Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

S6 THE COURT OF LONDON derly brought up until about the age of twelve, when she was enticed away from her home and parents by some vile old woman; and ever since she had clung to the life of dissipation and profligacy which we now find her pursuing. It wanted about twenty minutes to the midnight hour when Mr. Page, dressed in the shabbiest suit of clothes which the porter at Hodson and Morley’s had to lend him, and with his face and hands purposely smeared over with dirt, entered the Kinechin-Ken. But scarcely had he reached the thresh- old of the door opening into the front room, when the scene that burst upon his sight produced such a poignant sensa- tion of loathing that he stood for a few moments almost motionless with mingled surprise, horror, and disgust. For simultaneously as his eyes were seared by the spectacle of half-naked girls and wretched boys wrapped in rags, all engaged in a hideous orgy, his ears were assailed by the jabber of many tongues, all enunciating language of the most obscene, filthy, and profane description. In fact, the Beggar’s Staff was a perfect paradise compared with this pandemonium that now broke upon his view; and the society he had seen at the former place appeared angels of light in contrast with the juvenile specimens of brutalized humanity that were huddled together in the Kinchin-Ken. “Oh, I say, Bill, here’s a feller a-comin’ whose face is quite unbeknown,”’ exclaimed one of the thieves, catching sight of Mr. Page. ‘“‘ We’ll make him stand a pot or two, or I’m jiggered. Come in, old feller. Don’t stand on nothink like ceremony. We'll make room for yer.” Page, recovering his self-possession, instantly accepted the invitation thus blurted forth at the top of a voice which sounded like an asthmatic bagpipe; and immediately three or four little wretches of boys and girls made a place for him at their table, giggling heartily amongst themselves while ne was taking his seat, as if it were excellent fun. “Now, then, old feller, wot’ll yer stand? ’’ demanded the youth who had already addressed him. ‘ Our lush is heavy vet, yer see,’ he continued, turning a pewter pot upside down to prove that it was empty. ‘“T shall be very glad to stand a few quarts of beer for this good company,” said Page, throwing into his manner and voice as much coarseness as he could, and at the same time flinging two or three shillings down upon the table. EONNIE KOOKS (E(0) m