beforeyou
.
There
was
something
savagely
picturesque
in
the
aspect
of
the
place
,
but
its
features
were
too
loathsome
to
be
regarded
with
any
other
feeling
than
disgust
.
The
houses
looked
as
sordid
,
and
as
thickly
crusted
with
the
leprosy
of
vice
,
as
their
tenants
.
Horrible
habitations
they
were
,
in
truth
.
Many
of
them
were
without
windows
,
and
where
the
frames
were
left
,
brown
paper
or
tin
supplied
the
place
of
glass
;
some
even
wanted
doors
,
and
no
effort
was
made
to
conceal
the
squalor
within
.
On
the
contrary
,
it
seemed
to
be
intruded
on
observation
.
Miserable
rooms
,
almost
destitute
of
furniture
;
floors
and
walls
caked
with
dirt
,
or
decked
with
coarse
flaring
prints
;
shameless
and
abandoned-looking
women
;
children
without
shoes
and
stockings
,
and
with
scarcely
a
rag
to
their
backs
:
these
were
the
chief
objects
that
met
the
view
.
Of
men
,
few
were
visible
—
the
majority
being
out
on
business
,
it
is
to
be
presumed
;
but
where
a
solitary
straggler
was
seen
,
his
sinister
looks
and
mean
attire
were
in
perfect
keeping
with
the
spot
.
So
thickly
inhabited
were
these
wretched
dwellings
,
that
every
chamber
,
from
garret
to
cellar
,
swarmed
with
inmates
.
As
to
the
cellars
,
they
looked
like
dismal
caverns
,
which
a
wild
beast
would
shun
.
Clothes-lines
were
hung
from
house
to
house
,
festooned
with
every
kind
of
garment
.
Out
of
the
main
street
branched
several
alleys
and
passages
,
all
displaying
the
same
degree
of
misery
,
or
,
if
possible
,
worse
,
and
teeming
with
occupants
.
Personal
security
,
however
,
forbade
any
attempt
to
track
these
labyrinths
;
but
imagination
,
after
the
specimen
afforded
,
could
easily
picture
them
.
It
was
impossible
to
move
a
step
without
insult
or
annoyance
.
Every
human
being
seemed
brutalised
and
degraded
;
and
the
women
appeared
utterly
lost
to
decency
,
and
made
the
street
ring
with
their
cries
,
their
quarrels
,
and
their
imprecations
.
It
was
a
positive
relief
to
escape
from
this
hotbed
of
crime
to
the
world
without
,
and
breathe
a
purer
atmosphere
.
Such
being
the
aspect
of
the
Rookery
in
the
daytime
,
what
must
it
have
been
when
crowded
with
its
denizens
at
night
!
Yet
at
such
an
hour
it
will
now
be
necessary
to
enter
its
penetralia
.
After
escaping
from
the
ruined
house
in
the
Vauxhall
Road
,
the
two
ruffians
shaped
their
course
towards
Saint
Giles’s
,
running
the
greater
part
of
the
way
,
and
reaching
the
Broadway
just
as
the
church
clock
struck
two
.
Darting
into
a
narrow
alley
,
and
heedless
of
any
obstructions
they
encountered
in
their
path
,
they
entered
a
somewhat
wider
cross-street
,
which
they
pursued
for
a
short
distance
,
and
then
struck
into
an
entry
,
at
the
bottom
of
which
was
a
swing-door
that
admitted
them
into
a
small
court
,
where
they
found
a
dwarfish
person
wrapped
in
a
tattered
watchman’s
greatcoat
,
seated
on
a
stool
with
a
horn
lantern
in
his
hand
and
a
cutty
in
his
mouth
,
the
glow
of
which
lighted
up
his
hard
,
withered
features
.
This
was
the
deputy-porter
of
the
lodging-house
they
were
about
to
enter
.
Addressing
him
by
the
name
of
Old
Parr
,
the
ruffians
passed
on
,
and
lifting
the
latch
of
another
door
,
entered
a
sort
of
kitchen
,
at
the
farther
end
of
which
blazed
a
cheerful
fire
,
with
a
large
copper
kettle
boiling
upon
it
.
On
one
side
of
the
room
was
a
deal
table
,
round
which
several
men
of
sinister
aspect
and
sordid
attire
were
collected
,
playing
,
at
cards
.
A
smaller
table
of
the
same
material
stood
near
the
fire
,
and
opposite
it
was
a
staircase
leading
to
the
upper
rooms
.
The
place
was
dingy
and
dirty
in
the
extreme
,
the
floors
could
not
have
been
scoured
for
years
,
and
the
walls
were
begrimed
with
filth
.
In
one
corner
,
with
his
head
resting
on
a
heap
of
coals
and
coke
,
lay
a
boy
almost
as
black
as
a
chimney-sweep
,
fast
asleep
.
He
was
the
waiter
.
The
principal
light
was
afforded
by
a
candle
stuck
against
the
wall
,
with
a
tin
reflector
behind
it
.
Before
the
fire
,
with
his
back
turned
towards
it
,
stood
a
noticeable
individual
,
clad
in
a
velveteen
jacket
with
ivory
buttons
,
a
striped
waistcoat
,
drab
knees
,
a
faded
black
silk
neckcloth
tied
in
a
great
bow
,
and
a
pair
of
ancient
Wellingtons
ascending
half-way
up
his
legs
,
which
looked
disproportionately
thin
when
compared
with
the
upper
part
of
his
square
,
robustious
,
and
somewhat
pursy
frame
.
His
face
was
broad
,
jolly
,
and
good-humoured
,
with
a
bottle-shaped
nose
,
fleshy
lips
,
and
light
grey
eyes
,
glistening
with
cunning
and
roguery
.
His
hair
,
which
dangled
in
long
flakes
over
his
ears
and
neck
,
was
of
a
dunnish
red
,
as
were
also
his
whiskers
and
beard
.
A
superannuated
white
castor
,
with
a
black
hat-band
round
it
,
was
cocked
knowingly
on
one
side
of
his
head
,
and
gave
him
a
flashy
and
sporting
look
.
His
particular
vocation
was
made
manifest
by
the
number
of
dogs
he
had
about
him
.
A
beautiful
black-and-tan
spaniel
,
of
Charles
the
Second’s
breed
,
popped
its
short
snubby
nose
and
long
silken
ears
out
of
each
coat-pocket
.
A
pug
was
thrust
into
his
breast
,
and
he
carried
an
exquisite
Blenheim
under
either
arm
.
At
his
feet
reposed
an
Isle
of
Skye
terrier
,
and
a
partly
cropped
French
poodle
,
of
snowy
whiteness
,
with
a
red
worsted
riband
round
his
throat
.
This
person
,
it
need
scarcely
be
said
,
was
a
dog-fancier
,
or
,
in
other
words
,
a
dealer
in
,
and
a
stealer
of
,
dogs
,
as
well
as
a
practiser
of
all
the
tricks
connected
with
that
nefarious
trade
.
His
self-satisfied
air
made
it
evident
he
thought
himself
a
smart
,
clever
fellow
,
—
and
adroit
and
knavish
he
was
,
no
doubt
,
—
while
his
droll
,
plausible
,
and
rather
winning
manners
helped
him
materially
to
impose
upon
his
customers
.
His
real
name
was
Taylor
,
but
he
was
known
among
his
companions
by
the
appellation
of
Ginger
.
On
the
entrance
of
the
Sandman
and
the
Tinker
,
he
nodded
familiarly
to
them
,
and
with
a
sly
look
inquired
—
“
Vell
,
my
‘arties
—
wot
luck
?
”
“
Oh
,
pretty
middlin’
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
gruffly
.
And
seating
himself
at
the
table
,
near
the
fire
,
he
kicked
up
the
lad
,
who
was
lying
fast
asleep
on
the
coals
,
and
bade
him
fetch
a
pot
of
half-and-half
.
The
Tinker
took
a
place
beside
him
,
and
they
waited
in
silence
the
arrival
of
the
liquor
,
which
,
when
it
came
,
was
disposed
of
at
a
couple
of
pulls
;
while
Mr.
Ginger
,
seeing
they
were
engaged
,
sauntered
towards
the
card-table
,
attended
by
his
four-footed
companions
.
“
And
now
,
”
said
the
Sandman
,
unable
to
control
his
curiosity
longer
,
and
taking
out
his
pocket-book
,
“
we’ll
see
what
fortun’
has
given
us
.
”
So
saying
,
he
unclasped
the
pocket-book
,
while
the
Tinker
bent
over
him
in
eager
curiosity
.
But
their
search
for
money
was
fruitless
.
Not
a
single
bank-note
was
forthcoming
.
There
were
several
memoranda
and
slips
of
paper
,
a
few
cards
,
and
an
almanac
for
the
year
—
that
was
all
.
It
was
a
great
disappointment
.
“
So
we’ve
had
all
this
trouble
for
nuffin’
,
and
nearly
got
shot
into
the
bargain
,
”
cried
the
Sandman
,
slapping
down
the
book
on
the
table
with
an
oath
.
“
I
vish
I’d
never
undertaken
the
job
.
”
“
Don’t
let’s
give
it
up
in
sich
an
‘urry
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
;
“
summat
may
be
made
on
it
yet
.
Let’s
look
over
them
papers
.
”
“
Look
’em
over
yourself
,
”
rejoined
the
Sandman
,
pushing
the
book
towards
him
.
“
I’ve
done
wi’
’em
.
Here
,
lazy-bones
,
bring
two
glasses
o’
rum-and-water
—
stiff
,
d’ye
hear
?
”
While
the
sleepy
youth
bestirred
himself
to
obey
these
injunctions
,
the
Tinker
read
over
every
memorandum
in
the
pocket-book
,
and
then
proceeded
carefully
to
examine
the
different
scraps
of
paper
with
which
it
was
filled
.
Not
content
with
one
perusal
,
he
looked
them
all
over
again
,
and
then
began
to
rub
his
hands
with
great
glee
.
“
Wot’s
the
matter
?
”
cried
the
Sandman
,
who
had
lighted
a
cutty
,
and
was
quietly
smoking
it
.
“
Wot’s
the
row
,
eh
?
”
“
Vy
,
this
is
it
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
,
unable
to
contain
his
satisfaction
;
“
there’s
secrets
contained
in
this
here
pocket-book
as’ll
be
worth
a
hundred
pound
and
better
to
us
.
We
ha’n’t
had
our
trouble
for
nuffin’
.
”
“
Glad
to
hear
it
!
”
said
the
Sandman
,
looking
hard
at
him
.
“
Wot
kind
o’
secrets
are
they
?
”
“
Vy
,
hangin’
secrets
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
,
with
mysterious
emphasis
.
“
He
seems
to
be
a
terrible
chap
,
and
to
have
committed
murder
wholesale
.
”
“
Wholesale
!
”
echoed
the
Sandman
,
removing
the
pipe
from
his
lips
.
“
That
sounds
awful
.
But
what
a
precious
donkey
he
must
be
to
register
his
crimes
i’
that
way
.
”
“
He
didn’t
expect
the
pocket-book
to
fall
into
our
hands
,
”
said
the
Tinker
.
“
Werry
likely
not
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
;
“
but
somebody
else
might
see
it
.
I
repeat
,
he
must
be
a
fool
.
S’pose
we
wos
to
make
a
entry
of
everythin’
we
does
.
Wot
a
nice
balance
there’d
be
agin
us
ven
our
accounts
comed
to
be
wound
up
!
”
“
Ourn
is
a
different
bus’ness
altogether
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
This
seems
a
werry
mysterious
sort
o’
person
.
Wot
age
should
you
take
him
to
be
?
”
“
Vy
,
five-an’-twenty
at
the
outside
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
.
“
Five-an’-sixty
‘ud
be
nearer
the
mark
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
There’s
dates
as
far
back
as
that
.
”
“
Five-an’-sixty
devils
!
”
cried
the
Sandman
;
“
there
must
be
some
mistake
i’
the
reckonin’
there
.
”
“
No
,
it’s
all
clear
an’
reg’lar
,
”
rejoined
the
other
;
“
and
that
doesn’t
seem
to
be
the
end
of
it
neither
.
I
looked
over
the
papers
twice
,
and
one
,
dated
1780
,
refers
to
some
other
dokiments
.
”
“
They
must
relate
to
his
granddad
,
then
,
”
said
the
Sandman
;
“
it’s
impossible
they
can
refer
to
him
.
”
“
But
I
tell
‘ee
they
do
refer
to
him
,
”
said
the
Tinker
,
somewhat
angrily
,
at
having
his
assertion
denied
;
“
at
least
,
if
his
own
word’s
to
be
taken
.
Anyhow
,
these
papers
is
waluable
to
us
.
If
no
one
else
believes
in
’em
,
it’s
clear
he
believes
in
’em
hisself
,
and
will
be
glad
to
buy
’em
from
us
.
”
“
That’s
a
view
o’
the
case
worthy
of
an
Old
Bailey
lawyer
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
.
“
Wot’s
the
gemman’s
name
?
”
“
The
name
on
the
card
is
Auriol
Darcy
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
Any
address
?
”
asked
the
Sandman
.
The
Tinker
shook
his
head
.
“
That’s
unlucky
agin
,
”
said
the
Sandman
.
“
Ain’t
there
no
sort
o’
clue
?
”
“
None
votiver
,
as
I
can
perceive
,
”
said
the
Tinker
.
“
Vy
,
zounds
,
then
,
ve’re
jist
vere
ve
started
from
,
”
cried
the
Sandman
.
“
But
it
don’t
matter
.
There’s
not
much
chance
o’
makin’
a
bargin
vith
him
.
The
crack
o’
the
skull
I
gave
him
has
done
his
bus’ness
.
”
“
Nuffin’
o’
the
kind
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
He
alvays
recovers
from
every
kind
of
accident
.
”
“
Alvays
recovers
!
”
exclaimed
the
Sandman
,
in
amazement
.
“
Wot
a
constitootion
he
must
have
!
”
“
Surprisin’
!
”
replied
the
Tinker
;
“
he
never
suffers
from
injuries
—
at
least
,
not
much
;
never
grows
old
;
and
never
expects
to
die
;
for
he
mentions
wot
he
intends
doin’
a
hundred
years
hence
.
”
“
Oh
,
he’s
a
lu-nattic
!
”
exclaimed
the
Sandman
,
“
a
downright
lu-nattic
;
and
that
accounts
for
his
wisitin’
that
’ere
ruined
house
,
and
a-fancyin’
he
heerd
some
one
talk
to
him
.
He’s
mad
,
depend
upon
it
.
That
is
,
if
I
ain’t
cured
him
.
”
“
I’m
of
a
different
opinion
,
”
said
the
Tinker
.
“
And
so
am
I
,
”
said
Mr.
Ginger
,
who
had
approached
unobserved
,
and
overheard
the
greater
part
of
their
discourse
.
“
Vy
,
vot
can
you
know
about
it
,
Ginger
?
”
said
the
Sandman
,
looking
up
,
evidently
rather
annoyed
.
“
I
only
know
this
,
”
replied
Ginger
,
“
that
you’ve
got
a
good
case
,
and
if
you’ll
let
me
into
it
,
I’ll
engage
to
make
summat
of
it
.
”
“
Vell
,
I’m
agreeable
,
”
said
the
Sandman
.
“
And
so
am
I
,
”
added
the
Tinker
.
“
Not
that
I
pays
much
regard
to
wot
you’ve
bin
a
readin’
in
his
papers
,
”
purused
Ginger
;
“
the
gemman’s
evidently
half-cracked
,
if
he
ain’t
cracked
altogether
—
but
he’s
jist
the
person
to
work
upon
.
He
fancies
hisself
immortal
—
eh
?
”
“
Exactly
so
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
And
he
also
fancies
he’s
committed
a
lot
o’
murders
?
”
perused
Ginger
.
“
A
desperate
lot
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
Then
he’ll
be
glad
to
buy
those
papers
at
any
price
,
”
said
Ginger
.
“
Ve’ll
deal
vith
him
in
regard
to
the
pocket-book
,
as
I
deals
vith
regard
to
a
dog
—
ask
a
price
for
its
restitootion
.
”
“
We
must
find
him
out
first
,
”
said
the
Sandman
.
“
There’s
no
difficulty
in
that
,
”
rejoined
Ginger
.
“
You
must
be
constantly
on
the
look-out
.
You’re
sure
to
meet
him
some
time
or
other
.
”
“
That’s
true
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
;
“
and
there’s
no
fear
of
his
knowin’
us
,
for
the
werry
moment
he
looked
round
I
knocked
him
on
the
head
.
”
“
Arter
all
,
”
said
the
Tinker
,
“
there’s
no
branch
o’
the
perfession
so
safe
as
yours
,
Ginger
.
The
law
is
favourable
to
you
,
and
the
beaks
is
afeerd
to
touch
you
.
I
think
I
shall
turn
dog-fancier
myself
.
”
“
It’s
a
good
business
,
”
replied
Ginger
,
“
but
it
requires
a
hedication
.
As
I
wos
sayin’
,
we
gets
a
high
price
sometimes
for
restorin’
a
favourite
,
especially
ven
ve’ve
a
soft-hearted
lady
to
deal
vith
.
There’s
some
vimen
as
fond
o’
dogs
as
o’
their
own
childer
,
and
ven
ve
gets
one
o’
their
precious
pets
,
ve
makes
’em
ransom
it
as
the
brigands
you
see
at
the
Adelphi
or
the
Surrey
sarves
their
prisoners
,
threatenin’
to
send
first
an
ear
,
and
then
a
paw
,
or
a
tail
,
and
so
on
.
I’ll
tell
you
wot
happened
t’other
day
.
There
wos
a
lady
—
a
Miss
Vite
—
as
was
desperate
fond
of
her
dog
.
It
wos
a
ugly
warmint
,
but
no
matter
for
that
—
the
creater
had
gained
her
heart
.
Vell
,
she
lost
it
;
and
,
somehow
or
other
,
I
found
it
.
She
vos
in
great
trouble
,
and
a
friend
o’
mine
calls
to
say
she
can
have
the
dog
agin
,
but
she
must
pay
eight
pound
for
it
.
She
thinks
this
dear
,
and
a
friend
o’
her
own
adwises
her
to
wait
,
sayin’
better
terms
will
be
offered
;
so
I
sends
vord
by
my
friend
that
if
she
don’t
come
down
at
once
the
poor
animal’s
throat
vill
be
cut
that
werry
night
.
”
“
Ha
!
—
ha
!
—
ha
!
”
laughed
the
others
.
“
Vell
,
she
sent
four
pound
,
and
I
put
up
with
it
,
”
pursued
Ginger
;
“
but
about
a
month
arterwards
she
loses
her
favourite
agin
,
and
,
strange
to
say
,
I
finds
it
.
The
same
game
is
played
over
agin
,
and
she
comes
down
with
another
four
pound
.
But
she
takes
care
this
time
that
I
shan’t
repeat
the
trick
;
for
no
sooner
does
she
obtain
persession
of
her
favourite
than
she
embarks
in
the
steamer
for
France
,
in
the
hope
of
keeping
her
dog
safe
there
.
”
“
Oh
!
Miss
Bailey
,
unfortinate
Miss
Bailey
!
—
Fol-de-riddle-tol-ol-lol
—
unfortinate
Miss
Bailey
!
”
sang
the
Tinker
.
“
But
there’s
dog-fanciers
in
France
,
ain’t
there
?
”
asked
the
Sandman
.
“
Lor’
bless
‘ee
,
yes
,
”
replied
Ginger
;
“
there’s
as
many
fanciers
i’
France
as
here
.
Vy
,
ve
drives
a
smartish
trade
wi’
them
through
them
foreign
steamers
.
There’s
scarcely
a
steamer
as
leaves
the
port
o’
London
but
takes
out
a
cargo
o’
dogs
.
Ve
sells
’em
to
the
stewards
,
stokers
,
and
sailors
—
cheap
—
and
no
questins
asked
.
They
goes
to
Ostend
,
Antverp
,
Rotterdam
,
Hamburg
,
and
sometimes
to
Havre
.
There’s
a
Mounseer
Coqquilu
as
comes
over
to
buy
dogs
,
and
ve
takes
’em
to
him
at
a
house
near
Billinsgit
market
.
”
“
Then
you’re
alvays
sure
o’
a
ready
market
somehow
,
”
observed
the
Sandman
.
“
Sartin
,
”
replied
Ginger
,
“
cos
the
law’s
so
kind
to
us
.
Vy
,
bless
you
,
a
perliceman
can’t
detain
us
,
even
if
he
knows
ve’ve
a
stolen
dog
in
our
persession
,
and
ve
svears
it’s
our
own
;
and
yet
he’d
stop
you
in
a
minnit
if
he
seed
you
with
a
suspicious-lookin’
bundle
under
your
arm
.
Now
,
jist
to
show
you
the
difference
atwixt
the
two
perfessions
:
—
I
steals
a
dog
—
walue
,
maybe
,
fifty
pound
,
or
p’raps
more
.
Even
if
I’m
catched
i’
the
fact
I
may
get
fined
twenty
pound
,
or
have
six
months’
imprisonment
;
vile
,
if
you
steals
an
old
fogle
,
walue
three
fardens
,
you’ll
get
seven
years
abroad
,
to
a
dead
certainty
.
”
“
That
seems
hard
on
us
,
”
observed
the
Sandman
reflectively
.
“
It’s
the
law
!
”
exclaimed
Ginger
triumphantly
.
“
Now
,
ve
generally
escapes
by
payin’
the
fine
,
‘cos
our
pals
goes
and
steals
more
dogs
to
raise
the
money
.
Ve
alvays
stands
by
each
other
.
There’s
a
reg’lar
horganisation
among
us
;
so
ve
can
alvays
bring
vitnesses
to
svear
vot
ve
likes
,
and
ve
so
puzzles
the
beaks
,
that
the
case
gets
dismissed
,
and
the
constable
says
,
‘Vich
party
shall
I
give
the
dog
to
,
your
vorship
?
’
Upon
vich
,
the
beak
replies
,
a-shakin’
of
his
vise
noddle
,
‘Give
it
to
the
person
in
whose
persession
it
was
found
.
I
have
nuffin’
more
to
do
vith
it.’
In
course
the
dog
is
delivered
up
to
us
.
”
“
The
law
seems
made
for
dog-fanciers
,
”
remarked
the
Tinker
.
“
Wot
d’ye
think
o’
this
?
”
pursued
Ginger
.
“
I
wos
a-standin’
at
the
corner
o’
Gray’s
Inn
Lane
vith
some
o’
my
pals
near
a
coach-stand
,
ven
a
lady
passes
by
vith
this
here
dog
—
an’
a
beauty
it
is
,
a
real
long-eared
Charley
—
a
follerin’
of
her
.
Vell
,
the
moment
I
spies
it
,
I
unties
my
apron
,
whips
up
the
dog
,
and
covers
it
up
in
a
trice
.
Vell
,
the
lady
sees
me
,
an’
gives
me
in
charge
to
a
perliceman
.
But
that
si’nifies
nuffin’
.
I
brings
six
vitnesses
to
svear
the
dog
vos
mine
,
and
I
actually
had
it
since
it
vos
a
blind
little
puppy
;
and
,
wot’s
more
,
I
brings
its
mother
,
and
that
settles
the
pint
.
So
in
course
I’m
discharged
;
the
dog
is
given
up
to
me
;
and
the
lady
goes
avay
lamentin’
.
I
then
plays
the
amiable
,
an’
offers
to
sell
it
her
for
twenty
guineas
,
seein’
as
how
she
had
taken
a
fancy
to
it
;
but
she
von’t
bite
.
So
if
I
don’t
sell
it
next
week
,
I
shall
send
it
to
Mounseer
Coqquilu
.
The
only
vay
you
can
go
wrong
is
to
steal
a
dog
wi’
a
collar
on
,
for
if
you
do
,
you
may
get
seven
years’
transportation
for
a
bit
o’
leather
and
a
brass
plate
vorth
a
shillin’
,
vile
the
animal
,
though
vorth
a
hundred
pound
,
can’t
hurt
you
.
There’s
law
again
—
ha
,
ha
!
”
“
Dog-fancier’s
law
!
”
laughed
the
Sandman
.
“
Some
of
the
Fancy
is
given
to
cruelty
,
”
pursued
Ginger
,
“
and
crops
a
dog’s
ears
,
or
pulls
out
his
teeth
to
disguise
him
;
but
I’m
too
fond
o’
the
animal
for
that
.
I
may
frighten
old
ladies
sometimes
,
as
I
told
you
afore
,
but
I
never
seriously
hurts
their
pets
.
Nor
did
I
ever
kill
a
dog
for
his
skin
,
as
some
on
’em
does
.
”
“
And
you’re
always
sure
o’
gettin’
a
dog
,
if
you
vants
it
,
I
s’pose
?
”
inquired
the
Tinker
.
“
Alvays
,
”
replied
Ginger
.
“
No
man’s
dog
is
safe
.
I
don’t
care
how
he’s
kept
,
ve’re
sure
to
have
him
at
last
.
Ve
feels
our
vay
with
the
sarvents
,
and
finds
out
from
them
the
walley
the
master
or
missis
sets
on
the
dog
,
and
soon
after
that
the
animal’s
gone
.
Vith
a
bit
o’
liver
,
prepared
in
my
partic’lar
vay
,
I
can
tame
the
fiercest
dog
as
ever
barked
,
take
him
off
his
chain
,
an’
bring
him
arter
me
at
a
gallop
.
”
“
And
do
respectable
parties
ever
buy
dogs
knowin’
they’re
stolen
?
”
inquired
the
Tinker
.
“
Ay
,
to
be
sure
,
”
replied
Ginger
;
“
sometimes
first-rate
nobs
.
They
put
us
up
to
it
themselves
;
they’ll
say
,
‘I’ve
jist
left
my
Lord
So-and-So’s
,
and
there
I
seed
a
couple
o’
the
finest
pointers
I
ever
clapped
eyes
on
.
I
vant
you
to
get
me
jist
sich
another
couple
.’
Vell
,
ve
understands
in
a
minnit
,
an’
in
doo
time
the
identicle
dogs
finds
their
vay
to
our
customer
.
”
“
Oh
!
that’s
how
it’s
done
?
”
remarked
the
Sandman
.
“
Yes
,
that’s
the
vay
,
”
replied
Ginger
.
“
Sometimes
a
party’ll
vant
a
couple
o’
dogs
for
the
shootin’
season
;
and
then
ve
asks
,
‘Vich
vay
are
you
a-goin’
—
into
Surrey
or
Kent
?
’
And
accordin’
as
the
answer
is
given
ve
arranges
our
plans
.
”
“
Vell
,
yourn
appears
a
profitable
and
safe
employment
,
I
must
say
,
”
remarked
the
Sandman
.
“
Perfectly
so
,
”
replied
Ginger
.
“
Nothin’
can
touch
us
till
dogs
is
declared
by
statute
to
be
property
,
and
stealin’
’em
a
misdemeanour
.
And
that
won’t
occur
in
my
time
.
”
“
Let’s
hope
not
,
”
rejoined
the
other
two
.
“
To
come
back
to
the
pint
from
vich
we
started
,
”
said
the
Tinker
;
“
our
gemman’s
case
is
not
so
surprisin’
as
it
at
first
appears
.
There
are
some
persons
as
believe
they
never
will
die
—
and
I
myself
am
of
the
same
opinion
.
There’s
our
old
deputy
here
—
him
as
ve
calls
Old
Parr
—
vy
,
he
declares
he
lived
in
Queen
Bess’s
time
,
recollects
King
Charles
bein’
beheaded
perfectly
vell
,
and
remembers
the
Great
Fire
o’
London
,
as
if
it
only
occurred
yesterday
.
”
“
Walker
!
”
exclaimed
Ginger
,
putting
his
finger
to
his
nose
.
“
You
may
larf
,
but
it’s
true
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
I
recollect
an
old
man
tellin’
me
that
he
knew
the
deputy
sixty
years
ago
,
and
he
looked
jist
the
same
then
as
now
,
—
neither
older
nor
younger
.
”
“
Humph
!
”
exclaimed
Ginger
.
“
He
don’t
look
so
old
now
.
”
“
That’s
the
cur’ousest
part
of
it
,
”
said
the
Tinker
.
“
He
don’t
like
to
talk
of
his
age
unless
you
can
get
him
i’
the
humour
;
but
he
once
told
me
he
didn’t
know
why
he
lived
so
long
,
unless
it
were
owin’
to
a
potion
he’d
swallowed
,
vich
his
master
,
who
was
a
great
conjurer
in
Queen
Bess’s
days
,
had
brew’d
.
”
“
Pshaw
!
”
exclaimed
Ginger
.
“
I
thought
you
too
knowin’
a
cove
,
Tinker
,
to
be
gulled
by
such
an
old
vife’s
story
as
that
.
”
“
Let’s
have
the
old
fellow
in
and
talk
to
him
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
Here
,
lazy-bones
,
”
he
added
,
rousing
the
sleeping
youth
,
“
go
an’
tell
Old
Parr
ve
vants
his
company
over
a
glass
o’
rum-an’-vater
.
”
Chapter
3
The
Hand
and
the
Cloak
A
furious
barking
from
Mr.
Ginger’s
dogs
,
shortly
after
the
departure
of
the
drowsy
youth
,
announced
the
approach
of
a
grotesque-looking
little
personage
,
whose
shoulders
barely
reached
to
a
level
with
the
top
of
the
table
.
This
was
Old
Parr
.
The
dwarfs
head
was
much
too
large
for
his
body
,
as
is
mostly
the
case
with
undersized
persons
,
and
was
covered
with
a
forest
of
rusty
black
hair
,
protected
by
a
strangely
shaped
seal-skin
cap.
His
hands
and
feet
were
equally
disproportioned
to
his
frame
,
and
his
arms
were
so
long
that
he
could
touch
his
ankles
while
standing
upright
.
His
spine
was
crookened
,
and
his
head
appeared
buried
in
his
breast
.
The
general
character
of
his
face
seemed
to
appertain
to
the
middle
period
of
life
;
but
a
closer
inspection
enabled
the
beholder
to
detect
in
it
marks
of
extreme
old
age
.
The
nose
was
broad
and
flat
,
like
that
of
an
ourang-outang
;
the
resemblance
to
which
animal
was
heightened
by
a
very
long
upper
lip
,
projecting
jaws
,
almost
total
absence
of
chin
,
and
a
retreating
forehead
.
The
little
old
man’s
complexion
was
dull
and
swarthy
,
but
his
eyes
were
keen
and
sparkling
.
His
attire
was
as
singular
as
his
person
.
Having
recently
served
as
double
to
a
famous
demon-dwarf
at
the
Surrey
Theatre
,
he
had
become
possessed
of
a
cast-off
pair
of
tawny
tights
,
an
elastic
shirt
of
the
same
material
and
complexion
,
to
the
arms
of
which
little
green
bat-like
wings
were
attached
,
while
a
blood-red
tunic
with
vandyke
points
was
girded
round
his
waist
.
In
this
strange
apparel
his
diminutive
limbs
were
encased
,
while
additional
warmth
was
afforded
by
the
greatcoat
already
mentioned
,
the
tails
of
which
swept
the
floor
after
him
like
a
train
.
Having
silenced
his
dogs
with
some
difficulty
,
Mr.
Ginger
burst
into
a
roar
of
laughter
,
excited
by
the
little
old
man’s
grotesque
appearance
,
in
which
he
was
joined
by
the
Tinker
;
but
the
Sandman
never
relaxed
a
muscle
of
his
sullen
countenance
.
Their
hilarity
,
however
,
was
suddenly
checked
by
an
inquiry
from
the
dwarf
,
in
a
shrill
,
odd
tone
,
“
Whether
they
had
sent
for
him
only
to
laugh
at
him
?
”
“
Sartainly
not
,
deputy
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
.
“
Here
,
lazy-bones
,
glasses
o’
rum-an’-vater
,
all
round
.
”
The
drowsy
youth
bestirred
himself
to
execute
the
command
.
The
spirit
was
brought
;
water
was
procured
from
the
boiling
copper
;
and
the
Tinker
handed
his
guest
a
smoking
rummer
,
accompanied
with
a
polite
request
to
make
himself
comfortable
.
Opposite
the
table
at
which
the
party
were
seated
,
it
has
been
said
,
was
a
staircase
—
old
and
crazy
,
and
but
imperfectly
protected
by
a
broken
hand-rail
.
Midway
up
it
stood
a
door
equally
dilapidated
,
but
secured
by
a
chain
and
lock
,
of
which
Old
Parr
,
as
deputy-chamberlain
,
kept
the
key
.
Beyond
this
point
the
staircase
branched
off
on
the
right
,
and
a
row
of
stout
wooden
banisters
,
ranged
like
the
feet
of
so
many
cattle
,
was
visible
from
beneath
.
Ultimately
,
the
staircase
reached
a
small
gallery
,
if
such
a
name
can
be
applied
to
a
narrow
passage
communicating
with
the
bedrooms
,
the
doors
of
which
,
as
a
matter
of
needful
precaution
,
were
locked
outside
;
and
as
the
windows
were
grated
,
no
one
could
leave
his
chamber
without
the
knowledge
of
the
landlord
or
his
representative
.
No
lights
were
allowed
in
the
bedrooms
,
nor
in
the
passage
adjoining
them
.
Conciliated
by
the
Tinker’s
offering
,
Old
Parr
mounted
the
staircase
,
and
planting
himself
near
the
door
,
took
off
his
greatcoat
,
and
sat
down
upon
it
.
His
impish
garb
being
thus
more
fully
displayed
,
he
looked
so
unearthly
and
extraordinary
that
the
dogs
began
to
howl
fearfully
,
and
Ginger
had
enough
to
do
to
quiet
them
.
Silence
being
at
length
restored
,
the
Tinker
,
winking
slyly
at
his
companions
,
opened
the
conversation
.
“
I
say
,
deputy
,
”
he
observed
,
“
ve’ve
bin
havin’
a
bit
o’
a
dispute
vich
you
can
settle
for
us
.
”
“
Well
,
let’s
see
,
”
squeaked
the
dwarf
.
“
What
is
it
?
”
“
Vy
,
it’s
relative
to
your
age
,
”
rejoined
the
Tinker
.
“
Ven
wos
you
born
?
”
“
It’s
so
long
ago
,
I
can’t
recollect
,
”
returned
Old
Parr
rather
sulkily
.
“
You
must
ha’
seen
some
changes
in
your
time
?
”
resumed
the
Tinker
,
waiting
till
the
little
old
man
had
made
some
progress
with
his
grog
.
“
I
rayther
think
I
have
—
a
few
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
,
whose
tongue
the
generous
liquid
had
loosened
.
“
I’ve
seen
this
great
city
of
London
pulled
down
,
and
built
up
again
—
if
that’s
anything
.
I’ve
seen
it
grow
,
and
grow
,
till
it
has
reached
its
present
size
.
You’ll
scarcely
believe
me
,
when
I
tell
you
,
that
I
recollect
this
Rookery
of
ours
—
this
foul
vagabond
neighbourhood
—
an
open
country
field
,
with
hedges
round
it
,
and
trees
.
And
a
lovely
spot
it
was
.
Broad
Saint
Giles’s
,
at
the
time
I
speak
of
,
was
a
little
country
village
,
consisting
of
a
few
straggling
houses
standing
by
the
roadside
,
and
there
wasn’t
a
single
habitation
between
it
and
Convent
Garden
(
for
so
the
present
market
was
once
called
)
;
while
that
garden
,
which
was
fenced
round
with
pales
,
like
a
park
,
extended
from
Saint
Martin’s
Lane
to
Drury
House
,
a
great
mansion
situated
on
the
easterly
side
of
Drury
Lane
,
amid
a
grove
of
beautiful
timber
.
”
“
My
eyes
!
”
cried
Ginger
,
with
a
prolonged
whistle
;
“
the
place
must
be
preciously
transmogrified
indeed
!
”
“
If
I
were
to
describe
the
changes
that
have
taken
place
in
London
since
I’ve
known
it
,
I
might
go
on
talking
for
a
month
,
”
pursued
Old
Parr
.
“
The
whole
aspect
of
the
place
is
altered
.
The
Thames
itself
is
unlike
the
Thames
of
old
.
Its
waters
were
once
as
clear
and
bright
above
London
Bridge
as
they
are
now
at
Kew
or
Richmond
;
and
its
banks
,
from
Whitefriars
to
Scotland
Yard
,
were
edged
with
gardens
.
And
then
the
thousand
gay
wherries
and
gilded
barges
that
covered
its
bosom
—
all
are
gone
—
all
are
gone
!
”
“
Those
must
ha’
been
nice
times
for
the
jolly
young
vatermen
vich
at
Black
friars
wos
used
for
to
ply
,
”
chanted
the
Tinker
;
“
but
the
steamers
has
put
their
noses
out
o’
joint
.
”
“
True
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
;
“
and
I
,
for
one
,
am
sorry
for
it
.
Remembering
,
as
I
do
,
what
the
river
used
to
be
when
enlightened
by
gay
craft
and
merry
company
,
I
can’t
help
wishing
its
waters
less
muddy
,
and
those
ugly
coal-barges
,
lighters
,
and
steamers
away
.
London
is
a
mighty
city
,
wonderful
to
behold
and
examine
,
inexhaustible
in
its
wealth
and
power
;
but
in
point
of
beauty
it
is
not
to
be
compared
with
the
city
of
Queen
Bess’s
days
.
You
should
have
seen
the
Strand
then
—
a
line
of
noblemen’s
houses
—
and
as
to
Lombard
Street
and
Gracechurch
Street
,
with
their
wealthy
goldsmiths’
shops
—
but
I
don’t
like
to
think
of
’em
.
”
“
Vell
,
I’m
content
vith
Lunnun
as
it
is
,
”
replied
the
Tinker
,
“
‘specially
as
there
ain’t
much
chance
o’
the
ould
city
bein’
rewived
.
”
“
Not
much
,
”
replied
the
dwarf
,
finishing
his
glass
,
which
was
replenished
at
a
sign
from
the
Tinker
.
“
I
s’pose
,
my
wenerable
,
you’ve
seen
the
king
as
bequeathed
his
name
to
these
pretty
creaters
,
”
said
Ginger
,
raising
his
coat-pockets
,
so
as
to
exhibit
the
heads
of
the
two
little
black-and-tan
spaniels
.
“
What
!
old
Rowley
?
”
cried
the
dwarf
—
“
often
.
I
was
page
to
his
favourite
mistress
,
the
Duchess
of
Cleveland
,
and
I
have
seen
him
a
hundred
times
with
a
pack
of
dogs
of
that
description
at
his
heels
.
”
“
Old
Rowley
wos
a
king
arter
my
own
‘art
,
”
said
Ginger
,
rising
and
lighting
a
pipe
at
the
fire
.
“
He
loved
the
femi-
nine
specious
as
well
as
the
ca-
nine
specious
.
Can
you
tell
us
anythin’
more
about
him
?
”
“
Not
now
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
.
“
I’ve
seen
so
much
,
and
heard
so
much
,
that
my
brain
is
quite
addled
.
My
memory
sometimes
deserts
me
altogether
,
and
my
past
life
appears
like
a
dream
.
Imagine
what
my
feelings
must
be
,
to
walk
through
streets
,
still
called
by
the
old
names
,
but
in
other
respects
wholly
changed
.
Oh
!
if
you
could
but
have
a
glimpse
of
Old
London
,
you
would
not
be
able
to
endure
the
modern
city
.
The
very
atmosphere
was
different
from
that
which
we
now
breathe
,
charged
with
the
smoke
of
myriads
of
sea-coal
fires
;
and
the
old
picturesque
houses
had
a
charm
about
them
,
which
the
present
habitations
,
however
commodious
,
altogether
want
.
”
“
You
talk
like
one
o’
them
smart
chaps
they
calls
,
and
werry
properly
,
penny-a-liars
,
”
observed
Ginger
.
“
But
you
make
me
long
to
ha’
lived
i’
those
times
.
”
“
If
you
had
lived
in
them
,
you
would
have
belonged
to
Paris
Garden
,
or
the
bull-baiting
and
bear-baiting
houses
in
Southwark
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
.
“
I’ve
seen
fellows
just
like
you
at
each
of
those
places
.
Strange
,
though
times
and
fashions
change
,
men
continue
the
same
.
I
often
meet
a
face
that
I
can
remember
in
James
the
First’s
time
.
But
the
old
places
are
gone
—
clean
gone
!
”
“
Accordin’
to
your
own
showin’
,
my
wenerable
friend
,
you
must
ha’
lived
uppards
o’
two
hundred
and
seventy
year
,
”
said
Ginger
,
assuming
a
consequential
manner
.
“
Now
,
doorin’
all
that
time
,
have
you
never
felt
inclined
to
kick
the
bucket
?
”
“
Not
the
least
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
.
“
My
bodily
health
has
been
excellent
.
But
,
as
I
have
just
said
,
my
intellects
are
a
little
impaired
.
”
“
Not
a
little
,
I
should
think
,
”
replied
Ginger
,
hemming
significantly
.
“
I
don’t
know
vether
you’re
a
deceivin’
of
us
or
yourself
,
my
wenerable
;
but
von
thing’s
quite
clear
—
you
can’t
have
lived
all
that
time
.
It’s
not
in
nater
.
”
“
Very
well
,
then
—
I
haven’t
,
”
said
Old
Parr
.
And
he
finished
his
rum-and-water
,
and
set
down
the
glass
,
which
was
instantly
filled
again
by
the
drowsy
youth
.
“
You’ve
seen
some
picters
o’
Old
Lunnon
,
and
they’ve
haanted
you
in
your
dreams
,
till
you’ve
begun
to
fancy
you
lived
in
those
times
,
”
said
Ginger
.
“
Very
likely
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
—
“
very
likely
.
”
There
was
something
,
however
,
in
his
manner
calculated
to
pique
the
dog-fancier’s
curiosity
.
“
How
comes
it
,
”
he
said
,
stretching
out
his
legs
,
and
arranging
his
neckcloth
,
—
“
how
comes
it
,
if
you’ve
lived
so
long
,
that
you
ain’t
higher
up
in
the
stirrups
—
better
off
,
as
folks
say
?
”
The
dwarf
made
no
reply
,
but
covering
his
face
with
his
hands
,
seemed
a
prey
to
deep
emotion
.
After
a
few
moments’
pause
,
Ginger
repeated
the
question
.
“
If
you
won’t
believe
what
I
tell
you
,
it’s
useless
to
give
an
answer
,
”
said
Old
Parr
,
somewhat
gruffly
.
“
Oh
yes
,
I
believe
you
,
deputy
,
”
observed
the
Tinker
,
“
and
so
does
the
Sandman
.
”
“
Well
,
then
,
”
replied
the
dwarf
,
“
I’ll
tell
you
how
it
comes
to
pass
.
Fate
has
been
against
me
.
I’ve
had
plenty
of
chances
,
but
I
never
could
get
on
.
I’ve
been
in
a
hundred
different
walks
of
life
,
but
they
always
led
down
hill
.
It’s
my
destiny
.
”
“
That’s
hard
,
”
rejoined
the
Tinker
—
“
werry
hard
.
But
how
d’ye
account
for
livin’
so
long
?
”
he
added
,
winking
as
he
spoke
to
the
others
.
“
I’ve
already
given
you
an
explanation
,
”
replied
the
dwarf
.
“
Av
,
but
it’s
a
cur’ous
story
,
and
I
vants
my
friends
to
hear
it
,
”
said
the
Tinker
,
in
a
coaxing
tone
.
“
Well
then
,
to
oblige
you
,
I’ll
go
through
it
again
,
”
rejoined
the
dwarf
.
“
You
must
know
I
was
for
some
time
servant
to
Doctor
Lamb
,
an
old
alchemist
,
who
lived
during
the
reign
of
good
Queen
Bess
,
and
who
used
to
pass
all
his
time
in
trying
to
find
out
the
secret
of
changing
lead
and
copper
into
gold
.
”
“
I’ve
known
several
indiwiduals
as
has
found
out
that
secret
,
wenerable
,
”
observed
Ginger
.
“
And
ve
calls
’em
smashers
,
nowadays
—
not
halchemists
.
”
“
Doctor
Lamb’s
object
was
actually
to
turn
base
metal
into
gold
,
”
rejoined
Old
Parr
,
in
a
tone
of
slight
contempt
.
“
But
his
chief
aim
was
to
produce
the
elixir
of
long
life
.
Night
and
day
he
worked
at
the
operation
;
—
night
and
day
I
laboured
with
him
,
until
at
last
we
were
both
brought
to
the
verge
of
the
grave
in
our
search
after
immortality
.
One
night
—
I
remember
it
well
,
—
it
was
the
last
night
of
the
sixteenth
century
,
—
a
young
man
,
severely
wounded
,
was
brought
to
my
master’s
dwelling
on
London
Bridge
.
I
helped
to
convey
him
to
the
laboratory
,
where
I
left
him
with
the
doctor
,
who
was
busy
with
his
experiments
.
My
curiosity
being
aroused
,
I
listened
at
the
door
,
and
though
I
could
not
distinguish
much
that
passed
inside
,
I
heard
sufficient
to
convince
me
that
Doctor
Lamb
had
made
the
grand
discovery
,
and
succeeded
in
distilling
the
elixir
.
Having
learnt
this
,
I
went
down-stairs
,
wondering
what
would
next
ensue
.
Half-an-hour
elapsed
,
and
while
the
bells
were
ringing
in
the
new
year
joyfully
,
the
young
man
whom
I
had
assisted
to
carry
up-stairs
,
and
whom
I
supposed
at
death’s
door
,
marched
down
as
firmly
as
if
nothing
had
happened
,
passed
by
me
,
and
disappeared
,
before
I
could
shake
off
my
astonishment
.
I
saw
at
once
he
had
drunk
the
elixir
.
”
“
Ah
!
—
ah
!
”
exclaimed
the
Tinker
,
with
a
knowing
glance
at
his
companions
,
who
returned
it
with
gestures
of
equal
significance
.
“
As
soon
as
he
was
gone
,
”
pursued
the
dwarf
,
“
I
flew
to
the
laboratory
,
and
there
,
extended
on
the
floor
,
I
found
the
dead
body
of
Doctor
Lamb
.
I
debated
with
myself
what
to
do
—
whether
to
pursue
his
murderer
,
for
such
I
accounted
the
young
man
;
but
,
on
reflection
,
I
thought
the
course
useless
.
I
next
looked
round
to
see
whether
the
precious
elixir
was
gone
.
On
the
table
stood
a
phial
,
from
which
a
strong
spirituous
odour
exhaled
;
but
it
was
empty
.
I
then
turned
my
attention
to
a
receiver
,
connected
by
a
worm
with
an
alembic
on
the
furnace
.
On
examining
it
,
I
found
it
contained
a
small
quantity
of
a
bright
transparent
liquid
,
which
,
poured
forth
into
a
glass
,
emitted
precisely
the
same
odour
as
the
phial
.
Persuaded
this
must
be
the
draught
of
immortality
,
I
raised
it
to
my
lips
;
but
apprehension
lest
it
might
be
poison
stayed
my
hand
.
Reassured
,
however
,
by
the
thought
of
the
young
man’s
miraculous
recovery
,
I
quaffed
the
potion
.
It
was
as
if
I
had
swallowed
fire
,
and
at
first
I
thought
all
was
over
with
me
.
I
shrieked
out
;
but
there
was
no
one
to
heed
my
cries
,
unless
it
were
my
dead
master
,
and
two
or
three
skeletons
with
which
the
walls
were
garnished
.
And
these
,
in
truth
,
did
seem
to
hear
me
;
for
the
dead
corpse
opened
its
glassy
orbs
,
and
eyed
me
reproachfully
;
the
skeletons
shook
their
fleshless
arms
and
gibbered
;
and
the
various
strange
objects
,
with
which
the
chamber
was
filled
,
seemed
to
deride
and
menace
me
.
The
terror
occasioned
by
these
fantasies
,
combined
with
the
potency
of
the
draught
,
took
away
my
senses
.
When
I
recovered
,
I
found
all
tranquil
.
Doctor
Lamb
was
lying
stark
and
stiff
at
my
feet
,
with
an
expression
of
reproach
on
his
fixed
countenance
;
and
the
skeletons
were
hanging
quietly
in
their
places
.
Convinced
that
I
was
proof
against
death
,
I
went
forth
.
But
a
curse
went
with
me
!
From
that
day
to
this
I
have
lived
,
but
it
has
been
in
such
poverty
and
distress
,
that
I
had
better
far
have
died
.
Besides
,
I
am
constantly
haunted
by
visions
of
my
old
master
.
He
seems
to
hold
converse
with
me
—
to
lead
me
into
strange
places
.
”
“
Exactly
the
case
with
the
t’other
,
”
whispered
the
Tinker
to
the
Sandman
.
“
Have
you
ever
,
in
the
coorse
o’
your
long
life
,
met
the
young
man
as
drank
the
‘lixir
?
”
he
inquired
of
the
dwarf
.
“
Never
.
”
“
Do
you
happen
to
rekilect
his
name
?
”
“
No
;
it
has
quite
escaped
my
memory
,
”
answered
Old
Parr
.
“
Should
you
rekilect
it
,
if
you
heerd
it
?
”
asked
the
Tinker
.
“
Perhaps
I
might
,
”
returned
the
dwarf
;
“
but
I
can’t
say
.
”
“
Wos
it
Auriol
Darcy
?
”
demanded
the
other
.
“
That
was
the
name
,
”
cried
Old
Parr
,
starting
up
in
extreme
surprise
.
“
I
heard
Doctor
Lamb
call
him
so
.
But
how
,
in
the
name
of
wonder
,
do
you
come
to
know
it
?
”
“
Ve’ve
got
summat
,
at
last
,
”
said
the
Tinker
,
with
a
self-applauding
glance
at
his
friends
.
“
How
do
you
come
to
know
it
,
I
say
?
”
repeated
the
dwarf
,
in
extreme
agitation
.
“
Never
mind
,
”
rejoined
the
Tinker
,
with
a
cunning
look
;
“
you
see
I
does
know
some
cur’ous
matters
as
veil
as
you
,
my
old
file
.
Yo’ll
be
good
evidence
,
in
case
ve
vishes
to
prove
the
fact
agin
him
.
”
“
Prove
what
?
—
and
against
whom
?
”
cried
the
dwarf
.
“
One
more
questin
,
and
I’ve
done
,
”
pursued
the
Tinker
.
“
Should
you
know
this
young
man
agin
,
in
case
you
chanced
to
come
across
him
?
”
“
No
doubt
of
it
,
”
replied
Old
Parr
;
“
his
figure
often
flits
before
me
in
dreams
.
”
“
Shall
ve
let
him
into
it
?
”
said
the
Tinker
,
consulting
his
companions
in
a
low
tone
.
“
Ay
—
ay
,
”
replied
the
Sandman
.
“
Better
vait
a
bit
,
”
remarked
Ginger
,
shaking
his
head
dubiously
.
“
There’s
no
hurry
.
”
“
No
;
ve
must
decide
at
vonce
,
”
said
the
Tinker
.
“
Jist
examine
them
papers
,
”
he
added
,
handing
the
pocket-book
to
Old
Parr
,
“
and
favour
us
vith
your
opinion
on
’em
.
”
The
dwarf
was
about
to
unclasp
the
book
committed
to
his
charge
,
when
a
hand
was
suddenly
thrust
through
the
banisters
of
the
upper
part
of
the
staircase
,
which
,
as
has
been
already
stated
,
was
divided
from
the
lower
by
the
door
.
A
piece
of
heavy
black
drapery
next
descended
like
a
cloud
,
concealing
all
behind
it
except
the
hand
,
with
which
the
dwarf
was
suddenly
seized
by
the
nape
of
the
neck
,
lifted
up
in
the
air
,
and
,
notwithstanding
his
shrieks
and
struggles
,
carried
clean
off
.
Great
confusion
attended
his
disappearance
.
The
dogs
set
up
a
prodigious
barking
,
and
flew
to
the
rescue
—
one
of
the
largest
of
them
passing
over
the
body
of
the
drowsy
waiter
,
who
had
sought
his
customary
couch
upon
the
coals
,
and
rousing
him
from
his
slumbers
;
while
the
Tinker
,
uttering
a
fierce
imprecation
,
upset
his
chair
in
his
haste
to
catch
hold
of
the
dwarf’s
legs
;
but
the
latter
was
already
out
of
reach
,
and
the
next
moment
had
vanished
entirely
.
“
My
eyes
!
here’s
a
pretty
go
!
”
cried
Ginger
,
who
,
with
his
back
to
the
fire
,
had
witnessed
the
occurrence
in
open-mouthed
astonishment
.
“
Vy
,
curse
it
!
if
the
wenerable
ain’t
a-taken
the
pocket-book
with
him
!
It’s
my
opinion
the
devil
has
flown
avay
with
the
old
feller
.
His
time
wos
nearer
at
‘and
than
he
expected
.
”
“
Devil
or
not
,
I’ll
have
him
back
agin
,
or
at
all
events
the
pocket-book
!
”
cried
the
Tinker
.
And
,
dashing
up
the
stairs
,
he
caught
hold
of
the
railing
above
,
and
swinging
himself
up
by
a
powerful
effort
,
passed
through
an
opening
,
occasioned
by
the
removal
of
one
of
the
banisters
.
Groping
along
the
gallery
,
which
was
buried
in
profound
darkness
,
he
shouted
to
the
dwarf
,
but
received
no
answer
to
his
vociferations
;
neither
could
he
discover
any
one
,
though
he
felt
on
either
side
of
the
passage
with
outstretched
hands
.
The
occupants
of
the
different
chambers
,
alarmed
by
the
noise
,
called
out
to
know
what
was
going
forward
;
but
being
locked
in
their
rooms
,
they
could
render
no
assistance
.
While
the
Tinker
was
thus
pursuing
his
search
in
the
dark
,
venting
his
rage
and
disappointment
in
the
most
dreadful
imprecations
,
the
staircase
door
was
opened
by
the
landlord
,
who
had
found
the
key
in
the
greatcoat
left
behind
by
the
dwarf
.
With
the
landlord
came
the
Sandman
and
Ginger
,
the
latter
of
whom
was
attended
by
all
his
dogs
,
still
barking
furiously
;
while
the
rear
of
the
party
was
brought
up
by
the
drowsy
waiter
,
now
wide
awake
with
fright
,
and
carrying
a
candle
.
But
though
every
nook
and
corner
of
the
place
was
visited
—
though
the
attics
were
searched
,
and
all
the
windows
examined
—
not
a
trace
of
the
dwarf
could
be
discovered
,
nor
any
clue
to
his
mysterious
disappearance
detected
.
Astonishment
and
alarm
sat
on
every
countenance
.
“
What
the
devil
can
have
become
of
him
?
”
cried
the
landlord
,
with
a
look
of
dismay
.
“
Ay
,
that’s
the
questin
!
”
rejoined
the
Tinker
.
“
I
begin
to
be
of
Ginger’s
opinion
,
that
the
devil
himself
must
have
flown
avay
vith
him
.
No
von
else
could
ha’
taken
a
fancy
to
him
.
”
“
I
only
saw
a
hand
and
a
black
cloak
,
”
said
the
Sandman
.
“
I
thought
I
seed
a
pair
o’
hoofs
,
”
cried
the
waiter
;
“
and
I’m
quite
sure
I
seed
a
pair
o’
great
glitterin’
eyes
,
”
he
added
,
opening
his
own
lacklustre
orbs
to
their
widest
extent
.
“
It’s
a
strange
affair
,
”
observed
the
landlord
gravely
.
“
It’s
certain
that
no
one
has
entered
the
house
wearing
a
cloak
such
as
you
describe
;
nor
could
any
of
the
lodgers
,
to
my
knowledge
,
get
out
of
their
rooms
.
It
was
Old
Parr’s
business
,
as
you
know
,
to
lock
’em
up
carefully
for
the
night
.
”
“
Vell
,
all’s
over
vith
him
now
,
”
said
the
Tinker
;
“
and
vith
our
affair
,
too
,
I’m
afeerd
.
”
“
Don’t
say
die
jist
yet
,
”
rejoined
Ginger
.
“
The
wenerable’s
gone
,
to
be
sure
;
and
the
only
thing
he
has
left
behind
him
,
barrin’
his
topcoat
,
is
this
here
bit
o’
paper
vich
dropped
out
o’
the
pocket-book
as
he
wos
a-takin’
flight
,
and
vich
I
picked
from
the
floor
.
It
may
be
o’
some
use
to
us
.
But
come
,
let’s
go
down-stairs
.
There’s
no
good
in
stayin’
here
any
longer
.
”
Concurring
in
which
sentiment
,
they
all
descended
to
the
lower
room
.
Chapter
4
The
Iron-merchant’s
Daughter
A
week
had
elapsed
since
Auriol
Darcy
was
conveyed
to
the
iron-merchant’s
dwelling
,
after
the
attack
made
upon
him
by
the
ruffians
in
the
ruined
house
;
and
though
almost
recovered
from
the
serious
injuries
he
had
received
,
he
still
remained
the
guest
of
his
preserver
.
It
was
a
bright
spring
morning
,
when
a
door
leading
to
the
yard
in
front
of
the
house
opened
,
and
a
young
girl
,
bright
and
fresh
as
the
morning’s
self
,
issued
from
it
.
A
lovelier
creature
than
Ebba
Thorneycroft
cannot
be
imagined
.
Her
figure
was
perfection
—
slight
,
tall
,
and
ravishingly
proportioned
,
with
a
slender
waist
,
little
limbs
,
and
fairy
feet
that
would
have
made
the
fortune
of
an
opera-dancer
.
Her
features
were
almost
angelic
in
expression
,
with
an
outline
of
the
utmost
delicacy
and
precision
—
not
cold
,
classical
regularity
—
but
that
softer
and
incomparably
more
lovely
mould
peculiar
to
our
own
clime
.
Ebba’s
countenance
was
a
type
of
Saxon
beauty
.
Her
complexion
was
pure
white
,
tinged
with
a
slight
bloom
.
Her
eyes
were
of
a
serene
summer
blue
,
arched
over
by
brows
some
shades
darker
than
the
radiant
tresses
that
fell
on
either
cheek
,
and
were
parted
over
a
brow
smoother
than
alabaster
.
Her
attire
was
simple
but
tasteful
,
and
by
its
dark
colour
threw
into
relief
the
exceeding
fairness
of
her
skin
.
Ebba’s
first
care
was
to
feed
her
favourite
linnet
,
placed
in
a
cage
over
the
door
.
Having
next
patted
the
head
of
a
huge
bulldog
who
came
out
of
his
kennel
to
greet
her
,
and
exchanged
a
few
words
with
two
men
employed
at
a
forge
in
the
inner
part
of
the
building
on
the
right
,
she
advanced
farther
into
the
yard
.
This
part
of
the
premises
,
being
strewn
with
ironwork
of
every
possible
shape
,
presented
a
very
singular
appearance
,
and
may
merit
some
description
.
There
were
heaps
of
rusty
iron
chains
flung
together
like
fishermen’s
nets
,
old
iron
area-guards
,
iron
kitchen-fenders
,
old
grates
,
safes
,
piles
of
old
iron
bowls
,
a
large
assortment
of
old
iron
pans
and
dishes
,
a
ditto
of
old
ovens
,
kettles
without
number
,
sledge-hammers
,
anvils
,
braziers
,
chimney-cowls
,
and
smoke-jacks
.
Stout
upright
posts
,
supporting
cross-beams
on
the
top
,
were
placed
at
intervals
on
either
side
of
the
yard
,
and
these
were
decorated
,
in
the
most
artistic
style
,
with
rat-traps
,
man-traps
,
iron
lanterns
,
pulleys
,
padlocks
,
chains
,
trivets
,
triangles
,
iron
rods
,
disused
street
lamps
,
dismounted
cannon
,
and
anchors
.
Attached
to
hooks
in
the
cross-beam
nearest
the
house
hung
a
row
of
old
horse-shoes
,
while
from
the
centre
depended
a
large
rusty
bell
.
Near
the
dog’s
kennel
was
a
tool-box
,
likewise
garnished
with
horse-shoes
,
and
containing
pincers
,
files
,
hammers
,
and
other
implements
proper
to
the
smith
.
Beyond
this
was
an
open
doorway
leading
to
the
workshop
,
where
the
two
men
before
mentioned
were
busy
at
the
forge
.
Though
it
was
still
early
,
the
road
was
astir
with
passengers
;
and
many
waggons
and
carts
,
laden
with
hay
,
straw
,
and
vegetables
,
were
passing
.
Ebba
,
however
,
had
been
solely
drawn
forth
by
the
beauty
of
the
morning
,
and
she
stopped
for
a
moment
at
the
street
gate
,
to
breathe
the
balmy
air
.
As
she
inhaled
the
gentle
breeze
,
and
felt
the
warm
sunshine
upon
her
cheek
,
her
thoughts
wandered
away
into
the
green
meadows
in
which
she
had
strayed
as
a
child
,
and
she
longed
to
ramble
amid
them
again
.
Perhaps
she
scarcely
desired
a
solitary
stroll
;
but
however
this
might
be
,
she
was
too
much
engrossed
by
the
reverie
to
notice
a
tall
man
,
wrapped
in
a
long
black
cloak
,
who
regarded
her
with
the
most
fixed
attention
,
as
he
passed
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
road
.
Proceeding
to
a
short
distance
,
this
personage
crossed
over
,
and
returned
slowly
towards
the
iron-merchant’s
dwelling
.
Ebba
then
,
for
the
first
time
,
remarked
him
,
and
was
startled
by
his
strange
,
sinister
appearance
.
His
features
were
handsome
,
but
so
malignant
and
fierce
in
expression
,
that
they
inspired
only
aversion
.
A
sardonic
grin
curled
his
thin
lips
,
and
his
short
,
crisply
curled
hair
,
raven-black
in
hue
,
contrasted
forcibly
and
disagreeably
with
his
cadaverous
complexion
.
An
attraction
like
that
of
the
snake
seemed
to
reside
in
his
dark
blazing
eyes
,
for
Ebba
trembled
like
a
bird
beneath
their
influence
,
and
could
not
remove
her
gaze
from
them
.
A
vague
presentiment
of
coming
ill
smote
her
,
and
she
dreaded
lest
the
mysterious
being
before
her
might
be
connected
in
some
inexplicable
way
with
her
future
destiny
.
On
his
part
,
the
stranger
was
not
insensible
to
the
impression
he
had
produced
,
and
suddenly
halting
,
he
kept
his
eyes
riveted
on
those
of
the
girl
,
who
,
after
remaining
spell-bound
,
as
it
were
,
for
a
few
moments
,
precipitately
retreated
towards
the
house
.
Just
as
she
reached
the
door
,
and
was
about
to
pass
through
it
,
Auriol
came
forth
.
He
was
pale
,
as
if
from
recent
suffering
,
and
bore
his
left
arm
in
a
sling
.
“
You
look
agitated
,
”
he
said
,
noticing
Ebba’s
uneasiness
.
“
What
has
happened
?
”
“
Not
much
,
”
she
replied
,
a
deep
blush
mantling
her
cheeks
.
“
But
I
have
been
somewhat
alarmed
by
the
person
near
the
gate
.
”
“
Indeed
!
”
cried
Auriol
,
darting
forward
.
“
Where
is
he
?
I
see
no
one
.
”
“
Not
a
tall
man
,
wrapped
in
a
long
black
cloak
