The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

Mies," exclaimed Grumley. “It is epaw for you to know that she has teak up your case mery kind in- deed—and Ceunsellor Sharply is engaged to make a fight for you—and I'm resalved to save you, hap- pen what will, But in order that our endesvours may be crowned wath auccesa, yeu mast promise to do exactly what I tell you and act previeely as I shall our” “ Aad will you guarantee my safety on those con- ditions 2” demanded Caroline eagerly—for now that a hope was once more excited on her soul, she longed —oh! how eagerly she loaged to live not only for the sake of life itealf, but also for the purposes of her darkly-oberished vengeance | © Mies Waltecs,” anid Gramley, in a firm, decisive, ang almoet arhitzary tone,-— you muat atiok co the - path that I am about to chalk out for you, and then ul guasantes your asafety—but not unless.” “ Tell me ali that I am to do,” observed the young girl, “aad you shell find me obadient and docile.” “In the first place,” resumed Grumley, “ you must not be aurprised if you see my man Mabbs here get up inte the wituess-box aad say all be poc- sibly can againat you—beceuse that’s our wocation. Besides, it’s neosssary that we should appear rayther Dither againet you than too Kind, of else we should be suspected of doing on purpose the thing that’s happen exterwarde, and which mmusn’t agom to be through any fault of our'n.” “J do not underatand you, az,” asid Caroline. “Bat you will before the day’s over, my dear,” returned Gruonley; “and you will bless your stars that you ever fell in with such a good-hearted creetur’ asITam. ForI tell you that by nine o'clock this evening you shall be free—at large—in safety—al- though things will go precious queer against you presently. But this is what you must do:—When all the evidence on the side of the prosecution has been disposed ef, and the magistrate asks you what you have to say why you shouldn’t be committed for trial, yeu caust at ance and emphatically declare your innacence.” “ And I am inagoent!” exclaimed Caroline, with a stragge commingling of hauteur and indignation in her tope and maasner. “That's just the way to say it before the magis- | trate, Mise,” observed Grumiley, with as much cool- neas ap if it were a mere stage-cehearsal, “ His wor- ship will then ask you what proof you have to advance--and Counsellor Sharply will probably re- commend you texeserve your defunce—because the Counsellor won’t know what my after-plans are. But you must speak out boldly and say that if the magis- trate will allow you to visit the house in Fore Street where the murder was committed, you will there show the constable who shall accompany you, the most striking and startling proofs of your innocence, Now, can you manage to say all this with a firm and resolute alr—an air that looks like innocence, you know 2” “ Asepredily I can,” answered Caroline: “and the mere aa, inasmuch as 1 am innocent——Oh! my Gotl—-I am reallg and truly innocent—or may [ perish this very moment! But proceed: what next am I to dot” “Leave the rest to me,” answered Grumley. “© Only do what I have told yau—and do it well—and Pil guarantee thas you shan’t sleep in a prison to- night. And what's more,” added the head con- table, “I am to give you fifty guiness for Mn. Brace, which amiable lady has took a wery lively interest in your welfare. But mind—not a word about vengeance against the late Mra. Lindley—nor Mrs. Brace—ner against your seduecr: all that kind of palaver wii] do the cause no good—and may pre- vent the magistrate from granting the request which yon are to make, But here we are at his worship’s ouse,”” And as Mr. Peter Grumley mttered these lagt words, the hackney-eqach stopped. In the times of which we are writing there was no regularly established police-court on the Surrey side of the metropolis, and prisoners were accordingly taken to the “iwellings of the justices of the peace residing in that district. It was therefore at the pri- vate residence of @ local magistrate that the present case was to be investigated; but his worship hsd a jarge room fitted up with all the miniature conve- niences similar to those which on a larger scale cha- racterised the police-office in Bow Street. And this room was crowded tp excess when Caroline Walters was introduced precisely es the elock struck one— the hour which his wership bad appointed to take ue case, when all the night-charges were disposed o Counsellor Sharply was seated in the fittle pew to | provided for the accommodation of counsel; and he bestowed a nod of recognition upon Mr. Peter Grumlcy as this official escorted Caroline Walters to the dock, the steps of which she mounted with a firmness of tread and of demeanour which produced different impressions on those present. For whereas in every assembly there is a majority of persons who are always inclined to look upon the dark and. the evil side of human nature in preference to the bright and the good,—so on this occasion did the larger portion of the audience immediately attribute Caroline's manner to the hardihood of a guilt which strove to assume the brazen front of innocence,— while the minority of the spectators, whe after all [ were the more humane as well as the better expe- rienced, shook their heads mvsterionsly and said te themselves, “That young creature is a victim, and not a criminal !”’ Rapid but searching was the glance whieh the prisoner threw around the Court to ascertain if there were any familiar faces there: and her looks settled upon the late Mrs. Lindley’s two servants, who were seated on a bench together with one of the constables that had taken Caroline into custody on the night of the murder. And now the examination commenced by the magistrate’s clerk inquiring the prisoner's name, age, and profession. To these questions she responded in a firm but respectful tone; and Counsellor Sharply then intimated that he appeared on her be- half. Mr. Peter Grumiey, who had the management of the case, now made a sign for one of the deceased midwife’s servants to enter the witness-box; and this female, having been swom, deposed as follows :— “T have been for twelve years in the service of the late Mrs. Lindley. She was a midwife, and received young ladies who wished to retire into seclusion during the period of their confinement. Miss Walters, the prisoner, became an inmate of the establishment in that manner, a few weeks ago. She was considered a young lady of very extraordinary disposition; and when she was confined, she manifested a great ma lignity of feeling towards Mrs. Lindley. The surgtor (COU (C DOO (CO