The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

96 THE COURT OF LONDON as you know, already lies in a premature grave, and the other two —”’ ‘Speak, what of them?” demanded Mrs. Ranger, seeing that he hesitated. ‘Tell me everything. Methinks I shall die more easily if I know the worst in every respect, because my feelings must be relieved from all suspense. Speak, then.” “Yes, for the reason you have set forth, I will answer your question,” rejoined Loftus. ‘‘ Know, then, that Agatha and Julia are the inmates of a madhouse; their senses have abandoned them for ever.” “OQ God! this is horrible— and yet it is better than death. Mr. Loftus, I am calm now; my soul is nerved to meet my doom. Farewell.”’ ‘ Farewell, and may Heaven have mercy upon you.” In a few moments the door opened to give Jocelyn Loftus egress from the cell of the doomed woman. The turnkey and the Protestant minister were walking together in the _ passage, and as our hero issued forth from the dungeon, the reverend pastor went in to give the last consolations of religion to Mrs. Ranger. As our hero crossed the threshold of the prison gate again and stepped into the street, the church clocks proclaimed the hour of midnight, but the moment the iron tongues of the huge bells in the towers had ceased to beat the air with their deep metallic notes, a smaller bell with sombre tone took up the sound. This was rung by a watchman passing up the street in which the prison was situated, and when he had made his bell clang forth half a dozen consecutive strokes, he said, in a loud but lugubrious voice, ‘‘ Past midnight! Good people all, pray for the souls of those who are to die in a few hours! ”’ Jocelyn shuddered, and, quickening his pace, he returned to the Hotel Royal, where he had taken up his quarters since the terrible tragedy at Maravelli’s. CORDICLOOO (CO