... blocks of limestone. Down in the
hotel office three or four of the labourers were growling and swearing over a
belated game of checkers. Heavy odours of stewed meat, hot grease, and
cheap coffee ... hostelry.
The din of the day's quarrying was over the blasting and drilling, the
creaking of the great cranes, the shouts of the foremen, the backing and
shifting of t...
... I. "The songs of swans are for luckier ears. They swim and
curve their necks in artificial lakes on the estates of the wealthy to delight
the eyes of the favorites of Fortune."
... on the top of a hotel; and here, for a few minutes, I
thought I had made a score. An east wind, almost cool, blew across the
roofless roof. A capable orchestra concealed in a bower of wi...
... the neighborhood of
Whitechapel. The Jew stopped for an instant at the corner of the street; and,
glancing suspiciously round, crossed the road, and struck off in the direction
of the Spitalfields. ... same time, most unmusical snatches of song, mingled with wild
execrations. At length, in a fit of professional enthusiasm, he insisted upon
producing his box of housebreaking to...
... It was
a history of the lives and trials of great criminals; and the pages were soiled
and thumbed with use. Here, he read of dreadful crimes that made the blood
run cold; of secret murders ... at the head of the stairs, with a candle. ‘Oh!
That’s the time of day. Come on!’
This was a very strong expression of approbation, an uncommonly hearty
welcome, from a person of M...
... myself off to sleep, when I heerd the noise again,
distinct.’
’What sort of a noise?’ asked the cook.
’A kind of a busting noise,’ replied Mr. Giles, looking round him.
’More like the noise of ... expressive of the most
unmitigated horror.
’I tossed off the clothes,’ said Giles, throwing away the table-cloth, and
looking very hard at the cook and housemaid, ‘got softly out of...
... INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT OF
THE INMATES OF THE HOUSE, TO WHICH
OLIVER RESORTED
In a handsome room: though its furniture had rather the air of old-fashioned
comfort, than of modern elegance: ... never heard of such a thing!’ exclaimed the fat gentleman. ‘My dear Mrs.
Maylie—bless my soul—in the silence of the night, too—I NEVER heard of
such a thing!’
With these expressions...
... ‘em
off’en. He warn’t one of the family, at that time; and one night he was
robbed of three hundred and twenty-seven guineas in a canvas bag, that was
stole out of his bedrrom in the dead of ... for there was traces of blood, all the way to some palings
a good distance off; and there they lost ‘em. However, he had made off with
the blunt; and, consequently, the name of Mr. Ch...
... gravestones, but full of humble
mounds, covered with fresh turf and moss: beneath which, the old people of
the village lay at rest. Oliver often wandered here; and, thinking of the
wretched grave ... the parlour, without a word of
parley.
He looked anxiously round; not an article of furniture; not a vestige of
anything, animate or inanimate; not even the position of the cu...
...
chamber! How often did a tremble shake his frame, and cold drops of terror
start upon his brow, when a sudden trampling of feet caused him to fear that
something too dreadful to think of, had even ... much of brightness and
mirth in the sunny landscape; such blithesome music in the songs of the
summer birds; such freedom in the rapid flight of the rook, careering
overhead; so...
... reminded of his unbecoming costume, snatched off and pocketed
his nightcap; and substituted a hat, of grave and sober shape, which he took
out of the chaise. This done, the postboy drove off; Giles, ... called for a mug of ale,
announced, with an air of majesty, which was highly effective, that it had
pleased his mistress, in consideration of his gallant behaviour on the
occa...