a book of scoundrels-第23部分

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　was　never　won　save　by　legitimate　means；　and　the　hero　who　plundered　the　Dulce　of　Lr　at　Ranelagh；　who　emptied　the　pockets　of　his　acquaintance　without　fear　of　exposure；　who　all　but　carried　off　the　priceless　snuff…box　of　Count　Orloff；　most　assuredly　followed　his　craft　in　full　simplicity　and　with　a　proper　scorn　of　clumsy　artifice。　　At　his　first　appearance　he　was　the　master；　sumptuously　apparelled；　with　Price　for　valet。　　At　Dublin　his　birth　and　quality　were　never　questioned；　and　when　he　made　a　descent　upon　London　it　was　in　company　with　Captain　W。　　Hn；　who　remained　for　years　his　loyal　friend。　　He　visited　Brighton　as　the　chosen　companion　of　Lord　Ferrers　and　the　wicked　Lord　Lyttelton。　　His　manners　and　learning　were　alike　irresistible。　　Though　the　picking　of　pockets　was　the　art　and　interest　of　his　life；　he　was　on　terms　of　easy　familiarity　with　light　literature；　and　he　considered　no　toil　too　wearisome　if　only　his　conversation　might　dazzle　his　victims。　　Two　maxims　he　charactered　upon　his　heart：　the　one；　never　to　run　a　large　risk　for　a　small　gain；　the　other；　never　to　forget　the　carriage　and　diction　of　a　gentleman。

He　never　stooped　to　pilfer；　until　exposure　and　decay　had　weakened　his　hand。　　In　his　first　week　at　Dublin　he　carried　off　1000；　and　it　was　only　his　fateful　interview　with　Sir　John　Fielding　that　gave　him　poverty　for　a　bedfellow。　　Even　at　the　end；　when　he　slunk　from　town　to　town；　a　notorious　outlaw；　he　had　inspirations　of　his　ancient　magnificence；　andat　Chesterhe　eluded　the　vigilance　of　his　enemies　and　captured　600；　wherewith　he　purchased　some　months　of　respectability。　　Now；　respectability　was　ever　dear　to　him；　and　it　was　at　once　his　pleasure　and　profit　to　live　in　the　highest　society。　　Were　it　not　blasphemy　to　sully　Barrington　with　slang　you　would　call　him　a　member　of　the　swell…mob；　but；　having　cultivated　a　grave　and　sober　style　for　himself；　he　recoiled　in　horror　from　the　flash　lingo；　and　his　susceptibility　demands　respect。

He　kept　a　commonplace　book！　　Was　ever　such　thrift　in　a　thief？　　Whatever　images　or　thoughts　flashed　through　his　brain；　he　seized　them　on　paper；　even　‘amidst　the　jollity　of　a　tavern；　or　in　the　warmth　of　an　interesting　conversation。'　　Was　it　then　strange　that　he　triumphed　as　a　man　of　fashionable　and　cultured　leisure？　　He　would　visit　Ranelagh　with　the　most　distinguished；　and　turn　a　while　from　epigram　and　jest　to　empty　the　pocket　of　a　rich　acquaintance。　　And　ever　with　so　tactful　a　certainty；　with　so　fine　a　restraint　of　the　emotions；　that　suspicion　was　preposterous。　　To　catalogue　his　exploits　is　superfluous；　yet　let　it　be　recorded　that　once　he　went　to　Court；　habited　as　a　clergyman；　and　came　home　the　richer　for　a　diamond　order；　Lord　C's　proudest　decoration。　　Even　the　assault　upon　Prince　Orloff　was　nobly　planned。　　Barrington　had　precise　intelligence　of　the　marvellous　snuff…box　the　Empress's　own　gift　to　her　lover；　he　knew　also　how　he　might　meet　the　Prince　at　Drury　Lane；　he　had　even　discovered　that　the　Prince　for　safety　hid　the　jewel　in　his　vest。　　But　the　Prince　felt　the　Prig's　hand　upon　the　treasure；　and　gave　an　instant　alarm。　　Over…confidence；　maybe；　or　a　too　liberal　dinner　was　the　cause　of　failure；　and　Barrington；　surrounded　in　a　moment；　was　speedily　in　the　lock…up。　　It　was　the　first　rebuff　that　the　hero　had　received；　and　straightway　his　tact　and　ingenuity　left　him。　　The　evidence　was　faulty；　the　prosecution　declined；　and　naught　was　necessary　for　escape　save　presence　of　mind。　　Even　friends　were　staunch；　and　had　Barrington　told　his　customary　lie；　his　character　had　gone　unsullied。　　Yet　having　posed　for　his　friends　as　a　student　of　the　law；　at　Bow　Street　he　must　needs　declare　himself　a　doctor；　and　the　needless　discrepancy　ruined　him。　　Though　he　escaped　the　gallows；　there　was　an　end　to　the　diversions　of　intellect　and　fashion；　as　he　discovered　when　he　visited　the　House　of　Lords　to　hear　an　appeal；　and　Black　Rod　ejected　him　at　the　persuasion　of　Mr。　G。　　As　yet　unused　to　insult；　he　threatened　violence　against　the　aggressor；　and　finding　no　bail　he　was　sent　on　his　first　imprisonment　to　the　Bridewell　in　Tothill　Fields。　　Rapid；　indeed；　was　the　descent。　　At　the　first　grip　of　adversity；　he　forgot　his　cherished　principles；　and　two　years　later　the　loftiest　and　most　elegant　gentlemen　that　ever　picked　a　pocket　was　at　the　Hulksfor　robbing　a　harlot　at　Drury　Lane！　　Henceforth；　his　insolence　and　artistry　declined；　and；　though　to　the　last　there　were　intervals　of　grandeur；　he　spent　the　better　part　of　fifteen　years　in　the　commission　of　crimes；　whose　very　littleness　condemned　them。　　At　last　an　exile　from　St。　James's　and　Ranelagh；　he　was　forced　into　a　society　which　still　further　degraded　him。　　Hitherto　he　had　shunned　the　society　of　professed　thieves；　in　his　golden　youth　he　had　scorned　to　shelter　him　in　the　flash　kens；　which　were　the　natural　harbours　of　pickpockets。　　But　now；　says　his　biographer；　he　began　to　seek　evil　company；　and；　the　victim　of　his　own　fame；　found　safety　only　in　obscene　concealment。

At　the　Hulks　he　recovered　something　of　his　dignity；　and　discretion　rendered　his　first　visit　brief　enough。　　Even　when　he　was　committed　on　a　second　offence；　and　had　attempted　suicide；　he　was　still　irresistible；　and　he　was　discharged　with　several　years　of　imprisonment　to　run。　　But；　in　truth；　he　was　born　for　honour　and　distinction；　and　common　actions；　common　criminals；　were　in　the　end　distasteful　to　him。　　In　his　heyday　he　stooped　no　further　than　to　employ　such　fences　as　might　profitably　dispose　of　his　booty；　and　the　two　partners　of　his　misdeeds　were　both　remarkable。

James；　the　earlier　accomplice　affected　clerical　attire；　and　in　1791　‘was　living　in　a　Westphalian　monastery；　to　which　he　some　years　ago　retired；　in　an　enviable　state　of　peace　and　penitence；　respected　for　his　talents；　and　loved　for　his　amiable　manners；　by　which　he　is　distinguished　in　an　eminent　degree。'　　The　other　ruffian；　Lowe　by　name；　was　known　to　his　own　Bloomsbury　Square　for　a　philanthropic　and　cultured　gentleman；　yet　only　suicide　saved　him　from　the　gallows。　　And　while　Barrington　was　wise　in　the　choice　of　his　servants；　his　manners　drove　even　strangers　to　admiration。　　Policemen　and　prisoners　were　alike　anxious　to　do　him　honour。　　Once　when　he　needed　money　for　his　own　defence；　his　brother　thieves；　whom　he　had　ever　shunned　and　despised；　collected　100　for　the　captain　of　their　guild。　　Nor　did　gaoler　and　judge　ever　forget　the　respect　due　to　a　gentleman。　　When　Barrington　was　tried　and　condemned　for　the　theft　of　Mr。　Townsend's　watch　at　Enfield　RacesSeptember　15；　1790；　was　the　day　of　his　last　transgressionone　knows　not　which　was　the　more　eloquent　in　his　respect；　the　judge　or　the　culprit。

But　it　was　not　until　the　pickpocket　set　out　for　Botany　Bay　that　he　took　full　advantage　of　his　gentlemanly　bearing。　　To　thrust　‘Mr。'　Barrington　into　the　hold　was　plainly　impossible；　even　though　transportation　for　seven　years　was　his　punishment。　　Wherefore　he　was　admitted　to　the　boatswain's　mess；　was　allowed　as　much　baggage　as　a　first…class　passenger；　and　doubtless　beguiled　the　voyage　（for　others）　with　the　information　of　a　well…stored　mind。　　By　an　inspiration　of　luck　he　checked　a　mutiny；　holding　the　quarter…deck　against　a　mob　of　ruffians　with　no　weapon　but　a　marline…spike。　　And　hereafter；　as　he　tells　you　in　his　‘Voyage　to　New　South　Wales；'　he　was　accorded　the　fullest　liberty　to　come　or　go。　　He　visited　many　a　foreign　port　with　the　officers　of　the　ship；　he　packed　a　hundred　note…books　with　trite　and　superfluous　observations；　he　posed；　in　brief；　as　the　captain　of　the　ship　without　responsibility。　　Arrived　at　Port　Jackson；　he　was　acclaimed　a　hero；　and　received　with　obsequious　solicitude　by　the　Governor；　who　promised　that　his　‘future　situation　should　be　such　as　would　render　his　banishment　from　England　as　little　irksome　as　possible。'　　Forthwith　he　was　appointed　high　constable　of　Paramatta；　and；　like　Vautrin；　who　might　have　taken　the　youthful　Barrington　for　another　Rastignac；　he　ended　his　days　the　honourable　custodian　of　less　fortunate　convicts。　　Or；　as　a　broadside　ballad　has　it；

　　　　　He　left　old　Drury's　flash　purlieus；　　　　　　　　　　　To　turn　at　last　a　copper。


Never　did　he　revert　to　his　ancient　practice。　　If　in　his　youth　he　had　lived　the　double…life　with　an　effrontery　and　elegance　which　Brodie　himself　never　attained；　henceforth　his　career　was　single　in　its　innocence。　　He　became　a　prig　in　the　less　harmful　and　more　offensive　sense。　　After　the　orthodox　fashion　he　endeared　himself　to　all　who　knew　him；　and　ruled　Paramatta　with　an　equable　severity。　　Having　cultivated　the　humanities　for　the　base　purposes　of　his　trade；　he　now　devoted　himself　to　literature　with　an　energy　of　dulness；　becoming；　as　it　were；　a　liberal　education　personified。　　His　earlier　efforts　had　been　in　verse；　and　you　wonder　that　no　enterprising　publisher　had　ventured　on　a　limited　edition。　　Time　was　he　composed　an　ode　to　Light；　and　once　recovering　from　a　fever　contracted　at　Ballyshannon；　he　addressed　a　few　burning　lines　to　Hygeia：

　　　　　Hygeia！　thou　whose　eyes　display　　　　　　The　lustre　of　meridian　day；

and　so　on　for　endless　couplets。　　Then；　had　he　not　celebrated　in　immortal　verse　his　love　for　Miss　Egerton；　untimely　drowned　in　the　waters　of　the　Boyne？　　But　now；　as　became　the　Constable　of　Paramatta；　he　chose　the　sterner　medium；　and　followed　up　his　‘Voyage　to　New　South　Wales'　with　several　exceeding　trite　and　valuable　histories。

His　most　ambitious　work　was　dedicated　in　periods　of　unctuous　piety　to　his　Majesty　King　George　III。；　and　the　book's　first　sentence　is　characteristic　of　his　method　and　sensibility：　　‘In　contemplating　the　origin；　rise；　and　fall　of　nations；　the　mind　is　alternately　filled　with　a　mixture　of　sacred　pain　and　pleasure。'　　Would　you　read　further？　　Then　you　will　find　Fauna　and　Flora；　twin　goddesses　of　ineptitude；　flitting　across　the　page；　unreadable　as　a　geographical　treatise。　　His　first　masterpiece　was　translated　into　French；　anno　VI。；　and　the　translator　apologises　that　war　with　England　alone　prevents　the　compilation　of　a　suitable　biography。　　Was　ever　thief　treated　with　so　grave　a　consideration？

Then　another　work　was　prefaced　by　the　Right　Hon。　William　Eden；　and　all　were　‘embellished　with　beautiful　coloured　plates；'　and　ran　through　several　editions。　　Once　only　did　he　return　to　poetry；　the　favoured　medium　of　his　youth；　and　he　returned　to　write