The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XII THE WITNESSES THE queen, fathoming everything that was passing in the mind of the criminal who now stood in her presence, suffered several minutes to elapse before she opened the proceedings by word of mouth. At length she spoke. It was in a slow, clear, measured voice, sufficiently cold to convey an impres- sion of the implacable sternness of justice, and yet not devi- ating from the feminine harmony which became her sex and her queenly station. ‘‘ Prisoner,” she said, “‘ you have been summoned by the force of circumstances before a tribunal which, though not constituted according to the laws of your country, neverthe- less wields a power which you cannot possibly defy. I know full well all the hopes that you are now entertaining, but they will be defeated. Rest assured that I should not have un- dertaken a task in the accomplishment of which there was the slightest scintillation of doubt. Your own conscience must tell you whether you have in your lifetime perpetrated deeds that would render you amenable to any human tri- bunal, and if so, then are you amenable to this. Man of many crimes, the hour of retribution is come, and Providence has ordained that the tangled web which you yourself have woven by your countless iniquities should this night close in finally around you.’’ The Duke of Marchmont thought for a moment of making a reply, but a second reflection bade him remain faithful to the policy of hearing all that could be alleged against him, for he had by this time begun to suspect who most of the witnesses were that either veiled or masked were arrayed against him upon the platform. | ‘‘ Your crimes, prisoner,’ continued Queen Indora, “ are 152 EGOmicsooks (E()