The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

226 THE COURT OF LONDON “I think, your worship,” said Grumley, “ that you’ve heerd quite enough to induce your worship to commit this young gal to take her trial at the sessions.” ‘“‘ Have you anything to urge in behalf of your client, Mr. Sharply?” inquired the magistrate. ‘‘T shall reserve the defence, your worship, until a future occasion,”’ was the learned gentleman’s answer. “Then have you aught to advance, Caroline Walters,” demanded the justice of the peace, “‘ wherefore you should not be committed to take your trial on the charge of murder?” The young girl glanced rapidly toward Grumley, and the equally vivid look of encouragement which she received from him at once dissipated any suspicions which she might have entertained relative to his sincerity, when she saw how strongly and indeed overwhelmingly he had. marshalled his array of evidence against her. ‘‘ T wish to speak a few words, may it please your worship,”’ she said, in a firm tone. Then, regardless of an impatient ejaculation which broke from Counsellor Sharply, who naturally feared that she was about to crown the damage already done by her imprudence, she cried, in a louder and more resolute, but still musically feminine voice, “‘ For I wish to proclaim to your worship and to all present that I am innocent, yes, innocent as an angel of this black iniquity which is imputed to me. And one word more would | speak — only one word,” she continued, while a breathless silence pervaded the officials and the audience; “ and that is to explain something which I cannot allow to remain another moment in doubt or mystery. You have heard that I was locked up in my chamber at Mrs. Lindley’s house. But it was not so much on account of any quarrel which had taken place, as because I had expressed a desire — nay, even a determination —to quit the establishment; and Mrs. Lindley had locked up my clothes and my purse in her own parlour, with a view to render me the more effectually a prisoner beneath her roof. What course, then, did I adopt? I resolved to fly stealthily; and hence the removal of the lock from the door of my bedchamber, hence my visit to the parlour in order to break open the cupboard where the mid- wife had concealed my clothes. The rest can be imagined, for you may easily conceive my horror and alarm when, (GO) AG 6)(0)©)