The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

THE DRAMA OF A NIGHT Od herself, she said, in a tone of calmness that contrasted strongly and strangely with her wild ejaculation of a few moments back, “ Since it is necessary that we go before a magistrate, [ am willing to accompany you.”’ Away the party accordingly sped to the city, and in about a quarter of an hour they reached a police station where the “‘ night-commissary,’ or magistrate whose turn it was to take the duty for the twelve current hours, was in attendance. On being introduced into the common room of the station, Emma retained her veil carefully folded over her coun- tenance, so as to avoid the curious gaze of the persons assembled there, but when she was conducted by the ser- geant into the private room where the night-commissary sat, she immediately raised her veil in token of respect for that functionary. The magistrate was somewhat startled at the revelation of such a charming countenance, and his eyes were at once turned upon the sergeant as if to inquire on what charge such a beautiful young lady could have been brought before him at such an hour. “ According to instructions received,’ said the sergeant, “ I took half a dozen officers with me to keep a watch at that part of the lake where those rascally resurrectionists or fishers of men are in the habit of pursuing their avocation; because the old jetty causes a sort of tide to flow in at that part, and thus if there should happen to be a dead body in the lake, it is pretty sure to find its way to the spot I am speaking of — ”’ “ Spare your details, “and come to the point at once,—I mean your charge - against this young lady.”’ “ Well, sir, tis soon made,’’ resumed the sergeant. ‘‘ As ] and my men lay concealed in the deep shade of the jetty, — although Heaven knows the night was dark enough every- where, — we heard a sudden splash, and thinking it was the resurrectionists flinging in their drag-hooks, we rushed out and discovered the prisoner. As she refused to give any account of herself, I brought her here.”’ | “So far,” said Emma, who had listened with a forced calmness to the sergeant’s explanations, even to that portion which touched so ominously upon dead _ bodies ) interrupted the night-commissary, EGOMINIGIOOKS (C(O) im