Читать книгу Charles Peace, or The Adventures of a Notorious Burglar онлайн

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“Couldn’t get away?”

“No, I’m blessed if he could—​leastways, that’s what I’ve heerd. Vell, vot does the Badger do but he whips out his knife, and stabs t’other chap to the heart? Then the gal comes at him, and clutches hold of his throat. He managed to shake her off, but you see he left a something behind—​the handkercher he wore round his neck and the knife.”

“What has that to do with the affair at Oakfield House?”

“Ah! it’s a deal to do wi’ it—​it has. You shall hear. The last part on it is like a play—​better nor any play, that’s what it is. Yer see, as I said afore, the Badger gets clean away, a reward is offered by Guv’nment, likewise a reward by the old bloke—​him as was robbed and knocked down in the passage. The bobbies set to work, the whole biling on ’em, but they never got the blind side of the old un. Vell, this is six year ago—​aye, more than six year it is now, and a durin’ them six years the gal has had but one thought—​this was to ketch the murderer of her love, and she’s a done it, Charlie—​there aint no mistake about that ’ere—​she done it. The Badger, like a fool, fired a pistol at random when he were in that bedroom. The gal sees his face by the pistol’s flash, and she shoots him down—​that’s what she does.”