k perjured
murderer?" shrieked the woman. "Sir, sir, sir, you must hear me," she
continued, addressing the magistrate, "I can convict him--he bid
me murder that girl, and then when I failed, he came behind me, and
struck me down, and now he wants to swear away my life--take down all
I say."

"If it is your intention," said the magistrate, "to confess the crime
with which you stand charged, you may, upon producing sufficient
evidence, criminate whom you please."

"Evidence!--I have no evidence but myself," said the woman. "I will
swear it all--write down my testimony--write it down, I say--we shall
hang side by side, my brave Lord--all your own handy--work, my gentle
husband." This was followed by a low, insolent, and sneering laugh,
which, from one in her situation, was sufficiently horrible.

"I will not at present hear anything," replied he, "but distinct
answers to the questions which I shall put to you upon this matter."

"Then you shall hear nothing," replied she sullenly, and no inducement
or intimidation could bring her to speak again.

Lord Glenfallen's deposition and mine were then given, as also those
of the servants who had entered the room at the moment of my rescue;
the magistrate then intimated that she was committed, and must proceed
directly to gaol, whither she was brought in a carriage of Lord
Glenfallen's, for his lordship was naturally by no means indifferent
to the effect which her vehement accusations against himself might
produce, if uttered before every chance hearer whom she might meet
with between Cahergillagh and the place of confinement whither she was
dispatched.

During the time which intervened between the committal and the trial
of the prisoner, Lord Glenfallen seemed to suffer agonies of mind
which baffle all description, he hardly ever slept, and when he did,
his slumbers seemed but the instruments of new tortures, and his
waking hours were, if possible, exceeded in intensity of terrors by
the dreams which disturbed his sleep. Lord Glenfallen rested, if
to lie in the mere attitude of repose were to do so, in his
dressing-room, and thus I had an opportunity of witnessing, far
oftener than I wished it, the fearful workings of his mind; his agony
often broke out into such fearful paroxysms that delirium and total
loss of reason appeared to be impending; he frequently spoke of flying
from the country, and bringing with him all the witnesses of the
appalling scene upon which the pros