The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

THE GUILLOTINE 99 of the three, but he was a man of more dogged resolution and decided character than his comrades. On ascending the cart they all three gave signs of a cold horror stealing upon them as they beheld their coffins, and for a moment the expression which swept over Hernani’s and Walden’s features was full of anguish. Kobolt hastened to seat himself on the edge of the vehicle in such a way that the priest might stand between him and the piled-up coffins. No manifestation of feeling broke forth from the crowd assembled in front of the prison. There were neither hootings nor yellings, but, on the other hand, there were no expres- sions of compassion. The desperate characters of the three criminals had so fully transpired on the occasion of their trial that their fate was not likely to enlist much sympathy in their favour. | Again the prison door opens, and now all eyes are turned upon the wretched object who comes forth. It is Mrs. Ranger. Hideous as she already was when Loftus saw her a few hours back, yet more awful still was the change which had since taken place in her appearance. No conception of the most horrible witch that ever brewed her hell-broth in hollow rock or gloomy cavern could outvie the revolting aspect of the doomed woman. It was evident she was exerting all her courage for this awful occasion, evident also that she had worked herself thus up to a pitch of energy which would give way with the least untoward incident. On issuing forth from the gaol, she swept her eyes around with a quick glance of apprehension, as if fearful of receiving ill-treatment from the multitude, and then the very next moment she seemed appalled by the silence so deep, so omi- nous, which prevailed. Not a murmur was heard, not a syllable was breathed, even in the lowest whisper, as the turnkeys helped her up into the cart. She threw a shuddering look upon the coffins, and it was only with an almost preter- human effort that she prevented herself from giving vent to her anguish by one loud, long, and terrific shriek. The cart moved on. The three men were, as already stated, attended by the Catholic priest, and Mrs. Ranger had the Protestant minister with her. In order that the voices of the two holy men might not jar with each other and create confusion for the ears of the doomed ones, they each spoke in low tones, perhaps all the more impressive (CONN GDOOo <Si in