longhome
.
"
Should
there
not
be
a
rapid
demand
for
the
"
meat
"
on
the
part
of
the
itinerant
purveyors
of
that
article
for
canine
and
feline
favourites
,
it
speedily
becomes
putrid
;
and
a
smell
,
which
would
alone
appear
sufficient
to
create
a
pestilence
,
pervades
the
neighbourhood
.
As
if
nothing
should
be
wanting
to
render
that
district
as
filthy
and
unhealthy
as
possible
,
water
is
scarce
.
There
is
in
this
absence
of
a
plentiful
supply
of
that
wholesome
article
,
an
actual
apology
for
dirt
.
Some
of
the
houses
have
small
back
yards
,
in
which
the
inhabitants
keep
pigs
.
A
short
time
ago
,
an
infant
belonging
to
a
poor
widow
,
who
occupied
a
back
room
on
the
ground-floor
of
one
of
these
hovels
,
died
,
and
was
laid
upon
the
sacking
of
the
bed
while
the
mother
went
out
to
make
arrangements
for
its
interment
.
During
her
absence
a
pig
entered
the
room
from
the
yard
,
and
feasted
upon
the
dead
child
's
face
!
In
that
densely
populated
neighbourhood
that
we
are
describing
,
hundreds
of
families
each
live
and
sleep
in
one
room
.
When
a
member
of
one
of
these
families
happens
to
die
,
the
corpse
is
kept
in
the
close
room
where
the
rest
still
continue
to
live
and
sleep
.
Poverty
frequently
compels
the
unhappy
relatives
to
keep
the
body
for
days
—
aye
,
and
weeks
.
Rapid
decomposition
takes
place
—
animal
life
generates
quickly
;
and
in
four-and-twenty
hours
myriads
of
loathsome
animalculæ
are
seen
crawling
about
.
The
very
undertakers
'
men
fall
sick
at
these
disgusting
—
these
revolting
spectacles
.
The
wealthy
classes
of
society
are
far
too
ready
to
reproach
the
miserable
poor
for
things
which
are
really
misfortunes
and
not
faults
.
The
habit
of
whole
families
sleeping
together
in
one
room
destroys
all
sense
of
shame
in
the
daughters
:
and
what
guardian
then
remains
for
their
virtue
?
But
,
alas
!
a
horrible
—
an
odious
crime
often
results
from
that
poverty
which
thus
huddles
brothers
and
sisters
,
aunts
and
nephews
,
all
together
in
one
narrow
room
—
the
crime
of
incest
!
When
a
disease
—
such
as
the
small-pox
or
scarlatina
—
breaks
out
in
one
of
those
crowded
houses
,
and
in
a
densely
populated
neighbourhood
,
the
consequences
are
frightful
:
the
mortality
is
as
rapid
as
that
which
follows
the
footsteps
of
the
plague
!
These
are
the
fearful
mysteries
of
that
hideous
district
which
exists
in
the
very
heart
of
this
great
metropolis
.
From
St.
John-street
to
Saffron
Hill
—
from
West-street
to
Clerkenwell
Green
,
is
a
maze
of
narrow
lanes
,
choked
up
with
dirt
,
pestiferous
with
nauseous
odours
,
and
swarming
with
a
population
that
is
born
,
lives
,
and
dies
,
amidst
squalor
,
penury
,
wretchedness
,
and
crime
.
Leading
out
of
Holborn
,
between
Field
Lane
and
Ely
Place
,
is
Upper
Union
Court
—
a
narrow
lane
forming
a
thoroughfare
for
only
foot
passengers
.
The
houses
in
this
court
are
dingy
and
gloomy
:
the
sunbeams
never
linger
long
there
;
and
should
an
Italian-boy
pass
through
the
place
,
he
does
not
stop
to
waste
his
music
upon
the
inhabitants
.
The
dwellings
are
chiefly
let
out
in
lodgings
;
and
through
the
open
windows
upon
the
ground-floor
may
occasionally
be
seen
the
half-starved
families
of
mechanics
crowding
round
the
scantily-supplied
table
.
A
few
of
the
lower
casements
are
filled
with
children
's
books
,
pictures
of
actors
and
highwaymen
glaringly
coloured
,
and
lucifer-matches
,
twine
,
sweet-stuff
,
cotton
,
etc.
At
one
door
there
stands
an
oyster-stall
,
when
the
comestible
itself
is
in
season
:
over
another
hangs
a
small
board
with
a
mangle
painted
upon
it
.
Most
of
the
windows
on
the
ground-floors
announce
rooms
to
let
,
or
lodgings
for
single
men
;
and
perhaps
a
notice
may
be
seen
better
written
than
the
rest
,
that
artificial-flower
makers
are
required
at
that
address
.
It
was
about
nine
o'clock
in
the
evening
when
two
little
children
—
a
boy
of
seven
and
a
girl
of
five
—
walked
slowly
up
this
court
,
hand
in
hand
,
and
crying
bitterly
.
They
were
both
clothed
in
rags
,
and
had
neither
shoes
nor
stockings
upon
their
feet
.
Every
now
and
then
they
stopped
,
and
the
boy
turned
towards
his
little
sister
,
and
endeavoured
to
console
her
with
kind
words
and
kisses
.
"
Do
n't
cry
so
,
dear
,
"
he
said
:
"
I
'll
tell
mother
that
it
was
all
my
fault
that
we
could
n't
bring
home
any
more
money
;
and
so
she
'll
beat
me
worst
.
Do
n't
cry
—
there
's
a
good
girl
—
pray
do
n't
!
"
And
the
poor
little
fellow
endeavoured
to
calm
his
own
grief
in
order
to
appease
the
fears
of
his
sister
.
Those
children
had
now
reached
the
door
of
the
house
in
which
their
mother
occupied
an
attic
;
but
they
paused
upon
the
step
,
evincing
a
mortal
repugnance
to
proceed
any
farther
.
At
length
the
little
boy
contrived
by
promises
and
caresses
to
hush
the
violence
of
his
sister
's
grief
;
and
they
entered
the
house
,
the
door
of
which
stood
open
for
the
accommodation
of
the
lodgers
.
Hand
in
hand
these
poor
children
ascended
the
dark
and
steep
staircase
,
the
boy
whispering
consolation
in
the
girl
's
ears
.
At
length
they
reached
the
door
of
the
attic
:
and
there
they
stood
for
a
few
moments
.
"
Now
,
Fanny
dear
,
do
n't
cry
,
there
's
a
good
girl
;
pray
do
n't
now
—
and
I
'll
buy
you
some
nice
pears
to-morrow
with
the
first
halfpenny
I
get
,
even
if
I
should
n't
get
another
,
and
if
mother
beats
me
till
I
'm
dead
when
we
come
home
.
"
The
boy
kissed
his
sister
once
more
,
and
then
opened
the
attic-door
.
A
man
in
a
shabby
black
coat
,
and
with
an
immense
profusion
of
hair
about
his
hang-dog
countenance
,
was
sitting
on
one
side
of
a
good
fire
,
smoking
a
pipe
.
A
thin
,
emaciated
,
but
vixenish
looking
woman
was
arranging
some
food
upon
the
table
for
supper
.
The
entire
furniture
of
the
room
consisted
of
that
table
,
three
broken
chairs
,
and
a
filthy
mattress
in
one
corner
.
As
soon
as
the
boy
opened
the
door
,
he
seemed
for
a
moment
quite
surprised
to
behold
that
man
at
the
fireside
:
then
,
in
another
instant
,
he
clapped
his
little
hands
joyously
together
,
and
exclaimed
,
"
Oh
!
how
glad
I
am
:
here
's
father
come
home
again
!
"
"
Father
's
come
home
again
!
"
echoed
the
girl
;
and
the
two
children
rushed
up
to
their
parent
with
the
most
pure
—
the
most
unfeigned
delight
.
"
Curse
your
stupidity
,
you
fools
,
"
cried
the
man
,
brutally
repulsing
his
children
;
"
you
've
nearly
broke
my
pipe
.
"
The
boy
fell
back
,
abashed
and
dismayed
:
the
little
girl
burst
into
tears
.
"
Come
,
none
of
this
humbug
,
"
resumed
the
man
;
"
let
's
know
what
luck
you
've
had
to-day
,
since
your
mother
says
that
she
's
been
obliged
to
send
you
out
on
the
tramp
since
I
've
been
laid
up
for
this
last
six
months
in
the
jug
.
"
"
Yes
,
and
speak
out
pretty
plain
,
too
,
Master
Harry
,
"
said
the
mother
in
a
shrill
menacing
tone
;
"
and
none
of
your
excuses
,
or
you
'll
know
what
you
have
got
to
expect
.
"
"
Please
,
mother
,
"
said
the
boy
,
slowly
taking
some
halfpence
from
his
pocket
,
"
poor
little
Fanny
got
all
this
.
I
was
so
cold
and
hungry
I
could
n't
ask
a
soul
;
so
if
it
ai
n't
enough
,
mother
,
you
must
beat
me
—
and
not
poor
little
Fanny
.
"
As
the
boy
uttered
these
words
in
a
tremulous
tone
,
and
with
tears
trickling
down
his
face
,
he
got
before
his
sister
,
in
order
to
shield
her
,
as
it
were
,
from
his
mother
's
wrath
.
"
Give
it
here
,
you
fool
!
"
cried
the
woman
,
darting
forward
,
and
seizing
hold
of
the
boy
's
hand
containing
the
halfpence
:
then
,
having
hastily
glanced
over
the
amount
,
she
exclaimed
,
"
You
vile
young
dog
!
I
'll
teach
you
to
come
home
here
with
your
excuses
!
I
'll
cut
your
liver
out
of
ye
,
I
will
!
"
"
How
much
has
he
brought
?
"
demanded
the
man
.
"
How
much
!
Why
not
more
than
enough
to
pay
for
the
beer
,
"
answered
the
woman
indignantly
.
"
Eightpence-halfpenny
—
and
that
's
every
farthing
!
But
wo
n't
I
take
it
out
in
his
hide
,
that
's
all
?
"
The
woman
caught
hold
of
the
boy
,
and
dealt
him
a
tremendous
blow
upon
the
back
with
her
thin
bony
fist
.
He
fell
upon
his
knees
,
and
begged
for
mercy
.
His
unnatural
parent
levelled
a
volley
of
abuse
at
him
,
mingled
with
oaths
and
filthy
expressions
,
and
then
beat
him
—
dashed
him
upon
the
floor
—
kicked
him
—
all
but
stamped
upon
his
poor
body
as
he
writhed
at
her
feet
.
His
screams
were
appalling
.
Then
came
the
turn
of
the
girl
.
The
difference
in
the
years
of
the
children
did
not
cause
any
with
regard
to
their
chastisement
;
but
while
the
unnatural
mother
dealt
her
heavy
blows
upon
the
head
,
neck
,
breast
,
and
back
of
the
poor
little
creature
,
the
boy
clasped
his
hands
together
,
exclaiming
,
"
O
mother
!
it
was
all
my
fault
—
pray
do
n't
beat
little
Fanny
—
pray
do
n't
!
"
Then
forgetting
his
own
pain
,
he
threw
himself
before
his
sister
to
protect
her
—
a
noble
act
of
self-devotion
in
so
young
a
boy
,
and
for
which
he
only
received
additional
punishment
.
At
length
the
mother
sate
down
exhausted
;
and
the
poor
lad
drew
his
little
sister
into
a
corner
,
and
endeavoured
to
soothe
her
.
The
husband
of
that
vile
woman
had
remained
unmoved
in
his
seat
,
quietly
smoking
his
pipe
,
while
this
horrible
scene
took
place
;
and
if
he
did
not
actually
enjoy
it
,
he
was
very
far
from
disapproving
of
it
.
"
There
,
"
said
the
woman
,
gasping
for
breath
,
"
that
'll
teach
them
to
mind
how
they
come
home
another
time
with
less
than
eighteenpence
in
their
pockets
.
One
would
actually
think
it
was
the
people
's
fault
,
and
not
the
children
's
:
but
it
ai
n't
—
for
people
grows
more
charitable
every
day
.
The
more
humbug
,
the
more
charity
.
"
"
Right
enough
there
,
"
growled
the
man
.
"
A
reg'lar
knowing
beggar
can
make
his
five
bob
a
day
.
He
can
walk
through
a
matter
of
sixty
streets
;
and
in
each
street
he
can
get
a
penny
.
He
's
sure
o
'
that
.
Well
,
there
's
his
five
bob
.
"
"
To
be
sure
,
"
cried
the
woman
:
"
and
therefore
such
nice-looking
little
children
as
our'n
could
n't
help
getting
eighteen-pence
if
they
was
to
try
,
the
lazy
vagabonds
!
What
would
ha
'
become
of
me
all
the
time
that
you
was
in
the
Jug
this
last
bout
,
if
they
had
n't
have
worked
better
than
they
do
now
?
As
it
is
,
every
thing
's
up
the
spout
—
all
made
away
with
—
—
"
"
Well
,
we
'll
devilish
soon
have
'
em
all
down
again
,
"
interrupted
the
man
.
"
Dick
will
be
here
presently
;
and
he
and
I
shall
soon
settle
some
job
or
another
.
But
had
n't
you
better
give
them
kids
their
supper
,
and
make
'
em
leave
off
snivellin
'
afore
Dick
comes
?
"
"
So
I
will
,
Bill
,
"
answered
the
woman
;
and
throwing
the
children
each
a
piece
of
bread
,
she
added
,
in
a
cross
tone
,
"
And
now
tumble
into
bed
,
and
make
haste
about
it
;
and
if
you
do
n't
hold
that
blubbering
row
I
'll
take
the
poker
to
you
this
time
.
"
The
little
boy
gave
the
larger
piece
of
bread
to
his
sister
;
and
,
having
divested
her
of
her
rags
,
he
made
her
as
comfortable
as
he
could
on
the
filthy
mattress
,
covering
her
over
not
only
with
her
clothes
but
also
with
his
own
.
He
kissed
her
affectionately
,
but
without
making
any
noise
with
his
lips
,
for
fear
that
that
should
irritate
his
mother
;
and
then
lay
down
beside
her
.
Clasped
in
each
other
's
arms
,
those
two
children
of
poverty
—
the
victims
of
horrible
and
daily
cruelties
—
repulsed
by
a
father
whose
neck
they
had
longed
to
encircle
with
their
little
arms
,
and
whose
hand
they
had
vainly
sought
to
cover
with
kisses
;
trembling
even
at
the
looks
of
a
mother
whom
they
loved
in
spite
of
all
her
harshness
towards
them
,
and
from
whose
lips
one
word
—
one
single
word
of
kindness
would
have
gladdened
their
poor
hearts
;
—
under
such
circumstances
,
we
say
,
did
these
persecuted
but
affectionate
infants
,
still
smarting
with
the
pain
of
cruel
blows
,
and
with
tears
upon
their
cheeks
,
—
thus
did
they
sink
into
slumber
in
each
other
's
arms
!
Merciful
God
!
it
makes
the
blood
boil
to
think
that
this
is
no
over-drawn
picture
—
that
there
is
no
exaggeration
in
these
details
;
but
that
there
really
exist
monsters
in
a
human
form
—
wearing
often
,
too
,
the
female
shape
—
who
make
the
infancy
and
early
youth
of
their
offspring
one
continued
hell
—
one
perpetual
scene
of
blows
,
curses
,
and
cruelties
!
Oh
!
for
how
many
of
our
fellow-creatures
have
we
to
blush
:
—
how
many
demons
are
there
who
have
assumed
our
mortal
appearance
,
who
dwell
amongst
us
,
and
who
set
us
examples
the
most
hideous
—
the
most
appalling
!
As
soon
as
the
children
were
in
bed
,
the
woman
went
out
,
and
returned
in
a
few
minutes
with
two
pots
of
strong
beer
—
purchased
with
the
alms
that
day
bestowed
by
the
charitable
upon
her
suffering
offspring
.
She
and
her
husband
then
partook
of
some
cold
meat
,
of
which
there
was
a
plentiful
provision
—
enough
to
have
allowed
the
boy
and
the
girl
each
a
good
slice
of
bread
.
And
the
bread
which
this
man
and
this
woman
ate
was
new
and
good
;
but
the
morsels
thrown
to
the
children
were
stale
and
mouldy
.
"
I
tell
you
what
,
"
said
the
woman
,
whispering
in
a
mysterious
tone
to
her
husband
,
"
I
have
thought
of
an
excellent
plan
to
make
Fanny
useful
.
"
"
Well
,
Polly
,
and
what
's
that
?
"
demanded
the
man
.
"
Why
,
"
resumed
his
wife
,
her
countenance
wearing
an
expression
of
demoniac
cruelty
and
cunning
,
"
I
've
been
thinking
that
Harry
will
soon
be
of
use
to
you
in
your
line
.
He
'll
be
so
handy
to
shove
through
a
window
,
or
to
sneak
down
a
area
and
hide
himself
all
day
in
a
cellar
to
open
the
door
at
night
,
—
or
a
thousand
things
.
"
"
In
course
he
will
,
"
said
Bill
,
with
an
approving
nod
.
"
Well
,
but
then
there
's
Fanny
.
What
good
can
she
do
for
us
for
years
and
years
to
come
?
She
wo
n't
beg
—
I
know
she
wo
n't
.
It
's
all
that
boy
's
lies
when
he
says
she
does
:
he
is
very
fond
of
her
,
and
only
tells
us
that
to
screen
her
.
Now
I
've
a
very
great
mind
to
do
someot
that
will
make
her
beg
—
aye
,
and
be
glad
to
beg
—
and
beg
too
in
spite
of
herself
.
"
"
What
the
hell
do
you
mean
?
"
"
Why
,
doing
that
to
her
which
will
put
her
entirely
at
our
mercy
,
and
at
the
same
time
render
her
an
object
of
such
interest
that
the
people
must
give
her
money
.
I
'd
wager
that
with
my
plan
she
'd
get
her
five
bob
a
day
;
and
what
a
blessin
'
that
would
be
.
"
"
But
how
?
"
said
Bill
impatiently
.
"
And
then
,
"
continued
the
woman
,
without
heeding
this
question
,
"
she
would
n't
want
Henry
with
her
;
and
you
might
begin
to
make
him
useful
some
how
or
another
.
All
we
should
have
to
do
would
be
to
take
Fanny
every
day
to
some
good
thoroughfare
,
put
her
down
there
of
a
mornin
'
,
and
go
and
fetch
her
agen
at
night
;
and
I
'll
warrant
she
'd
keep
us
in
beer
—
aye
,
and
in
brandy
too
.
"
"
What
the
devil
are
you
driving
at
?
"
demanded
the
man
.
"
Ca
n't
you
guess
?
"
"
No
—
blow
me
if
I
can
.
"
"
Do
you
fancy
the
scheme
?
"
"
Am
I
a
fool
?
Why
,
of
course
I
do
:
but
how
the
deuce
is
all
this
to
be
done
?
You
never
could
learn
Fanny
to
be
so
fly
as
that
?
"
"
I
do
n't
want
to
learn
her
anything
at
all
.
What
I
propose
is
to
force
it
on
her
.
"
"
And
how
is
that
?
"
asked
the
man
.
"
By
putting
her
eyes
out
,
"
returned
the
woman
.
Her
husband
was
a
robber
—
yes
,
and
a
murderer
:
but
he
started
when
this
proposal
met
his
ear
.
"
There
's
nothin
'
like
a
blind
child
to
excite
compassion
,
"
added
the
woman
coolly
.
"
I
know
it
for
a
fact
,
"
she
continued
,
after
a
pause
,
seeing
that
her
husband
did
not
answer
her
.
"
There
's
old
Kate
Betts
,
who
got
all
her
money
by
travelling
about
the
country
with
two
blind
girls
;
and
she
made
'
em
blind
herself
too
—
she
's
often
told
me
how
she
did
it
;
and
that
has
put
the
idea
into
my
head
.
"
"
And
how
did
she
do
it
?
"
asked
the
man
,
lighting
his
pipe
,
but
not
glancing
towards
his
wife
;
for
although
her
words
had
made
a
deep
impression
upon
him
,
he
was
yet
struggling
with
the
remnant
of
a
parental
feeling
,
which
remained
in
his
heart
in
spite
of
himself
.
"
She
covered
the
eyes
over
with
cockle
shells
,
the
eye-lids
,
recollect
,
being
wide
open
;
and
in
each
shell
there
was
a
large
black
beetle
.
A
bandage
tied
tight
round
the
head
,
kept
the
shells
in
their
place
;
and
the
shells
kept
the
eyelids
open
.
In
a
few
days
the
eyes
got
quite
blind
,
and
the
pupils
had
a
dull
white
appearance
.
"
"
And
you
're
serious
,
are
you
?
"
demanded
the
man
.
"
Quite
,
"
returned
the
woman
,
boldly
:
"
why
not
?
"
"
Why
not
indeed
?
"
echoed
Bill
,
who
approved
of
the
horrible
scheme
,
but
shuddered
at
the
cruelty
of
it
,
villain
as
he
was
.
"
Ah
!
why
not
?
"
pursued
the
female
:
"
one
must
make
one
's
children
useful
somehow
or
another
.
So
,
if
you
do
n't
mind
,
I
'll
send
Harry
out
alone
to-morrow
morning
and
keep
Fanny
at
home
.
The
moment
the
boy
's
out
of
the
way
,
I
'll
try
my
hand
at
Kate
Betts
's
plan
.
"
The
conversation
was
interrupted
by
a
low
knock
at
the
attic-door
.
CHAPTER
XVIII
.
THE
BOOZING-KEN
.
"
Come
in
,
"
exclaimed
Bill
:
"
I
des
say
it
's
Dick
Flairer
.
"
"
Well
,
Bill
Bolter
,
old
fellow
—
here
you
are
at
last
,
"
cried
the
new
comer
.
"
I
s'pose
you
knowed
I
should
come
here
this
evenin
'
.
If
you
had
n't
sent
me
that
message
t'other
day
by
the
young
area-sneak
what
got
his
discharge
out
o
'
Coldbath
Jug
,
[
16
]
I
should
ha
'
come
all
the
same
.
I
remembered
very
well
that
you
was
sentenced
to
six
months
on
it
;
and
I
'd
calkilated
days
and
weeks
right
enough
.
"
"
Sit
down
,
Dick
,
and
blow
a
cloud
.
Wot
news
since
I
see
you
last
?
"
"
None
.
You
know
that
Crankey
Jem
is
nabbed
.
He
and
the
Resurrection
Man
did
a
pannie
together
somewhere
up
Soho
way
.
They
got
off
safe
with
the
swag
;
and
the
Resurrection
Man
went
on
to
the
Mint
.
Jem
took
to
the
Old
House
in
Chick
Lane
,
and
let
me
in
for
my
reglars
.
But
after
a
week
or
ten
days
the
Resurrection
Man
nosed
upon
him
,
and
will
turn
King
's
Evidence
afore
the
benks
.
So
Jem
was
handed
over
to
the
dubsman
;
[
21
]
and
this
time
he
'll
get
lagged
for
life
.
"
"
In
course
he
will
.
He
has
been
twice
to
the
floating
academy
.
[
22
]
There
ai
n't
no
chance
this
time
.
"
"
But
as
for
business
,
"
said
Dick
Flairer
,
after
a
pause
,
during
which
he
lighted
his
pipe
and
paid
his
respects
to
the
beer
,
"
my
gropus
is
as
empty
as
a
barrister
's
bag
the
day
after
sessions
.
I
have
but
one
bob
left
in
my
cly
;
and
that
we
'll
spend
in
brandy
presently
.
My
mawleys
[
24
]
is
reg'larly
itching
for
a
job
.
"
"
Someot
must
be
done
—
and
that
soon
too
,
"
returned
Bill
Bolter
.
"
By-the-by
,
s'pose
we
try
that
crib
which
we
meant
to
crack
four
year
or
so
ago
,
when
you
got
nabbed
the
very
next
mornin
'
for
faking
a
blowen
's
flag
from
her
nutty
arm
.
"
[
25
]
"
What
—
you
mean
Markham
's
up
between
Kentish
Town
and
Lower
Holloway
?
"
said
Dick
.
"
The
same
.
Do
n't
you
recollect
—
we
settled
it
all
the
wery
night
as
we
threw
that
young
fellow
down
the
trap
in
Chick
Lane
?
But
,
by
goles
—
Dick
—
what
the
deuce
is
the
matter
with
you
?
"
Dick
Flairer
had
turned
deadly
pale
at
the
mention
of
this
circumstance
:
his
knees
shook
;
and
he
cast
an
uneasy
and
rapid
glance
around
him
.
"
Come
,
Dick
—
do
n't
be
a
fool
,
"
said
the
woman
:
"
you
do
n't
think
there
is
any
ghosts
here
,
do
you
?
"
"
Ghosts
!
"
he
exclaimed
,
with
a
convulsive
start
;
then
,
after
a
moment
's
silence
,
during
which
his
two
companions
surveyed
him
with
curiosity
and
fear
,
he
added
in
a
low
and
subdued
tone
,
"
Bill
,
you
know
there
was
n't
a
man
in
all
the
neighbourhood
bolder
than
me
up
to
the
time
when
you
got
into
trouble
:
you
know
that
I
did
n't
care
for
ghosts
or
churchyards
,
or
dark
rooms
,
or
anything
of
that
kind
.
Now
it
's
quite
altered
.
If
even
a
man
seed
speret
of
a
person
,
that
man
was
me
about
two
months
ago
!
"
"
What
the
devil
does
this
mean
?
"
cried
Bolter
,
looking
uneasily
around
him
in
his
turn
.
"
Two
months
ago
,
"
continued
Dick
Flairer
,
"
I
was
up
Hackney
way
,
expecting
to
do
a
little
business
with
Tom
the
Cracksman
,
which
did
n't
come
off
;
for
Tom
had
been
at
the
boozing-ken
all
the
night
before
,
and
had
blowed
his
hand
up
in
a
lark
with
some
davy's-dust
.
[
28
]
Well
,
I
wus
coming
home
again
,
infernal
sulky
at
the
affair
's
breaking
down
,
when
just
as
I
got
to
Cambridge-Heath-gate
I
heerd
the
gallopin
'
of
horses
.
I
looks
round
,
nat'rally
enough
;
—
but
who
should
I
see
upon
a
lovely
chestnut
mare
—
—
"
"
Who
?
"
said
Bill
anxiously
.
"
The
speret
of
that
wery
same
young
feller
as
you
and
I
threw
down
the
trap
at
the
old
house
in
Chick
Lane
four
year
and
some
months
ago
!
"
"
Might
n't
it
have
been
a
mistake
,
Dick
?
"
demanded
Bill
.
"
Why
,
of
course
it
was
,
"
exclaimed
the
woman
.
"
No
,
it
war
n't
,
"
said
Dick
very
seriously
.
"
I
never
tell
a
lie
to
a
pal
,
[
29
]
Bill
—
and
that
you
knows
well
enough
.
I
seed
that
young
man
as
plain
as
I
can
now
see
you
,
Bill
—
as
plain
as
I
see
you
,
Polly
Bolter
.
I
thought
I
should
have
dropped
:
I
fell
right
against
a
post
in
the
footpath
;
but
I
took
another
good
long
look
.
There
he
was
—
the
same
face
—
the
same
hair
—
the
same
dress
—
everything
the
same
!
I
could
n't
be
mistaken
:
I
'd
swear
to
it
.
"
"
And
would
you
tell
this
story
to
the
parish-prig
,
if
so
be
as
you
was
going
to
Tuck-up
Fair
[
31
]
to-morrow
morning
?
"
demanded
Bill
.
"
I
would
,
by
G
—
d
!
"
cried
Dick
solemnly
,
striking
his
hand
upon
the
table
at
the
same
time
.
There
was
a
long
pause
.
Even
the
woman
,
who
was
perhaps
more
hardened
in
vice
and
more
inaccessible
to
anything
in
the
shape
of
sentiment
than
her
male
companions
,
seemed
impressed
by
the
positive
manner
in
which
the
man
told
his
story
.
"
Well
—
come
,
this
wo
n't
do
!
"
ejaculated
Dick
,
after
the
lapse
of
some
minutes
.
"
Ghost
or
no
ghost
,
we
ca
n't
afford
to
be
honest
.
"
"
No
—
we
must
be
up
to
someot
,
"
returned
Bill
;
"
if
we
went
and
offered
ourselves
to
the
parish
prig
he
would
n't
take
us
as
his
clerk
and
sexton
;
so
if
he
wo
n't
give
us
a
lift
,
who
the
devil
will
?
But
,
about
that
Markham
's
place
?
"
"
The
old
fellow
died
a
few
months
ago
,
I
heard
,
"
said
Dick
;
"
the
eldest
son
run
away
;
and
that
brought
about
the
father
's
death
.
As
for
the
young
'
un
,
he
was
grabbed
this
arternoon
for
smashing
queer
screens
.
[
32
]
"
"
The
devil
he
was
!
Well
,
there
ai
n't
no
good
to
be
done
in
that
quarter
,
then
?
Do
you
know
any
other
spekilation
?
"
"
Tom
the
Cracksman
and
me
was
going
to
do
a
pannie
in
a
neat
little
crib
up
by
Clapton
,
that
time
when
he
blowed
his
hand
nearly
off
,
larking
with
his
ben-culls
.
[
33
]
I
do
n't
see
why
it
should
n't
be
done
now
.
Tom
told
me
about
it
.
A
young
swell
,
fond
of
horses
and
dogs
—
lives
exceeding
quiet
—
never
no
company
scarcely
—
but
plenty
of
tin
.
"
"
Servants
?
"
said
Bill
,
interrogatively
.
"
One
man
—
an
old
groom
;
and
two
women
—
three
in
all
,
"
replied
Dick
.
"
That
'll
do
,
"
observed
the
woman
,
approvingly
.
"
Must
we
speak
to
the
Cracksman
first
?
"
demanded
Bill
.
"
Yes
—
fair
play
's
a
jewel
.
I
do
n't
believe
the
Resurrection
Man
would
ever
have
chirped
[
34
]
if
he
had
been
treated
properly
.
But
if
this
thing
is
to
be
done
,
let
it
be
done
to-morrow
night
;
and
now
let
us
go
to
the
boozing-ken
and
speak
to
the
Cracksman
.
"
"
I
'm
your
man
,
"
said
Bill
;
and
the
two
thieves
left
the
room
together
.
At
the
top
of
Union
Court
is
Bleeding
Hart
Yard
,
leading
to
Kirby
Street
,
at
right
angles
to
which
is
a
narrow
alley
terminating
on
Great
Saffron
Hill
.
This
was
the
road
the
burglars
took
.
It
was
now
eleven
o'clock
,
and
a
thick
fog
—
so
dense
that
it
seemed
as
if
it
could
be
cut
with
a
knife
—
prevailed
.
The
men
kept
close
together
,
for
they
could
not
see
a
yard
before
them
.
Here
and
there
lights
glimmered
in
the
miserable
casements
;
and
the
fog
,
thus
faintly
illuminated
at
intervals
,
appeared
of
a
dingy
copper
colour
.
The
burglars
proceeded
along
Saffron
Hill
.
The
streets
were
nearly
empty
;
but
now
and
then
the
pale
,
squalid
,
and
nameless
forms
of
vice
were
heard
at
the
door-ways
of
a
few
houses
,
endeavouring
to
lure
the
passers-by
into
their
noisome
abodes
.
A
great
portion
of
the
unwholesome
life
of
that
district
had
sought
relief
from
the
pangs
of
misery
and
the
remorse
of
crime
,
in
sleep
.
Alas
!
the
slumbers
of
the
poor
and
of
the
guilty
are
haunted
by
the
lean
,
lank
,
and
gaunt
visages
of
penury
,
and
all
the
fearful
escort
of
turpitude
!
Through
the
broken
shutters
of
several
windows
came
the
sounds
of
horrible
revelry
—
ribald
and
revolting
;
and
from
others
issued
cries
,
shrieks
,
oaths
,
and
the
sounds
of
heavy
blows
—
a
sad
evidence
of
the
brutality
of
drunken
quarrels
.
Numerous
Irish
families
are
crowded
together
in
the
small
back
rooms
of
the
houses
on
Saffron
Hill
;
and
the
husbands
and
fathers
gorge
themselves
,
at
the
expense
of
broken-hearted
wives
and
famishing
children
,
with
the
horrible
compound
of
spirit
and
vitriol
,
sold
at
the
low
gin-shops
in
the
neighbourhood
.
Hosts
of
"
Italian
masters
"
also
congregate
in
that
locality
;
and
the
screams
of
the
unfortunate
boys
,
who
writhe
beneath
the
lash
of
their
furious
employers
on
their
return
home
after
an
unsuccessful
day
with
their
organs
,
monkies
,
white
mice
,
or
chalk
images
,
mingle
with
the
other
appalling
or
disgusting
sounds
,
which
make
night
in
that
district
truly
hideous
.
Even
at
the
late
hour
at
which
the
two
burglars
were
wending
their
way
over
Saffron
Hill
,
boys
of
ages
ranging
from
seven
to
fifteen
,
were
lurking
in
the
courts
and
alleys
,
watching
for
any
decently
dressed
persons
,
who
might
happen
to
pass
that
way
.
Those
boys
had
for
the
most
part
been
seduced
from
the
control
of
their
parents
by
the
receivers
of
stolen
goods
in
Field
Lane
,
or
else
had
been
sent
into
the
streets
to
thieve
by
those
vile
parents
themselves
.
Thus
,
as
the
hulks
,
the
convict-ships
,
the
penitentiaries
,
and
the
gallows
,
relieve
society
of
one
generation
of
villains
,
another
is
springing
up
to
occupy
the
vacancy
.
And
this
will
always
be
the
case
so
long
as
laws
tend
only
to
punish
—
and
aim
not
to
reform
.
Dick
Flairer
and
Bill
Bolter
proceeded
,
without
exchanging
many
words
together
,
through
the
dense
fog
,
until
they
reached
a
low
public-house
,
which
they
entered
.
Nothing
could
be
more
filthy
nor
revolting
than
the
interior
of
this
"
boozing-ken
.
"
Sweeps
,
costermongers
,
Jews
,
Irish
bricklayers
,
and
women
of
the
town
were
crowding
round
the
bar
,
drinking
various
malt
and
spirituous
liquors
fearfully
adulterated
.
The
beer
,
having
been
originally
deluged
with
water
to
increase
the
quantity
,
had
been
strengthened
by
drugs
of
most
deleterious
qualities
—
such
as
tobacco-juice
and
cocculus-indicus
.
The
former
is
a
poison
as
subtle
as
that
of
a
viper
:
the
latter
is
a
berry
of
such
venomous
properties
,
that
if
thrown
into
a
pond
,
it
will
speedily
send
the
fish
up
to
the
surface
to
gasp
and
die
.
The
gin
was
mixed
with
vitriol
,
as
hinted
above
;
and
the
whiskey
,
called
"
Paddy
's
Eye-Water
,
"
with
spirits
of
turpentine
.
The
pots
and
glasses
in
which
the
various
beverages
were
served
up
,
were
all
stood
upon
double
trays
,
with
a
cavity
between
,
and
numerous
holes
in
the
upper
surface
.
The
overflowings
and
drainings
were
thus
caught
and
saved
;
and
the
landlord
dispensed
the
precious
compound
,
which
bore
the
name
of
"
all
sorts
,
"
at
a
halfpenny
a
glass
.
The
two
burglars
nodded
familiarly
to
the
landlord
and
his
wife
,
as
they
passed
the
bar
,
and
entered
a
little
,
low
,
smoky
room
,
denominated
"
the
parlour
.
"
A
tremendous
fire
burnt
in
the
grate
,
at
which
a
short
,
thin
,
dark
man
,
with
a
most
forbidding
countenance
,
was
sitting
,
agreeably
occupied
in
toasting
a
sausage
.
The
right
hand
of
this
man
had
lost
the
two
middle
fingers
,
the
stumps
of
which
were
still
covered
with
plaster
,
as
if
the
injury
had
been
recent
.
He
was
dressed
in
a
complete
suit
of
corduroy
:
the
sleeves
of
his
jacket
,
the
lower
part
of
his
waistcoat
,
and
the
front
of
his
trousers
,
were
covered
with
grease
.
On
the
table
near
him
stood
a
huge
piece
of
bread
and
a
pot
of
beer
.
This
individual
was
Tom
the
Cracksman
—
the
most
adroit
and
noted
burglar
in
the
metropolis
.
He
kept
a
complete
list
of
all
the
gentlemen
's
houses
in
the
environs
of
London
,
with
the
numbers
of
servants
and
male
inhabitants
in
each
.
He
never
attempted
any
dwelling
within
a
circuit
of
three
miles
of
the
General
Post
Office
:
his
avocation
was
invariably
exercised
in
the
suburbs
of
London
,
where
the
interference
of
the
police
was
less
probable
.
At
the
moment
when
we
introduce
him
to
our
readers
,
he
was
somewhat
"
down
in
his
luck
,
"
as
he
himself
expressed
it
,
the
accident
which
had
happened
to
his
hand
,
through
playing
with
gunpowder
,
having
completely
disabled
him
for
the
preceding
two
months
,
and
the
landlord
of
the
"
boozing-ken
"
having
made
it
an
invariable
rule
never
to
give
credit
.
Thus
,
though
the
Cracksman
had
spent
hundreds
of
pounds
in
that
house
,
he
could
not
obtain
so
much
as
a
glass
of
"
all
sorts
"
without
the
money
.
The
Cracksman
was
alone
in
the
parlour
when
Dick
Flairer
and
Bill
Bolter
entered
.
Having
toasted
his
sausage
,
the
renowned
burglar
placed
it
upon
the
bread
,
and
began
eating
his
supper
by
means
of
a
formidable
clasp-knife
,
without
deigning
to
cast
a
glance
around
.
At
length
Bill
Bolter
burst
out
into
a
loud
laugh
,
and
exclaimed
,
"
Why
,
Tom
,
you
're
getting
proud
all
on
a
sudden
:
you
wo
n't
speak
to
your
friends
.
"
"
Halloo
,
Bill
,
is
that
you
?
"
ejaculated
the
burglar
.
"
When
did
they
turn
you
out
of
the
jug
?
"
"
This
mornin
'
at
twelve
;
and
with
never
a
brown
in
my
pocket
.
Luckily
the
old
woman
had
turned
the
children
to
some
use
during
the
time
I
was
at
the
stepper
,
or
else
I
do
n't
know
what
would
have
become
on
us
.
"
"
And
I
'm
as
completely
stitched
up
as
a
man
could
be
if
he
'd
just
come
out
o
'
the
workus
,
"
said
Tom
.
"
I
just
now
spent
my
last
tanner
for
this
here
grub
.
Ah
!
it
's
a
d
—
—
d
hard
thing
for
a
man
like
me
to
be
brought
down
to
cag-mag
,
[
36
]
"
—
he
added
,
glancing
sulkily
at
the
sausage
,
which
he
was
eating
half
raw
.
"
We
all
sees
ups
and
downs
,
"
observed
Dick
Flairer
.
"
My
opinion
is
that
we
are
too
free
when
we
have
the
blunt
.
"
"
And
there
's
them
as
is
too
close
when
we
have
n't
it
,
"
returned
the
Cracksman
bitterly
.
"
There
's
the
landlord
of
this
crib
wo
n't
give
a
gen'leman
like
me
tick
not
for
one
blessed
farden
.
But
things
ca
n't
go
on
so
:
I
'm
blowed
if
I
wo
n't
do
a
crack
that
shall
be
worth
while
;
and
then
I
'll
open
a
ken
in
opposition
to
this
.
You
'd
see
whether
I
'd
refuse
a
pal
tick
in
the
hour
of
need
.
"
"
Well
,
you
do
n't
suppose
that
we
are
here
just
to
amuse
ourselves
,
"
said
Dick
:
"
we
come
to
see
you
.
"
"
Is
anythink
to
be
done
?
"
demanded
the
Cracksman
.
"
First
answer
me
this
,
"
cried
Dick
:
"
has
that
crib
at
Upper
Clapton
been
cracked
yet
?
"
"
What
,
where
there
's
a
young
swell
—
—
"
"
I
do
n't
know
nothing
more
about
it
than
wot
you
told
me
,
"
interrupted
Dick
.
"
Me
and
you
was
to
have
done
it
;
and
then
you
went
larking
with
the
davy's-dust
—
—
"
"
I
know
the
crib
you
mean
,
"
said
the
Cracksman
hastily
:
"
that
job
is
yet
to
be
done
.
Are
you
the
chaps
to
have
a
hand
in
it
.
"
"
That
's
the
very
business
that
we
're
come
for
,
"
answered
Bill
.
"
Well
,
"
resumed
the
Cracksman
,
"
it
seems
we
're
all
stumped
up
,
and
ca
n't
hold
out
no
longer
.
We
wo
n't
put
this
thing
off
—
it
shall
be
done
to-morrow
night
.
Eleven
's
the
hour
.
I
will
go
Dalston
way
—
you
two
can
arrange
about
the
roads
you
'll
take
,
so
long
as
you
do
n't
go
together
;
and
we
'll
all
three
meet
at
the
gate
of
Ben
Price
's
field
at
eleven
o'clock
.
"
"
So
far
,
so
good
,
"
said
Dick
Flairer
.
"
I
've
got
a
darkey
:
but
we
want
the
kifers
[
38
]
and
tools
.
"
"
And
a
sack
,
"
added
Bill
.
"
We
must
get
all
these
things
of
old
Moses
Hart
,
the
fence
;
[
39
]
and
give
him
a
share
of
the
swag
,
"
exclaimed
the
Cracksman
.
"
Do
n't
bother
yourselves
about
that
;
I
'll
make
it
all
right
.
"
"
Well
,
now
that
's
settled
,
"
said
Dick
.
"
I
've
got
a
bob
in
my
pocket
,
and
we
'll
have
a
rinse
of
the
bingo
.
"
The
burglar
went
out
to
the
bar
,
and
returned
with
some
brandy
,
which
he
and
his
companions
drank
pure
.
"
So
Crankey
Jem
's
in
quod
?
"
observed
the
Cracksman
,
after
a
pause
.
"
Yes
—
and
the
Resurrection
Man
too
:
but
he
has
chirped
,
and
will
be
let
out
after
sessions
.
"
"
You
have
heard
of
his
freak
over
in
the
Borough
I
s'pose
,
"
said
the
Cracksman
.
"
No
I
have
n't
,
"
answered
Bill
.
"
What
was
it
?
"
"
Oh
!
a
capital
joke
.
The
story
's
rather
long
;
but
it
will
bear
telling
.
There
's
a
young
fellow
of
the
name
of
Sam
Chisney
;
and
his
father
died
about
two
year
ago
leaving
two
thousand
pounds
in
the
funds
.
The
widder
was
to
enjoy
the
interest
during
her
life
;
and
then
it
was
to
come
,
principal
and
interest
both
,
to
Sam
.
Well
,
the
old
woman
gets
into
debt
,
and
is
arrested
.
She
goes
over
to
the
Bench
,
takes
the
Rules
,
and
hires
a
nice
lodging
on
the
ground
floor
in
Belvidere
Place
.
The
young
feller
wants
his
money
very
bad
,
and
does
n't
seem
at
all
disposed
to
wait
for
the
old
lady
's
death
,
particklar
as
she
might
live
another
ten
years
.
Well
,
he
comes
across
the
Resurrection
Man
,
and
tells
him
just
how
he
's
sitivated
.
The
Resurrection
Man
thinks
over
the
matter
;
and
,
being
a
bit
of
a
scholar
,
understands
the
business
.
Off
they
goes
and
consults
a
lawyer
named
Mac
Chizzle
,
who
lives
up
in
the
New
Road
,
somewhere
near
the
Servants
'
Arms
there
.
"
"
I
know
that
crib
well
,
"
observed
Bill
.
"
It
's
a
were
tidy
and
respectable
one
.
"
"
So
Mac
Chizzle
,
Sam
Chisney
,
and
the
Resurrection
Man
lay
their
heads
together
,
and
settle
the
whole
business
.
The
young
chap
then
goes
over
to
the
old
woman
,
and
tells
her
what
is
to
be
done
.
She
consents
:
and
all
's
right
.
Well
,
that
very
day
the
old
lady
is
taken
so
bad
—
so
very
bad
,
she
thinks
she
's
a
goin
'
to
die
.
She
wo
n't
have
no
doctor
;
but
she
sends
for
a
nurse
as
she
knows
—
an
old
creatur
'
up'ards
of
seventy
and
nearly
in
her
dotage
.
Then
Sam
comes
;
and
he
's
so
sorry
to
see
his
poor
dear
mother
so
ill
;
and
she
begins
to
talk
very
pious
,
and
to
bless
him
,
and
tell
him
as
how
she
feels
that
she
ca
n't
live
four-and-twenty
hours
.
Sam
cries
dreadful
,
and
swears
he
wo
n't
leave
his
poor
dear
mother
—
no
,
not
for
all
the
world
.
He
sits
up
with
her
all
night
,
and
is
to
exceedin
'
kind
;
and
he
goes
out
and
gets
a
bottle
of
medicine
—
which
arter
all
wor
n't
nothink
but
gin
and
peppermint
.
The
old
nurse
is
quite
pleased
to
think
that
the
old
woman
has
got
such
a
attentive
son
;
and
he
sends
out
to
get
a
little
rum
;
and
the
old
nurse
goes
to
bed
blind
drunk
.
"
"
What
the
devil
was
all
that
for
?
"
demanded
Dick
.
"
You
'll
see
in
a
moment
,
"
resumed
the
Cracksman
.
"
Next
night
at
about
ten
o'clock
the
young
fellow
says
to
the
nurse
—
'
Nurse
,
my
poor
dear
mother
is
wasting
away
:
she
ca
n't
last
out
the
night
.
I
do
feel
so
miserable
;
and
I
fancy
a
drop
of
the
rum
that
they
sell
at
a
partickler
public
,
close
up
by
Westminster
Bridge
.
'
'
Well
,
my
dear
,
'
says
the
nurse
,
'
I
'll
go
and
get
a
bottle
there
;
for
I
feel
that
we
shall
both
want
someot
to
cheer
us
through
this
blessed
night
.
'
So
the
old
nurse
toddles
off
to
the
rum
at
the
place
Sam
told
her
.
He
had
sent
her
away
to
a
good
long
distance
on
purpose
.
The
moment
she
was
gone
,
Mrs.
Chisney
gets
up
,
dresses
herself
as
quick
as
she
can
,
and
is
all
ready
just
as
a
hackney-coach
drives
up
to
the
door
.
Sam
runs
down
:
all
was
as
right
as
the
mail
.
There
was
the
Resurrection
Man
in
the
coach
,
with
the
dead
body
of
a
old
woman
that
had
only
been
buried
the
day
before
,
and
that
he
'd
had
up
again
during
the
night
.
So
Sam
and
the
Resurrection
Man
they
gets
the
stiff
'
un
up
stairs
,
and
Mrs.
Chisney
she
jumps
into
the
coach
and
drives
away
to
a
comfortable
lodging
which
Mac
Chizzle
had
got
for
her
up
in
Somers
Town
.
"
"
Now
I
begin
to
twig
,
"
exclaimed
Dick
Flairer
.
"
Presently
the
old
nurse
comes
back
;
and
Sam
meets
her
on
the
stairs
,
whimpering
as
hard
as
he
could
;
and
says
,
'
Oh
!
nurse
—
your
poor
dear
missus
is
gone
:
your
poor
dear
missus
is
gone
!
'
So
she
was
;
no
mistake
about
that
.
Well
,
the
nurse
begins
to
cry
;
but
Sam
gets
her
up
stairs
,
and
plies
her
so
heartily
with
the
rum
that
she
got
blind
drunk
once
more
,
without
ever
thinking
of
laying
the
body
out
;
so
she
did
n't
find
out
it
was
quite
cold
.
Next
day
she
washed
it
,
and
laid
it
out
properly
;
and
as
she
was
nearly
blind
,
she
did
n't
notice
that
the
features
was
n't
altogether
the
same
.
The
body
,
too
,
was
a
remarkable
fresh
un
;
and
so
everything
went
on
as
well
as
could
be
wished
.
Sam
then
stepped
over
to
the
Marshal
of
the
Bench
,
and
give
him
notice
of
his
mother
's
death
;
and
as
she
died
in
the
Rules
,
there
must
be
an
inquest
.
So
a
jury
of
prisoners
was
called
:
and
the
old
nurse
was
examined
;
and
she
said
how
exceedin
'
attentive
the
young
man
had
been
,
and
all
that
;
and
then
Sam
himself
was
called
.
Of
course
he
told
a
good
tale
;
and
then
the
Coroner
says
,
'
Well
,
gentlemen
,
I
s'pose
you
'll
like
to
look
at
the
body
.
'
So
over
they
all
goes
to
Belvidere
Place
,
and
the
foreman
of
the
Jury
just
pokes
his
nose
in
at
the
door
of
the
room
where
the
corpse
was
lying
;
and
no
one
else
even
went
more
than
half
up
the
staircase
.
After
this
,
the
jury
is
quite
satisfied
,
and
return
a
verdict
of
'
Died
from
Natural
Causes
,
accelerated
by
confinement
in
the
Rules
of
the
King
's
Bench
Prison
;
'
and
to
this
—
as
they
were
prisoners
themselves
—
they
added
some
very
severe
remarks
upon
'
the
deceased
's
unfeeling
and
remorseless
creditors
.
'
Then
comes
the
funeral
,
which
was
very
respectable
;
and
Sam
Chisney
was
chief
mourner
;
and
he
cried
a
good
deal
.
All
the
people
who
saw
it
said
they
never
saw
a
young
man
so
dreadful
cut
up
.
In
this
way
they
killed
the
old
woman
:
the
son
proved
her
death
,
got
the
money
,
and
sold
it
out
every
farden
;
and
he
and
his
mother
is
keeping
a
public-house
together
somewhere
up
Spitalfields
way
.
The
Resurrection
Man
and
Mac
Chizzle
each
got
a
hundred
for
their
share
in
the
business
;
and
the
thing
passed
off
as
comfortable
as
possible
.
"
"
Well
,
I
'm
blowed
if
that
is
n't
the
best
lark
I
ever
heard
,
"
ejaculated
Dick
,
when
the
Cracksman
had
brought
his
tale
to
an
end
.
"
So
it
is
,
"
added
Bill
.
The
parlour
of
the
"
boozing-ken
"
now
received
some
additional
guests
—
all
belonging
to
the
profession
of
roguery
,
though
not
all
following
precisely
the
same
line
.
Thus
there
were
Cracksmen
,
Magsmen
,
Area-Sneaks
,
Public
Patterers
,
Buzgloaks
,
Dummy-Hunters
,
Compter-Prigs
,
Smashers
,
Flimsy-Kiddies
,
Macers
,
[
47
]
Coiners
,
Begging-Letter
Impostors
,
etc.
,
etc.
The
orgies
of
that
motley
crew
soon
became
uproarious
and
revolting
.
Those
who
had
money
lavished
it
with
the
most
reckless
profusion
;
and
thus
those
who
had
none
were
far
from
being
in
want
of
liquor
.
The
Cracksman
was
evidently
a
great
man
amongst
this
horrible
fraternity
:
his
stories
and
songs
invariably
commanded
attention
.
It
is
not
our
purpose
to
detain
the
reader
much
longer
in
the
parlour
of
the
"
boozing-ken
,
"
we
have
doubtless
narrated
enough
in
this
and
the
preceding
chapter
to
give
him
a
faint
idea
of
some
of
the
horrors
of
London
.
We
cannot
,
however
,
allow
the
morning
scene
to
pass
unnoticed
.
CHAPTER
XIX
.
MORNING
.
THE
orgie
lasted
throughout
the
night
in
the
"
boozing-ken
.
"
There
were
plenty
of
kind
guests
who
,
being
flush
of
money
,
treated
those
that
had
none
;
and
thus
Tom
the
Cracksman
,
Dick
Flairer
,
and
Bill
Bolter
,
were
enabled
to
indulge
,
to
their
heart
's
content
,
in
the
adulterated
liquors
sold
at
the
establishment
.
The
cold
raw
November
morning
was
ushered
in
with
a
fine
mizzling
rain
.
The
gas-lights
were
extinguished
in
the
parlour
;
and
the
dawn
of
day
fell
upon
countenances
inflamed
with
debauchery
,
and
rendered
hideous
by
dirt
and
dark
bristling
beards
.
That
was
a
busy
hour
for
the
landlord
and
landlady
of
the
"
boozing-ken
.
"
The
neighbours
who
"
used
the
house
,
"
came
in
,
one
after
another
—
male
and
female
,
to
take
their
"
morning
.
"
This
signified
their
first
dram
.
Then
was
it
that
the
"
all
sorts
"
was
in
great
demand
.
Old
clothesmen
,
sweeps
,
dustmen
,
knackers
,
crimps
,
and
women
of
the
town
,
crowded
round
the
bar
,
imbibing
the
strange
but
potent
compound
.
Even
young
boys
and
girls
of
tender
age
seemed
as
a
matter
of
course
to
require
the
morning
stimulant
ere
they
commenced
the
avocations
or
business
of
the
day
.
Matted
hair
,
blear-eyes
,
grimy
faces
,
pestiferous
breaths
,
and
hollow
cheeks
,
combined
with
rags
and
tatters
,
were
the
characteristics
of
the
wretches
that
thronged
about
the
bar
of
that
lowest
of
low
drinking-dens
.
Nothing
is
more
revolting
to
the
eye
than
the
unwashed
aspect
of
dissipation
by
the
dingy
light
of
the
early
dawn
.
The
women
had
evidently
jumped
from
their
beds
and
huddled
on
their
miserable
attire
without
the
slightest
regard
to
decency
,
in
order
to
lose
no
time
in
obtaining
their
morning
dram
.
The
men
appeared
as
if
they
had
slept
in
their
clothes
all
night
;
and
the
pieces
of
straw
in
the
coarse
matted
hair
of
many
of
them
,
plainly
denoted
of
what
materials
their
beds
were
made
.
They
all
entered
shivering
,
cold
,
depressed
,
and
sullen
.
The
dram
instantly
produced
an
extraordinary
change
in
each
.
Artificial
gaiety
—
a
gaiety
which
developed
itself
in
ribald
jokes
,
profane
oaths
,
and
obscene
talk
—
was
diffused
around
.
Those
who
could
afford
it
indulged
in
a
second
and
a
third
glass
;
and
some
tossed
for
pots
of
beer
.
The
men
lighted
their
pipes
;
and
the
place
was
impregnated
with
the
narcotic
fumes
of
the
strongest
and
worst
tobacco
—
that
bastard
opium
of
the
poor
.
Presently
the
policeman
"
upon
that
beat
"
lounged
in
,
and
was
complimented
by
the
landlady
with
a
glass
of
her
"
best
cordial
gin
.
"
He
seemed
well
acquainted
with
many
of
the
individuals
there
,
and
laughed
heartily
at
the
jokes
uttered
in
his
presence
.
When
he
was
gone
,
the
inmates
of
the
"
boozing-ken
"
all
declared
,
with
one
accord
,
"
that
he
was
the
most
niblike
[
48
]
blue-bottle
in
the
entire
force
.
"
In
the
parlour
there
were
several
men
occupied
in
warming
beer
,
toasting
herrings
,
and
frying
sausages
.
The
tables
were
smeared
over
with
a
rag
as
black
as
a
hat
,
by
a
dirty
slip-shod
drab
of
a
girl
;
and
with
the
same
cloth
she
dusted
the
frame
of
wire-work
which
protected
the
dingy
face
of
the
huge
Dutch
clock
.
Totally
regardless
of
her
presence
,
the
men
continued
their
obscene
and
filthy
discourse
;
and
she
proceeded
with
her
work
as
coolly
as
if
nothing
offensive
met
her
ears
.
There
are
,
thank
God
!
thousands
of
British
women
who
constitute
the
glory
of
their
sex
—
chaste
,
virtuous
,
delicate-minded
,
and
pure
in
thought
and
action
,
—
beings
who
are
but
one
remove
from
angels
now
,
but
who
will
be
angels
hereafter
when
they
succeed
to
their
inheritance
of
immortality
.
It
must
be
to
such
as
these
that
the
eyes
of
the
poet
are
turned
when
he
eulogises
,
in
glowing
and
impassioned
language
,
the
entire
sex
comprehended
under
the
bewitching
name
of
Woman
!
For
,
oh
!
how
would
his
mind
be
shocked
,
were
he
to
wander
for
a
few
hours
amidst
those
haunts
of
vice
and
sinks
of
depravity
which
we
have
just
described
;
—
his
spirit
,
towering
on
eagle-wing
up
into
the
sunny
skies
of
poesy
,
would
flutter
back
again
to
the
earth
,
at
the
aspect
of
those
foul
and
loathsome
wretches
,
who
,
in
the
female
shape
,
are
found
in
the
dwelling-places
of
poverty
and
crime
!
But
to
continue
.
Bill
Bolter
took
leave
of
his
companions
at
about
eight
o'clock
in
the
morning
,
after
a
night
of
boisterous
revelry
;
and
rapidly
retraced
his
steps
homewards
.
Field
Lane
was
now
swarming
with
life
.
The
miserable
little
shops
were
all
open
;
and
their
proprietors
were
busy
in
displaying
their
commodities
to
the
best
advantage
.
Here
Jewesses
were
occupied
in
suspending
innumerable
silk
handkerchiefs
to
wires
and
poles
over
their
doors
:
there
the
"
translators
"
of
old
shoes
were
employed
in
spreading
their
stock
upon
the
shelves
that
filled
the
place
where
the
windows
ought
to
have
been
.
In
one
or
two
low
dark
shops
women
were
engaged
in
arranging
herrings
,
stock-fish
,
and
dried
haddocks
:
in
another
,
coals
,
vegetables
,
and
oysters
were
exposed
for
sale
;
and
not
a
few
were
hung
with
"
old
clothes
as
good
as
new
.
"
To
this
we
may
add
that
in
the
centre
of
the
great
metropolis
of
the
mightiest
empire
in
the
world
—
in
a
city
possessing
a
police
which
annually
costs
the
nation
thousands
of
pounds
—
and
in
a
country
whose
laws
are
vaunted
as
being
adapted
to
reach
and
baffle
all
degrees
of
crime
—
numbers
of
receivers
of
stolen
goods
were
boldly
,
safely
,
and
tranquilly
exposing
for
sale
the
articles
which
their
agents
had
"
picked
up
"
during
the
preceding
night
.
There
was
,
however
,
nothing
in
the
aspect
of
Field
Lane
at
all
new
to
the
eyes
of
Bill
Bolter
.
Indeed
he
merely
went
down
that
Jew
's
bazaar
,
in
his
way
homewards
,
because
he
was
anxious
to
purchase
certain
luxuries
in
the
shape
of
red-herrings
for
his
breakfast
,
he
having
borrowed
a
trifle
of
a
friend
at
the
"
boozing-ken
"
to
supply
his
immediate
necessities
.
When
he
arrived
at
his
lodgings
in
Lower
Union
Court
,
he
was
assailed
with
a
storm
of
reproaches
,
menaces
,
and
curses
,
on
the
part
of
his
wife
,
for
having
stayed
all
night
at
the
"
boozing
ken
.
"
At
first
that
cruel
and
remorseless
man
trembled
—
actually
turned
pale
and
trembled
in
the
presence
of
the
virago
who
thus
attacked
him
.
But
at
length
his
passion
was
aroused
by
her
taunts
and
threats
;
and
,
after
bandying
some
horrible
abuse
and
foul
epithets
with
the
infuriate
woman
,
he
was
provoked
to
blows
.
With
one
stroke
of
his
enormous
fist
,
he
felled
her
to
the
ground
,
and
then
brutally
kicked
her
as
she
lay
almost
senseless
at
his
feet
.
He
then
coolly
sate
down
by
the
fire
to
cook
his
own
breakfast
,
without
paying
the
least
attention
to
the
two
poor
children
,
who
were
crying
bitterly
in
that
corner
of
the
room
where
they
had
slept
.
In
a
few
minutes
the
woman
rose
painfully
from
the
floor
.
Her
features
were
distorted
and
her
lips
were
livid
with
rage
.
She
dared
not
,
however
,
attempt
to
irritate
her
furious
husband
any
farther
:
still
her
passion
required
a
vent
.
She
looked
round
,
and
seemed
to
reflect
for
a
moment
.
Then
,
in
the
next
instant
,
all
her
concentrated
rage
burst
upon
the
heads
of
her
unhappy
offspring
.
With
a
horrible
curse
at
their
squalling
,
the
woman
leapt
,
like
a
tiger-cat
,
upon
the
poor
little
boy
and
girl
.
Harry
,
as
usual
,
covered
his
sister
with
his
own
thin
and
emaciated
form
as
well
as
he
could
;
and
a
torrent
of
blows
rained
down
upon
his
naked
flesh
.
The
punishment
which
that
maddened
wretch
thus
inflicted
upon
him
,
was
horrible
in
the
extreme
.
A
thousand
times
before
that
day
had
Polly
Bolter
treated
her
children
with
demoniac
cruelty
;
and
her
husband
had
not
attempted
to
interfere
.
On
the
present
occasion
,
however
,
he
took
it
into
his
head
to
meddle
in
the
matter
—
for
the
simple
reason
that
,
having
quarrelled
with
his
wife
,
he
hated
her
at
the
moment
,
and
greedily
availed
himself
of
any
opportunity
to
thwart
or
oppose
her
.
Starting
from
his
chair
,
he
exclaimed
,
"
Come
