The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

216 REYNOLDS’ WORKS therefore lay broad awake, anxiously awaiting the first sound that might indicate the occurrence of that which was expected. About three-quarters of an hour thus elapsed, when Mr. Slater heard the outer door — namely, that of the dressing- room — opening, and in a few moments the chamber door itself was affording ingress to some one. The light still burned upon the toilet-table, and the somnambulist Make- peace, — half-dressed, as on the preceding night, — with his features rigid, and his eyes fixed as if in a vague, glassy stare, approached the couch. Mr. Slater lay perfectly still, awaiting what would happen. Makepeace bent partially over the bed, and extending his hands, appeared to be feeling for a form that might be sleeping there. His right hand gently touched the lawyer’s throat, and the somnambulist drew that hand rapidly away, with the horribly faithful imitation of the manner in which he had no doubt drawn the murderous weapon across the throat of the old nobleman. ‘“‘ Murderer! ’’ ejaculated Mr. Slater, and springing up, he forcibly grasped the arms of the valet. It would be impossible to describe the perfect agony of terror, the wildering consternation of horror, which seized upon the guilty wretch as he was thus startled from his sleep, and as his brain was smitten with all the harrowing ideas of detection in the crime which he had been in fancy reenacting. ‘“ Murderer, confess! ’’ exclaimed the lawyer, not leaving Makepeace a moment to collect his ideas or to recover from the fearful shock which he had just sustained. “T will, I will!’ he piteously moaned. ‘“ Forgive me, my lord, I meant to do it — I am very wicked — ” And then, all in an instant, recognizing the attorney, Makepeace gave vent to a wild cry of terror and anguish, and sinking upon his knees, he poured forth a perfect volley of ejaculations and entreaties for mercy. Mr. Slater rang the bell violently, and Adolphus, who had been anxiously expecting this summons, was the first to answer it. Several of the male domestics, springing from their beds, and huddling on a few clothes, sped in the same direction, for the solicitor, with one hand firmly clutching the arm of Makepeace, with the other hand continued tugging at the bell even after the young Earl of Lascelles had entered ECORNICLIOO KS (C(O)