The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

NELL GIBSON 237 cough which brought te scalding rheum into her bleared eyes. ‘“ By Satan! ” BoMintied Coffin, ferociously, “‘ I shall have the satisfaction of tucking you up before I die, you infernal old beldam! Why, I don’t believe you were ever in a respect- able house in your life! ”’ ‘“‘That’s true enough,’’ answered the hag, with her horrible chuckle. “ 1 was born in such a house as this, I was bred in it, | became prematurely old in it,’”’ she continued, glancing emcatly toward the girls upon the sofa. ‘I nie been the child of crime, the mother of crime, and the widow of crime; and now I may say I am the great-great-grand- mother of crime. Lord bless ye, you won’t see one in a thousand, no, nor yet one in a million, that comes to my age after passing all one’s life in such hokaee as this here. They mostly die in ditches, or on dunghills, or in hospitals or workhouses, long, long before they come to even half my age.”’ “ Hold your tongue, you old witch!” ejaculated Nell Gibson, half-starting from her chair in a rage. ‘I declare if you’re allowed to let your tongue run on like this, I’ll leave the house.”’ “It’s shameful to let Mother Franklin talk just as she likes,’ observed the young females upon the sofa; but they did not threaten to leave the house, for they were entirely in Mrs. Young’s power; whereas Nell Gibson was totally independent of the woman. “There, take that, you old beldam, and be off! ”’ said the Hangman, savagely, tossing her a shilling: Mother Franklin, who had thrown a look of diabolical spite upon Nell Gibson when she threatened to leave the house, now fastened the same malignant look upon the Hangman, muttering to herself, “‘ What! only a shilling, a beggarly shilling, for fetching that wine and standing all this abuse!’’ Then suddenly picking up the coin, she bustled out of the room, laughing with that hideous laugh which was between a cackle and a cough. The Hangman, perceiving that he had just drawn the ancient harridan into a conversation which had thrown a damp upon the spirits of those present, hastened to pour out the wine and pass around the glasses, the contents of which were speedily disposed of. The girls upon the sofa CONNICOO© S (SO)