The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRINCE AND THE ORPHAN 135 I take Almighty God to witness that I will plunge headlong into the awful chasm below.” Scarcely were these terrible words uttered, when Mrs. Brace appeared at the trap-door; and an indescribable consternation seized upon her as she beheld the young maiden balancing herself upon the edge of that precipice, like a bird upon a twig of the tallest tree of the forest. “My God! my God!” murmured the milliner, the dread horror of the first instant now changing into a vertigo which appeared to whirl her around and around ‘“ Rose! Rose! I conjure you to return! ” exclaimed the prince, who was likewise a prey to a hideous giddiness, pro- duced by the sight of that charming young girl hovering on the very brink of destruction. ‘‘ Dare to touch me now, and I leap into the embrace of death! ” cried Rose, her voice swelling into the pean of a thrilling triumph, for she knew that her honour was now safe, even though its security were to be purchased by the sacri- fice of her life. And having spoken these animated words, she began to tread lightly and rapidly along the parapet, while the prince and Mrs. Brace followed her with their eyes, speechless horror enthralling them, and neither daring to move hand nor foot, so utterly absorbed in the frightful spectacle were they. For it seemed as if the slightest breath or the contact of a feather would cause the maiden to lose her balance and hurl her down into the abyss that yawned below. | On she went, heeding them not, treading cautiously though lightly and rapidly. She might have stepped off the parapet back upon the roof, and thus pursued her way in comparative safety; but then the prince would start from the stupor of consternation and spring forward in pursuit. For the risk which she was daring was the talis- man that held him thus spellbound; and therefore in her present appalling peril, in one sense, lay all her chance of safety in another. Upwards of a minute was thus passed ,— tremendous danger to herself and exquisite suspense to the vile prince and the~ infamous woman who beheld her. On she went, the slightest giddiness or the least tripping, and she would be lost. But no, Providence watched over her thus far; and she gained in safety the attic-window of an adjacent house. CORNUC