beincludedinthefalseaccusation？Inthedazedstateofmyfacultiesatthattime，Iwasquiteincapableofseekingtheanswertothesequestions。Mymindwascloudedallover，andI
gaveuptheattempttoclearitindespair。
IwasbroughtbeforeMr。RobertNicholsonthatday，andthefiendofaquadroonwasexaminedinmypresence。Thefirstsightofherface，withitswickedself—possession，withitssmoothleeringtriumph，sosickenedmethatIturnedmyheadawayandneverlookedatherasecondtimethroughouttheproceedings。Theanswersshegaveamountedtoamererepetitionofthedepositiontowhichshehadalreadysworn。Ilistenedtoherwiththemostbreathlessattention，andwasthunderstruckattheinconceivableartfulnesswithwhichshehadmixeduptruthandfalsehoodinherchargeagainstmymistressandme。
Thiswas，insubstance，whatshenowstatedinmypresence：
AfterdescribingthemannerofMr。JamesSmith’sarrivalattheHall，thewitness，JosephineDurand，confessedthatshehadbeenledtolistenatthemusic—roomdoorbyhearingangryvoicesinside，andshethendescribed，trulyenough，thelatterpartofthealtercationbetweenhusbandandwife。Fearing，afterthis，thatsomethingseriousmighthappen，shehadkeptwatchinherroom，whichwasonthesamefloorashermistress’s。Shehadheardhermistress’sdooropensoftlybetweenoneandtwointhemorning——hadfollowedhermistress，whocarriedasmalllamp，alongthepassageanddownthestairsintothehall——hadhiddenherselfintheporter’schair——hadseenhermistresstakeadaggerinagreensheathfromacollectionofEasterncuriositieskeptinthehall——hadfollowedheragain，andseenhersoftlyentertheRedRoom——hadheardtheheavybreathingofMr。JamesSmith，whichgavetokenthathewasasleep——hadslippedintoanemptyroom，nextdoortotheRedRoam，andhadwaitedthereaboutaquarterofanhour，whenhermistresscameoutagainwiththedaggerinherhand——hadfollowedhermistressagainintothehall，whereshehadputthedaggerbackintoitsplace——hadseenhermistressturnintoasidepassagethatledtomyroom——hadheardherknockatmydoor，andheardmeanswerandopenit——hadhiddenagainintheporter’schair——had，afterawhile，seenmeandmymistresspasstogetherintothepassagethatledtotheRedRoom——hadwatchedusbothintotheRedRoom——andhadthen，throughfearofbeingdiscoveredandmurderedherself，ifsheriskeddetectionanylonger，stolenbacktoherownroomfortherestofthenight。