The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

THE GIBBET 183 his heavy feet stamping upon the hollow platform and then rushing down the ladder. For never, never were all Dysart’s faculties and organs of sense so acute as upon the present occasion; his very looks can penetrate dimly through the cotton nightcap drawn over his face. But ah! the sudden sound as of a bolt touched beneath his feet came thrilling up to his ear; and now again — but oh, with what an overwhelming force! — struck upon his soul the conviction that he was betrayed. Yes, now ’twas sure, certain, beyond all doubt. O horror, horror! horror of horrors! he was there on the drop —’twas giving way beneath his feet — ”’ It fell! The blood gushed upward like lightning into his brain, strong spasms convulsed him, and in a few moments he hung a lifeless corpse. The aristocratic party at the windows opposite remained until nine o’clock, when the body was cut down. They then returned to the Saracen’s Head, paid the bill liberally, and took their departure in the Earl of Curzon’s carriage toward the West End. But in the meantime the governor of Newgate was enter- taining the sheriff, the under-sheriffs, and the chaplain at breakfast, according to the custom which prevailed in those times relative to the mornings of public execution. “Poor Lady Ernestina!”’ said the governor, “ she will be dreadfully cut up. She all along made sure of her husband being reprieved; and when she left him last evening she expressed her conviction that she should meet him again to-day. From what she condescended to tell me, I also made certain that the extreme sentence would never be carried out.”’ ‘‘ Such also was my opinion,” observed the chaplain. ‘“‘ In fact, when you, sir,’’ — addressing himself to the sheriff, — “ called me out of the prisoner’s cell and produced that paper from your pocket, I made sure that it was the reprieve. You might have observed how startled I was when I looked over its contents.”’ ‘I did not pay particular notice,” said the sheriff, with an air of indifference, as he ate his muffin. ‘‘ But, by the bye, you did not see it,”’ he observed, turning toward the governor and the under-sherifts. EONNIC OOO (C) mM