namesto
distinguish
horrible
neighbourhoods
!
In
the
lowest
parts
of
Whitechapel
we
find
Pleasant
Row
,
Queen
Street
,
Flower
Street
,
Duke
Street
,
and
Rose
Lane
.
In
Bethnal
Green
,
a
place
inhabited
by
the
poorest
of
the
poor
is
denominated
Silver
Street
;
and
,
in
the
same
district
,
a
filthy
thoroughfare
is
christened
Pleasant
Street
.
Globe
Town
and
its
immediate
vicinity
abound
in
cemeteries
.
To
the
north
there
is
the
Eastern
London
Cemetery
;
and
to
the
south
there
are
two
Jews
'
burial
grounds
,
and
two
other
places
of
sepulture
.
With
the
exception
of
the
first-mentioned
one
,
which
has
only
been
recently
opened
,
and
is
a
large
airy
space
neatly
planted
with
shrubs
,
those
cemeteries
are
so
crowded
with
the
remains
of
mortality
,
that
it
is
impossible
to
drive
a
spade
into
the
ground
without
striking
against
human
bones
.
When
you
once
merge
from
the
Cambridge
Road
,
pass
the
new
church
in
Bethnal
Green
,
and
plunge
into
Globe
Town
,
it
seems
as
if
you
had
left
London
altogether
,
—
as
if
you
were
no
longer
within
the
limits
of
the
metropolis
,
but
had
suddenly
dropped
from
the
clouds
into
a
strange
village
strangely
peopled
.
You
encounter
but
few
persons
in
the
streets
;
and
those
whom
you
do
meet
are
,
for
the
most
part
,
squalid
,
emaciated
,
pale
,
and
drooping
.
The
only
sounds
of
mirth
which
meet
your
ear
,
emanate
from
the
casements
of
the
public-houses
,
or
from
the
urchins
that
play
half-naked
in
the
mud
.
With
these
exceptions
,
Globe
Town
is
silent
,
gloomy
,
and
sombre
.
The
shop-windows
are
indicative
of
the
poverty
of
the
inhabitants
.
The
butcher
's
shed
displays
but
a
few
slices
of
liver
stretched
upon
a
board
,
sheep
's
heads
of
no
very
inviting
appearance
,
and
hearts
,
lungs
,
and
lights
,
all
hanging
together
,
like
a
Dutch
clock
with
its
weights
against
a
wall
.
The
poor
make
stews
of
this
offal
.
The
fish-stalls
present
"
for
public
competition
,
"
as
George
Robins
would
say
,
nothing
but
the
most
coarse
and
the
cheapest
articles
—
such
as
huge
Dutch
plaice
,
haddocks
,
etc.
In
the
season
the
itinerant
venders
of
fresh-herrings
and
sprats
drive
a
good
trade
in
Globe
Town
.
In
a
word
,
every
thing
in
that
district
denotes
poverty
—
poverty
—
nothing
but
pinching
poverty
.
The
inhabitants
of
Globe
Town
are
of
two
kinds
;
being
weavers
,
and
persons
who
earn
their
livelihood
by
working
at
the
docks
or
on
the
canal
,
on
the
one
hand
;
and
thieves
,
prostitutes
,
and
vagrants
,
on
the
other
.
When
a
burglar
or
a
pickpocket
finds
St.
Giles
's
,
Clerkenwell
,
the
Mint
,
or
Bethnal
Green
too
hot
to
hold
him
,
he
betakes
himself
to
Globe
Town
,
where
he
buries
himself
in
some
obscure
garret
until
the
storms
that
menaced
him
be
blown
over
.
Globe
Town
has
thus
acquired
amongst
the
fraternity
of
rogues
of
all
classes
,
the
expressive
denomination
of
the
"
Happy
Valley
.
"
In
one
of
the
narrowest
,
dirtiest
,
and
most
lonely
streets
at
the
eastern
extremity
of
Globe
Town
,
there
was
a
house
of
an
appearance
more
dilapidated
than
the
rest
.
It
was
only
two
storeys
high
,
and
was
built
in
a
very
singular
manner
.
From
the
very
threshold
of
the
front
door
a
precipitate
staircase
,
more
nearly
resembling
a
ladder
,
led
to
the
upper
apartments
;
so
that
when
any
one
entered
that
house
from
the
street
,
he
had
to
thread
no
passage
nor
corridor
,
but
immediately
began
to
ascend
those
steep
steps
.
The
staircase
led
to
a
landing
,
from
which
two
doors
opened
into
small
,
dirty
,
and
dark
chambers
.
These
rooms
had
a
door
of
communication
pierced
in
the
wall
that
separated
them
:
but
there
were
no
stairs
leading
down
into
the
lower
apartments
of
the
house
.
The
only
way
of
obtaining
access
to
the
rooms
on
the
ground-floor
,
was
by
means
of
a
door
up
an
alley
leading
from
the
street
,
and
running
along
one
side
of
the
house
into
a
court
formed
by
other
dwellings
.
Thus
the
upper
and
lower
parts
of
this
strange
building
might
be
said
to
constitute
two
distinct
tenements
.
The
windows
of
the
ground-floor
rooms
were
darkened
with
shutters
,
at
the
upper
part
of
which
holes
in
the
shape
of
hearts
had
been
cut
to
admit
a
few
straggling
rays
of
light
.
The
rooms
on
the
upper
floor
were
furnished
in
a
tolerably
comfortable
manner
;
but
every
article
was
wretchedly
begrimed
with
dirt
.
The
front
apartment
served
as
a
sitting-room
for
the
inmates
of
this
strangely-built
house
;
and
the
back
chamber
was
fitted
up
as
a
bed-room
.
It
was
evening
,
as
we
before
said
;
and
thick
curtains
were
drawn
over
the
two
windows
of
the
front
room
to
which
we
have
alluded
.
A
candle
with
a
long
flaring
wick
,
stood
upon
the
table
.
On
a
good
fire
a
kettle
was
just
beginning
to
boil
.
The
table
was
set
out
with
glasses
,
bottles
,
sugar
,
lemons
,
pipes
,
and
tobacco
.
The
inmates
of
that
room
were
evidently
preparing
for
a
carouse
,
while
the
rain
beat
in
torrents
against
the
windows
,
and
the
wind
swept
down
the
street
like
a
hurricane
.
But
who
were
the
inmates
of
that
room
?
We
will
proceed
to
inform
our
readers
.
Lolling
in
an
arm-chair
,
the
covering
of
which
was
torn
in
many
places
,
and
spotted
all
over
with
grease
,
was
a
female
,
who
in
reality
had
scarcely
numbered
five-and-twenty
years
,
but
to
whom
the
ravages
of
dissipation
and
evil
passions
gave
the
appearance
of
five-and-thirty
.
She
had
once
been
good-looking
;
and
her
features
still
retained
the
traces
of
beauty
:
but
there
was
a
deep
blue
tint
beneath
the
eyes
,
which
joined
the
dark
thick
brows
,
and
thus
seemed
to
inclose
the
orbs
themselves
in
a
dingy
circle
.
The
faded
cheeks
were
coloured
with
rouge
;
but
the
dye
had
been
so
clumsily
plastered
on
,
that
the
effect
could
not
deceive
the
most
ignorant
in
such
matters
.
This
woman
wore
a
faded
light
silk
gown
,
cut
very
low
in
front
,
and
disclosing
a
considerable
portion
of
a
thin
and
shrivelled
neck
.
In
a
word
,
she
had
the
air
of
being
what
she
really
was
—
a
faded
courtesan
of
a
low
order
.
Her
proper
name
was
Margaret
Flathers
;
but
her
acquaintance
,
for
brevity
's
sake
,
called
her
Meg
;
and
,
in
addition
to
these
appellations
,
the
name
of
The
Rattlesnake
had
been
conferred
upon
her
,
from
the
circumstance
that
she
was
fond
of
dressing
in
silks
or
satins
,
which
she
had
a
habit
of
rustling
as
much
as
possible
when
she
walked
.
On
the
other
side
of
the
fire-place
was
seated
a
man
of
cadaverous
countenance
,
which
was
overshadowed
by
a
quantity
of
tangled
black
hair
,
and
whose
expression
was
vile
and
sinister
to
a
degree
.
"
Half-past
eight
,
"
said
the
woman
,
glancing
towards
a
huge
silver-watch
which
hung
by
a
faded
blue
riband
to
a
nail
over
the
mantel
.
"
Yes
—
they
ca
n't
be
long
now
,
"
returned
her
companion
,
who
was
no
other
than
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
But
because
they
're
late
,
Meg
,
it
's
no
reason
why
we
should
n't
have
a
drop
of
blue
ruin
.
The
night
's
precious
cold
;
and
the
kettle
's
just
on
the
boil
.
Pour
out
the
daffy
,
Meg
.
"
The
woman
drew
two
tumblers
towards
her
,
and
half
filled
each
with
gin
.
She
then
added
sugar
and
lemon
;
and
in
a
few
moments
the
Resurrection
Man
poured
the
boiling
element
upon
the
liquor
.
"
Good
,
is
n't
it
,
Tony
?
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Capital
,
Meg
.
You
're
an
excellent
girl
to
judge
of
the
proportions
in
a
glass
of
lush
.
"
"
And
I
think
,
Tony
,
"
said
the
woman
coaxingly
,
"
that
you
have
had
no
reason
to
complain
of
me
in
other
respects
.
Twelve
months
all
but
a
few
days
that
we
've
been
together
,
and
I
have
done
all
I
could
to
make
you
comfortable
.
"
"
And
so
you
ought
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Did
n't
I
take
you
out
of
the
street
and
make
an
independent
lady
of
you
?
Ai
n't
you
the
mistress
of
this
crib
of
mine
?
and
do
n't
you
live
upon
the
fat
of
the
land
?
"
"
Very
true
,
Tony
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
But
what
would
you
have
done
without
me
?
When
that
business
took
place
down
by
the
Bird-cage
Walk
,
and
you
was
obliged
to
come
and
hide
yourself
in
the
Happy
Valley
,
you
wanted
some
one
you
could
rely
upon
to
go
out
and
buy
your
things
,
take
care
of
the
place
,
and
get
information
whether
the
blue-bottles
had
fallen
on
any
scent
.
"
"
All
right
,
my
girl
,
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
I
did
want
such
a
person
,
and
the
moment
after
I
escaped
that
night
when
I
blew
the
old
crib
up
,
I
went
to
you
and
told
you
just
what
I
required
.
You
agreed
to
come
and
live
with
me
and
I
agreed
to
treat
you
well
.
We
have
both
kept
our
bargain
;
and
I
am
satisfied
if
you
are
.
"
"
Oh
!
you
know
I
am
,
Tony
dear
,
"
exclaimed
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
But
sometimes
you
have
been
so
cross
and
quarrelsome
,
that
I
did
n't
know
what
to
make
of
it
.
"
"
And
was
there
no
excuse
,
Meg
?
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Did
I
not
see
my
old
mother
and
the
Cracksman
perish
before
my
very
eyes
—
and
by
my
own
hand
too
?
But
I
do
not
accuse
myself
of
having
wilfully
caused
their
death
.
There
was
no
help
for
it
.
We
should
have
all
three
been
taken
to
Newgate
,
and
never
have
come
out
of
the
jug
again
but
twice
—
once
to
be
tried
,
and
the
second
time
to
be
hung
.
"
"
Could
they
have
proved
any
thing
against
you
?
"
demanded
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Yes
,
Meg
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
there
was
a
stiff'un
in
the
front
room
at
the
very
moment
when
the
police
broke
into
the
house
.
We
had
burked
him
on
the
preceding
evening
;
and
he
was
still
hanging
head
downwards
to
the
ceiling
.
"
"
It
was
much
better
,
then
,
to
blow
the
place
up
,
as
you
did
,
"
observed
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Of
course
it
was
,
Meg
.
Do
n't
you
see
,
"
continued
the
Resurrection
Man
,
after
a
pause
,
during
which
he
imbibed
a
considerable
quantity
of
the
exhilarating
fluid
in
his
glass
,
—
"
do
n't
you
see
that
I
was
too
old
a
bird
not
to
be
always
prepared
for
such
an
event
as
that
which
happened
at
last
?
I
had
got
together
a
great
quantity
of
gunpowder
in
the
back-room
of
the
crib
,
and
had
stowed
it
away
in
brown
paper
parcels
in
a
cupboard
.
This
cupboard
stood
between
the
fire-place
and
the
back
wall
of
the
house
.
So
I
had
made
a
hole
through
the
wall
,
and
had
introduced
a
long
iron
pipe
into
the
cupboard
.
This
pipe
was
ten
or
twelve
feet
in
length
,
and
ran
all
along
the
wall
that
divided
my
yard
from
the
next
.
The
pipe
,
so
placed
,
was
protected
by
a
wooden
cover
or
case
;
and
any
one
who
saw
it
,
must
have
thought
it
was
only
a
water-pipe
.
It
was
,
however
,
filled
with
excellent
gunpowder
,
and
there
was
nothing
to
do
but
to
put
a
match
to
the
farthest
end
of
the
pipe
to
blow
up
the
whole
place
.
"
"
Capital
contrivance
!
"
exclaimed
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Had
you
put
up
that
pipe
long
before
the
police
broke
into
the
house
?
"
"
Oh
!
yes
—
some
months
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
and
very
lucky
it
was
,
too
,
that
the
pipe
was
water-tight
,
so
that
the
rain
had
never
moistened
the
powder
in
the
least
.
Well
,
when
the
blue-bottles
broke
in
,
I
rushed
into
the
back-room
,
locked
the
door
,
leapt
through
the
window
,
flew
to
the
end
of
the
pipe
,
tore
out
the
plug
,
applied
the
match
,
and
in
a
moment
all
was
over
.
"
"
And
for
a
long
time
even
your
old
pals
at
the
Boozing-ken
on
Saffron
Hill
,
fancied
you
had
been
blown
up
with
the
rest
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Of
course
they
did
,
because
the
newspapers
,
which
you
always
used
to
go
and
fetch
me
to
read
,
said
there
was
no
doubt
that
every
one
of
the
gang
in
the
house
at
the
time
had
perished
.
"
"
And
they
also
spoke
of
the
way
in
which
the
police
had
followed
you
and
the
Cracksman
to
the
house
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Yes
—
and
that
was
how
I
came
to
learn
that
the
man
who
had
hunted
me
almost
to
death
,
was
Richard
Markham
,
"
exclaimed
the
Resurrection
Man
,
his
countenance
suddenly
wearing
an
expression
of
such
concentrated
—
vile
—
malignant
rage
,
as
to
render
him
perfectly
hideous
.
"
Now
do
n't
begin
to
brood
over
that
,
"
cried
the
Rattlesnake
hastily
;
"
for
I
am
almost
afraid
of
you
when
you
get
into
one
of
those
humours
,
dear
Tony
.
"
"
No
—
I
sha
n't
give
way
now
,
"
said
the
villain
:
"
I
have
prepared
the
means
for
revenge
;
and
then
I
shall
be
happy
.
Ah
!
Meg
,
you
cannot
conceive
how
I
gloated
over
the
wretch
the
other
night
when
I
denounced
him
in
the
theatre
!
That
man
has
been
the
means
of
making
me
stay
in
this
infernal
prison
—
for
it
has
been
nothing
better
—
for
weeks
and
months
;
he
was
the
cause
of
the
loss
of
my
best
friend
,
the
Cracksman
,
and
of
my
old
mother
,
who
was
very
useful
in
her
way
:
and
he
prevented
me
from
getting
that
young
fellow
into
my
power
,
who
went
and
explored
the
Palace
.
When
I
think
of
all
that
I
have
suffered
through
this
infernal
Richard
Markham
,
I
am
ready
to
go
mad
;
—
and
I
should
have
gone
mad
,
too
,
if
it
had
n't
been
that
I
always
thought
the
day
of
vengeance
would
come
!
"
"
And
my
little
attentions
helped
to
console
you
Tony
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
,
in
a
wheedling
manner
that
seemed
peculiar
to
her
.
"
Oh
!
as
for
that
,
Meg
,
a
man
like
me
can
be
consoled
by
nothing
short
of
revenge
in
such
a
case
.
I
have
told
you
the
history
of
my
life
over
and
over
again
;
and
I
think
you
must
have
learnt
from
it
,
that
I
am
not
a
person
to
put
up
with
an
injury
.
I
have
often
thought
of
doing
to
Markham
as
I
did
to
the
justice
of
the
peace
and
the
baronet
—
setting
his
house
on
fire
;
but
then
he
might
not
learn
who
was
the
incendiary
,
or
he
might
even
think
that
it
was
an
accident
.
My
object
is
for
him
to
know
who
strikes
him
,
that
he
may
writhe
the
more
.
"
"
And
do
you
think
that
the
Buffer
and
Moll
are
to
be
depended
upon
?
"
asked
Margaret
Flathers
.
"
To
the
back-bone
,
"
replied
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
How
could
the
Buffer
possibly
betray
me
,
when
he
was
one
of
the
gang
,
as
the
newspapers
called
it
?
Besides
,
was
n't
he
laid
by
the
heels
in
Clerkenwell
Gaol
for
making
away
with
the
bantling
to
cheat
the
Burying
Society
?
and
did
n't
he
escape
?
How
could
he
go
and
place
himself
in
contact
with
the
police
by
giving
information
against
me
?
And
what
good
would
it
be
to
him
to
deceive
me
?
He
knows
that
I
have
got
plenty
of
tin
,
and
can
pay
him
well
.
Indeed
,
how
has
he
lived
in
the
Happy
Valley
for
the
last
eleven
months
and
more
,
since
he
escaped
out
of
Clerkenwell
?
Have
n't
I
been
as
good
as
a
brother
to
him
,
and
lent
him
money
over
and
over
again
?
"
"
Very
true
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
I
only
spoke
on
your
account
.
"
"
I
shall
be
able
to
let
the
Buffer
in
for
several
good
things
,
now
that
I
am
determined
to
commence
an
active
life
again
,
"
continued
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
I
have
been
idle
quite
long
enough
;
and
I
am
not
going
to
remain
so
any
more
.
Why
,
Greenwood
alone
ought
to
be
as
good
as
an
annuity
to
me
.
He
can
always
find
employment
for
a
skilful
and
daring
fellow
like
me
.
"
"
And
he
pays
like
a
prince
,
does
n't
he
?
"
demanded
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Like
a
prince
,
"
repeated
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Five
guineas
the
other
night
for
just
attending
the
carrying
off
of
the
young
actress
.
That
is
the
way
to
make
money
,
Meg
.
"
"
And
you
have
got
plenty
,
Tony
,
I
know
?
"
said
the
woman
,
in
a
tone
more
than
half
interrogatively
,
and
only
partially
expressing
a
conviction
.
"
What
's
that
to
you
?
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
,
brutally
;
at
the
same
time
eyeing
his
mistress
in
a
somewhat
suspicious
manner
.
"
Oh
!
only
because
you
need
n't
have
any
secrets
from
me
,
Tony
,
"
returned
the
Rattlesnake
,
affecting
a
tone
of
indifference
.
"
You
have
been
out
every
night
lately
—
and
only
for
a
short
time
—
"
"
Now
I
tell
you
what
it
is
,
Meg
,
"
exclaimed
Tidkins
,
striking
his
fist
upon
the
table
,
"
you
have
asked
me
about
my
money
a
great
many
times
lately
;
and
I
tell
you
very
candidly
,
I
do
n't
like
it
.
It
looks
suspicious
;
but
,
by
heavens
!
if
you
attempt
to
play
me
false
—
"
"
Why
should
you
say
that
,
Tony
?
Have
I
not
given
you
every
proof
of
fidelity
?
"
"
Yes
—
you
have
;
or
else
I
should
have
known
what
to
do
in
a
very
few
moments
.
But
why
do
you
bother
yourself
about
the
money
that
I
have
got
?
It
is
very
little
,
I
can
tell
you
;
but
where
it
is
,
it
's
safe
enough
;
and
if
I
ever
catch
you
attempting
to
follow
me
or
spy
upon
me
when
I
go
into
the
rooms
down
stairs
,
I
'll
make
you
repent
it
.
"
"
Now
,
Tony
dear
,
do
n't
put
yourself
into
a
passion
,
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
,
turning
pale
,
and
assuming
her
usual
wheedling
tone
:
"
I
did
n't
mean
to
annoy
you
.
All
that
I
wanted
to
know
was
whether
there
was
a
chance
of
running
short
or
not
.
"
"
Do
n't
frighten
yourself
,
Meg
,
"
returned
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Whenever
I
run
low
,
I
know
how
to
get
more
.
And
now
,
that
we
may
n't
have
to
talk
upon
this
subject
again
,
recollect
once
for
all
that
I
wo
n't
have
you
prying
into
any
thing
that
I
choose
to
keep
to
myself
.
You
know
that
I
am
not
a
man
to
be
trifled
with
;
and
if
any
one
was
to
betray
me
—
I
do
n't
mean
to
say
that
you
ever
had
such
an
idea
—
I
only
mean
you
to
understand
that
if
anybody
did
—
"
"
Well
—
what
?
"
said
the
Rattlesnake
in
a
tone
of
alarm
.
"
I
would
not
be
taken
alive
,
"
added
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
and
those
who
came
to
take
me
at
all
,
would
probably
travel
the
same
road
that
the
police
,
the
Cracksman
,
and
the
Mummy
have
gone
already
.
"
"
Tony
,
"
exclaimed
the
woman
,
a
deadly
pallor
overspreading
her
countenance
,
"
you
do
n't
mean
to
say
that
this
house
is
provided
with
a
pipe
like
the
one
—
"
"
I
do
n't
mean
to
say
any
thing
at
all
about
it
,
one
way
or
another
,
"
interrupted
the
Resurrection
Man
coolly
.
"
All
I
want
you
to
do
is
to
remain
quiet
—
attend
to
my
wishes
—
keep
a
close
tongue
in
your
head
—
and
have
no
eyes
for
any
thing
that
I
do
n't
tell
you
to
look
at
,
—
and
then
we
shall
go
on
as
pleasant
as
before
.
Otherwise
—
"
At
this
moment
a
knock
at
the
street
door
was
heard
.
The
Rattlesnake
hastened
to
answer
the
summons
,
and
returned
accompanied
by
the
Buffer
and
his
wife
.
CHAPTER
XCVIII
.
DARK
PLOTS
AND
SCHEMES
.
THE
Buffer
was
one
of
the
most
unmitigated
villains
that
ever
disgraced
the
name
of
man
.
There
was
no
species
of
crime
with
which
he
was
not
familiar
;
and
he
had
a
suitable
helpmate
in
his
wife
,
who
was
the
sister
of
Dick
Flairer
—
a
character
that
disappeared
from
the
stage
of
life
in
the
early
part
of
this
history
.
In
person
,
the
Buffer
was
slight
,
short
,
and
rather
well-made
,
—
extremely
active
,
and
endowed
with
great
physical
power
.
His
countenance
was
by
no
means
an
index
to
his
mind
;
for
it
was
inexpressive
,
stolid
,
and
vacant
.
His
wife
was
a
woman
of
about
five-and-twenty
,
being
probably
ten
years
younger
than
her
husband
.
She
was
not
precisely
ugly
;
but
her
countenance
—
the
very
reverse
of
that
of
the
Buffer
—
was
so
indicative
of
every
evil
passion
that
can
possibly
disgrace
womanhood
,
as
to
be
almost
repulsive
.
The
two
new-comers
seated
themselves
near
the
fire
,
for
their
clothes
were
dripping
with
the
rain
,
which
continued
to
pour
in
torrents
.
The
warmth
of
the
apartment
and
a
couple
of
glasses
of
smoking
grog
soon
,
however
,
put
them
into
good
humour
and
made
them
comfortable
;
and
the
Resurrection
Man
then
proposed
that
they
should
"
proceed
to
business
.
"
"
In
the
first
place
,
Jack
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
,
addressing
himself
to
the
Buffer
,
"
what
news
about
Markham
?
"
"
He
will
attend
to
the
appointment
,
"
was
the
answer
.
"
He
will
?
"
exclaimed
the
Resurrection
Man
,
as
if
the
news
were
almost
too
good
to
be
true
:
"
you
are
sure
?
"
"
As
sure
as
I
am
that
I
've
got
this
here
glass
in
my
mawley
,
"
said
the
Buffer
.
"
To-morrow
night
?
"
"
To-morrow
night
he
'll
meet
his
brother
at
Twig
Folly
,
"
answered
the
Buffer
,
with
a
laugh
.
"
Tell
me
all
that
took
place
,
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
and
then
I
shall
be
able
to
judge
for
myself
.
"
"
As
you
told
me
,
"
began
the
Buffer
,
"
I
made
myself
particklerly
clean
and
tidy
,
and
went
up
to
Holloway
this
morning
at
about
eleven
o'clock
.
I
knocked
at
the
door
of
the
swell
's
crib
;
and
an
old
butler-like
looking
feller
,
with
a
port-wine
face
,
and
a
white
napkin
under
his
arm
,
come
and
opened
it
.
He
asked
me
what
my
business
was
.
I
said
I
wanted
to
speak
to
Mr.
Markham
in
private
.
He
asked
me
to
walk
in
;
and
he
showed
me
into
a
library
kind
of
a
place
,
where
I
see
a
good-looking
young
feller
sitting
reading
.
He
was
very
pale
,
and
seemed
as
if
he
'd
been
ill.
"
"
Fretting
about
that
business
at
the
theatre
,
no
doubt
,
"
observed
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
What
business
?
"
cried
the
Buffer
.
"
No
matter
—
go
on
.
"
"
Well
—
so
I
went
into
this
library
and
see
Mr.
Markham
.
The
old
servant
left
us
alone
together
.
'
What
do
you
want
with
me
,
my
good
man
?
'
says
Markham
in
a
very
pleasant
tone
of
voice
.
—
'
I
have
summut
exceeding
partickler
to
say
to
you
,
sir
,
'
says
I
.
—
'
Well
,
what
is
it
?
'
he
asks
—
'
Have
you
heerd
from
your
brother
lately
,
sir
?
'
says
I
,
throwing
out
the
feeler
you
put
me
up
to
.
If
so
be
he
had
said
he
had
,
and
I
saw
that
he
really
knew
where
he
was
,
and
every
thing
about
him
,
I
should
have
invented
some
excuse
,
and
walked
myself
off
;
but
there
was
no
need
of
that
;
for
the
moment
I
mentioned
his
brother
,
he
was
quite
astonished
.
—
'
My
brother
!
'
he
says
in
a
wery
excited
tone
:
'
many
years
has
elapsed
since
I
heerd
from
him
.
Do
you
know
what
has
becomed
on
him
?
'
—
'
Perhaps
I
knows
a
trifle
about
him
,
sir
,
'
says
I
;
'
and
that
is
wery
trifling
indeed
.
In
a
word
,
'
I
says
,
'
he
wants
to
see
you
.
'
—
'
He
wants
to
see
me
!
'
cries
my
gentleman
:
'
then
why
does
n't
he
come
to
me
?
But
where
is
he
?
tell
me
,
that
I
may
fly
to
him
.
'
—
So
then
I
says
,
'
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
this
,
sir
;
your
brother
has
got
his-self
into
a
bit
of
a
scrape
,
and
do
n't
dare
show
.
He
's
living
down
quite
in
the
east
of
London
,
close
by
the
Regent
's
Canal
;
and
he
has
sent
me
to
say
that
if
so
be
you
'll
meet
him
to-morrow
night
at
ten
o'clock
in
Twig
Folly
,
he
'll
be
there
.
'
—
Then
Mr.
Markham
cries
out
,
'
But
why
can
I
not
go
to
him
now
?
If
he
is
in
distress
or
difficulty
,
the
sooner
he
sees
me
the
better
.
'
—
'
Softly
,
sir
,
'
says
I
.
'
All
I
know
of
the
matter
is
this
,
that
I
'm
a
honest
man
as
airns
his
livelihood
by
running
on
messages
and
doing
odd
jobs
.
A
gentleman
meets
me
on
the
bank
of
the
canal
,
close
by
Twig
Folly
,
very
early
this
morning
and
says
,
'
Do
you
want
to
airn
five
shillings
?
'
Of
course
I
says
'
Yes
.
'
—
'
Then
,
'
says
the
gentleman
,
'
go
up
to
Markham
Place
without
delay
,
and
ask
to
see
Mr.
Markham
.
He
lives
at
Holloway
.
Tell
him
that
you
come
from
his
brother
,
who
is
in
trouble
,
and
ca
n't
go
to
him
;
but
that
his
brother
will
meet
him
to-morrow
night
at
ten
o'clock
on
the
banks
of
the
canal
,
near
Twig
Folly
.
And
,
'
says
the
gentleman
,
'
if
he
should
ask
you
for
a
token
that
you
're
tellin
'
the
truth
,
say
that
this
appointment
must
be
kept
instead
of
the
one
on
the
top
of
the
hill
where
two
ash
trees
stand
planted
.
'
—
Well
,
the
moment
I
tells
Mr.
Markham
all
this
,
he
begins
to
blubber
,
and
then
to
laugh
,
and
to
dance
about
the
room
,
crying
,
'
Oh
!
my
dear
—
dear
brother
,
shall
I
then
embrace
you
so
soon
again
?
'
and
such-like
nonsense
.
Then
he
gives
me
half
a
sovereign
his-self
,
and
sends
me
into
the
kitchen
,
where
the
cook
makes
me
eat
and
drink
till
I
was
well-nigh
ready
to
bust
.
The
old
butler
was
rung
for
;
and
I
've
no
doubt
that
his
master
told
him
the
good
news
,
for
when
he
come
back
into
the
kitchen
,
he
treated
me
with
the
greatest
civility
,
but
asked
me
a
lot
of
questions
about
Master
Eugene
,
as
he
called
him
.
I
satisfied
him
in
all
ways
;
and
at
last
I
rises
,
takes
my
leave
of
the
servants
,
and
comes
off
.
"
"
Well
done
!
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
,
whose
cadaverous
countenance
wore
an
expression
of
superlative
satisfaction
.
"
And
you
do
not
think
he
entertained
the
least
suspicion
?
"
"
Not
a
atom
,
"
returned
the
Buffer
.
"
Nor
the
old
butler
?
"
asked
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Not
a
bit
.
But
do
jest
satisfy
me
on
one
point
,
Tony
;
how
come
you
to
know
that
anythink
about
this
young
feller
's
brother
would
produce
such
a
powerful
excitement
?
"
"
Have
I
not
before
told
you
that
this
Richard
Markham
was
a
fellow-prisoner
with
me
in
Newgate
some
four
years
and
more
ago
?
Well
,
I
often
overheard
him
talking
about
his
affairs
to
another
man
that
was
also
there
,
and
whose
name
was
Armstrong
.
Markham
and
this
Armstrong
were
very
thick
together
;
and
Markham
spoke
quite
openly
to
him
about
his
family
matters
,
his
brother
,
and
one
thing
or
another
.
That
's
the
way
I
came
to
hear
of
the
strange
appointment
made
between
the
two
brothers
.
"
"
Well
,
there
's
no
doubt
that
the
fish
has
bit
and
can
be
hooked
to-morrow
night
,
"
said
the
Buffer
.
"
Yes
—
he
is
within
my
reach
—
and
now
I
shall
be
revenged
,
"
exclaimed
the
Resurrection
Man
,
grinding
his
teeth
together
.
"
I
will
tell
you
my
plans
in
this
respect
presently
,
"
he
added
.
"
Let
us
now
talk
about
the
old
man
that
your
wife
nurses
.
"
"
Or
did
nurse
,
rather
,
"
cried
Moll
,
with
a
coarse
laugh
.
Both
the
Resurrection
Man
and
Margaret
Flathers
turned
a
glance
of
inquiry
and
surprise
upon
the
Buffer
's
wife
.
"
The
old
fellow
's
dead
,
"
she
added
,
after
a
moment
's
pause
.
"
Dead
already
!
"
exclaimed
Tidkins
.
"
Just
as
I
tell
you
,
"
answered
Moll
.
"
He
seemed
very
sinking
and
low
this
morning
;
and
so
I
was
more
attentive
to
him
than
ever
.
"
"
But
the
money
?
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
All
a
dream
on
her
part
,
"
cried
the
Buffer
,
sulkily
,
pointing
towards
his
wife
.
"
Now
do
n't
you
go
for
to
throw
all
the
blame
on
me
,
Jack
,
"
retorted
the
woman
;
"
for
you
know
as
well
as
I
do
that
you
was
as
sanguine
as
me
.
And
who
would
n't
have
taken
him
for
an
old
miser
?
Here
you
and
me
,
"
she
continued
,
addressing
herself
to
her
husband
,
"
go
to
hire
a
lodging
in
a
home
in
Smart
Street
,
about
three
months
ago
,
and
we
find
out
that
there
's
an
old
chap
living
overhead
,
on
the
first
floor
,
who
had
been
there
three
months
before
that
time
,
and
had
always
lived
in
the
same
regular
,
quiet
way
—
never
going
out
except
after
dusk
,
doing
nothing
to
earn
his
bread
,
paying
his
way
,
and
owing
nobody
a
penny
.
Then
he
was
dressed
in
clothes
that
was
n't
worth
sixpence
,
and
yet
he
had
gold
to
buy
others
if
he
chose
,
because
he
used
to
change
a
sovereign
every
week
,
when
he
paid
his
rent
.
Well
,
all
these
things
put
together
,
made
me
think
he
was
a
miser
,
and
had
a
store
somewhere
or
another
;
and
when
I
said
to
you
—
—
"
"
I
know
what
you
said
,
fast
enough
,
"
interrupted
the
Buffer
,
sulkily
:
"
what
's
the
use
of
telling
us
all
this
over
again
?
"
Just
to
show
that
if
I
was
deceived
,
you
was
too
.
But
it
's
always
the
way
with
you
:
when
any
thing
turns
out
wrong
,
you
throw
the
blame
on
me
.
Did
n't
you
say
to
me
,
when
the
old
fellow
was
took
ill
a
month
ago
:
'
Moll
,
'
says
you
,
'
go
and
offer
your
services
to
nurse
the
old
gentleman
;
and
may
be
if
he
dies
he
'll
leave
you
something
;
or
at
all
events
you
may
worm
out
of
him
the
secret
of
where
he
keeps
his
money
,
and
we
can
get
hold
of
it
all
the
same
.
'
That
's
what
you
said
—
and
so
I
did
go
and
nurse
the
old
man
;
and
he
seemed
very
grateful
,
for
at
last
he
began
to
like
me
almost
as
much
as
he
did
his
snuff-box
—
and
that
's
saying
a
great
deal
,
considering
the
quantity
of
snuff
he
used
to
take
,
and
the
good
it
seemed
to
do
him
when
he
was
low
and
melancholy
.
"
"
Well
—
what
's
the
use
of
you
and
the
Buffer
wrangling
?
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Tell
us
all
about
the
old
fellow
's
death
.
"
"
As
I
was
saying
just
now
,
"
continued
Moll
,
"
the
old
gentleman
was
took
wery
bad
this
morning
soon
after
Jack
left
to
go
up
to
Holloway
;
and
the
landlady
,
Mrs.
Smith
,
insisted
on
sending
for
a
doctor
.
The
old
gentleman
shook
his
head
,
when
he
heard
Mrs.
Smith
say
so
,
and
seemed
wery
,
much
annoyed
at
the
idea
of
having
a
medical
visit
.
But
Mrs.
Smith
was
positive
,
for
she
said
that
she
had
lost
her
husband
and
been
left
a
lone
widder
through
not
having
a
doctor
in
time
to
him
when
he
was
ill.
Well
,
a
doctor
was
sent
for
,
and
he
said
that
the
old
gentleman
was
very
bad
indeed
.
He
asked
me
and
Mrs.
Smith
what
his
name
was
,
and
whether
he
'd
any
relations
,
as
they
ought
to
be
sent
for
;
but
Mrs.
Smith
said
that
she
never
knowed
his
name
at
all
,
and
as
for
relations
no
one
never
come
to
see
him
and
he
never
went
to
see
no
one
his-self
.
The
doctors
orders
him
to
have
mustard
poultices
put
to
his
feet
;
but
it
was
n't
of
no
use
,
for
the
old
fellow
gives
a
last
gasp
and
dies
at
twenty
minutes
past
two
this
blessed
afternoon
.
"
"
Well
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
and
then
,
I
suppose
,
you
had
a
rummage
in
his
boxes
?
"
"
Boxes
,
indeed
!
"
cried
Moll
,
with
an
indignant
toss
of
her
head
.
"
Why
,
when
he
first
come
to
the
house
,
Mrs.
Smith
says
that
all
he
had
was
a
bundle
tied
up
in
a
blue
cotton
pocket
handkercher
—
a
couple
of
shirts
,
and
a
few
pair
of
stockings
,
or
so
.
She
did
n't
like
to
take
him
in
,
she
says
;
but
he
offered
to
pay
a
month
's
rent
in
advance
;
and
so
she
was
satisfied
.
"
"
Then
you
found
nothing
at
all
?
"
exclaimed
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
Not
much
,
"
returned
Moll
.
"
The
moment
we
saw
he
was
dead
,
we
began
to
search
all
over
the
room
,
to
see
what
he
had
left
behind
him
.
For
a
long
time
we
could
find
nothing
but
a
dirty
shirt
,
two
pair
of
stockings
,
and
a
jar
of
snuff
;
and
yet
Mrs.
Smith
said
she
knew
there
must
be
money
,
for
she
had
heard
him
counting
his
gold
one
day
before
he
was
took
ill.
Besides
,
during
his
illness
,
whenever
money
was
wanted
to
get
any
thing
for
him
,
he
never
gave
it
at
first
,
but
sent
me
or
Mrs.
Smith
out
of
the
room
with
some
excuse
;
and
when
we
went
back
,
he
always
had
the
money
in
his
hand
.
Well
,
me
and
Mrs.
Smith
searched
and
searched
away
;
and
at
last
Mrs.
Smith
bethinks
herself
of
looking
behind
the
bed
.
We
moved
the
bed
away
from
the
wall
as
well
as
we
could
,
for
the
dead
body
lying
upon
it
made
it
precious
heavy
;
and
then
we
saw
that
a
hole
had
been
made
down
in
the
comer
of
the
room
.
Mrs.
Smith
puts
in
her
finger
,
and
draws
out
an
old
greasy
silk
purse
.
I
heard
the
gold
chink
;
but
I
saw
that
the
purse
was
not
over
heavy
.
'
Well
,
'
says
Mrs.
Smith
,
'
I
'm
glad
I
've
got
a
witness
of
what
the
poor
gentleman
left
behind
him
,
or
else
I
might
get
into
trouble
some
day
or
another
,
if
any
inquiries
should
be
made
.
'
So
she
pours
out
the
gold
into
her
hand
,
and
counts
thirty-nine
sovereigns
.
"
"
And
that
was
all
?
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Every
farthing
,
"
replied
the
Buffer
's
wife
.
"
Well
,
I
asked
Mrs
Smith
what
she
intended
to
do
with
it
;
and
she
says
,
'
I
shall
bury
the
poor
old
gentleman
decently
:
that
will
be
five
pounds
.
Then
there
is
a
pound
for
the
doctor
,
as
I
must
get
him
to
follow
the
funeral
;
and
here
is
two
pounds
for
you
for
your
attention
to
the
old
gentleman
in
his
illness
.
'
So
she
gives
me
the
two
pounds
;
and
I
asks
her
what
she
is
going
to
do
with
the
rest
,
because
there
was
still
thirty-one
pounds
left
.
"
"
And
what
did
she
say
to
that
?
"
demanded
the
Rattlesnake
.
"
She
began
a
long
ditty
about
her
being
an
honest
woman
,
though
a
poor
one
,
and
that
dead
man
's
gold
would
only
bring
ill-luck
into
her
house
.
"
"
The
old
fool
!
"
cried
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
And
then
she
said
she
should
ask
the
parson
,
when
she
had
buried
the
old
man
,
what
she
ought
to
do
with
the
thirty-one
pounds
.
"
"
Why
did
n't
you
propose
to
split
it
between
you
,
and
hold
your
tongues
?
"
asked
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
So
I
did
,
"
answered
Moll
;
"
and
what
do
you
think
the
old
fool
said
?
She
up
and
told
me
that
she
always
thought
that
me
and
my
husband
was
not
the
most
respectablest
of
characters
,
and
she
now
felt
convinced
of
it
.
"
"
Well
,
we
must
have
those
thirty-one
yellow
boys
,
old
fellow
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
to
the
Buffer
.
"
Yea
—
if
we
can
get
them
,
"
answered
the
latter
;
"
and
I
know
of
no
way
to
do
it
but
to
cut
the
old
woman
's
throat
.
"
"
No
—
that
wo
n't
do
,
"
ejaculated
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
If
the
old
woman
disappeared
suddenly
,
suspicion
would
be
sure
to
fall
on
you
;
and
the
whole
Happy
Valley
would
be
up
in
arms
.
Then
the
blue-bottles
might
find
a
trace
to
this
crib
here
;
and
we
should
all
get
into
trouble
.
"
"
But
if
you
mean
to
put
the
kyebosh
upon
young
Markham
to-morrow
night
,
"
said
the
Buffer
,
"
wo
n't
that
raise
a
devil
of
a
dust
in
the
neighbourhood
?
"
"
Markham
disappears
from
Holloway
,
which
is
a
long
way
from
the
Happy
Valley
,
"
replied
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
And
the
old
butler
,
who
is
certain
to
know
that
the
appointment
was
made
for
Twig
Folly
,
"
persisted
the
Buffer
,
"
wo
n't
he
give
information
that
will
raise
the
whole
Valley
in
arms
,
as
you
call
it
?
"
"
No
such
thing
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Markham
falls
into
the
canal
accidentally
,
and
is
drowned
.
There
's
no
mark
of
violence
on
his
body
,
and
his
watch
and
money
are
safe
about
his
person
.
Now
do
you
understand
me
?
"
"
I
understand
that
if
you
mean
me
to
jump
into
the
canal
and
help
to
hold
him
in
it
till
he
's
drowned
,
you
're
deucedly
out
in
your
reckoning
,
for
I
ai
n't
going
to
risk
drowning
myself
,
'
cause
I
ca
n't
swim
better
than
a
stone
.
"
"
You
need
not
set
foot
in
the
water
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
,
somewhat
impatiently
.
"
But
I
suppose
you
could
hold
him
by
the
heels
fast
enough
upon
the
bank
?
"
"
Oh
!
yes
—
I
do
n't
mind
that
,
"
replied
the
Buffer
:
"
but
how
shall
we
get
the
thirty-one
couters
from
this
old
fool
of
a
landlady
,
unless
we
use
violence
?
"
The
Resurrection
Man
leant
his
head
upon
his
hand
,
his
elbow
being
supported
by
the
table
,
and
reflected
profoundly
for
some
moments
.
So
high
an
opinion
did
the
other
villain
and
the
two
women
entertain
of
the
ingenuity
,
craft
,
and
cunning
of
the
Resurrection
Man
,
that
they
observed
a
solemn
silence
while
he
was
thus
occupied
in
meditation
,
—
as
if
they
were
afraid
of
interrupting
a
current
of
ideas
which
,
they
hoped
,
would
lead
to
some
scheme
beneficial
to
them
all
.
Suddenly
the
Resurrection
Man
raised
his
head
,
and
,
turning
towards
the
Buffer
's
wife
,
said
,
"
Do
you
know
whether
the
old
woman
has
spoken
to
any
one
yet
about
the
funeral
?
"
"
She
said
she
should
let
it
be
till
to-morrow
morning
,
because
the
weather
was
so
awful
bad
this
afternoon
.
"
"
Excellent
!
"
ejaculated
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Now
,
Moll
,
do
you
put
on
your
bonnet
,
take
the
large
cotton
umbrella
there
,
and
go
and
do
what
I
tell
you
without
delay
.
"
The
woman
rose
to
put
on
her
bonnet
and
cloak
,
which
she
had
laid
aside
upon
first
entering
the
room
;
and
the
Resurrection
Man
wrote
a
hurried
note
.
Having
folded
,
wafered
,
and
addressed
it
,
he
handed
it
to
the
Buffer
's
wife
,
saying
,
"
Go
down
as
fast
as
your
legs
will
carry
you
to
Banks
,
the
undertaker
,
in
Globe
Lane
,
and
ask
to
see
him
.
Give
him
this
;
but
mind
and
deliver
it
into
his
hand
only
.
If
he
is
not
at
home
,
wait
till
he
comes
in
.
"
The
woman
took
the
note
,
and
departed
on
the
mysterious
mission
entrusted
to
her
.
"
What
's
in
the
wind
now
?
"
demanded
the
Buffer
,
as
soon
as
the
door
had
closed
behind
his
wife
.
"
You
shall
see
,
"
replied
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
Now
let
us
fill
our
glasses
,
and
blow
a
cloud
till
Moll
comes
back
.
"
The
Rattlesnake
mixed
fresh
supplies
of
grog
;
and
the
two
men
lighted
their
pipes
.
"
How
the
rain
does
beat
down
,
"
observed
the
Buffer
,
after
a
pause
.
"
And
the
wind
sweeps
along
like
a
hurricane
,
"
said
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
By
the
by
,
this
is
New
Year
's
Day
.
What
different
weather
it
is
from
what
it
was
last
New
Year
's
Day
.
"
"
Do
you
recollect
what
sort
of
weather
it
was
last
New
Year
's
Day
?
"
demanded
the
Buffer
.
"
Perfectly
well
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
;
"
because
it
was
on
that
evening
that
I
and
the
poor
Cracksman
helped
young
Holford
over
the
Palace
wall
.
"
"
And
that
venture
turned
out
no
go
,
did
n't
it
?
"
asked
the
Buffer
.
"
It
failed
because
the
young
scamp
either
turned
funky
or
played
us
false
,
I
never
could
make
out
which
.
But
I
have
an
account
to
settle
with
him
too
;
and
the
first
time
I
meet
him
I
'll
teach
him
what
it
is
to
humbug
a
man
like
me
.
"
There
was
a
pause
,
during
which
the
two
men
smoked
their
pipes
with
all
the
calmness
of
individuals
engaged
in
virtuous
and
innocent
meditation
;
and
the
Rattlesnake
added
fresh
fuel
to
the
fire
,
the
flames
of
which
roared
cheerfully
up
the
chimney
.
"
Come
,
sing
as
a
song
,
Meg
,
"
cried
the
Buffer
,
breaking
a
silence
which
had
lasted
several
minutes
.
"
I
have
got
a
cold
,
and
ca
n't
sing
,
"
replied
the
woman
.
"
Well
,
then
,
Tony
,
"
said
the
Buffer
,
"
tell
us
some
of
your
adventures
.
They
'll
amuse
us
till
Moll
comes
back
.
"
"
I
am
quite
tired
of
telling
the
same
things
over
and
over
again
,
"
answered
the
Resurrection
Man
.
"
We
've
never
heard
you
practise
in
that
line
yet
;
so
the
sooner
you
begin
the
better
.
Come
,
tell
us
your
history
.
"
"
There
is
n't
much
to
tell
,
"
said
the
Buffer
,
refilling
his
pipe
;
"
but
such
as
it
is
,
you
're
welcome
to
it
.
"
With
this
preface
,
the
Buffer
commenced
his
autobiography
,
in
the
record
of
which
we
have
taken
the
liberty
of
correcting
the
grammatical
solecisms
that
invariably
characterised
this
individual
's
discourse
;
and
we
have
also
improved
the
language
in
which
the
narrative
was
originally
clothed
.
CHAPTER
XCIX
.
THE
BUFFER
'S
HISTORY
.
"
You
are
well
aware
that
my
name
is
really
John
Wicks
,
although
very
few
of
my
pals
know
me
by
any
other
title
than
the
Buffer
.
"
My
father
and
mother
kept
a
coal
and
potatoe
shed
in
Great
Suffolk
Street
,
Borough
.
I
was
their
only
child
;
and
as
they
were
very
fond
of
me
,
they
would
not
let
me
be
bothered
and
annoyed
with
learning
.
For
decency
's
sake
,
however
,
they
made
me
go
to
the
Sunday-school
,
and
there
I
just
learnt
to
read
,
and
that
's
all
.
"
When
I
was
twelve
years
old
,
I
began
to
carry
out
small
quantities
of
coals
and
potatoes
to
the
customers
.
We
used
to
supply
a
great
many
of
the
prisoners
in
the
Bench
;
and
whenever
I
went
into
that
place
,
I
generally
managed
to
have
a
game
of
marbles
,
and
sometimes
rackets
,
with
the
young
blackguards
that
lurked
about
the
prison
to
pick
up
the
racket
balls
,
run
on
messages
,
and
so
on
.
At
length
I
got
to
play
for
money
;
and
as
I
generally
lost
,
I
had
to
take
the
money
which
I
received
from
the
customers
to
pay
my
little
gambling
debts
.
I
was
obliged
to
tell
my
father
and
mother
all
kinds
of
falsehoods
to
account
for
the
disappearance
of
the
money
.
Sometimes
I
said
that
I
had
lost
a
few
halfpence
;
then
I
declared
that
a
beggar
in
the
street
had
snatched
a
sixpence
out
of
my
hand
,
and
ran
away
;
or
else
I
swore
that
the
customers
had
not
paid
me
.
This
last
excuse
led
to
serious
misunderstandings
;
for
sometimes
my
father
went
himself
to
collect
the
debts
owing
to
him
;
and
then
,
when
the
prisoners
declared
they
had
paid
me
,
I
stuck
out
that
it
was
false
;
and
my
father
called
them
rogues
and
swindlers
.
At
length
,
he
began
seriously
to
suspect
that
his
son
was
robbing
him
;
and
one
day
he
found
it
out
in
a
manner
which
I
could
not
deny
.
I
was
then
fourteen
,
and
was
pretty
well
hardened
,
I
can
tell
you
.
So
I
turned
round
,
and
told
my
father
that
he
had
brought
it
all
on
himself
,
because
he
had
instructed
me
how
to
cheat
the
customers
in
weight
and
measure
,
and
had
therefore
brought
me
up
in
wrong
principles
.
"
You
must
understand
that
the
usual
mode
of
doing
business
in
coal-sheds
is
this
:
all
the
weights
only
weigh
one
half
of
what
they
are
represented
to
weigh
.
For
instance
,
the
one
which
is
used
as
the
fifty
pound
weight
is
hollow
,
and
is
,
therefore
,
made
as
large
in
outward
appearance
as
the
real
fifty
pound
weight
;
whereas
,
in
consequence
of
being
hollow
,
it
actually
only
weighs
twenty-five
pounds
.
This
is
the
case
with
all
the
weights
;
the
pound
weight
really
weighs
only
half
a
pound
,
and
so
on
.
You
may
ask
why
the
weights
are
thus
exactly
one
half
less
than
they
are
represented
to
be
,
—
neither
more
nor
less
than
one
half
.
I
will
tell
you
:
when
the
leet
jury
comes
round
and
points
,
for
instance
,
to
the
weight
used
for
fifty
pounds
,
the
answer
is
,
'
Oh
,
that
is
the
twenty-five
pound
weight
;
'
and
,
upon
being
tested
,
the
assertion
is
found
to
be
correct
.
So
there
is
never
any
danger
of
being
hauled
over
the
coals
by
the
leet
jury
;
but
if
the
weights
were
each
an
odd
number
of
ounces
or
pounds
short
,
they
could
not
be
passed
off
to
the
jury
as
weights
of
a
particular
standard
,
and
then
the
warehouseman
would
get
into
a
scrape
.
It
is
just
the
same
with
the
measures
.
The
bushel
contains
a
false
bottom
,
and
is
really
half
a
bushel
;
and
when
the
leet
jury
calls
,
it
is
stated
to
be
the
half
bushel
measure
,
whereas
to
customers
it
is
passed
off
as
the
bushel
.
This
will
also
account
to
you
for
the
way
in
which
costermongers
in
the
streets
are
able
to
sell
fruit
(
cherries
particularly
)
and
peas
,
in
the
season
,
for
just
one
half
of
the
price
at
which
they
can
be
bought
at
respectable
dealers
.
The
poor
dupe
who
gives
twopence
for
a
pound
of
cherries
of
a
costermonger
in
the
street
,
only
obtains
half
a
pound
;
and
the
housewife
who
thinks
that
she
can
save
a
hundred
per
cent
.
by
buying
her
peas
in
the
same
way
,
only
gets
half
a
peck
instead
of
a
peck
.
"
My
father
had
thirty
barrows
,
which
he
let
out
to
the
costermongers
at
the
rate
of
eighteen
pence
a
day
each
;
and
some
of
those
men
could
clear
eight
or
ten
shillings
a
day
by
their
traffic
.
But
they
are
so
addicted
to
drinking
that
they
spend
all
they
get
;
and
in
the
winter
season
they
starve
.
Now
and
then
a
costermonger
would
disappear
with
the
barrow
,
for
the
loan
of
which
my
father
never
required
any
security
,
as
the
poor
souls
had
none
to
give
;
and
then
my
father
offered
a
reward
for
the
apprehension
of
the
absentee
.
He
was
generally
caught
,
and
my
father
always
had
him
taken
before
the
magistrate
and
punished
—
as
a
warning
,
he
said
,
to
the
rest
.
I
used
to
think
he
behaved
very
harshly
in
this
respect
,
as
the
poor
wretch
whom
he
thus
got
sent
to
the
treadmill
had
most
probably
paid
for
the
barrow
over
and
over
again
.
"
But
to
return
to
my
story
.
When
my
father
discovered
that
I
had
robbed
him
,
I
threw
in
his
teeth
the
use
he
made
of
false
weights
and
measures
.
He
was
alarmed
at
this
,
because
I
threatened
to
inform
the
neighbours
;
and
so
he
did
not
give
me
the
thrashing
which
he
had
at
first
promised
.
He
,
however
,
resolved
to
send
me
away
from
home
,
and
in
the
course
of
a
few
days
got
me
a
place
at
a
friend
's
of
his
,
who
kept
a
sweet-stuff
shop
,
in
Friar
Street
,
Blackfriars
.
There
I
was
initiated
into
all
the
mysteries
of
that
trade
.
I
found
that
the
white-sugar
articles
were
all
largely
adulterated
with
plaster
of
Paris
;
and
that
immediately
accounted
to
me
for
the
pernicious
—
often
fatal
—
effects
produced
by
this
kind
of
trash
upon
children
.
If
parents
,
who
really
care
for
their
children
,
were
only
commonly
prudent
,
they
would
never
allow
them
to
eat
any
white-sugar
sweet-stuff
at
all
.
Then
I
discovered
that
the
articles
passed
off
as
burnt
almonds
,
really
contained
the
kernels
of
fruits
;
for
the
kitchen-maids
in
wealthy
families
and
hotels
collect
and
sell
the
stones
of
the
peaches
,
apricots
,
and
nectarines
,
eaten
at
the
dinner-tables
of
their
masters
,
as
regularly
as
cooks
dispose
of
their
bones
and
grease
.
In
fact
,
the
most
deleterious
ingredients
enter
into
the
composition
of
sweet-stuff
.
The
sugar-refiners
sell
all
their
scum
to
the
sweet-stuff
makers
;
and
this
scum
is
composed
of
the
lime
,
alum
,
bullock
's
blood
,
charcoal
,
acetate
of
soda
,
and
other
things
used
for
fining
sugar
.
Oxide
of
lead
is
also
mixed
with
the
small
proportions
of
sugar
used
in
making
sweet-stuff
;
and
thus
you
may
perceive
what
filthy
and
poisonous
substances
are
given
to
children
in
the
shape
of
sugar-plums
.
I
hope
that
I
do
not
weary
you
with
this
description
;
and
if
you
should
be
surprised
that
I
can
now
recollect
the
chemical
names
of
the
ingredients
used
,
I
must
tell
you
that
I
went
so
often
to
the
sugar-refiners
,
and
to
the
chemists
,
for
my
master
,
that
I
soon
became
familiar
with
every
thing
at
all
relating
to
the
business
.
"
I
now
come
to
more
interesting
matters
.
I
had
been
with
my
master
about
six
years
,
and
was
then
going
on
for
twenty-one
,
when
my
father
died
.
My
mother
sent
for
me
home
to
help
her
in
the
business
;
and
I
now
had
the
command
of
money
.
The
taste
for
gambling
which
I
had
imbibed
in
my
boyhood
,
returned
with
additional
force
;
and
I
sought
every
opportunity
of
gratifying
my
inclination
in
this
respect
.
I
frequented
a
notorious
public-house
in
Suffolk
Street
,
where
gaming
was
carried
on
to
a
great
extent
;
and
my
ill-luck
seemed
unvaried
.
My
mother
did
all
she
could
to
check
the
progress
of
this
infatuation
;
but
it
was
invincible
;
and
in
the
course
of
three
years
I
had
completely
ruined
both
my
mother
and
myself
.
An
execution
was
put
into
the
house
for
rent
,
and
my
mother
died
of
a
broken
heart
.
I
shed
a
few
tears
,
and
then
looked
round
me
for
some
occupation
.
"
One
of
the
persons
who
frequented
the
public-house
in
Suffolk
Street
offered
to
recommend
me
to
a
friend
of
his
,
who
kept
an
auction-room
in
the
City
.
I
gladly
accepted
the
proposal
,
and
was
engaged
as
'
a
bidder
,
'
at
that
establishment
.
I
will
tell
you
what
I
had
to
do
:
the
auction
was
carried
on
in
an
open
warehouse
in
a
great
thoroughfare
.
The
articles
put
up
for
sale
were
all
of
the
most
worthless
description
—
razors
,
made
(
like
Peter
Pindar
's
)
to
sell
,
and
not
to
cut
;
pen-knives
,
that
would
inflict
no
damage
upon
a
piece
of
wood
;
decanters
,
that
would
scarcely
resist
the
pressure
of
the
most
delicate
lady
's
hand
;
candlesticks
,
made
of
a
metal
that
would
melt
if
held
too
close
to
the
fire
;
urns
,
that
sprang
a
leak
the
moment
hot
water
was
poured
into
them
;
watches
,
that
were
never
known
to
go
beyond
the
first
four-and-twenty
hours
;
scissors
,
that
would
not
sever
a
thread
;
snuffers
,
that
merely
crushed
without
diminishing
the
wick
;
teapots
,
made
of
polished
pewter
,
and
warranted
as
silver
;
in
a
word
,
every
species
of
domestic
rubbish
of
this
kind
,
occupied
the
counters
and
tables
in
the
auction-room
.
Myself
and
three
others
were
hired
as
bidders
.
Our
duty
was
to
offer
a
price
for
every
article
put
up
,
and
buy
it
in
if
it
appeared
likely
to
go
to
a
stranger
at
too
low
a
price
—
