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

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“I hastened to the spot, and found that her words were but too true. The child was crying, and I directed one of the women to take it into the house I occupied, and tell Rebecca, my servant, to take charge of it till I came.”

“And its mother?”

“Had passed away, as I have told you. Many others succumbed to the injuries they had received. Most—​nay, indeed, I believe all—​were identified by their relatives—​all, save the lady and her child.

“For these no claimant could be found. Not the faintest scrap of intelligence reached us from any quarter to give a clue to their identification.

“The lady to all appearance belonged to the upper class. She had a sweet face and features of delicate mould; but who she was it is not possible to say. Neither do I think it likely now that we shall ever ascertain.”

“Goodness me—​how singular! And had she nothing about her to denote who and what she was?”

“She wore round her neck a double gold locket, containing the portrait of a gentleman on one side, on the other was a likeness of the deceased lady, and, in addition to her wedding ring, she wore one with a motto and crest inside it. A description of her and the child, together with the jewellery she had on, appeared in the list of the dead and missing in the public papers at the time, but no one came forward to claim either the living or the dead.”