Well, I reckon they’re much of a muchness.
Polly, you’re doin’ nothin’. Y’ might as well be mendin’ that blind.
(_Going towards the window._) People’ll see in.
There’s not many passin’ at this time o’ night.
It makes it so public. (_She takes the blind from the lower part of the window and begins to mend it._) Where’s the white thread, Ma?
[_Mr Perkins has returned to his paper, his daughter is more or less intent on her work, Mrs Perkins darns and yawns. Mr Perkins snores gently._
[_Something crashes through the window and falls with broken glass upon the floor._
Nonsense, Pa! It’s them boys. Out arter ’em.
No. Don’t go. Don’t leave us. It can’t be boys.
(_Seeing the broken window._) This is very careless, Polly.
You ought to ’ave run right out, Pa, and you might ’ave caught ’em. I never did see such a thing.
It’s an outrage, this is. Did y’ see anybody?
I thought I ’eard somebody passing after that. Quietly like. Runnin’ very light.
Nonsense, Polly. Better put that blind up now.
[_She puts it up and peers out into the street._
Here it is. Here’s something. (_She picks it up._) Why! it’s a lump of glass.
(_Relinquishing it to her husband._) Nonsense! Nonsense!
[_She goes back to her chair and begins to fumble with her darning. She is greatly agitated._
[_She seizes the diamond and looks about the room._
(_Looking at it in her palm._) It’s the Grand Cham’s dimond.
P’raps we’d better look out for a policeman.
Here! Let’s put it inside the clock. (_She opens the back of the clock and crams it in._) Now!
I wish you’d throw it out in the street again.
It’s come to us, this ’as. We’ll stick to it if we can.
They may not find the ’ouse again. They’re all alike in this street.
Let’s ’ave the bits of glass out. Then it won’t be noticed.
[_She peers out into the street. Then she begins to pluck the fragments of broken glass from the window. She winces and licks her finger._
Never mind that. Polly, pick all the bits off the floor. Don’t leave a trace.
(_On the floor._) I dunno what’s come over ’er.
’Ere, Polly, look alive. ’Ave y’ got ’em all?
Drat it! A bit’s fallen outside. Go out and pick it up, Pa. No; p’raps better not.
Give here! (_She takes all the fragments together and puts them under the sofa cushion. She looks round the room, listens at the window and returns to her darning_.) If anyone comes, mind we know nothin’ about it.