The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XVIII MOTHER BAMBRIDGE’S ESTABLISHMENT FoLuowi1ne the constable’s directions, the two adven- turous military officers took the turn to the right and then the second to the left, this latter bringing them into an alley which was very narrow at its entrance, but suddenly wi- dened somewhat as they advanced into it, from the fact of the houses being built farther back on either side. ‘These houses which thus stood back were higher than those at the entrance of the alley, and they had wooden fences in front, enclosing what were meant to be little bits of garden, about a couple of yards wide. Midway down the alley stood two public-houses, nearly fronting each other; or to be more particular still, one was a public-house and the other a beer shop. Over the former was a flaring gaslight, over the latter a lamp of more modest pretensions, but the two together illumined all that part of the alley. Lights were still burning in several of the adjacent houses, and as the drizzling rain had by this time ceased, there was no misty veil to obscure the light thus thrown forth. From both public-house and beer shop the sounds of uproarious revelry pealed forth, and in such discordant strains as to leave a doubt in the minds of the two officers whether there was not as much wrangling as merriment in the din which thus smote their ears. In front, too, of both these houses of entertainment several loose women — some apparelled with flaunting pretension — were loitering in company with men who were dressed in what may be termed a “ swellish style.” A little beyond the beer shop, a black doll with a piece of white calico wrapped around, doubtless to serve as a frock, swung over the door of a rag and bottle shop, — the 233 GoOmiGoaooks (EO) mn