The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

THE DISSECTING - ROOM 337 tered ’?— and he again glanced toward Maravelli — “ on that memorable night, three weeks ago, when a child was born within the walls of the princess’s villa? ”’ Agatha essayed to give some answer, but her tongue refused to perform its office, and she stood gazing in silent horror upon Jocelyn Loftus. “Ask Doctor Maravelli,’ said Julia, hastily, “‘ whom he suspects to have been his patient on that memorable night.” ‘“ No,’ immediately exclaimed Loftus, ‘‘ I require not mere suspicions, I want positive evidence. Remember, this is most serious, and the manner in which it will end depends wholly upon yourselves.”’ ‘For God’s sake, go through with the ordeal, whatever it may be,” whispered Emma, as she stood behind her sister Agatha, whom she half-sustained from sinking upon the carpet. Agatha instantaneously regained a degree of composure, not so much on account of her sister Emma’s encouraging words, as because a sudden idea struck herself. Indeed, she saw that if they were enabled to set Jocelyn at nought in the clue which he had obtained, it might yet be possible to have the whole matter hushed up so as to avoid the neces- sity of having murder done in respect to Loftus and Lady Prescott. That is to say, if they cotld manage to leave the circumstance of the childbirth in such doubt and mystery that the princess should still remain an object even of the remotest suspicion, then was it probable that Loftus would be most anxious to avoid public exposure. Such were the thoughts which all in an instant swept through Agatha’s mind, ana impressed her with the importance of nerving herself to the utmost of her power to meet any horrors and go through any ordeal that might be.in store for her sisters and herself. ~ Miss Owen,”’ said Loftus, fixing his eyes searchingly upon her, “‘ to you do I especially address the question rela- tive to the birth of that child to which allusion has been made.” “ And I, sir,’ she answered, with a degree of composure that now astonished herself, “‘ refuse to give any response where the honour of a lady is so deeply implicated.”’ “ Then tell me,” said Loftus, his voice and his look now assuming the deepest, the most awe-inspiring solemnity, GOmMmiicdoo! cS (CO) im