ecution was founded; then again
he would fiercely lament that the blow which he had inflicted had not
ended all.
The assizes arrived, however, and upon the day appointed, Lord
Glenfallen and I attended in order to give our evidence. The cause was
called on, and the prisoner appeared at the bar. Great curiosity and
interest were felt respecting the trial, so that the court was crowded
to excess. The prisoner, however, without appearing to take the
trouble of listening to the indictment, pleaded guilty, and no
representations on the part of the court availed to induce her to
retract her plea. After much time had been wasted in a fruitless
attempt to prevail upon her to reconsider her words, the court
proceeded according to the usual form, to pass sentence. This having
been done, the prisoner was about to be removed, when she said in a
low, distinct voice--
"A word--a word, my Lord:--is Lord Glenfallen here in the court?" On
being told that he was, she raised her voice to a tone of loud menace,
and continued--
"Hardress, Earl of Glenfallen, I accuse you here in this court of
justice of two crimes--first, that you married a second wife, while
the first was living, and again, that you prompted me to the murder,
for attempting which I am to die--secure him--chain him--bring him
here."
There was a laugh through the court at these words, which were
naturally treated by the judge as a violent extemporary recrimination,
and the woman was desired to be silent.
"You won't take him, then," she said, "you won't try him? You'll let
him go free?"
It was intimated by the court that he would certainly be allowed "to
go free," and she was ordered again to be removed. Before, however,
the mandate was executed, she threw her arms wildly into the air, and
uttered one piercing shriek so full of preternatural rage and despair,
that it might fitly have ushered a soul into those realms where hope
can come no more. The sound still rang in my ears, months after the
voice that had uttered it was for ever silent. The wretched woman was
executed in accordance with the sentence which had been pronounced.
For some time after this event, Lord Glenfallen appeared, if possible,
to suffer more than he had done before, and altogether, his language,
which often amounted to half confessions of the guilt imputed to him,
and all the circumstances connected with the late occurrences, formed
a mass of evidence so convincing that I wrote to my fat
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