“Well, Mrs. Hastings, well—the verdict?”
“Collect yourself, my child—be firm—be a woman. Collect yourself—for you will require it. The verdict—Guilty!”
The Cooleen Bawn did not faint—nor become weak—but she put her fair white hand to her forehead—then looked around the room, then upon Mrs. Brown, and lastly upon Mrs. Hastings. They also looked upon her. God help both her and them! Yes, they looked upon her countenance—that lovely countenance—and then into her eyes—those eyes! But, alas! where was their beauty now? Where their expression?
“Miss Folliard! my darling Helen!” exclaimed Mrs. Hastings, in tears—“great God, what is this, Mrs. Brown? Come here and look at her.”
Mrs. Brown, on looking at her, whispered, in choking accents, “Oh! my God, the child's reason is overturned; what is there now in those once glorious eyes but vacancy? Oh, that I had never lived to see this awful day! Helen, the treasure, the delight of all who ever knew you, what is wrong? Oh, speak to us—recognize us—your own two best friends—Helen—Helen! speak to us.”
She looked upon them certainly; but it was with a dead and vacant stare which wrung their hearts.
“Come,” said she, “tell me where is William Reilly? Oh, bring me to William Reilly; they have taken me from him, and I. know not where to find him.”
The two kind-hearted ladies looked at one another, each stupefied by the mystery of what they witnessed.
“Oh,” said Mrs. Hastings, “her father must be instantly sent for Mrs. Brown, go to the lobby—there is an officer there—desire him to go to Mr. Folliard and say that—but we had better not alarm him too much,” she added, “say that Miss Folliard wishes to see him immediately.”
The judge, we may observe here, had not yet pronounced sentence upon Reilly. The old man, who, under all possible circumstances, was so affectionately devoted and attentive to his daughter, immediately proceeded to the room, in a state of great triumph and exultation exclaiming, “Guilty, guilty; we have noosed him at last.” He even snapped his fingers, and danced about for a time, until rebuked by Mrs. Hastings.