صفحة 127 من 483

The trial began, and after the advocate against her had stated

the charge, several witnesses were called. Several strange facts

combined against her, which might have staggered anyone who had

not such proof of her innocence as I had. She had been out the

whole of the night on which the murder had been committed and

towards morning had been perceived by a market-woman not far from

the spot where the body of the murdered child had been afterwards

found. The woman asked her what she did there, but she looked

very strangely and only returned a confused and unintelligible

answer. She returned to the house about eight o'clock, and when

one inquired where she had passed the night, she replied that she

had been looking for the child and demanded earnestly if anything

had been heard concerning him. When shown the body, she fell into

violent hysterics and kept her bed for several days.