The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

278 THE COURT OF LONDON and gazing with mingled astonishment and alarm upon his companion. “Why, I mean that there’s a man in existence,” replied Coffin, “‘ who for years past has been spreading out a great web until he has covered the whole of London with the invisible meshes. And in the middle of this web does he sit like a sharp, cunning spider; while hundreds of flies are getting entangled in it without knowing it, as one may say, so that this great spider has got nothing to do but to come forth at any moment and seize upon any one of the flies that it fancies for its own precious picking. Or else maybe it will bide its time and pounce upon half a dozen or a dozen at a time, and of course make a terrible smash of them all.”’ ‘““T say, Dan’el, I can patter flash as well as any cross- cove going,’ observed Beneull; ‘“ but, by Jingo, if I can understand a single word of all this gibberish that you’ve been jabbering. Come now, let’s have a bit of English; ’cos why, all that there is Greek to me.”’ “JT can deuced soon explain myself,’ rejoined the Hang- man. ‘‘ Only fancy that Larry Sampson is this precious great spider, and that all the cross-coves, macers, magsmen, prigs, and cracksmen in London are the flies. Now do you understand me? ”’ “TI begin to do so,’ answered Bencull; “ but only just as a feller has a wacant idea of what he’s about Just when he’s getting sober after a deuced good booze.” “Then: listen,’ said the Hangman. ‘Larry Sampson has got a thundering big book, divided into three parts. In the first part he puts down the names of all people that the law looks with a suspicious eye upon; and I need hardly tell you that your name and mine ain’t omitted. In the second division of the book, there’s a list of all the flash cribs, fence-shops, and travellers’ houses in London; and again I need hardly say that your establishment isn't forgotten. But what’s more, every soul frequenting it is also put down in Larry’s book; so there’s me to begin with, then Jeremy Humpage, next the Swag Chovey Bloak, then Bob the Durrynacker, the Mushroom Faker, the Highflyer of Fakements, the Buttoner, Nell Gibson, and, in fact, all the select company that honour Mr. Bencull’s house with their presence.”’ | | EORMIELNCOLKS, (E00)