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Collins, Wilkie, 1824-1889

"After Dark"


The look of him, as he turned his ghastly face toward the
audience, silenced and steadied them in an instant, just as they
were on the point of falling into fresh confusion. Every one
stretched forward eagerly to hear what he would say. His lips
moved; but the few words that fell from them were inaudible,
except to the persons who happened to be close by him. Having
spoken, he left the table supported by a police agent, who was
seen to lead him toward the private door of the court, and,
consequently, also toward the prisoners' platform. He stopped,
however, halfway, quickly turned his face from the prisoners, and
pointing toward the public door at the opposite side of the hall,
caused himself to be led out into the air by that direction. When
he had gone the president, addressing himself partly to Trudaine
and partly to the audience, said:
"The Citizen Superintendent Danville has been overcome by the
heat in the court. He has retired by my desire, under the care of
a police agent, to recover in the open air; pledging himself to
me to come back and throw a new light on the extraordinary and
suspicious statement which the prisoner has just made. Until the
return of Citizen Danville, I order the accused, Trudaine, to
suspend any further acknowledgment of complicity which he may
have to address to me. This matter must be cleared up before
other matters are entered on.


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