He first enquired whether these were the prisoners, what were
their names and descriptions, which each had to give and which
were written down, where they were arrested, why they were
arrested: then scrutinising them sharply he said the
magistrate was at the Home Office, and he doubted whether they
could be examined until the morrow. Upon this Gerard
commenced stating the circumstances under which Sybil had
unfortunately been arrested, but the gentleman in black with a
severe aspect, immediately told him to hold his tongue, and
when Gerard persisted, declared that if Gerard did not
immediately cease he should be separated from the other
prisoners and be ordered into solitary confinement.
Another half hour of painful suspense. The prisoners were not
permitted to hold any conversation; Sybil sat half reclining
on a form with her back against the wall, and her face
covered, silent and motionless. At the end of half an hour
the inspector of police who had visited them with the
gentleman in black entered and announced that the prisoners
could not be brought up for examination that evening, and they
must make themselves as comfortable as they could for the
night. Gerard made a last appeal to the inspector that Sybil
might be allowed a separate chamber and in this he was
unexpectedly successful.
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