CHAPTER XXXI. INVOLVES A CRITICAL POSITION

“Who’sthat?”inquiredBrittles,openingthedooralittleway,withthechainup,andpeepingout,shadingthecandlewithhishand. “Openthedoor,”repliedamanoutside“it’stheofficersfromBowStreet,aswassenttoto-day.” Muchcomfortedbythisassurance,Brittlesopenedthedoortoitsfullwidth,andconfrontedaportlymaninagreat-coatwhowalkedin,withoutsayinganythingmore,andwipedhisshoesonthemat,ascoollyasifhelivedthere. “Justsendsomebodyouttorelievemymate,willyou,youngman?”saidtheofficer“he’sinthegig,a-mindingtheprad.Haveyougotacoach’ushere,thatyoucouldputitupin,forfiveortenminutes?” Brittlesreplyingintheaffirmative,andpointingoutthebuilding,theportlymansteppedbacktothegarden-gate,andhelpedhiscompaniontoputupthegig:whileBrittleslightedthem,inastateofgreatadmiration.Thisdone,theyreturnedtothehouse,and,beingshownintoaparlour,tookofftheirgreat-coatsandhats,andshowedlikewhattheywere. Themanwhohadknockedatthedoor,wasastoutpersonageofmiddleheight,agedaboutfifty:withshinyblackhair,croppedprettyclosehalf-whiskers,aroundface,andsharpeyes.Theotherwasared-headed,bonyman,intop-bootswitharatherill-favouredcountenance,andaturned-upsinister-lookingnose. “TellyourgovernorthatBlathersandDuffishere,willyou?”saidthestouterman,smoothingdownhishair,andlayingapairofhandcuffsonthetable.“Oh!Good-evening,master.CanIhaveawordortwowithyouinprivate,ifyouplease?” ThiswasaddressedtoMr.Losberne,whonowmadehisappearancethatgentleman,motioningBrittlestoretire,broughtinthetwoladies,andshutthedoor. “Thisistheladyofthehouse,”saidMr.Losberne,motioningtowardsMrs.Maylie. Mr.Blathersmadeabow.Beingdesiredtositdown,heputhishatonthefloor,andtakingachair,motionedtoDufftodothesame.Thelattergentleman,whodidnotappearquitesomuchaccustomedtogoodsociety,orquitesomuchathiseaseinit—oneofthetwo—seatedhimself,afterundergoingseveralmuscularaffectionsofthelimbs,andtheheadofhisstickintohismouth,withsomeembarrassment. “Now,withregardtothishererobbery,master,”saidBlathers.“Whatarethecircumstances?” Mr.Losberne,whoappeareddesirousofgainingtime,recountedthematgreatlength,andwithmuchcircumlocution.Messrs.BlathersandDufflookedveryknowingmeanwhile,andoccasionallyexchangedanod. “Ican’tsay,forcertain,tillIseethework,ofcourse,”saidBlathers“butmyopinionatonceis,—Idon’tmindcommittingmyselftothatextent,—thatthiswasn’tdonebyayokeleh,Duff?” “Certainlynot,”repliedDuff. “And,translatingthewordyokelforthebenefitoftheladies,Iapprehendyourmeaningtobe,thatthisattemptwasnotmadebyacountryman?”saidMr.Losberne,withasmile. “That’sit,master,”repliedBlathers.“Thisisallabouttherobbery,isit?” “All,”repliedthedoctor. “Now,whatisthis,aboutthishereboythattheservantsarea-talkingon?”saidBlathers. “Nothingatall,”repliedthedoctor.“Oneofthefrightenedservantschosetotakeitintohishead,thathehadsomethingtodowiththisattempttobreakintothehousebutit’snonsense:sheerabsurdity.” “Weryeasydisposedof,ifitis,”remarkedDuff. “Whathesaysisquitecorrect,”observedBlathers,noddinghisheadinaconfirmatoryway,andplayingcarelesslywiththehandcuffs,asiftheywereapairofcastanets.“Whoistheboy?Whataccountdoeshegiveofhimself?Wheredidhecomefrom?Hedidn’tdropoutoftheclouds,didhe,master?” “Ofcoursenot,”repliedthedoctor,withanervousglanceatthetwoladies.“Iknowhiswholehistory:butwecantalkaboutthatpresently.Youwouldlike,first,toseetheplacewherethethievesmadetheirattempt,Isuppose?” “Certainly,”rejoinedMr.Blathers.“Wehadbetterinspectthepremisesfirst,andexaminetheservantsafterwards.That’stheusualwayofdoingbusiness.” LightswerethenprocuredandMessrs.BlathersandDuff,attendedbythenativeconstable,Brittles,Giles,andeverybodyelseinshort,wentintothelittleroomattheendofthepassageandlookedoutatthewindowandafterwardswentroundbywayofthelawn,andlookedinatthewindowandafterthat,hadacandlehandedouttoinspectt