Variorum Viewer

Chapter 1

^{^}2

I cannot

attempt to describe what I then felt – I had

~~had~~

^{^}experienced

sensations of horror before and I have endeavoured to bestow on them adequate expressions but now words cannot convey any idea of the heart sickening despair that I

~~then felt~~

^{^}endured

~~Nor~~

The person to whom I had addressed myself also added that Justine had already confessed her guilt. "That evidence" he observed –"was hardly required in so glaring a case but I I am glad of it;

and indeed

none of our judges like to condemn a

ch criminal upon circumstantial evidence

~~let it~~

^{^}

ever so decisive." ¶

When I returned

home

Elizabeth eagerly

~~enquired~~

^{^}

demanded

the result. "My cousin" replied I, "it is decided as you may have suspected –

^{^}all Judges had rather that ten innocent should suffer tha

^{^}n

that one guilty should escape: but she has confessed." ¶

This was a b dire blow to poor Elizabeth who had relied with firmness on her innocence. "Alas!" said she "How shall I ever again believe in human benovolence – Justine, whom I loved and esteemed as my sister. How could she put on ~~thos~~ those smiles of innocence only to betray– her mild eyes seemed incapable of any severity or ill humour and yet she has ~~com~~ committed a murder." ¶

Soon after we heard that the poor victim had expressed a wish to see my cousin. My father wished her not to go but said that he left it to her own judgement and feelings to decide. "Yes," said Elizabeth "I will go although she is guilty – and you Victor shall accopany me –I cannot go alone". ~~This~~ The idea of this visit was torture to me yet I could not refuse. ¶

We entered the gloomy prison chamber and beheld Justine sitting on some straw at the further end; her hands were mannacled and her head rested on her ~~knews~~ knees,– she rose on seeing us and when th we were left alone with her she threw herself at the feet of Elizabeth weeping bitterly.

My cousin wept

also – Oh Justine

said she, why did you rob me of my last consolation – I

~~believed~~

^{^}

relied

^{^}o

n your innocence and although I was very

wh wretched I was not so miserable as I am now." ¶

"And do you also believe that I am so very very wicked–? _^

^{^}Cried Justine

Do you also join with my enemies to crush me? Her voice was suffocated

^{^}

with

sobs. ¶

"Rise my poor girl," said Elizabeth "why do you kneel if you are innocentI am not one of your enemies, I believed in your innocence notwithstanding every evidence untill I heard that you had yourself declared your guilt. That report you say is false, and be assured my dear Justine nothing can for a minute shake my confidence in you but your own confession–"

"I did confess" said Justine "but I confessed a lie. I confessed that I might obtain absolution but now that falsehood lies heavier at my heart than all my other sins. The God of heaven forgive me! Ever since I was condemned my confessor has besieged me,– he threatened and menaced untill I almost began to think that I was the wicked wretch he said I was. He threatened excomunication and Hell fire in my last moments if I continued obdurate. Dear Lady, I had none to support me – all looked on me as a wretch doom to ignominy and perdition; what could I do? In an evil hour I ~~confessed~~ subscribed to a

lie

and now only I am truly miserable." She paused, weeping, and then continued. "I thought with horror, my sweet lady, that you should ~~sho~~ believe

that your

Justine whom your bessed aunt had so highly honoured and whom you loved, was a wretch capable of

^{^}

crime which

~~not~~

^{^}

none

but the devil himself

~~was capable of~~

^{^}

could have

perpetrated

. Dear William, dearest blessed child, I soon shall see you again in heaven &glory and that consoles me going as I am to suffer ignominy and de ^{^}" ath.

"Oh Justine" cried the weeping Elizabeth, "forgive me for having for one moment distrusted you – ~~But~~ why did ^{^}you confess? But do not mourn my dear girl, I will every where proclaim your innocence

and

will

force belief. Yet you must die – you my companion, my playfellow, my more than sister— die –I never never can survive so horrible a misfortune".

"Dear

Sweet

lady,"

do not

weep"– ~~sai~~ replied Justine"–

you ought to raise me

w with thoughts of a better

~~world~~

^{^}

life,

and elevate me from the petty cares of this world of injustice and

strife –Do

not you, excellent

Elizabeth

drive me to despair." ¶

Elizabeth Em embraced the suffer er "I will try to comfort

you," said she,but this

fear

is an evil

to ^{^}o

deep and poignant to admit of

consolation or

for there is no

hope

Yet heaven bless thee, my dearest Justine, with

resignation

and

~~a hope~~

^{^}

a confidence

elevated beyond this world.

how I hate

all its

shews

and

mockeries.–

When one creature is

~~deprived of life~~

^{^}murdered

~~they~~

~~bel~~

^{^}

another is

immediately

✗—

murder

—✗

~~another~~

^{^}deprive

of life in a slow torturing

manner &

^{^}

then the

executioners

their hands yet reeking with the blood of

_^nocence

believe that they have done

^{^}a great

~~things~~

^{^}deed

. The ^{^}y

call this

retribution;

hateful name! When that

^{^}

word

pronounced

I know

that greater and more horrid punishments are going to be inflicted than the gloomiest tyrant has

^{^}

ever

inventen ^{^}t e ^{^}d

to satiate

^{^}

his utmost

revenge. Yet this is not consolation

^{^}

for

you, my Justine, unless indeed that you may glory in escaping

so miserable a den. Alas! I would I were

^{^}

in peace

with my aunt & my

sweet William – ~~in peace~~

escaped from

light

which

~~I abhor~~

^{^}

is hateful to

and the visages of men which

✗—are hateful to me. —✗" I

abhor.

Justine smiled languidly. "This, dear

Lady said she

despair

and not resignation. I must not learn the lesson that you would teach

me –

talk of

somthing else

~~of fields~~

s of

something that will

~~brig jo~~

bring

joy

and not

encrease

of misery."

During this conversation I had retired to a corner of the prison-room where I could conceal the horrid anguish that possessed me– Despair! Who dared talk of that? The poor victim who on the morrow was to pass the dreary boundary of life & death felt not as I did — Such deep & bitter agony I gnashed my teeth and ground them

together uttering a groan that came from my inmost soul. Justine started

~~and~~

when she saw wh

^{^}o

it was she approached me. "Dear Sir," said she, "you are very kind to visit me; you I hope do not believe that I am guilty."

" I could not

answer – "No Justine"

said Elizabeth; "he is ~~even~~ more convinced of your innocence than I was for even when he heard that you had confessed he did not

~~believe~~

^{^}

credit

it." ¶

"I truly than ^{^}k him"– said Justine "In these last minutes I feel the sincerest gratitude for those who still think of me with kindness. How sweet is the affection of others to such a wretch as I am – It removes more than half my misfortune and I feel as if I could die in

~~pea~~

peace. ~~thn~~ now that my innocence isacknowledged by you, sweet lady, and your cousin." ¶

Thus the poor sufferer cr tried to comfort others and herself. She indeed gained the resignation she

wished for

but I the true murderer w felt the never dying worm alive

~~and I was~~

^{^}which

allowed no hope or consolation. Elizabeth also wept and was unhappy but hers

^{^}also

was ~~also~~ the misery of

innocence

^{^}

~~that~~

^{^}

which

like a cloud

~~that~~

^{^}

that

passes over the fair moon

~~which~~

^{^}&

for a while

des but cannot

~~disturb~~

^{^}destroy

its brightness

~~but~~

~~misery~~

~~desp~~

anguish and despair had ~~penetr~~ penetrated into the core of my heart – I bore a hell within me that nothing could

~~diminish~~

^{^}

extinguish.

staid several hours with Justine and ~~with~~ it was with great difficulty that Elizabeth tore herself away "I wish" cried she that I were to die with you – I cannot live in th

^{^}is

world of misery." Justine assumed an air of Cheerfullness whi

^{^}le

she with difficulty repressed the bitter tears – "Farewell sweet lady, dearest Elizabeth may heaven in its bounty bless and preserve you May this be the last misfortune that you will ever suffer. – live & be happy to make of others

so.

As We

returned

Elizabeth said,

You do not know,

my dear Victor,

w how much I am

relieved

now that I trust in the innocence of this unfortunate girl. I never could again have known

peace

if I had been deceived in my reliance on her. For the moment that I did believe

I felt

~~such~~

anguish that I could not have long sustained. Now my heart is lightened. The innocent

suffers –

but she whom I thought amiable and good

not

wicked

and I am

consoled."

^{^}

Amiable

~~Sweet~~

Cousin! Such were your

thoughts

mild and gentle as your

dear eyes

~~gentle tone~~ and

voice.but I.—— I

was a

wretch ~~none~~ &none

ever conceived

the misery that I then

suffered.