a book of scoundrels-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　nineteen　when　he　achieved　his　first　imprisonment。　　Even　then　'twas　a　sorry　offence；　which　merited　no　more　than　a　month；　so　that　he　returned　to　freedom　and　his　fiddle　with　his　character　unbesmirched。　　Serious　as　ever　in　pious　exercises；　he　gained　a　scanty　living　as　strolling　musician。　　There　was　never　a　tavern　in　Sheffield　where　the　twang　of　his　violin　was　unheard；　and　the　skill　wherewith　he　extorted　music　from　a　single　string　earned　him　the　style　and　title　of　the　modern　Paganini。　　But　such　an　employ　was　too　mean　for　his　pride；　and　he　soon　got　to　work　againthis　time　with　a　better　success。　　The　mansions　of　Sheffield　were　his　early　prey；　and　a　rich　plunder　rewarded　his　intrepidity。　　The　design　was　as　masterly　as　its　accomplishment。　　The　grand　style　is　already　discernible。　　The　houses　were　broken　in　quietude　and　good　order。　　None　saw　the　opened　window；　none　heard　the　step　upon　the　stair；　in　truth；　the　victim's　loss　was　his　first　intelligence。

But　when　the　booty　was　in　the　robber's　own　safe　keeping；　the　empiricism　of　his　method　was　revealed。　　As　yet　he　knew　no　secret　and　efficient　fence　to　shield　him　from　detection；　as　yet　he　had　not　learnt　that　the　complete　burglar　works　alone。　　This　time　he　knew　two　accompliceswomen　both；　and　one　his　own　sister！　　A　paltry　pair　of　boots　was　the　clue　of　discovery；　and　a　goodly　stretch　was　the　proper　reward　of　a　clumsy　indiscretion。　　So　for　twenty　years　he　wavered　between　the　crowbar　and　the　prison　house；　now　perfecting　a　brilliant　scheme；　now　captured　through　recklessness　or　drink。　　Once　when　a　mistake　at　Manchester　sent　him　to　the　Hulks；　he　owned　his　failure　was　the　fruit　of　brandy；　and　after　his　wont　delivered　（from　the　dock）　a　little　homily　upon　the　benefit　of　sobriety。

Meanwhile　his　art　was　growing　to　perfection。　　He　had　at　last　discovered　that　a　burglary　demands　as　diligent　a　forethought　as　a　campaign；　he　had　learnt　that　no　great　work　is　achieved　by　a　multitude　of　minds。　　Before　his　boat　carried　off　a　goodly　parcel　of　silk　from　Nottingham；　he　was　known　to　the　neighbourhood　as　an　enthusiastic　and　skilful　angler。　　One　day　he　dangled　his　line；　the　next　he　sat　peacefully　at　the　same　employ；　and　none　suspected　that　the　mild　mannered　fisherman　had　under　the　cloud　of　night　despatched　a　costly　parcel　to　London。　　Even　the　years　of　imprisonment　were　not　ill…spent。　　Peace　was　still　preparing　the　great　achievement　of　his　life；　and　he　framed　from　solitary　reflection　as　well　as　from　his　colleagues　in　crime　many　an　ingenious　theory　afterwards　fearlessly　translated　into　practice。　　And　when　at　last　he　escaped　the　slavery　of　the　gaol；　picture…　framing　was　the　pursuit　which　covered　the　sterner　business　of　his　life。　　His　depredation　involved　him　in　no　suspicion；　his　changing　features　rendered　recognition　impossible。　　When　the　exercise　of　his　trade　compelled　him　to　shoot　a　policeman　at　Whalley　Range；　another　was　sentenced　for　the　crime；　and　had　he　not　encountered　Mrs。　Dyson；　who　knows　but　he　might　have　practised　his　art　in　prosperous　obscurity　until　claimed　by　a　coward's　death？　　But　a　stormy　love…passage　with　Mrs。　Dyson　led　to　the　unworthy　killing　of　the　woman's　husbanda　crime　unnecessary　and　in　no　sense　consonant　to　the　burglar's　craft；　and　Charles　Peace　was　an　outlaw；　with　a　reward　set　upon　his　head。

And　now　came　a　period　of　true　splendour。　　Like　Fielding；　like　Cervantes；　like　Sterne；　Peace　reserved　his　veritable　masterpiece　for　the　certainty　of　middlelife。　　His　last　two　years　were　nothing　less　than　a　march　of　triumph。　　If　you　remember　his　constant　danger；　you　will　realise　the　grandeur　of　the　scheme。　　From　the　moment　that　Peace　left　Bannercross　with　Dyson's　blood　upon　his　hands；　he　was　a　hunted　man。　　His　capture　was　worth　five　hundred　pounds；　his　features　were　familiar　to　a　hundred　hungry　detectives。　　Had　he　been　less　than　a　man　of　genius；　he　might　have　taken　an　unavailing　refuge　in　flight　or　concealment。　　But；　content　with　no　safety　unattended　by　affluence；　he　devised　a　surer　plan：　he　became　a　householder。　　Now；　a　semi…detached　villa　is　an　impregnable　stronghold。　　Respectability　oozes　from　the　dusky　mortar　of　its　bricks；　and　escapes　in　clouds　of　smoke　from　its　soot…grimed　chimneys。　　No　policeman　ever　detects　a　desperate　ruffian　in　a　demure　black…coated　gentleman　who　day　after　day　turns　an　iron　gate　upon　its　rusty　hinge。　　And　thus；　wrapt　in　a　cloak　of　suburban　piety；　Peace　waged　a　pitiless　and　effective　war　upon　his　neighbours。

He　pillaged　Blackheath；　Greenwich；　Peckham；　and　many　another　home　of　honest　worth；　with　a　noiselessness　and　a　precision　that　were　the　envy　of　the　whole　family。　　The　unknown　and　intrepid　burglar　was　a　terror　to　all　the　clerkdom　of　the　City；　and　though　he　was　as　secret　and　secluded　as　Peace；　the　two　heroes　were　never　identified。　　At　the　time　of　his　true　eminence　he　‘resided'　in　Evelina　Road；　Peckham；　and　none　was　more　sensible　than　he　how　well　the　address　became　his　provincial　refinement。　　There　he　installed　himself　with　his　wife　and　Mrs。　Thompson。　　His　drawing…　room　suite　was　the　envy　of　the　neighbourhood；　his　pony…trap　proclaimed　him　a　man　of　substance；　his　gentle　manners　won　the　respect　of　all　Peckham。　　Hither　he　would　invite　his　friends　to　such　entertainments　as　the　suburb　expected。　　His　musical　evenings　were　recorded　in　the　local　paper；　while　on　Sundays　he　chanted　the　songs　of　Zion　with　a　zeal　which　Clapham　herself　might　envy。

The　house　in　Evelina　Road　was　no　mere　haunt　of　quiet　gentility。　　It　was　chosen　with　admirable　forethought　and　with　a　stern　eye　upon　the　necessities　of　business。　　Beyond　the　garden　wall　frowned　a　railway　embankment；　which　enabled　the　cracksman　to　escape　from　his　house　without　opening　the　front　door。　　By　the　same　embankment　he　might；　if　he　chose；　convey　the　trophies　of　the　night's　work；　and　what　mattered　it　if　the　windows　rattled　to　the　passing　train？

At　least　a　cloud　of　suspicion　was　dispelled。　　Here　he　lived　for　two　years；　with　naught　to　disturb　his　tranquillity　save　Mrs。　Thompson's　taste　for　drink。　　The　hours　of　darkness　were　spent　in　laborious　activity；　the　open　day　brought　its　own　distractions。　　There　was　always　Bow　Street　wherein　to　loaf；　and　the　study　of　the　criminal　law　lost　none　of　its　excitement　from　the　reward　offered　outside　for　the　bald…headed　fanatic　who　sat　placidly　within。　　And　the　love　of　music　was　Peace's　constant　solace。　　Whatever　treasures　he　might　discard　in　a　hurried　flight；　he　never　left　a　fiddle　behind；　and　so　vast　became　his　pilfered　collection　that　he　had　to　borrow　an　empty　room　in　a　friend's　house　for　its　better　disposal。

Moreover；　he　had　a　fervent　pride　in　his　craft；　and　you　might　deduce　from　his　performance　the　whole　theory　and　practice　of　burglary。　　He　worked　ever　without　accomplices。　　He　knew　neither　the　professional　thief　nor　his　lingo；　and　no　association　with　gaol…birds　involved　him　in　the　risk　of　treachery　and　betrayal。　　His　single　colleague　was　a　friendly　fence；　and　not　even　at　the　gallows'　foot　would　he　surrender　the　fence's　name。　　His　master　quality　was　a　constructive　imagination。　　Accident　never　marred　his　design。　　He　would　visit　the　house　of　his　breaking　until　he　understood　its　ground…plan；　and　was　familiar　with　its　inhabitants。　　This　demanded　an　amazing　circumspection；　but　Peace　was　as　stealthy　as　a　cat；　and　he　would　keep　silent　vigil　for　hours　rather　than　fail　from　an　over　keen　anxiety。　　Having　marked　the　place　of　his　entry；　and　having　chosen　an　appropriate　hour；　he　would　prevent　the　egress　of　his　enemies　by　screwing　up　the　doors。

He　then　secured　the　room　wherein　he　worked；　and　the　job　finished；　he　slung　himself　into　the　night　by　the　window；　so　that；　ere　an　alarm　could　be　raised；　his　pony…trap　had　carried　the　booty　to　Evelina　Road。

Such　was　the　outline　of　his　plan；　but；　being　no　pedant；　he　varied　it　at　will：　nor　was　he　likely　to　court　defeat　through　lack　of　resource。　　Accomplished　as　he　was　in　his　proper　business；　he　was　equally　alert　to　meet　the　accompanying　risks。　　He　had　brought　the　art　of　cozening　strange　dogs　to　perfection；　and　for　the　exigence　of　escape；　his　physical　equipment　was　complete。　　He　would　resist　capture　with　unparalleled　determination；　and　though　he　shuddered　at　the　shedding　of　blood；　he　never　hesitated　when　necessity　bade　him　pull　the　trigger。　　Moreover；　there　was　no　space　into　which　he　would　not　squeeze　his　body；　and　the　iron　bars　were　not　yet　devised　through　which　he　could　not　make　an　exit。　　Onceit　was　at　Nottinghamhe　was　surprised　by　an　inquisitive　detective　who　demanded　his　name　and　trade。　　‘I　am　a　hawker　of　spectacles；'　replied　Peace；　‘and　my　licence　is　downstairs。　　Wait　two　minutes　and　I'll　show　it　you。'　　The　detective　never　saw　him　again。　　Six　inches　only　separated　the　bars　of　the　window；　but　Peace　asked　no　more；　and　thus　silently　he　won　his　freedom。　　True；　his　most　daring　featthe　leap　from　the　trainresulted　not　in　liberty；　but　in　a　broken　head。　　But　he　essayed　a　task　too　high　even　for　his　endeavour；　and；　despite　his　manacles；　at　least　he　left　his　boot　in　the　astonished　warder's　grip。

No　less　remarkable　than　his　skill　and　daring　were　his　means　of　evasion。　　Even　without　a　formal　disguise　he　could　elude　pursuit。　　At　an　instant's　warning；　his　loose；　plastic　features　would　assume　another　shape；　out　shot　his　lower　jaw；　and；　as　if　by　magic；　the　blood　flew　into　his　face　until　you　might　take　him　for　a　mulatto。　　Or；　if　he　chose；　he　would　strap　his　arm　to　his　side；　and　let　the　police　be　baffled　by　a　wooden　mechanism；　decently　finished　with　a　hook。　　Thus　he　roamed　London　up　and　down　unsuspected；　and　even　after　his　last　failure　at　Blackheath；　none　would　have　discovered　Charles　Peace　in　John　Ward；　the　Single…　Handed　Burglar；　had　not　woman's　treachery　prompted　detection。　　Indeed；　he　was　an　epitome　of　his　craft；　the　Complete　Burglar　made　manifest。

Not　only　did　he　plan　his　victories　with　previous　ingenuity；　but　he　sacrificed　to　his　success　both　taste　and　sentiment。　　His　dress　was　always　of　the　most　sombre；　his　only　wear　was　the　decent　black　of　everyday　godliness。　　The　least　spice　of　dandyism　might　have　distinguished　him　from　his　fellows；　and　Peace's　whole　vanity　lay　in　his　craft。　　Nor　did　the　paltry　sentiment　of　friendship　deter　him　from　his　just　course。　　When　the　panic　aroused　by　the　silent　burglar　was　uncontrolled；　a　neighbour　consulted　Peace　concerning　the　safety　of　his　house。　　The　robber；　havi