Motionless till the authoritative word

Pronounced amercement. There 's the riddle solved:

This is just why I slew nor her nor him,

But called in law, law's delegate in the place,

And bade arrest the guilty couple, Sirs!

We had some trouble to do so—you have heard

They braved me,—he with arrogance and scorn,

She, with a volubility of curse,

A conversancy in the skill of tooth

And claw to make suspicion seem absurd,