I saw the woman approach the sleeping figure,she laid the unoccupied hand lightly along his clothes,and having thus ascertained his identity,she,after a brief interval,turned back and again entered my chamber;here she bent down again to listen.
I had now not a doubt but that the razor was intended for my throat;yet the terrific fascination which had locked all my powers so long,still continued to bind me fast.
I felt that my life depended upon the slightest ordinary exertion,and yet Icould not stir one joint from the position in which I lay,nor even make noise enough to waken Lord Glenfallen.
The murderous woman now,with long,silent steps,approached the bed;my very heart seemed turning to ice;her left hand,that which was disengaged,was upon the pillow;she gradually slid it forward towards my head,and in an instant,with the speed of lightning,it was clutched in my hair,while,with the other hand,she dashed the razor at my throat.
A slight inaccuracy saved me from instant death;the blow fell short,the point of the razor grazing my throat.
In a moment,I know not how,I found myself at the other side of the bed,uttering shriek after shriek;the wretch was,however,determined if possible to murder me.
Scrambling along by the curtains,she rushed round the bed towards me;Iseized the handle of the door to make my escape.It was,however,fastened.At all events,I could not open it.From the mere instinct of recoiling terror,I shrunk back into a corner.She was now within a yard of me.Her hand was upon my face.
I closed my eyes fast,expecting never to open them again,when a blow,inflicted from behind by a strong arm,stretched the monster senseless at my feet.At the same moment the door opened,and several domestics,alarmed by my cries,entered the apartment.
I do not recollect what followed,for I fainted.One swoon succeeded another,so long and death-like,that my life was considered very doubtful.
At about ten o'clock,however,I sunk into a deep and refreshing sleep,from which I was awakened at about two,that I might swear my deposition before a magistrate,who attended for that purpose.
I accordingly did so,as did also Lord Glenfallen,and the woman was fully committed to stand her trial at the ensuing assizes.
I shall never forget the scene which the examination of the blind woman and of the other parties afforded.
She was brought into the room in the custody of two servants.She wore a kind of flannel wrapper which had not been changed since the night before.It was torn and soiled,and here and there smeared with blood,which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head.The white handkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle,and her grizzled hair fell in masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance.
She appeared perfectly composed,however,and the only regret she expressed throughout,was at not having succeeded in her attempt,the object of which she did not pretend to conceal.
On being asked her name,she called herself the Countess Glenfallen,and refused to give any other title.
'The woman's name is Flora Van-
Kemp,'said Lord Glenfallen.
'It WAS,it WAS,you perjured traitor and cheat!'screamed the woman;and then there followed a volley of words in some foreign language.'Is there a magistrate here?'she resumed;'I am Lord Glenfallen's wife--I'll prove it--write down my words.I am willing to be hanged or burned,so HE meets his deserts.I did try to kill that doll of his;but it was he who put it into my head to do it--two wives were too many;I was to murder her,or she was to hang me;listen to all I have to say.'
Here Lord Glenfallen interrupted.
'I think,sir,'said he,addressing the magistrate,'that we had better proceed to business;this unhappy woman's furious recriminations but waste our time.If she refuses to answer your questions,you had better,I presume,take my depositions.'
'And are you going to swear away my life,you black-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 in-different 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 despatched.
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 deion;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.