The Atlantic Monthly, page 139 by Various Authors
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in one or two cases, especially in the North.
Mrs. Gaunt knew all this, and trembled at the peril to come.
She spent the early part of the night in studying her defence. Then she laid it quite aside, and prayed long and fervently. Towards morning she fell asleep from exhaustion.
When she awoke, Mrs. Houseman was sitting by her bedside, looking at her, and crying.
They were soon clasped in each other's arms, condoling.
But presently Houseman came, and took his wife away rather angrily.
Mrs. Gaunt was prevailed on to eat a little toast and drink a glass of wine, and then she sat waiting her dreadful summons.
She waited and waited, until she became impatient to face her danger.
But there were two petty larcenies on before her. She had to wait.
At last, about noon, came a message to say that the grand jury had found a true bill against her.
"Then may God forgive them!" said she.
Soon afterwards she was informed her time drew very near.
She made her toilet carefully, and passed with her attendant into a small room under the court.
Here she had to endure another chilling wait, and in a sombre room.
Presently she heard a voice above her cry out, "The King versus Catharine Gaunt."
Then she was beckoned to.
She mounted some steps, badly lighted, and found herself in the glare of day, and greedy eyes, in the felon's dock.
In a matter entirely strange, we seldom know beforehand what we can do, and how we shall carry ourselves. Mrs. Gaunt no sooner set her foot in that dock, and saw the awful front of Justice face to face, than her tremors abated, and all her powers awoke, and she thrilled with love of life, and bristled with all those fine arts of defence that Nature lends to superior women.
She entered on that defence before she spoke a word; for she attacked the prejudices of the court, by deportment.
She courtesied reverently to the Judge, and contrived to make