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

534 страница из 895

* * * * *

Mr. Wrench wended his way along till he reached the well-known house of entertainment for man and beast, kept by the equally well-known Brickett. The detective was not a man to make himself common by mixing up with any knot of strangers—​not unless he could make it answer his purpose to do so—​he therefore requested to be shown into a private room, and, after partaking of some refreshment, he proceeded to glance at the memoranda he jotted down in his notebook.

“Humph,” he murmured. “The young couple seem to have visited a good many towns; I suppose things were running cross with them. It’s a queer business, take it altogether, and the earl is a starchy sort of customer, as unforgiving as the devil, and as proud as a peacock. Well, I wouldn’t change places with him for all his wealth and title. He’s what I call a stunner. No two ways about him. But ‘he’s down among the dead men’ this time, it would appear—​is what our Transatlantic friends would call ‘cornered.’ I must find out all about his daughter for him, that’s certain—​that is, if it be possible. The question is, how it is to be accomplished.”