The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

A STRANGE ADVENTURE 157 “ What, in the name of God, is the matter? ’” demanded his Royal Highness, becoming seriously alarmed. “Rose Foster, the unhappy girl—” ejaculated the milliner. ‘ Well, well, what of her? ”’ cried the heir apparent. ‘‘ She is in prison, your Royal Highness — ”’ ‘‘In prison! ’”’ repeated the prince, starting from his chair as if he were suddenly galvanized. ‘Yes, in prison, on a charge of murder,” added the milliner, quivering from head to foot and her luxuriant bosom heaving and sinking rapidly with the deep emotion which agitated within. ‘“‘ Ig it possible, or am I dreaming? ” exclaimed the prince, pressing his hand to his brow. “ The beauteous name of Rose associated with the horrible word murder! Oh, no, no, it cannot be! ”’ ‘And yet it is as true as that I am here to tell you the sad tale, or that you are there to hear it,” said Mrs. Brace, in a tone that left no possible room for any further doubt upon the subject: ‘¢ But she is utterly incapable of such a crime,” ejaculated his Royal Highness, still cruelly bewildered. ‘“ Of that I am well aware,”’ rejoined the milliner. ‘‘ Never- theless, a crushing amount of circumstantial evidence weighs against her, and it is impossible at present to say whether the matter will take a turn when the examination comes on at noon this day. At all events, it is probable that the girl may be led into revelations but too well calculated to compromise your Royal Highness and myself.” — “And yet Rose possesses a generous disposition,” ex- claimed the prince. ‘ But she will scarcely scruple to tell the truth — all the truth,’”’ returned the milliner, emphatically, ‘‘ to account for her becoming a houseless wanderer last night when the deed was committed —” ‘Tell me the circumstances of the case,” interrupted the prince. ‘ At present I am thoroughly in the dark concerning it. Who has been murdered, where was the crime com- mitted, and how happened it that the accusation should be made against this poor girl? ”’ ‘All I know upon the subject is this,’ answered Mrs. Brace: ‘that about an hour ago the matron of the infirmary (C(O) Anyi