He had got into the place over the
area gate, had opened the front door from within, and then the robbery had
been discovered. It was afterwards found that the servants had all gone
out to what they called a tea-party, at a public-house in the
neighbourhood, and that by previous agreement Patience Crabstick had
remained in charge. When they came back Patience Crabstick was gone, and
the desk, and bureau, and dressing-case were found to have been opened.
"She had a reg'lar thief along with her, my lady," said the policeman,
still addressing himself to Mrs. Carbuncle, "'cause of the way the things
was opened."
"I always knew that young woman was downright bad," said Mrs. Carbuncle in
her first expression of wrath.
But Lizzie sat in her chair without saying a word, still pale with that
almost awful look of agony in her face. Within ten minutes of their
entering the house, Mrs. Carbuncle was making her way up-stairs, with the
two policemen following her. That her bureau and her dressing-case should
have been opened was dreadful to her, though the value that she could thus
lose was very small. She also possessed diamonds, but her diamonds were
paste; and whatever jewelry she had of any value, a few rings, and a
brooch, and such like, had been on her person in the theatre.
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