I never see'd a gel run
so wery hard afore, and I pricked hup my senses to guess wot it hall
meant. Soon wor the mystery explained. I heerd ahind of her the cry of
'Stop thief!' and a number of men and boys were a-giving of her chase. I
thought as I'd run wid 'em and see what it hall meant.
"Presently we shall come up wid the gel. There she wor in the arms of a
policeman. He wor a-clutching of her, and trying to find hout wot wor
the matter; but she wor so blown she couldn't speak fur a good bit. Then
hup comes a man wot said as he had a pawnshop, and that inter the
pawnshop had come a man and a gel ter buy a ring, and when they come
hout there wor a diamond locket missing. He said as either the gel or
the man 'ad tuk the locket; and as the man could not be found, he must
get the policeman to search the gel. The poor fat gel, she looked quite
scared, and said as she hadn't done it; but the nipper said as she must
be searched, and he put in his hand inter her pocket and drew hout the
diamond locket. She said as she had never put it there. But, in course,
it worn't ter be expected as they'd believe her, so she were tuk orf ter
prison. She wor tuk orf ter prison--I see'd her myself."
Here Pickles paused. Nothing could have been more refined and delicate
than the use he had made of his eyes during this narrative; only very
quick and fleeting glances did he bestow upon his companion.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249