The Silver Box eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about The Silver Box.

The Silver Box eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about The Silver Box.

Jones.  What d’ you mean?

Mrs. Jones.  It’s been missed; they think it’s me.  Oh! whatever made you do it, Jem?

Jones.  I tell you I was in liquor.  I don’t want it; what’s the good of it to me?  If I were to pawn it they’d only nab me.  I ’m no thief.  I ’m no worse than wot that young Barthwick is; he brought ’ome that purse that I picked up—­a lady’s purse—­’ad it off ’er in a row, kept sayin’ ’e ’d scored ’er off.  Well, I scored ’im off.  Tight as an owl ‘e was!  And d’ you think anything’ll happen to him?

Mrs. Jones. [As though speaking to herself.] Oh, Jem! it’s the bread out of our mouths!

Jones.  Is it then?  I’ll make it hot for ’em yet.  What about that purse?  What about young Barthwick?

[Mrs. Jones comes forward to the table and tries to take the box; Jones prevents her.] What do you want with that?  You drop it, I say!

Mrs. Jones.  I ’ll take it back and tell them all about it. [She attempts to wrest the box from him.]

Jones.  Ah, would yer?

[He drops the box, and rushes on her with a snarl.  She slips back past the bed.  He follows; a chair is overturned.  The door is opened; Snow comes in, a detective in plain clothes and bowler hat, with clipped moustaches.  Jones drops his arms, Mrs. Jones stands by the window gasping; Snow, advancing swiftly to the table, puts his hand on the silver box.]

Snow.  Doin’ a bit o’ skylarkin’?  Fancy this is what I ’m after.  J. B., the very same. [He gets back to the door, scrutinising the crest and cypher on the box.  To Mrs. Jones.] I’m a police officer.  Are you Mrs. Jones?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, Sir.

Snow.  My instructions are to take you on a charge of stealing this box from J. Barthwick, Esquire, M.P., of 6, Rockingham Gate.  Anything you say may be used against you.  Well, Missis?

Mrs. Jones. [In her quiet voice, still out of breath, her hand upon her breast.] Of course I did not take it, sir.  I never have taken anything that did n’t belong to me; and of course I know nothing about it.

Snow.  You were at the house this morning; you did the room in which the box was left; you were alone in the room.  I find the box ’ere.  You say you did n’t take it?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, sir, of course I say I did not take it, because I did not.

Snow.  Then how does the box come to be here?

Mrs. Jones.  I would rather not say anything about it.

Snow.  Is this your husband?

Mrs. Jones.  Yes, sir, this is my husband, sir.

Snow.  Do you wish to say anything before I take her?

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Silver Box from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.