and goes between Mrs Hushabye and
Mangan.

Nurse Guinness brings up the rear, and waits near the door, on Mangan's
left.

MRS HUSHABYE. What has happened?

MAZZINI. Your housekeeper told me there was somebody upstairs, and gave
me a pistol that Mr Hushabye had been practising with. I thought it
would frighten him; but it went off at a touch.

THE BURGLAR. Yes, and took the skin off my ear. Precious near took the
top off my head. Why don't you have a proper revolver instead of a thing
like that, that goes off if you as much as blow on it?

HECTOR. One of my duelling pistols. Sorry.

MAZZINI. He put his hands up and said it was a fair cop.

THE BURGLAR. So it was. Send for the police.

HECTOR. No, by thunder! It was not a fair cop. We were four to one.

MRS HUSHABYE. What will they do to him?

THE BURGLAR. Ten years. Beginning with solitary. Ten years off my life.
I shan't serve it all: I'm too old. It will see me out.

LADY UTTERWORD. You should have thought of that before you stole my
diamonds.

THE BURGLAR. Well, you've got them back, lady, haven't you? Can you give
me back the years of my life you are going to take from me?

MRS HUSHABYE. Oh, we can't bury a man alive for ten years for a few
diamonds.

THE BURGLAR. Ten little shining diamonds! Ten long black years!

LADY UTTERWORD. Think of what it is for us to be dragged through the
horrors of a criminal court, and have all our family affairs in the
papers! If you were a native, and Hastings could order you a good
beating and send you away, I shouldn't mind; but here in England there
is no real protection for any respectable person.

THE BURGLAR. I'm too old to be giv a hiding, lady. Send for the police
and have done with it. It's only just and right you should.

RANDALL [who has relaxed his vigilance on seeing the burglar so
pacifically disposed, and comes forward swinging the poker between his
fingers like a well folded umbrella]. It is neither just nor right
that we should be put to a lot of inconvenience to gratify your moral
enthusiasm, my friend. You had better get out, while you have the
chance.

THE BURGLAR [inexorably]. No. I must work my sin off my conscience.
This has come as a sort of call to me. Let me spend the rest of my life
repenting in a cell. I shall have my reward above.

MANGAN [exasperated]. The very burglars can't behave naturally in this
house.

HECTOR. My good sir, you must work out your salvation at somebody else's