his　inglorious　end。　　For　he　lived　the　king　of　housebreakers；　and　he　died　a
  warning　to　all　evildoers；　with　a　prayer　of　intercession　trembling　upon　his
  lips。
  The　hero's　boyhood　is　wrapped　in　obscurity。　　It　is　certain　that　no
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  glittering　precocity　brought　disappointment　to　his　maturer　years；　and　he
  was　already　nineteen　when　he　achieved　his　first　imprisonment。　　Even
  then　'twas　a　sorry　offence；　which　merited　no　more　than　a　month；　so　that　he
  returned　to　freedom　and　his　fiddle　with　his　character　unbesmirched。
  Serious　as　ever　in　pious　exercises；　he　gained　a　scanty　living　as　strolling
  musician。　　There　was　never　a　tavern　in　Sheffield　where　the　twang　of　his
  violin　was　unheard；　and　the　skill　wherewith　he　extorted　music　from　a
  single　string　earned　him　the　style　and　title　of　the　modern　Paganini。　　But
  such　an　employ　was　too　mean　for　his　pride；　and　he　soon　got　to　work
  againthis　time　with　a　better　success。　　The　mansions　of　Sheffield　were
  his　early　prey；　and　a　rich　plunder　rewarded　his　intrepidity。　　The　design
  was　as　masterly　as　its　accomplishment。　　The　grand　style　is　already
  discernible。　　The　houses　were　broken　in　quietude　and　good　order。　　None
  saw　the　opened　window；　none　heard　the　step　upon　the　stair；　in　truth；　the
  victim's　loss　was　his　first　intelligence。
  But　when　the　booty　was　in　the　robber's　own　safe　keeping；　the
  empiricism　of　his　method　was　revealed。　　As　yet　he　knew　no　secret　and
  efficient　fence　to　shield　him　from　detection；　as　yet　he　had　not　learnt　that
  the　complete　burglar　works　alone。　　This　time　he　knew　two　accomplices
  women　both；　and　one　his　own　sister！　　A　paltry　pair　of　boots　was　the　clue
  of　discovery；　and　a　goodly　stretch　was　the　proper　reward　of　a　clumsy
  indiscretion。　　So　for　twenty　years　he　wavered　between　the　crowbar　and
  the　prison　house；　now　perfecting　a　brilliant　scheme；　now　captured　through
  recklessness　or　drink。　　Once　when　a　mistake　at　Manchester　sent　him　to
  the　Hulks；　he　owned　his　failure　was　the　fruit　of　brandy；　and　after　his　wont
  delivered　（from　the　dock）　a　little　homily　upon　the　benefit　of　sobriety。
  Meanwhile　his　art　was　growing　to　perfection。　　He　had　at　last
  discovered　that　a　burglary　demands　as　diligent　a　forethought　as　a
  campaign；　he　had　learnt　that　no　great　work　is　achieved　by　a　multitude　of
  minds。　　Before　his　boat　carried　off　a　goodly　parcel　of　silk　from
  Nottingham；　he　was　known　to　the　neighbourhood　as　an　enthusiastic　and
  skilful　angler。　　One　day　he　dangled　his　line；　the　next　he　sat　peacefully　at
  the　same　employ；　and　none　suspected　that　the　mild　mannered　fisherman
  had　under　the　cloud　of　night　despatched　a　costly　parcel　to　London。　　Even
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  the　years　of　imprisonment　were　not　ill…spent。　　Peace　was　still　preparing
  the　great　achievement　of　his　life；　and　he　framed　from　solitary　reflection　as
  well　as　from　his　colleagues　in　crime　many　an　ingenious　theory　afterwards
  fearlessly　translated　into　practice。　　And　when　at　last　he　escaped　the
  slavery　of　the　gaol；　picture…　framing　was　the　pursuit　which　covered　the
  sterner　business　of　his　life。　　His　depredation　involved　him　in　no　suspicion；
  his　changing　features　rendered　recognition　impossible。　　When　the
  exercise　of　his　trade　compelled　him　to　shoot　a　policeman　at　Whalley
  Range；　another　was　sentenced　for　the　crime；　and　had　he　not　encountered
  Mrs。　Dyson；　who　knows　but　he　might　have　practised　his　art　in　prosperous
  obscurity　until　claimed　by　a　coward's　death？　　But　a　stormy　love…passage
  with　Mrs。　Dyson　led　to　the　unworthy　killing　of　the　woman's　husbanda
  crime　unnecessary　and　in　no　sense　consonant　to　the　burglar's　craft；　and
  Charles　Peace　was　an　outlaw；　with　a　reward　set　upon　his　head。
  And　now　came　a　period　of　true　splendour。　　Like　Fielding；　like
  Cervantes；　like　Sterne；　Peace　reserved　his　veritable　masterpiece　for　the
  certainty　of　middlelife。　　His　last　two　years　were　nothing　less　than　a　march
  of　triumph。　　If　you　remember　his　constant　danger；　you　will　realise　the
  grandeur　of　the　scheme。　　From　the　moment　that　Peace　left　Bannercross
  with　Dyson's　blood　upon　his　hands；　he　was　a　hunted　man。　　His　capture
  was　worth　five　hundred　pounds；　his　features　were　familiar　to　a　hundred
  hungry　detectives。　　Had　he　been　less　than　a　man　of　genius；　he　might　have
  taken　an　unavailing　refuge　in　flight　or　concealment。　　But；　content　with　no
  safety　unattended　by　affluence；　he　devised　a　surer　plan：　he　became　a
  householder。　　Now；　a　semi…detached　villa　is　an　impregnable　stronghold。
  Respectability　oozes　from　the　dusky　mortar　of　its　bricks；　and　escapes　in
  clouds　of　smoke　from　its　soot…grimed　chimneys。　　No　policeman　ever
  detects　a　desperate　ruffian　in　a　demure　black…coated　gentleman　who　day
  after　day　turns　an　iron　gate　upon　its　rusty　hinge。　　And　thus；　wrapt　in　a
  cloak　of　suburban　piety；　Peace　waged　a　pitiless　and　effective　war　upon　his
  neighbours。
  He　pillaged　Blackheath；　Greenwich；　Peckham；　and　many　another
  home　of　honest　worth；　with　a　noiselessness　and　a　precision　that　were　the
  envy　of　the　whole　family。　　The　unknown　and　intrepid　burglar　was　a　terror
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  to　all　the　clerkdom　of　the　City；　and　though　he　was　as　secret　and　secluded
  as　Peace；　the　two　heroes　were　never　identified。　　At　the　time　of　his　true
  eminence　he　‘resided'　in　Evelina　Road；　Peckham；　and　none　was　more
  sensible　than　he　how　well　the　address　became　his　provincial　refinement。
  There　he　installed　himself　with　his　wife　and　Mrs。　Thompson。　　His
  drawing…　room　suite　was　the　envy　of　the　neighbourhood；　his　pony…trap
  proclaimed　him　a　man　of　substance；　his　gentle　manners　won　the　respect　of
  all　Peckham。　　Hither　he　would　invite　his　friends　to　such　entertainments　as
  the　suburb　expected。　　His　musical　evenings　were　recorded　in　the　local
  paper；　while　on　Sundays　he　chanted　the　songs　of　Zion　with　a　zeal　which
  Clapham　herself　might　envy。
  The　house　in　Evelina　Road　was　no　mere　haunt　of　quiet　gentility。　　It
  was　chosen　with　admirable　forethought　and　with　a　stern　eye　upon　the
  necessities　of　business。　　Beyond　the　garden　wall　frowned　a　railway
  embankment；　which　enabled　the　cracksman　to　escape　from　his　house
  without　opening　the　front　door。　　By　the　same　embankment　he　might；　if　he
  chose；　convey　the　trophies　of　the　night's　work；　and　what　mattered　it　if　the
  windows　rattled　to　the　passing　train？
  At　least　a　cloud　of　suspicion　was　dispelled。　　Here　he　lived　for　two
  years；　with　naught　to　disturb　his　tranquillity　save　Mrs。　Thompson's　taste
  for　drink。　　The　hours　of　darkness　were　spent　in　laborious　activity；　the
  open　day　brought　its　own　distractions。　　There　was　always　Bow　Street
  wherein　to　loaf；　and　the　study　of　the　criminal　law　lost　none　of　its
  excitement　from　the　reward　offered　outside　for　the　bald…headed　fanatic
  who　sat　placidly　within。　　And　the　love　of　music　was　Peace's　constant
  solace。　　Whatever　treasures　he　might　discard　in　a　hurried　flight；　he　never
  left　a　fiddle　behind；　and　so　vast　became　his　pilfered　collection　that　he　had
  to　borrow　an　empty　room　in　a　friend's　house　for　its　better　disposal。
  Moreover；　he　had　a　fervent　pride　in　his　craft；　and　you　might　deduce
  from　his　performance　the　whole　theory　and　practice　of　burglary。　　He
  worked　ever　without　accomplices。　　He　knew　neither　the　professional
  thief　nor　his　lingo；　and　no　association　with　gaol…birds　involved　him　in　the
  risk　of　treachery　and　betrayal。　　His　single　colleague　was　a　friendly　fence；
  and　not　even　at　the　gallows'　foot　would　he　surrender　the　fence's　name。
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  His　master　quality　was　a　constructive　imagination。　　Accident　never
  marred　his　design。　　He　would　visit　the　house　of　his　breaking　until　he
  understood　its　ground…plan；　and　was　familiar　with　its　inhabitants。　　This
  demanded　an　amazing　circumspection；　but　Peace　was　as　stealthy　as　a　cat；
  and　he　would　keep　silent　vigil　for　hours　rather　than　fail　from　an　over　keen
  anxiety。　　Having　marked　the　place　of　his　entry；　and　having　chosen　an
  appropriate　hour；　he　would　prevent　the　egress　of　his　enemies　by　screwing
  up　the　doors。
  He　then　secured　the　room　wherein　he　worked；　and　the　job　finished；　he
  slung　himself　into　the　night　by　the　window；　so　that；　ere　an　alarm　could　be
  raised；　his　pony…trap　had　carried　the　booty　to　Evelina　Road。
  Such　was　the　outline　of　his　plan；　but；　being　no　pedant；　he　varied　it　at
  will：　nor　was　he　likely　to　court　defeat　through　lack　of　resource。
  Accomplished　as　he　was　in　his　proper　business；　he　was　equally　alert　to
  meet　the　accompanying　risks。　　He　had　brought　the　art　of　cozening　strange
  dogs　to　perfection；　and　for　the　exigence　of　escape；　his　physical　equipment
  was　complete。　　He　would　resist　capture　with　unparallel