The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE COURT OF LONDON The young woman then took her departure; and when she was gone, Larry Sampson thought within himself, ‘“‘ The plot is a clumsy one, and even without Mother Franklin’s warning, I should not have fallen very readily into the snare. But that Nell Gibson is a clever and a cunning girl, and performs her part well. However, she and her comrades will all be astonished at the lesson I shall read them to-night.” The Bow Street officer then resumed the perusal of his book with as much calmness and composure as if nothing extraordinary were on the tapis; but at about half-past nine o’clock he prepared to sally forth, having previously, however, given some special instructions to his housekeeper relative to the mode in which a certain pee was to be received during his absence. Meantime the Hangman, the Buttoner, the Mushroom Faker, and Bob the Durrynacker were all assembled at the dark a in company with Bencull. This precious company was seated in that same room at the back to which our readers have been previously introduced, and the table was as usual covered with the materials for drinking and smoking, or, aS the men themselves expressed it, “‘ a regular booze.”’ ‘Well, do you still think your blowen is staunch in this matter?’ asked the Hangman, addressing himself to the Buttoner. ‘“T have no reason as yet to think otherwise,’’ was the response. ‘‘ But of course, after the tricks she has already played us, 1t is impossible to say. She ought to be back by this time, and then we shall see what she says.”’ ‘‘ And if she did mean to betray us in any way, how should we know it? ”’ asked Bencull. ‘She can’t betray us into Sampson’s power for anything particular we are doing at this moment,’’ observed the Hangman. ‘ All the harm she can do is to put him up to snuff respecting our intentions toward him; and in that case of course he won’t come down and hide himself in the gal- lery.”’ At this moment a knock was heard at the street door, and Bencull, hastening to answer the summons, gave ad- mittance to Nell Gibson. The young woman entered the back room with her wonted calmness and self-possession. Indeed, there was no reason why she should look or feel otherwise, inasmuch as so far from contemplating any Gomicbooks (E(0)