The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

EXCITEMENT AND TERRORS OF GUILT 287 reviving uneasiness at the bathroom door. “I will go at once and fetch Frederick to help us.”’ ‘But you will hurry back as soon as you can? You will not keep me waiting here— alone?” said the milliner,. shuddering at the reminiscences which swept through her mind and which made her soul recoil in horror from the mere thought of the diabolical dream that had characterized the preceding night. “In five minutes I will return with Frederick, ma’am,’’ said the lady’s-maid; and she hastened from the room. But the instant Mrs. Brace thus found herself once more alone in the close vicinage of the corpse of her victim, a dreadful oppression came over her, the atmosphere of the chamber seemed hot, as if laden with the steam of human blood, a strange humming sound stole upon her ears, as if the low voices of invisible spectres were repeating the tale of midnight murder, and ghastly countenances suddenly appeared to be looking forth upon her from the obscurity which enveloped the extremities of the apartment and from every nook where the furniture threw a sombre shadow. For upwards of a minute did she remain standing in the middle of the room, struggling against the awful feeling of uneasiness which was thus gaining upon her; but so intoler- able did it become that she opened the door leading into the passage and listened in anxious expectation of hearing the returning footsteps of Harriet accompanied by her lover. But all was still, all was silent as the grave; and then Mrs. Brace feared that some one was standing behind her. Re- entering the room, she approached the cupboard and poured herself out a glass of brandy; but the creaking of the closet. door on its hinges caused her to give so sudden a start that. she spilt a portion of the liquor while conveying it to her lips. Nevertheless, she imbibed sufficient to animate her with that bastard courage which constitutes an armour wherewith to gird the guilty soul; and she repeated the dram in order to enhance that unnatural flow of spirits. which was so suddenly excited within her. Yes, the burning alcohol had become her brazen corselet, her helm, and her shield, to defend her against the spectres of terror and the: demons of remorse. The fiery spirit which she had so copiously poured down her throat became her armour of proof, and she staggered beneath the weight of her panoply. a. CORNUC } cS \