The blows of the assassin must have indeed been _slight_ to resemble "a bat beating about the head of his royal highness;" but we cannot understand how the _cut of a sword_ can bear any _similarity_ to the beating of a little animal, like a bat! Poor Sellis, however, was but a _little man_, and his weak arm might be still more enfeebled by the consciousness of his ingratitude in attacking so _kind and liberal a master_! Sellis had been the duke's page, or valet, for more than five years, in daily, nay, almost hourly, personal communication with him; and it must, therefore, appear very strange, if Sellis was really the assassin, that his master did not _recognise him_! If the room was so dark that the duke could not _see the person_ attacking him, it is singular that the _assassin could see to strike his royal highness_, as he did by "cutting him across his thighs, after he was out of bed!" As the supposed murderer followed the duke, who thought it best to take to his heels, we think his royal highness should have stated whether he meant his thighs in _front_ or _behind_; but, of course, an examination of the _scars_ would soon set this matter at rest! They would, no doubt, be found _behind_, as it is _unreasonable_ to suppose that, in a _dark room_, the _pursuer_ could have cut at the _pursued_ in front. The Duke of Cumberland is a field-marshal, and a BRAVER man, IT IS SAID, never entered the FIELD; but _in a dark room_, with a man little more than half his weight, it would have been _cowardly_ to _fight_, particularly as his royal highness might, IF HE HAD SO WISHED, have taken the weapon out of Sellis' hand, and broken it about his head. No! no! the Duke of Cumberland knew what was due to his honour better than to take so _mean_ an advantage of a _weak_ adversary, and therefore _coolly_ endeavoured to ring his bell, that a more _suitable_ antagonist might be procured in his valet _Neale_!
"Cornelius Neale, sworn.--He said he was valet to the Duke of Cumberland, and that he was in close waiting upon his royal highness on Wednesday night, and slept _in a bed in a room adjoining the duke's bed-room_. A little before three o'clock, he heard the duke calling out, 'Neale, Neale, I am murdered, and the murderer is in my bed-room!' He went immediately to his royal highness, and found him bleeding from his wounds. The duke told him the door the assassin had gone out at; he armed himself with a poker, and asked if he should _pursue_ him. The duke replied '_no_,' but to _remain with him_. After moving a few paces, he stepped upon a _sword_; and, _although in the dark_, he was convinced it was _covered with blood_; it proved to be the _duke's own regimental sword_. _The duke and witness then went to alarm the house, and got a light from the porter._ The duke was _afraid the murderer was still in his bed-room_. His royal highness was obliged to lean upon him from the loss of blood, and he gave directions that no person should be let out of the house. They called up the _witness' wife_, who is the housekeeper, and told _her_ to call _Sellis_. He then returned with the duke to his bed-room. At that time the duke was very faint from the great loss of blood. Upon examining the premises they found, in a second adjoining small room, a pair of _slippers with the name of Sellis on them_, and a dark lantern. The key of the closet was in the inside of the lock, and, to his knowledge, the key had not been in that state for _ten years_. He had reason to believe the wounds of the duke had been given by a sword. Sellis took out the duke's regimentals some time since, and put them by again, but left out the _sword upon a sofa for two or three days_. It is the same sword which he trod upon, and it was in a bloody state.