him to his elevation, and then to be kicked down directly there is no further occasion for its services. I must have him, for my own security, entirely within my power, or else he must give way to the conditions which 1 have laid | down.” And with these thoughts passing through his mind, and assuming increased importance as he reflected upon them more fully, the wily agent walked quickly onward in the direction of Charing Cross, where tak- ing a Brixton omnibus, he was speedily conveyed to his villa in that favourite suburban district. In the meantime Thorton had explained to Mr. Fitzroy Greene the purport of the business for which he came, and expressed his readiness to supply the presumed vacancy. A short series ‘of questiens en- sued, and his qualification for the office to be assigned him having been pronounced sufficicnt to answer the expectations that had been formed, an engagement on trial was entered into immediately, and the following day was named as the one which he was to begin, The firm which Thornton had mentioned having been considered a recommendation in itself, all preliminary inquiries as to character and integrity were dispensed with, and he parted with his future employer delighted with the nature of his reception, and prepared on the following morning to execute the tasks that might be imposed to the best of his ability. With his most sanguine expectations on the point of being realised, Henry Thornton now retraced his steps homeward, eager to communicate to his sister the tidings of his good fortune. It was besides grow- ing dusk, and the anxiety he knew Emma would feel at his prolonged absence caused him to hurry onward with as rapid a progress as he could. As usual in such attempts to shorten distances by taking a cross ing instead of the direct road, his unac- quaintance with the windings of the surrounding streets caused him to mistake tho direction he should have pursued, and the increasing darkness of the evening assisted in misleading him still further. For accumulating get- | some time he had wandered on, belie that e ‘ting a clerk ‘or secretary to manage that part of my Ha pie moment he should come to a landmark that was familiar to him, but the intricacy of the low neighbour- hood in which he had now got fairly bewildered was momentarily becoming more difficult to unravel, whilst the repulsive appearance of its inhabitants did not at all contribute to impress him with a conviction of his personal safety. Old women, wrinkled and haggard, with miserable garments hung loosely about them, bespeaking the lowest depths of poverty, were grouped together in one corner of the narrow thoroughfare; and sinister- looking men, with bloated, brutal features, the palpa- ble produce of a long course of dram-drinking, were gathered round another; whilst young girls, whose very language made the heart shudder and the ears burn, were dressed in the tawdry trappings of their loathsome trade, preparing to go forth for the night, in much the same spirit as a tiger might be supposed to quit his evening lair and prow! about remorselessly for prey. The dwellings tenanted by these miserable people were wretched hovels, utterly unfit for human habitation, and devoid of every thing resembling com- fort. The windows had paper thrust between the panes instead of glass; and the rafters, that had mouldered away piecemeal during a long series of years, now protruded through the dingy mortar, a STS CORNMICOOOKS (E) m