genuineone
:
I
am
about
to
meet
my
brother
Eugene
!
"
Such
were
the
meditations
of
Richard
Markham
as
he
proceeded
towards
the
place
of
appointment
.
He
was
considerably
before
his
time
;
for
hope
cannot
brook
delay
.
When
he
reached
the
banks
of
the
canal
,
he
was
struck
by
the
lonely
and
deserted
nature
of
the
spot
.
The
sward
was
damp
and
marshy
with
the
late
heavy
rains
:
the
canal
was
swollen
,
and
rolled
,
muddy
and
dark
,
between
its
banks
,
the
pale
and
sickly
moon
vainly
wooing
its
bosom
to
respond
to
the
caresses
of
its
beams
by
a
reflective
kiss
.
The
bank
on
which
Markham
now
walked
backwards
and
forwards
,
and
which
constituted
the
verge
of
the
region
of
Globe
Town
,
was
higher
than
the
opposite
one
;
and
the
canal
,
swollen
by
the
rains
,
had
deluged
many
parts
of
that
latter
shore
.
In
the
place
where
Markham
now
found
himself
,
several
ditches
and
sluices
had
been
cut
;
and
these
,
added
to
the
uneven
and
swampy
nature
of
the
soil
,
rendered
his
ramble
in
that
quarter
not
only
unpleasant
,
but
even
dangerous
.
Nevertheless
,
Markham
continued
to
pace
backwards
and
forwards
on
the
bank
where
he
expected
to
meet
one
who
was
so
dear
to
him
.
He
had
been
at
his
post
about
half
an
hour
when
footsteps
suddenly
fell
upon
his
ears
.
He
stopped
,
and
listened
.
The
steps
approached
;
and
in
a
few
moments
he
beheld
,
through
the
obscurity
of
the
night
,
a
person
advancing
towards
him
.
"
True
to
your
appointment
,
sir
,
"
said
the
individual
,
when
he
came
up
to
the
spot
where
Richard
was
standing
.
"
I
told
you
that
I
should
not
fail
,
"
answered
Markham
,
who
had
immediately
recognised
the
voice
of
the
man
that
had
borne
him
the
message
making
the
present
appointment
.
"
But
what
of
my
brother
?
will
he
come
?
is
he
near
?
Speak
!
"
"
He
will
be
here
in
a
few
moments
,
"
said
the
man
,
who
,
as
our
readers
well
know
,
was
none
other
than
the
Buffer
.
"
Are
you
sure
?
"
demanded
Markham
.
"
Why
has
he
sent
you
first
?
could
he
suspect
treachery
from
his
own
brother
?
"
"
Not
a
bit
of
it
,
"
replied
the
Buffer
.
"
Only
—
but
here
he
comes
,
sure
enow
.
"
Approaching
footsteps
were
heard
;
and
in
a
minute
or
two
another
form
emerged
from
the
gloom
of
night
.
Markham
's
heart
palpitated
violently
.
"
Here
is
your
brother
,
sir
,
"
said
the
Buffer
.
"
Eugene
—
dear
Eugene
!
"
cried
Richard
,
springing
forward
to
catch
his
brother
in
his
arms
.
"
Brother
indeed
!
"
muttered
the
ominous
voice
of
the
Resurrection
Man
;
and
at
the
same
moment
Richard
was
pinioned
from
behind
by
the
Buffer
,
who
skilfully
wove
a
cord
around
his
arms
,
and
fastened
his
elbows
together
.
"
Villains
!
"
ejaculated
Richard
,
struggling
with
all
his
might
—
but
vainly
,
for
the
Resurrection
Man
,
whose
voice
he
had
immediately
recognised
but
too
well
,
threw
him
violently
upon
the
damp
sod
.
"
Now
,
my
lad
,
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
,
"
your
fate
is
decided
.
In
a
few
minutes
you
'll
be
at
the
bottom
of
the
canal
,
and
then
—
"
He
said
no
more
—
for
at
that
moment
another
person
appeared
upon
the
scene
;
and
,
quick
as
thought
,
the
Resurrection
Man
was
felled
by
the
butt
end
of
a
pistol
.
But
the
instant
the
miscreant
touched
the
ground
,
he
caught
a
desperate
hold
of
the
person
who
had
so
suddenly
and
unexpectedly
appeared
upon
the
spot
;
and
Filippo
—
for
it
was
he
—
also
rolled
on
the
damp
sward
.
The
Resurrection
Man
leapt
upon
him
,
and
caught
hold
of
his
throat
with
such
savage
violence
,
that
the
Italian
would
have
been
suffocated
in
a
few
moments
,
had
not
the
flash
of
a
pistol
close
by
the
head
of
the
Resurrection
Man
turned
the
fortune
of
the
combat
.
The
pistol
so
aimed
only
flashed
in
the
pan
;
but
the
sudden
glare
singed
the
Resurrection
Man
's
hair
,
and
caused
him
to
abandon
his
victim
and
spring
upon
his
feet
with
an
alacrity
that
resembled
a
galvanic
effect
.
The
Buffer
,
alarmed
by
the
first
attack
on
the
part
of
Filippo
,
had
relinquished
his
hold
of
the
rope
that
confined
Richard
's
arms
;
and
Markham
,
encouraged
by
this
sudden
and
unexpected
assistance
,
disengaged
himself
from
the
coil
with
the
rapidity
of
lightning
.
He
then
sprang
upon
the
Buffer
,
hurled
him
to
the
ground
,
and
,
placing
his
knee
upon
the
ruffian
's
chest
,
kept
him
fast
in
that
prostrate
condition
on
the
very
verge
of
the
canal
.
The
Resurrection
Man
,
with
eagle
glance
,
beheld
the
situation
of
affairs
.
He
saw
his
confederate
powerless
,
and
desperate
odds
leagued
against
himself
—
for
,
in
the
darkness
of
the
night
,
he
could
not
observe
that
one
of
his
opponents
was
a
female
in
disguise
.
The
moment
that
he
sprang
from
the
ground
,
in
consequence
of
the
flash
of
the
pistol
close
by
his
ear
,
he
cast
this
comprehensive
look
over
the
field
of
action
.
There
was
no
time
for
hesitation
.
Pushing
Ellen
violently
aside
,
and
dashing
Filippo
furiously
back
again
upon
the
ground
from
which
he
was
rising
,
the
Resurrection
Man
darted
upon
Richard
Markham
.
In
another
moment
there
was
a
splash
of
water
:
a
cry
of
horror
issued
from
the
lips
of
Ellen
;
the
Resurrection
Man
shouted
"
Run
!
run
!
"
—
but
neither
the
young
lady
nor
Filippo
thought
of
interrupting
the
flight
of
the
miscreants
.
"
The
villains
!
—
they
have
drowned
him
!
"
exclaimed
Filippo
;
and
,
without
an
instant
's
hesitation
,
he
plunged
into
the
canal
.
"
Brave
man
!
"
cried
Ellen
.
"
Save
him
—
oh
!
save
him
!
"
As
she
uttered
these
words
,
she
stumbled
over
the
coil
of
rope
which
had
been
used
to
confine
Markham
's
hands
,
and
which
the
miscreants
had
left
behind
them
.
Instantly
twining
one
end
round
her
delicate
wrist
,
she
cast
the
other
into
the
canal
;
and
creeping
so
far
down
the
bank
as
nearly
to
touch
the
water
,
she
exclaimed
,
"
Here
is
a
rope
,
Filippo
:
Richard
,
try
and
catch
the
rope
.
Speak
,
Filippo
—
can
you
save
him
?
If
not
,
I
will
myself
plunge
into
the
stream
—
and
—
"
"
He
is
lost
—
he
is
gone
!
"
said
Filippo
,
who
was
swimming
about
on
the
surface
of
the
water
as
skilfully
as
if
it
were
his
native
element
.
"
Oh
,
God
!
do
not
say
that
!
do
not
—
"
"
I
see
him
—
I
see
him
,
Miss
—
yonder
—
down
the
stream
—
struggling
desperately
—
"
At
that
moment
a
faint
cry
for
help
echoed
over
the
bosom
of
the
canal
.
Ellen
scrambled
up
the
bank
,
and
darted
along
the
margin
with
the
speed
of
the
fawn
,
dragging
the
long
coil
of
rope
after
her
.
In
a
few
moments
she
beheld
a
black
object
appear
on
the
surface
of
the
water
—
then
disappear
again
in
an
instant
.
But
Filippo
had
already
gained
that
part
of
the
stream
;
and
Ellen
directed
him
with
her
voice
to
the
spot
where
the
object
had
sunk
.
The
brave
Italian
,
though
well-nigh
exhausted
,
dived
fearlessly
;
and
to
the
infinite
joy
of
Ellen
,
re-appeared
upon
the
surface
,
exclaiming
,
"
He
is
saved
—
he
is
saved
!
"
Supporting
Markham
's
head
above
the
water
,
Filippo
swam
to
the
bank
;
and
,
aided
by
Ellen
and
the
rope
,
succeeded
in
landing
his
burden
as
well
as
himself
.
Markham
was
insensible
;
but
Filippo
placed
his
hand
upon
the
young
man
's
breast
,
and
said
,
"
He
lives
!
"
"
Heaven
be
thanked
!
"
ejaculated
Ellen
,
solemnly
.
She
then
chafed
his
temples
;
while
the
Italian
rubbed
the
palms
of
his
hands
.
In
a
few
minutes
Richard
moaned
.
The
attentions
of
those
who
hung
over
him
were
redoubled
;
and
Filippo
was
about
to
propose
to
convey
him
to
the
nearest
dwelling
,
when
he
gasped
violently
,
and
murmured
,
"
Where
am
I
?
"
"
Saved
!
"
answered
Ellen
.
"
None
but
friends
are
near
you
.
"
A
quarter
of
an
hour
had
not
elapsed
from
the
moment
that
he
was
rescued
from
the
water
,
when
he
was
so
far
recovered
as
to
sit
up
on
the
bank
;
and
all
fears
on
the
part
of
Ellen
relative
to
his
complete
resuscitation
had
vanished
.
"
Ellen
—
is
that
you
?
can
this
be
you
?
was
it
your
voice
that
I
heard
?
"
he
said
,
in
a
faint
tone
:
"
or
is
it
a
vision
?
"
"
It
is
no
vision
,
Richard
—
it
is
indeed
Ellen
,
who
owes
you
so
much
,
and
who
has
been
the
humble
instrument
—
aided
by
this
brave
man
—
of
saving
your
life
.
"
"
And
who
is
this
brave
man
?
"
asked
Markham
.
"
Tell
me
his
name
,
that
I
may
pour
forth
my
gratitude
to
him
,
as
well
as
to
you
,
kind
Ellen
—
my
sister
!
"
"
His
sister
!
"
murmured
Ellen
;
while
an
emotion
,
like
an
electric
shock
,
agitated
her
to
the
very
heart
's
core
.
But
those
words
—
"
his
sister
!
"
—
were
not
heard
by
either
Markham
or
Filippo
.
"
Do
not
fatigue
yourself
by
speaking
now
,
"
said
Ellen
,
after
a
moment
's
pause
.
"
Suffice
it
for
the
present
to
tell
you
that
I
was
afraid
of
treachery
towards
you
—
I
had
my
misgivings
—
a
presentiment
of
evil
haunted
me
!
I
owed
you
so
much
,
that
I
was
determined
to
watch
over
your
safety
—
weak
and
powerless
as
I
am
.
Hence
this
strange
attire
.
Fortunately
I
met
this
brave
man
—
a
total
stranger
to
me
—
near
the
spot
;
and
,
when
I
communicated
my
object
to
him
,
he
generously
offered
to
bear
me
company
.
"
"
Excellent
girl
!
—
generous
stranger
!
"
cried
Richard
;
"
I
owe
you
my
life
.
Oh
!
how
can
I
ever
express
my
gratitude
?
"
"
We
must
not
speak
on
that
subject
now
,
sir
,
"
said
Filippo
.
"
The
chief
point
to
be
considered
is
how
to
get
you
home
.
"
"
And
he
lives
so
far
from
here
,
too
,
"
hastily
exclaimed
Ellen
,
laying
her
hand
at
the
same
time
,
but
unseen
by
Markham
,
on
Filippo
's
arm
.
The
Italian
took
the
hint
,
which
was
to
remind
him
that
he
must
not
seem
to
know
the
place
of
residence
,
or
indeed
any
other
particular
concerning
the
affairs
,
of
Richard
Markham
.
"
Oh
!
this
bitter
disappointment
—
this
vile
treachery
!
"
cried
the
young
man
,
whose
thoughts
were
now
reflected
back
to
the
cause
of
the
perils
from
which
he
had
just
escaped
.
"
Compose
yourself
,
"
said
Ellen
,
with
peculiar
and
touching
kindness
of
manner
:
"
compose
yourself
,
Richard
;
and
do
not
excite
yourself
by
unpleasant
reflections
.
Let
us
rather
think
how
we
are
to
convey
you
home
.
There
is
no
vehicle
to
be
obtained
in
this
neighbourhood
.
"
"
I
feel
myself
able
to
walk
,
"
said
Markham
,
—
"
at
least
as
far
as
the
nearest
place
where
we
can
procure
conveyance
.
"
"
Wrap
yourself
up
in
my
cloak
,
"
cried
Filippo
.
"
It
is
close
at
hand
—
I
took
it
off
and
concealed
it
under
yonder
tree
,
before
the
conflict
began
.
"
Filippo
hastened
to
fetch
the
cloak
,
in
which
Markham
enveloped
himself
.
Then
,
leaning
on
the
arms
of
those
to
whom
he
was
indebted
for
his
rescue
from
the
murderous
designs
of
his
enemies
,
he
walked
slowly
away
from
the
spot
where
he
had
hoped
to
meet
a
brother
,
but
where
he
had
encountered
fiends
in
human
shape
.
In
this
manner
they
traversed
Globe
Town
,
and
reached
Bethnal
Green
New
Church
.
In
that
neighbourhood
they
procured
a
cab
,
into
which
Markham
and
Ellen
stepped
.
"
I
shall
now
take
leave
of
you
,
sir
,
"
said
Filippo
;
"
and
I
most
sincerely
hope
that
you
will
soon
recover
from
the
effects
of
this
night
's
maltreatment
.
"
"
Generous
man
!
"
cried
Markham
,
"
tell
me
your
name
that
I
may
—
"
But
Filippo
had
already
disappeared
.
"
How
strange
!
"
said
Markham
.
"
That
noble-hearted
foreigner
makes
light
of
his
own
good
deeds
.
He
has
left
me
no
opportunity
of
expressing
my
gratitude
more
fully
than
by
mere
words
.
"
"
He
is
evidently
a
man
of
lofty
feelings
and
generous
disposition
,
"
observed
Ellen
calmly
.
"
It
was
fortunate
that
I
happened
to
encounter
him
in
that
lonely
spot
.
"
She
then
informed
the
driver
whither
he
was
to
proceed
;
and
the
vehicle
rolled
quickly
away
.
CHAPTER
CVI
.
THE
GRAVE-DIGGER
.
THREE
days
after
the
events
related
in
the
preceding
chapter
,
—
and
at
that
hour
in
the
cold
wintry
morning
when
the
dawn
breaks
in
fitful
gleams
through
a
dense
atmosphere
of
a
dark
neutral
dye
,
—
a
labouring-man
,
with
a
shovel
and
pickaxe
upon
his
shoulder
,
entered
one
of
the
cemeteries
in
the
immediate
vicinity
of
Globe
Lane
.
This
cemetery
was
only
partly
enclosed
by
houses
;
on
the
remaining
sides
there
was
a
low
wall
.
The
soil
was
damp
;
and
a
nauseous
odour
,
emanating
from
it
,
impregnated
the
air
.
When
the
sun
lay
for
several
days
upon
the
place
,
even
in
the
depth
of
winter
,
—
and
invariably
throughout
the
summer
,
—
the
stench
was
so
intolerable
that
not
a
dwelling
in
the
neighbourhood
was
seen
with
a
window
open
.
Nevertheless
,
that
sickly
,
fetid
odour
penetrated
into
every
house
,
and
every
room
,
and
every
inhabited
nook
or
corner
,
in
that
vicinity
;
and
the
clothes
of
the
poor
inmates
smelt
,
and
their
food
tasted
,
of
the
damp
grave
!
The
cemetery
was
crowded
with
the
remains
of
mortality
.
The
proprietors
of
the
ground
had
only
one
aim
in
view
—
namely
,
to
crowd
the
greatest
possible
quantity
of
corpses
into
the
smallest
space
.
But
even
this
economy
of
room
did
not
prevent
the
place
from
being
so
filled
with
the
dead
,
that
in
a
given
quantity
of
the
soil
it
was
difficult
to
say
whether
earth
or
decayed
human
remains
predominated
.
Still
the
cemetery
was
kept
open
for
interments
;
and
when
there
was
no
room
for
a
new-comer
,
some
recently-buried
tenant
of
a
grave
was
exhumed
to
afford
the
required
space
.
In
one
part
of
the
ground
was
a
rude
brick-building
,
denominated
a
Bone-House
.
This
hovel
was
provided
with
a
large
fire-place
;
and
seldom
did
a
day
pass
without
smoke
being
seen
to
issue
from
the
chimney
.
On
those
occasions
,
—
when
the
furnace
was
lighted
,
—
the
stench
from
the
cemetery
was
always
more
powerful
than
at
other
times
.
Some
of
the
poor
inhabitants
of
the
adjoining
houses
had
remonstrated
with
the
parochial
authorities
on
the
subject
of
this
nuisance
being
tolerated
;
but
the
only
reply
the
applicants
could
obtain
was
,
"
Well
,
prefer
an
indictment
at
the
sessions
,
if
you
do
n't
like
it
!
"
The
idea
of
men
in
the
receipt
of
eight
or
ten
shillings
a
week
preferring
an
indictment
!
Such
a
process
is
only
accessible
to
those
possessed
of
ample
means
;
for
the
legislature
has
purposely
rendered
law
,
—
that
is
,
the
power
of
obtaining
justice
,
enforcing
rights
,
or
suppressing
nuisances
,
—
a
luxury
attainable
only
by
money
.
The
poor
,
indeed
!
who
ever
thought
of
legislating
for
the
poor
?
Legislate
against
them
,
and
it
is
all
well
and
good
:
heap
statute
upon
statute
—
pile
act
upon
act
—
accumulate
measure
upon
measure
—
encumber
the
most
simple
forms
with
the
most
intricate
technicalities
—
diversify
readings
and
expand
in
verbiage
until
the
sense
becomes
unintelligible
—
convert
the
whole
legal
scheme
into
a
cunning
web
,
so
that
the
poor
man
cannot
walk
three
steps
without
entangling
his
foot
in
one
of
those
meshes
of
whose
very
existence
he
was
previously
unaware
,
and
whose
nature
he
cannot
comprehend
even
when
involved
therein
;
—
do
all
this
,
and
you
are
a
wise
and
sound
statesman
;
for
this
is
legislating
against
the
poor
—
and
who
,
we
repeat
,
would
ever
think
of
legislating
for
them
?
But
to
continue
.
The
grave-digger
entered
the
cemetery
,
and
cast
a
glance
around
him
.
That
glance
well
expressed
the
man
's
thoughts
;
for
he
mentally
asked
himself
,
"
Whose
grave
must
I
disturb
now
to
make
room
for
the
new
one
?
"
At
length
he
advanced
towards
a
particular
spot
,
considered
it
for
a
moment
,
and
then
struck
his
spade
into
the
soil
,
as
much
as
to
say
,
"
This
will
do
.
"
The
place
where
he
had
now
halted
was
only
a
few
yards
from
the
Bone-House
.
Taking
a
key
from
his
pocket
,
he
proceeded
to
unlock
the
door
of
that
building
.
Entering
the
Bone-House
he
took
from
amongst
a
quantity
of
implements
in
one
corner
,
a
long
flexible
iron
rod
similar
to
those
which
we
have
already
described
as
being
used
by
the
body-snatchers
.
Returning
to
the
grave
,
he
thrust
the
rod
into
the
ground
.
It
met
with
a
little
resistance
from
some
substance
a
little
harder
than
the
soil
;
but
the
man
pushed
it
downwards
with
a
strong
arm
;
and
it
sank
at
least
twelve
feet
into
the
ground
.
Satisfied
with
this
essay
of
the
nature
of
the
spot
,
the
grave-digger
drew
back
the
rod
;
and
from
the
deep
but
narrow
aperture
thus
formed
,
issued
a
stench
more
pestiferous
than
that
which
ever
came
from
the
lowest
knacker
's
yard
.
The
man
retreated
rapidly
to
the
Bone-House
;
that
odour
was
too
powerful
even
for
one
who
had
passed
the
greater
portion
of
his
life
in
that
very
grave-yard
.
He
now
proceeded
to
light
a
fire
in
the
Bone-House
;
and
when
he
saw
the
huge
logs
which
he
heaped
on
the
grate
,
blazing
brightly
,
he
covered
them
with
coke
.
The
current
of
air
from
the
open
door
fanned
the
flames
,
which
roared
up
the
chimney
;
and
the
grave-digger
felt
invigorated
and
cheered
by
the
genial
warmth
that
issued
from
the
ample
grate
.
After
lingering
for
a
few
minutes
in
the
Bone-House
,
the
grave-digger
returned
to
the
spot
which
he
had
previously
marked
for
excavation
.
Baring
his
brawny
arms
to
the
very
shoulders
,
he
now
set
himself
vigorously
to
work
to
dig
the
grave
which
was
to
receive
a
new-comer
that
afternoon
.
Throwing
the
earth
up
on
either
side
,
he
had
digged
to
a
depth
of
about
two
feet
,
when
his
spade
encountered
a
coffin
.
He
immediately
took
his
pickaxe
,
broke
the
coffin
to
pieces
,
and
then
separated
with
his
shovel
the
pieces
of
wood
and
the
human
bones
from
the
damp
earth
.
The
coffin
was
already
so
soft
with
decay
that
the
iron
rod
had
penetrated
through
it
without
much
difficulty
;
and
it
therefore
required
but
little
exertion
to
break
it
up
altogether
.
But
the
odour
which
came
from
the
grave
was
now
of
the
most
nauseating
kind
—
fetid
,
sickly
,
pestiferous
—
making
the
atmosphere
heavy
,
and
the
human
breath
thick
and
clammy
,
as
it
were
—
and
causing
even
that
experienced
grave-digger
to
retch
as
if
he
were
about
to
vomit
.
Leaping
from
the
grave
,
he
began
to
busy
himself
in
conveying
the
pieces
of
the
broken
coffin
and
the
putrid
remains
of
mortality
into
the
Bone-House
,
where
he
heaped
them
pell-mell
upon
the
fire
.
The
flesh
had
not
completely
decayed
all
away
from
the
bones
;
a
thick
,
black
,
fatty-looking
substance
still
covered
those
human
relics
;
and
the
fire
was
thus
fed
with
a
material
which
made
the
flames
roar
and
play
half
up
the
chimney
.
And
from
the
summit
of
that
chimney
came
a
smoke
—
thick
,
dense
,
and
dark
,
like
the
smoke
of
a
gasometer
or
a
manufactory
,
but
bearing
on
its
sable
wing
the
odour
of
a
pestilence
.
The
man
returned
to
the
grave
,
and
was
about
to
resume
his
labour
,
when
his
eyes
caught
sight
of
a
black
object
,
almost
embedded
in
the
damp
clay
heaped
up
by
the
side
.
He
turned
it
over
with
his
spade
:
it
was
the
upper
part
of
the
skull
,
with
the
long
,
dark
hair
of
a
woman
still
remaining
attached
to
it
.
The
grave-digger
coolly
took
up
the
relic
by
that
long
hair
which
perhaps
had
once
been
a
valued
ornament
;
and
,
carrying
it
in
this
manner
into
the
Bone-House
,
threw
it
upon
the
fire
.
The
hair
hissed
for
a
moment
as
it
burnt
,
for
it
was
damp
and
clogged
with
clay
;
then
the
voracious
flames
licked
up
the
thin
coat
of
blackened
flesh
which
had
still
remained
on
the
skull
;
and
lastly
devoured
the
bone
itself
.
The
grave-digger
returned
to
his
toils
;
and
at
a
depth
of
scarcely
one
foot
below
the
coffin
thus
exhumed
and
burnt
,
his
shovel
was
again
impeded
for
a
moment
—
and
by
another
coffin
!
Once
more
was
the
pickaxe
put
into
requisition
:
a
second
coffin
was
broken
up
;
another
decomposing
,
but
not
entirely
decomposed
,
corpse
was
hacked
,
and
hewed
,
and
rent
to
pieces
by
the
merciless
implement
which
was
wielded
by
a
merciless
arm
;
—
and
in
a
few
moments
,
the
fire
in
the
Bone-House
burnt
cheerfully
once
more
,
the
mouth
of
the
chimney
vomiting
forth
its
dense
and
pest-bearing
breath
,
the
volume
of
which
was
from
time
to
time
lighted
with
sparks
and
flakes
of
fire
.
Thus
was
it
that
this
grave-digger
disposed
of
the
old
tenants
of
the
cemetery
in
order
to
make
room
for
new
ones
.
And
then
fond
,
surviving
relations
and
friends
speak
of
the
last
home
and
the
quiet
resting-place
of
the
deceased
:
they
talk
with
affectionate
reverence
of
those
who
sleep
in
the
grave
,
and
they
grow
pathetic
in
their
eulogies
of
the
tranquil
slumber
of
the
tomb
!
Poor
deluded
creatures
!
While
they
are
thus
engaged
in
innocent
discourse
,
—
a
discourse
that
affords
them
solace
when
they
ponder
upon
the
loss
which
they
have
sustained
,
—
the
last
home
is
invaded
—
the
quiet
resting-place
is
rudely
awakened
with
sacrilegious
echoes
—
the
sleep
of
the
grave
is
disturbed
by
the
thunder
of
a
pickaxe
—
and
the
corpse
is
snatched
from
the
tranquil
slumber
of
the
tomb
to
be
cast
into
the
all-devouring
furnace
of
the
Bone-House
.
The
grave-digger
proceeded
in
his
task
;
and
a
third
coffin
was
speedily
encountered
.
Each
successive
one
was
more
decayed
than
that
which
had
preceded
it
;
and
thus
the
labour
of
breaking
them
up
diminished
in
severity
.
But
the
destination
of
one
and
all
was
the
same
—
the
fire
of
the
Bone-House
.
No
wonder
that
the
cemetery
continued
to
receive
so
many
fresh
tenants
,
although
the
neighbours
knew
that
it
must
be
full
:
—
no
wonder
that
the
stench
was
always
more
pestiferous
when
the
furnace
of
the
Bone-House
was
lighted
!
And
that
man
—
that
grave-digger
performed
his
task
—
his
odious
task
—
without
compunction
,
and
without
remorse
:
he
was
fulfilling
the
commands
of
his
employers
—
his
employers
were
his
superiors
—
and
"
surely
his
superiors
must
know
what
was
right
and
what
was
wrong
!
"
And
so
the
grave-digger
worked
and
toiled
—
and
the
fire
in
the
Bone-House
burnt
cheerfully
—
and
the
dark
,
thick
smoke
was
borne
over
the
whole
neighbourhood
,
like
a
plague-cloud
.
Two
hours
had
passed
away
since
the
man
had
commenced
his
work
;
and
he
now
felt
hungry
.
Retiring
to
the
Bone-House
,
he
took
a
coffee-pot
from
the
shelf
,
and
proceeded
to
make
some
coffee
,
the
material
for
which
was
in
a
cupboard
in
a
corner
of
the
building
.
Water
he
took
from
a
large
pitcher
,
also
kept
in
that
foul
place
;
and
bread
he
had
brought
with
him
in
his
pockets
.
He
drew
a
stool
close
to
the
fire
;
and
,
when
the
coffee
boiled
,
commenced
his
meal
.
The
liquid
cheered
and
refreshed
him
;
but
he
never
once
recollected
that
it
had
been
heated
by
flames
fed
with
human
flesh
and
bones
!
While
he
was
thus
occupied
,
he
heard
footsteps
approaching
the
Bone-House
;
and
in
a
few
moments
Mr.
Banks
,
the
undertaker
,
appeared
upon
the
threshold
.
"
Mornin
'
,
sir
,
"
said
the
grave-digger
.
"
Come
to
have
a
look
at
the
size
of
the
grave
,
s'pose
?
You
've
no
call
to
be
afeard
;
I
'll
be
bound
to
make
it
big
enow
.
"
"
I
hope
it
wo
n't
be
a
very
deep
one
,
Jones
,
"
returned
the
undertaker
.
"
Somehow
or
another
the
friends
of
the
blessed
defunct
are
awerse
to
a
deep
grave
.
"
"
My
orders
is
to
dig
down
sixteen
feet
and
shore
up
the
sides
as
I
deepens
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
Do
n't
you
see
that
I
shall
throw
the
earth
on
wery
light
,
so
that
it
wo
n't
take
scarcely
no
trouble
to
shovel
it
out
agin
;
'
cos
the
next
seven
as
comes
to
this
ground
must
all
go
into
that
there
grave
.
"
"
Sixteen
feet
!
"
ejaculated
the
undertaker
,
in
dismay
.
"
It
will
never
do
,
Jones
.
The
friends
of
the
dear
deceased
would
n't
sleep
quiet
in
their
beds
if
they
thought
he
had
to
sleep
so
deep
in
his'n
.
It
wo
n't
do
,
Jones
—
it
wo
n't
do
.
"
"
My
orders
is
sich
from
the
proprietors
,
sir
,
"
answered
the
grave-digger
,
munching
and
drinking
at
intervals
with
considerable
calmness
.
"
Now
I
tell
you
what
it
is
,
Jones
,
"
continued
the
undertaker
,
after
a
moment
's
pause
,
"
not
another
grave
will
I
ever
order
in
this
ground
,
and
not
another
carkiss
that
I
undertake
shall
come
here
,
unless
you
choose
to
comply
with
my
wishes
concerning
this
blessed
old
defunct
.
"
"
Well
,
Mr.
Banks
,
there
is
n't
a
gen'leman
wot
undertakes
in
all
Globe
Town
,
or
from
Bonner
's
Fields
down
to
Mile
End
Gate
,
that
I
'd
sooner
obleege
than
yourself
,
"
said
Jones
,
the
grave-digger
;
"
but
if
so
be
I
transgresses
my
orders
—
"
"
Who
will
know
it
?
"
interrupted
Banks
.
"
You
have
whole
and
sole
charge
of
the
ground
;
and
it
ca
n't
be
often
that
the
proprietors
come
to
trouble
you
.
"
"
Well
,
sir
,
there
is
summut
in
that
—
"
"
And
then
,
instead
of
five
shillings
for
yourself
,
I
should
not
hesitate
to
make
it
ten
—
"
"
That
's
business
,
Mr.
Banks
.
How
deep
must
the
grave
be
?
"
"
How
deep
is
it
already
?
"
"
A
matter
of
nine
feet
,
sir
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
Then
not
another
hinch
must
you
move
,
"
cried
the
undertaker
,
emphatically
;
"
and
here
's
the
ten
bob
as
an
earnest
.
"
Mr.
Banks
accordingly
counted
ten
shillings
into
the
hands
of
the
grave-digger
.
"
When
's
the
funeral
a-coming
,
sir
?
"
asked
Jones
,
after
a
pause
.
"
At
two
precisely
,
"
replied
Mr.
Banks
.
"
Rale
parson
,
or
von
of
your
men
as
usual
?
"
continued
the
grave-digger
,
inquiringly
.
"
Oh
,
a
friend
of
mine
—
a
wery
pious
,
savoury
,
soul-loving
wessel
,
Jones
—
a
man
that
it
'll
do
your
heart
good
to
hear
.
But
,
I
say
,
Jones
,
"
added
the
undertaker
,
"
you
're
getting
uncommon
full
here
.
"
"
Yes
,
full
enow
,
sir
;
but
I
makes
room
.
"
"
I
see
you
do
,
"
said
Banks
,
glancing
towards
the
fire
:
"
what
a
offensive
smell
it
makes
.
"
"
And
would
you
believe
that
I
can
scarcely
support
it
myself
sometimes
,
Mr.
Banks
?
"
returned
Jones
.
"
But
,
arter
all
,
our
ground
is
n't
so
bad
as
some
others
in
London
.
"
"
I
know
it
is
n't
,
"
observed
the
undertaker
.
"
Now
ai
n't
it
a
odd
thing
,
sir
,
"
continued
the
grave-digger
,
"
that
persons
which
dwells
up
in
decent
neighbourhoods
like
,
and
seems
exceedin
'
proud
of
their
fine
houses
and
handsome
shops
,
should
n't
notice
the
foul
air
that
comes
from
places
only
hid
by
a
low
wail
or
a
thin
paling
?
"
"
It
is
indeed
odd
enough
,
"
said
Mr.
Banks
.
"
Well
,
I
knows
the
diggers
in
some
o
'
the
yards
more
west
,
"
continued
Jones
,
"
and
I
've
heerd
from
them
over
and
over
agin
that
they
pursues
just
the
wery
same
course
as
we
does
here
—
has
a
Bone-House
or
some
such
conwenient
place
,
and
burns
the
coffins
and
bones
that
is
turned
up
.
"
"
I
suppose
it
is
necessary
,
Jones
?
"
observed
Mr.
Banks
.
"
Necessary
,
sir
?
in
course
it
be
,
"
exclaimed
the
grave-digger
.
"
On'y
fancy
wot
a
lot
of
burials
takes
place
every
year
in
London
;
and
room
must
be
made
for
'
em
somehow
or
other
.
"
"
Ah
!
I
know
something
about
that
,
"
said
the
undertaker
.
"
Calkilations
have
been
made
which
proves
that
the
average
life
of
us
poor
weak
human
creeturs
is
thirty-five
years
;
so
,
if
London
contains
a
million
and
a
half
of
people
,
a
million
and
a
half
of
persons
dies
,
and
is
buried
in
the
course
of
every
thirty-five
years
.
Is
n't
that
a
fine
thing
for
them
that
's
in
the
undertaking
line
?
'
cause
it
's
quite
clear
that
there
's
a
million
and
a
half
of
funerals
in
every
thirty-five
years
in
this
blessed
city
.
"
"
And
a
million
and
a
half
of
graves
or
waults
rekvired
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
Well
,
then
,
who
the
deuce
can
blame
us
for
burning
up
the
old
'
uns
to
make
room
for
the
new
'
uns
?
"
"
Who
,
indeed
?
"
echoed
Mr.
Banks
.
"
T'other
day
I
had
an
undertaking
,
which
was
buried
in
Enon
Chapel
,
Saint
Clement
's
Lane
,
—
down
there
by
Lincoln
's
Inn
,
you
know
.
The
chapel
's
surrounded
by
houses
,
all
okkipied
by
poor
people
,
and
the
stench
is
horrid
.
The
fact
is
,
that
the
chapel
's
divided
into
two
storeys
:
the
upper
one
is
the
preaching
place
;
and
the
underneath
one
is
the
burial
place
.
There
's
only
a
common
boarded
floor
to
separate
'
em
.
You
go
down
by
a
trap-door
in
the
floor
;
and
pits
is
dug
below
for
the
coffins
.
Why
,
at
one
end
the
place
is
so
full
,
that
the
coffins
is
piled
up
till
they
touch
the
ceiling
—
that
is
,
the
floor
of
the
chapel
itself
,
and
there
's
only
a
few
inches
of
earth
over
'
em
.
The
common
sewer
runs
through
the
place
;
so
,
what
with
that
and
the
coffins
and
carkisses
,
it
's
a
nice
hole
.
"
"
Wuss
than
this
?
"
said
Jones
.
"
Of
course
it
is
,
"
returned
Banks
;
"
'
cause
at
all
ewents
this
is
out
in
the
open
air
,
while
t'other
's
shut
up
and
close
.
But
I
'll
tell
you
what
it
is
,
Jones
,
"
continued
the
undertaker
,
sinking
his
voice
as
if
he
were
afraid
of
being
overheard
by
a
stranger
,
"
the
people
that
lives
in
that
densely-populated
quarter
about
Saint
Clement
's
Lane
,
exists
in
the
midst
of
a
pestilence
.
Why
they
breathe
nothing
but
the
putrid
stench
of
the
Enon
burial-place
,
the
Green
Ground
in
Portugal
Street
,
and
the
Alms-House
burying
ground
down
at
the
bottom
of
the
Lane
.
"
"
All
that
'll
breed
a
plague
von
o
'
these
days
in
the
werry
middle
of
London
,
"
observed
Jones
.
"
Not
a
doubt
of
it
,
"
said
the
undertaker
.
"
But
I
have
n't
done
yet
all
I
had
to
say
about
that
quarter
.
Wery
soon
after
a
burial
takes
place
at
Enon
Chapel
,
a
queer-looking
,
long
,
narrow
,
black
fly
crawls
out
of
the
coffin
.
It
is
a
production
of
the
putrefaction
of
the
dead
body
.
But
what
do
you
think
?
Next
season
this
fly
is
succeeded
by
another
kind
of
insect
just
like
the
common
bug
,
and
with
wings
.
The
children
that
go
to
Sunday-school
at
the
Chapel
calls
'
em
'
body
bugs
.
'
Them
insects
is
seen
all
through
the
summer
flying
or
crawling
about
the
Chapel
.
All
the
houses
that
overlooks
the
Chapel
is
infested
with
rats
;
and
if
a
poor
creetur
only
hangs
a
bit
of
meat
out
of
his
window
in
the
summer
time
,
in
a
few
hours
it
grows
putrid
.
"
"
Well
,
Mr.
Banks
,
sir
,
"
said
Jones
,
after
reflecting
profoundly
for
some
moments
,
"
it
's
wery
lucky
that
you
ai
n't
one
o
'
them
chaps
which
writes
books
and
nonsense
.
"
"
Why
so
,
Jones
?
"
"
'
Cos
if
you
was
to
print
all
that
you
've
been
tellin
'
me
,
you
'd
make
the
fortunes
of
them
new
cemetries
that
's
opened
all
round
London
,
and
the
consekvence
would
be
that
the
grounds
in
London
would
have
to
shut
up
shop
.
"
"
Very
true
,
Jones
.
But
what
I
'm
saying
to
you
now
is
only
in
confidence
,
and
by
way
of
chat
.
Why
,
do
you
know
that
the
people
round
about
the
burying
grounds
in
London
—
this
one
as
well
as
any
other
—
have
seen
the
walls
of
their
rooms
covered
at
times
with
a
sort
of
thick
fatty
fluid
,
which
produces
a
smell
that
's
quite
horrid
!
Look
at
that
burying
place
in
Drury
Lane
.
It
's
so
full
of
blessed
carkisses
,
that
the
ground
is
level
with
the
first-floor
windows
of
the
houses
round
it
.
"
"
Well
,
it
's
a
happy
thing
to
know
that
the
world
do
n't
trouble
themselves
with
these
here
matters
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
Thank
God
!
in
my
ground
I
clears
and
clears
away
,
coffins
and
bodies
both
alike
,
as
quick
as
I
turns
'
em
up
.
Lord
!
what
a
sight
of
coffin
nails
I
sells
every
month
to
the
marine-store
dealers
;
and
yet
people
passes
by
them
shops
and
sees
second-hand
coffin
furniture
put
out
for
sale
,
never
thinks
of
how
it
got
there
,
and
where
it
come
from
.
"
"
Of
course
they
do
n't
,
"
cried
Banks
.
"
What
the
devil
do
you
think
would
become
of
a
many
trades
if
people
always
wondered
,
and
wondered
how
they
supported
theirselves
?
"
"
You
speaks
like
a
book
,
Mr.
Banks
,
sir
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
Arter
all
,
I
've
often
thought
wot
a
fool
I
am
not
to
sell
the
coffin-wood
for
fuel
,
as
most
other
grave-diggers
does
in
grounds
that
's
obleeged
to
be
cleared
of
the
old
'
uns
to
make
room
for
the
new
'
uns
.
But
,
I
say
,
Mr.
Banks
,
sir
,
I
've
often
been
going
to
ask
you
a
question
about
summut
,
and
I
've
always
forgot
it
;
but
talkin
'
of
these
things
puts
me
in
mind
of
it
.
What
's
the
reason
,
sir
,
that
gen'lemen
in
the
undertaking
line
wery
often
bores
holes
right
through
the
coffins
?
"
"
That
's
what
we
call
'
tapping
the
coffin
,
'
Jones
,
"
answered
Mr.
Banks
;
"
and
we
do
it
whenever
a
body
's
going
to
remain
at
home
two
or
three
days
with
the
coffin-lid
screwed
down
,
before
the
funeral
takes
place
.
Poor
people
generally
buries
on
Sunday
:
well
,
p'raps
the
coffin
's
took
home
on
Wednesday
or
Thursday
,
and
then
the
body
's
put
in
and
the
lid
's
screwed
tight
down
at
once
to
save
trouble
when
Sunday
comes
.
Then
we
tap
the
coffin
to
let
out
the
gas
;
cause
there
is
a
gas
formed
by
the
decomposition
of
dead
bodies
.
"
[
81
]
"
Well
,
all
that
's
a
cut
above
me
,
"
said
Jones
.
"
And
now
I
must
get
back
to
work
—
"
"
Not
at
that
grave
,
mind
,
"
interrupted
the
undertaker
.
"
It
mus
n't
be
another
hinch
deeper
.
"
"
Not
a
bit
,
sir
—
I
ai
n't
a
goin
'
to
touch
it
:
but
I
've
got
another
place
to
open
;
so
here
goes
.
"
With
these
words
the
grave-digger
rose
from
his
seat
,
and
walked
slowly
out
of
the
Bone-House
.
"
At
two
o'clock
,
Jones
,
I
shall
be
here
with
the
funeral
,
"
said
Mr.
Banks
.
"
Wery
good
,
sir
,
"
returned
Jones
.
The
undertaker
then
left
the
burial-ground
;
and
the
grave-digger
proceeded
to
open
another
pit
.
CHAPTER
CVII
.
A
DISCOVERY
.
AT
two
o'clock
precisely
the
funeral
entered
the
cemetery
.
Four
villanous-looking
fellows
supported
a
common
coffin
,
over
which
was
thrown
a
scanty
pall
,
full
of
holes
,
and
so
ragged
at
the
edges
that
it
seemed
as
if
it
were
embellished
with
a
fringe
.
Mr.
Banks
,
with
a
countenance
expressing
only
a
moderate
degree
of
grief
,
attended
as
a
mourner
,
accompanied
by
the
surgeon
and
the
Buffer
.
The
truth
is
that
Mr.
Banks
had
a
graduated
scale
of
funeral
expressions
of
countenance
.
When
he
was
uncommonly
well
paid
,
his
physiognomy
denoted
a
grief
more
poignant
than
that
of
even
the
nearest
relatives
of
the
deceased
:
when
he
was
indifferently
paid
,
as
he
considered
himself
to
be
in
the
present
case
,
he
could
not
afford
tears
,
although
he
was
not
so
economical
as
to
dispense
with
a
white
pocket-handkerchief
.
In
front
of
the
procession
walked
the
Resurrection
Man
,
clad
in
a
surplice
of
dingy
hue
,
and
holding
an
enormous
prayer-book
in
his
hand
.
This
miscreant
performed
one
of
the
most
holy
—
one
of
the
most
sacred
of
religious
rites
!
Start
not
,
gentle
reader
!
This
is
no
exaggeration
—
no
extravagance
on
our
part
.
In
all
the
poor
districts
in
London
,
the
undertakers
have
their
own
men
to
solemnise
the
burial
rites
of
those
who
die
in
poverty
,
or
who
have
no
friends
to
superintend
their
passage
to
the
grave
.
The
Resurrection
Man
,
—
a
villain
stained
with
every
crime
—
a
murderer
of
the
blackest
dye
—
a
wretch
whose
chief
pursuit
was
the
violation
of
the
tomb
,
—
the
Resurrection
Man
read
the
funeral
service
over
the
unknown
who
was
now
consigned
to
the
grave
.
The
ceremony
ended
;
and
Jones
hastened
to
throw
the
earth
back
again
into
the
grave
.
The
surgeon
exchanged
a
few
words
with
the
Resurrection
Man
,
and
then
departed
towards
his
home
.
Mr.
Banks
and
the
Buffer
accompanied
the
Resurrection
Man
to
his
own
abode
,
where
they
found
a
copious
repast
ready
to
be
served
up
to
them
by
the
Rattlesnake
.
The
Buffer
's
wife
was
also
there
;
and
the
party
sat
down
with
a
determination
to
enjoy
themselves
.
To
accomplish
this
most
desirable
aim
there
were
ample
means
.
A
huge
round
of
beef
smoked
upon
the
board
,
flanked
with
sundry
pots
of
porter
;
and
on
a
side-table
stood
divers
bottles
of
"
Booth
's
best
.
"
"
Well
,
"
said
Mr.
Banks
,
"
the
worst
part
now
is
over
.
We
have
got
the
body
under
ground
—
"
"
And
we
must
soon
get
it
up
again
,
"
added
the
Resurrection
Man
drily
.
"
You
are
sure
the
old
woman
put
the
money
in
the
coffin
?
"
"
I
see
her
do
it
,
"
answered
the
undertaker
.
"
She
wrapped
it
up
in
a
old
stocking
which
belonged
to
the
blessed
defunct
—
"
"
Blessed
defunct
indeed
!
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
,
with
a
coarse
laugh
.
"
You
see
,
ma'am
,
I
ca
n't
divest
myself
of
my
professional
lingo
,
"
observed
Mr.
Banks
.
"
It
comes
natural
to
me
now
.
But
as
I
was
a
saying
,
I
see
the
old
woman
wrap
the
thirty-one
quids
up
in
the
toe
of
a
stocking
,
and
put
it
on
his
breast
—
"
"
On
the
shroud
,
or
underneath
?
"
demanded
the
Resurrection
Man
eagerly
.
"
Underneath
,
"
replied
Banks
:
"
I
took
good
care
of
that
.
I
knowed
very
well
that
you
'd
want
to
draw
the
body
up
by
the
head
,
and
that
the
money
must
be
so
placed
as
to
come
along
with
it
.
"
"
Of
course
,
"
said
the
Buffer
;
"
or
else
we
should
have
to
dig
out
all
the
earth
,
and
break
open
the
lid
of
the
coffin
;
and
that
takes
twice
as
long
as
to
do
the
job
t
'
other
way
.
"
"
At
what
time
is
the
sawbones
coming
down
to
the
grave-yard
?
"
asked
Banks
.
"
He
is
n't
coming
at
all
,
"
returned
the
Resurrection
Man
:
"
but
I
promised
that
we
would
be
at
his
place
at
half-past
one
o'clock
to-night
.
"
"
Too
early
!
"
exclaimed
the
Buffer
.
"
We
ca
n't
think
of
beginning
work
'
afore
twelve
.
The
place
ai
n't
quiet
till
then
.
"
"
Well
,
and
an
hour
will
do
the
business
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Besides
,
the
saw-bones
will
set
up
for
us
.
Now
then
,
Meg
,
clear
away
,
and
let
's
have
the
blue
ruin
and
hot
water
.
I
must
just
write
a
short
note
to
a
gentleman
with
whom
I
have
a
little
business
of
a
private
nature
;
and
you
can
run
and
take
it
to
the
post
presently
.
"
The
Resurrection
Man
seated
himself
at
a
little
side-table
,
and
penned
a
hasty
letter
,
which
he
folded
,
sealed
,
and
addressed
to
"
Arthur
Chichester
,
Esq.
,
Cambridge
Heath
,
near
Hackney
.
"
Margaret
Flathers
took
it
to
the
post-office
,
which
was
in
the
immediate
neighbourhood
.
On
her
return
,
the
Resurrection
Man
said
,
"
Now
you
and
Moll
try
your
hands
at
some
punch
,
—
and
make
it
pretty
stiff
too
—
just
as
you
like
it
yourselves
.
"
This
command
was
obeyed
;
and
the
three
men
betook
themselves
to
their
pipes
,
while
the
women
set
to
work
to
brew
a
mighty
jorum
of
gin-punch
in
an
earthenware
pitcher
that
held
about
a
gallon
and
a
half
.
The
potent
beverage
was
speedily
served
up
;
and
the
conversation
grew
animated
.
Even
the
moroseness
of
the
Resurrection
Man
partially
gave
way
before
the
exhilarating
fluid
;
and
he
narrated
a
variety
of
incidents
connected
with
the
pursuits
of
his
criminal
career
.
Then
the
women
sang
songs
,
and
Mr.
Banks
told
a
number
of
anecdotes
showing
how
he
was
enabled
to
undertake
funerals
at
a
cheaper
rate
than
many
of
his
competitors
,
because
he
had
always
taken
care
to
league
himself
with
body-snatchers
,
to
whom
he
gave
information
of
a
nature
serviceable
to
them
,
and
for
which
they
were
well
contented
to
pay
a
handsome
price
.
Thus
,
whenever
he
was
intrusted
with
the
interment
of
a
corpse
which
he
fancied
would
make
a
"
good
subject
,
"
he
communicated
with
his
friends
the
resurrectionists
,
and
in
a
night
or
two
the
body
was
exhumed
for
the
benefit
of
some
enterprising
surgeon
.
In
this
manner
the
time
slipped
away
;
—
hour
after
hour
passed
;
supper
was
served
up
;
"
another
glass
,
and
another
pipe
,
"
was
the
order
of
the
evening
;
and
although
these
three
men
sate
drinking
and
smoking
to
an
immoderate
degree
,
they
rose
from
their
chairs
,
at
half-past
eleven
o'clock
,
but
little
the
worse
for
their
debauch
.
The
Resurrection
Man
filled
a
flask
with
pure
gin
,
and
consigned
it
to
his
pocket
.
"
We
must
now
be
off
,
"
he
said
.
"
You
,
Banks
,
can
go
home
and
get
the
cart
ready
:
the
Buffer
and
me
will
go
our
way
.
"
"
At
what
time
shall
I
come
with
the
cart
?
"
demanded
the
undertaker
.
"
At
a
quarter
past
one
to
a
second
—
neither
more
nor
less
,
"
answered
Tidkins
.
Banks
then
took
his
departure
.
"
Are
you
going
to
stay
here
with
Meg
,
or
what
?
"
asked
the
Buffer
of
his
wife
.
"
I
shall
go
to
bed
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
hastily
.
"
Tony
can
take
the
key
with
him
.
"
"
Then
I
shall
be
off
home
,
"
observed
Moll
.
"
Besides
,
Mrs.
Smith
may
think
it
odd
if
we
both
remain
out
so
late
.
"
The
Buffer
's
wife
accordingly
took
her
leave
.
"
Now
come
,
Jack
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
We
have
no
time
to
lose
.
There
's
the
tools
to
get
out
.
"
The
two
men
descended
the
stairs
,
and
issued
from
the
house
.
They
hastened
up
the
little
alley
:
the
Resurrection
Man
opened
the
door
of
the
ground-floor
rooms
;
and
they
entered
that
part
of
the
house
together
.
"
Bustle
about
,
"
said
Tidkins
,
when
they
found
themselves
in
the
front
room
;
and
having
lighted
a
candle
,
he
hastily
gathered
together
the
implements
which
they
required
.
Laden
with
the
tools
,
the
two
men
were
about
to
leave
the
room
,
when
the
Buffer
suddenly
exclaimed
,
"
What
the
devil
was
that
?
I
could
have
sworn
I
heard
some
one
moaning
.
"
"
Nonsense
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
;
but
,
as
he
spoke
,
he
observed
by
the
glare
of
the
candle
,
that
the
countenance
of
his
companion
had
suddenly
become
ashy
pale
.
"
Well
,
I
never
was
more
deceived
in
my
life
,
"
observed
the
Buffer
.
"
You
certainly
never
was
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
:
then
,
hastily
extinguishing
the
light
,
he
pushed
the
Buffer
into
the
alley
,
and
locked
the
door
carefully
behind
himself
.
The
two
body-snatchers
then
proceeded
to
the
scene
of
their
midnight
labour
.
We
must
take
leave
of
them
for
a
short
space
,
and
follow
the
movements
of
the
Rattlesnake
.
It
was
not
without
an
object
that
this
woman
had
got
rid
of
the
company
of
the
Buffer
's
wife
,
by
declaring
that
she
was
about
to
retire
to
rest
.
She
permitted
ten
minutes
to
elapse
after
the
Resurrection
Man
and
his
companion
had
left
the
room
;
then
,
deeming
that
sufficient
time
had
been
allowed
for
them
to
provide
themselves
with
the
implements
necessary
for
their
night
's
work
,
she
started
from
her
chair
,
involuntarily
exclaiming
aloud
,
"
Now
for
the
great
secret
!
"
From
an
obscure
corner
of
a
shelf
in
the
bed-room
she
drew
forth
a
bunch
of
skeleton
keys
,
which
she
had
procured
on
the
preceding
day
.
She
then
provided
herself
with
a
dark-lantern
,
and
descended
to
the
alley
.
In
five
minutes
she
lighted
upon
a
key
,
after
many
vain
attempts
with
the
others
,
which
turned
in
the
lock
.
The
door
opened
,
and
she
entered
the
ground
floor
.
Having
closed
the
door
,
she
immediately
proceeded
into
the
back
room
,
the
appearance
of
which
was
the
same
as
when
she
last
visited
it
.
The
mysterious
cloak
and
mask
were
there
;
but
in
the
cupboard
,
which
was
before
empty
,
were
now
a
loaf
and
a
bottle
of
water
.
"
Then
there
is
a
human
being
concealed
somewhere
hereabouts
!
"
she
said
to
herself
:
"
or
else
why
that
food
!
And
it
must
have
been
the
supply
of
bread
and
water
that
I
saw
him
put
into
his
basket
the
other
night
.
"
She
listened
;
but
no
sound
fell
upon
her
ear
.
Then
she
carefully
examined
the
room
,
to
discover
any
trap-door
or
secret
means
of
communication
with
a
dungeon
or
subterranean
place
.
She
knew
,
by
the
situation
of
the
house
in
respect
to
those
on
either
side
of
it
,
that
there
could
be
no
inner
room
level
with
the
ground-floor
;
she
therefore
felt
convinced
that
if
there
were
any
secret
chamber
or
cell
connected
with
the
premises
,
it
must
be
underneath
.
She
scrutinized
every
inch
of
the
floor
,
and
could
perceive
no
signs
of
a
trap-door
.
The
boards
were
all
firm
and
tight
.
She
advanced
towards
the
chimney
,
which
was
divested
of
its
grate
;
and
suddenly
she
felt
the
hearth-stone
move
with
a
slight
oscillation
beneath
her
feet
.
Her
countenance
became
animated
with
joy
;
she
felt
convinced
that
her
perseverance
in
examining
that
room
was
about
to
be
rewarded
.
She
placed
the
lantern
upon
the
floor
,
and
endeavoured
to
raise
the
stone
;
but
it
seemed
fixed
in
its
setting
,
although
it
trembled
as
she
touched
it
.
Still
she
was
not
disheartened
.
She
scrutinized
the
boards
in
the
immediate
vicinity
of
the
stone
;
but
her
search
was
unavailing
.
No
evidence
of
a
concealed
lock
—
no
trace
of
a
secret
spring
met
her
eyes
.
Yet
she
was
confident
that
she
was
on
the
right
scent
.
As
she
turned
herself
round
,
while
crawling
upon
her
hands
and
knees
the
better
to
pursue
her
examination
,
her
rustling
silk
dress
disturbed
a
portion
of
the
masonry
in
the
chimney
,
where
a
grate
had
once
been
fixed
.
A
brick
fell
out
.
The
heart
of
the
Rattlesnake
now
beat
quickly
.
She
approached
the
lantern
to
the
cavity
left
by
the
dislodged
brick
;
and
at
the
bottom
of
the
recess
she
espied
a
small
iron
ring
.
She
pulled
it
without
hesitation
;
the
ring
yielded
to
her
touch
,
and
drew
out
a
thick
wire
to
the
distance
of
nearly
a
foot
.
The
Rattlesnake
now
tried
once
more
to
raise
the
stone
,
and
succeeded
.
The
stone
was
fixed
at
one
end
with
stout
iron
hinges
to
one
of
the
beams
that
supported
the
floor
,
and
thus
opened
like
a
trap-door
.
When
raised
,
it
disclosed
a
narrow
flight
of
stone
steps
,
at
the
bottom
of
which
the
most
perfect
obscurity
reigned
.
The
Rattlesnake
now
paused
—
in
alarm
.
She
longed
to
penetrate
into
those
mysterious
depths
—
she
panted
to
dive
into
that
subterranean
darkness
;
but
she
was
afraid
.
All
those
terrible
reminiscences
which
were
associated
with
her
knowledge
of
the
Resurrection
Man
,
rushed
to
her
mind
;
and
she
trembled
to
descend
into
the
vault
at
her
feet
,
for
fear
she
should
never
return
.
These
terrors
were
too
much
for
her
.
She
,
moreover
,
recalled
to
mind
that
nearly
an
hour
had
now
elapsed
since
the
Resurrection
Man
and
the
Buffer
had
departed
;
and
she
knew
not
how
speedily
they
might
conclude
their
task
.
Besides
,
some
unforeseen
accident
or
sudden
interruption
might
compel
them
to
beat
a
retreat
homewards
;
and
she
knew
full
well
that
if
she
were
discovered
there
,
death
would
be
her
portion
.
She
accordingly
determined
to
postpone
any
further
examination
into
the
mysteries
of
that
house
until
some
further
occasion
.
Having
closed
the
stone
trap-door
and
replaced
the
brick
in
the
wall
of
the
chimney
,
she
hastened
back
to
the
upper
floor
,
where
she
speedily
retired
to
bed
.
We
may
as
well
observe
that
during
the
time
she
was
in
the
lower
room
,
no
sound
of
a
human
tongue
met
her
ears
.
But
perhaps
the
victim
slept
!
CHAPTER
CVIII
.
THE
EXHUMATION
.
THE
night
was
fine
—
frosty
—
and
bright
with
the
lustre
of
a
lovely
moon
.
Even
the
chimneys
and
gables
of
the
squalid
houses
of
Globe
Town
appeared
to
bathe
their
heads
in
that
flood
of
silver
light
.
The
Resurrection
Man
and
the
Buffer
pursued
their
way
towards
the
cemetery
.
For
some
minutes
they
preserved
a
profound
silence
:
at
length
the
Buffer
exclaimed
,
"
I
only
hope
,
Tony
,
that
this
business
wo
n't
turn
out
as
bad
as
the
job
with
young
Markham
three
nights
ago
.
"
"
Why
should
it
?
"
demanded
the
Resurrection
Man
,
in
a
gruff
tone
.
"
Well
,
I
do
n't
know
why
,
"
answered
the
Buffer
.
"
P'rhaps
,
after
all
,
it
was
just
as
well
that
feller
escaped
as
he
did
.
We
might
have
swung
for
it
.
"
"
Escape
!
"
muttered
the
Resurrection
Man
,
grinding
his
teeth
savagely
.
"
Yes
—
he
did
escape
then
;
but
I
have
n't
done
with
him
yet
.
He
shall
not
get
off
so
easy
another
time
.
"
"
I
wonder
who
those
chaps
was
that
come
up
so
sudden
?
"
observed
the
Buffer
,
after
a
pause
.
"
Friends
of
his
,
no
doubt
,
"
answered
Tidkins
.
"
Most
likely
he
suspected
a
trap
,
or
thought
he
would
be
on
the
right
side
.
But
the
night
was
so
plaguy
dark
,
and
the
whole
thing
was
so
sudden
,
it
was
impossible
to
form
an
idea
of
who
the
two
strangers
might
be
.
"
"
One
on
'
em
was
precious
strong
,
I
know
,
"
said
the
Buffer
.
"
But
,
for
my
part
,
I
think
you
'd
better
leave
the
young
feller
alone
in
future
.
It
's
no
good
standing
the
chance
of
getting
scragged
for
mere
wengeance
.
I
ca
n't
understand
that
sort
of
thing
.
If
you
like
to
crack
his
crib
for
him
and
hive
the
swag
,
I
'm
your
man
;
but
I
'll
have
no
more
of
a
business
that
's
all
danger
and
no
profit
.
"
"
Well
,
well
,
as
you
like
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
,
impatiently
.
"
Here
we
are
;
so
look
alive
.
"
They
were
now
under
the
wall
of
the
cemetery
.
The
Buffer
clambered
to
the
top
of
the
wall
,
which
was
not
very
high
;
and
the
Resurrection
Man
handed
him
the
implements
and
tools
,
which
he
dropped
cautiously
upon
the
ground
inside
the
enclosure
.
He
then
helped
his
companion
upon
the
wall
;
and
in
another
moment
they
stood
together
within
the
cemetery
.
"
Are
you
sure
you
can
find
the
way
to
the
right
grave
?
"
demanded
the
Buffer
in
a
whisper
.
"
Do
n't
be
afraid
,
"
was
the
reply
:
"
I
could
go
straight
up
to
it
blindfold
.
"
They
then
shouldered
their
implements
,
and
the
Resurrection
Man
led
the
way
to
the
spot
where
Mrs.
Smith
's
anonymous
lodger
had
been
buried
.
"
I
'm
afeard
the
ground
's
precious
hard
,
"
observed
the
Buffer
,
when
he
and
his
companion
had
satisfied
themselves
by
a
cautious
glance
around
that
no
one
was
watching
their
movements
.
The
eyes
of
these
men
had
become
so
habituated
to
the
obscurity
of
night
,
in
consequence
of
the
frequency
with
which
they
pursued
their
avocations
during
the
darkness
which
cradled
others
to
rest
,
that
they
were
possessed
of
the
visual
acuteness
generally
ascribed
to
the
cat
.
"
We
'll
soon
turn
it
