The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 260: what you’re looking at

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

230 ~ THE COURT OF LONDON beheld the remains of the once handsome, elegant, but un- fortunate Raymond. But in order that no evidence calculated to establish this identity should remain disregarded, the pockets of the deceased were searched. A purse full of money was found upon him, his watch was safe in his fob, and on his finger was a diamond ring of immense value. It therefore became evident that, if he had been foully dealt with, plunder was not the object of his assassins. But his papers — his letters? Ah! these were indeed found in his pocketbook; but the damp had committed such ravages upon them that all the writing was utterly obliterated, and the documents them- selves fell to pieces when touched. And now arose the questions, ‘‘ Was it really murder, or might it not have been suicide? ’’ and ‘“‘ If it were murder, who could have done it? ”’ ‘‘ Murder — and nothing less,’”’ exclaimed Mr. Rigden’s head clerk, who had all his wits about him despite the shock- ing scene whereof he had so unexpectedly become a witness. ** Look here, the mouth is held open by a gag, something between the teeth, — it seems like a bit of sponge — ”’ ‘‘ And so it is,”’ said the overseer. ‘‘ Poor young gentleman, he has been foully murdered.”’ ‘‘ And it was on the very day of his disappearance that the stone was found to have fallen,’”’ observed young Brooks. ‘‘ True, lad,’’ said the overseer. “‘ And what’s more, one of the men declared at the time that as he was coming down yon hill to his work, he saw a carriage driving away post- haste up the lane; but we didn’t think much about it then—”’ ‘“‘ And now that incident becomes of value and importance,” the Marchioness of Bellenden hastened to observe. ‘ For my part, I take the earliest opportunity of declaring that no one in this district must be suspected of the deed, — no one dwelling in this vicinage must be pointed to as the supposed author of the tremendous crime. No, that carriage which was seen departing so hurriedly on the morning of the catastrophe affords the clue — the only feasible clue — to the reading of the mystery; and the Justice of Heaven will sooner or later overtake the murderer.” ‘“‘ Provided the chain of evidence is duly followed up, my lady,’’ said the lawyer’s clerk; ‘‘ and I admit with your ladyship that the circumstance of the carriage is the first CONNIE IOOKS m