The judge calmly proceeded—
"Gabriel Godlike, hear the sentence of the court. You will affix your own proper signature to two documents, which will now be presented to you. After which you are free."
Gabriel could not repress an ejaculation. The simplicity of the sentence struck him with astonishment.
"Hand the prisoner the first document, which he may read," said the judge. Pale and trembling, Esther advanced, and, passing the table, placed a paper in the hands of Godlike, which he read:
"New York, Dec. 24th, 1844.
"The undersigned, Gabriel Godlike, hereby acknowledges that he was this day detected in the act of attempting a gross outrage upon the person of Esther Royalton, whom he had inveigled to a house of improper report, No. —, —— street, New York: an outrage which, investigated before a court of law, would justly consign him to the State's Prison.
"Signed in presence of:
{
{."
No words can picture the rage which corrugated Godlike's visage as he perused this singular document.
"No, I will not sign!"—he fixed his flaming eyes upon Esther's pallid face—"not if you rend me into fragments."
"Esther," said the judge, calmly, "call the gentlemen from the neighboring apartment. Tell them that the purpose for which I summoned them will be explained in this room."
Esther cast a glance upon Godlike's flushed visage, and moved to the door,—
"Stay! I will—I will!" Shame and mortification choked his utterance. He advanced to the table and signed his name to the paper.