The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XVII MR. RIGDEN’S OFFICE WE must now return to Caroline Walters, who, it will be remembered, fled from Mrs. Brace’s house with considerable precipitation after the sudden explosion of her deeply ramified scheme. She had resumed the page’s livery, simply because she would have found it inconvenient to be seen hastening through the streets of London in a bridal dress at that time of night; but it was not her intention to adopt the same disguise which she had hitherto worn. For it must not be forgotten that the fearful accusation of murdering Mrs. Lindley, the midwife, was still hanging over her head; and that the fact of her having escaped from the custody of Grumley, by throwing herself from the window of the house in Fore Street into the Thames, as described in an earlier chapter, would only tend to confirm the general belief in her guilt. For the world did not know that Grumley had con- nived at that escape; and even if his disappearance had led to any suspicions on that head, they would not in any way alter the circumstantial evidence that pointed out Caroline as the murderess of the midwife. While thus retrospectively glancing at these matters, we must also observe that though it was generally believed Miss Walters had perished in the Thames, yet this supposi- tion on the part of the public by no means rendered it prudent for her to roam undisguised about the streets of London. Many persons had seen her at the police court when she was examined, the authorities of Horsemonger Lane Gaol were acquainted with her personal appearance, and all the various customers who had visited Mrs. Brace’s establishment during the time she was in the milliner’s service would be capable of recognizing her. Moreover, Lord Florimel, under the 128 GOmMmicsooks (E(@)