The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

THE EXAMINATION moment to examine something that had struck me to be a 167 defect in the wall. Dudley continued advancing in front, and he had just entered the courtyard, when a cry burst from his lips, and he fell down heavily. I rushed forward, and at the very same moment that I thus bounded into the yard by one passage, I caught a glimpse of a female dressed in black plunging into another passage on the opposite side. I did not pursue her because I was struck motionless by the horrible spectacle which met my eyes. William Dudley lay a corpse at my feet. For nearly a minute I must have remained spellbound, — speechless, paralyzed, transfixed with dread horror. At length the very excess of anguish forced me into motion; my limbs were unlocked, my tongue became unloosened. Raising the cry of ‘ Murder,’ I fell upon my knees, by the side of the bleeding victim, and I know not how long a period elapsed, but certainly not many minutes, ere some labourers appeared, dragging in a female dressed in black. The instant that I caught sight of the mourning garments and heard her screams, I naturally concluded that she was the murderess, and I believe that I said so at the time.” “But you did not catch a glimpse of the face of the female figure whom you saw flitting away from the scene of the murder? ”’ exclaimed Counsellor Sharply. ‘No, I saw not the face then,”’ exclaimed Eaton. ‘And you cannot swear that the female figure seen in the first instance was the prisoner at the bar? ”’ “That would be swearing to the effect that I know beyond all doubt that the prisoner at the bar is the murder- ess,’ replied Eaton; “‘ whereas I should be sorry to make an averment half so positive. And I beg you to believe,” he added, emphatically, ‘‘ that I sincerely, ardently, unfeignedly hope her innocence will transpire.” ‘No doubt it will,’’ exclaimed Counsellor Sharply: though at the moment he did not precisely see how such a consum- mation was to be reached, for the evidence was certainly of a most damnatory nature against his client. He then proceeded to cross-question Mr. Eaton, who~ frankly admitted that he knew of no possible reason which could induce the prisoner to assassinate his valet. evidently was not for the sake of plunder, inasmuch as the murderess must have seen him (Eaton) inside the passage It (C(O) } (Ss {