a book of scoundrels-第4部分

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Valiant　also　was　the　conduct　of　Roderick　Audrey；　who　after　a　brief　but　brilliant　career　paid　his　last　debt　to　the　law　in　1714。

He　was　but　sixteen；　and；　says　his　biographer；　‘he　went　very　decent　to　the　gallows；　being　in　a　white　waistcoat；　clean　napkin；　white　gloves；　and　an　orange　in　one　hand。'　　So　well　did　he　play　his　part；　that　one　wonders　Jack　Ketch　did　not　shrink　from　the　performance　of　his。　　But　throughout　his　short　life；　Roderick　Audreythe　very　name　is　an　echo　of　romance！displayed　a　contempt　for　whatever　was　common　or　ugly。　　Not　only　was　his　appearance　at　Tyburn　a　lesson　in　elegance；　but　he　thieved；　as　none　ever　thieved　before　or　since；　with　no　other　accomplice　than　a　singing…bird。　　Thus　he　would　play　outside　a　house；　wherein　he　espied　a　sideboard　of　plate；　and　at　last；　bidding　his　playmate　flutter　through　an　open　window　into　the　parlour；　he　would　follow　upon　the　excuse　of　recovery；　and；　once　admitted；　would　carry　off　as　much　silver　as　he　could　conceal。　　None　other　ever　attempted　so　graceful　an　artifice；　and　yet　Audrey's　journey　to　Tyburn　is　even　more　memorable　than　the　story　of　his　gay　accomplice。

But　it　is　not　only　the　truly　great　who　have　won　for　themselves　an　enduring　reputation。　　There　are　men；　not　a　few；　esteemed；　like　the　popular　novelist；　not　for　their　art　but　for　some　foolish　gift；　some　facile　trick　of　notoriety；　whose　actions　have　tickled　the　fancy；　not　the　understanding　of　the　world。　　The　coward　and　the　impostor　have　been　set　upon　a　pedestal　of　glory　either　by　accident　or　by　the　whim　of　posterity。　　For　more　than　a　century　Dick　Turpin　has　appeared　not　so　much　the　greatest　of　highwaymen；　as　the　Highwaymen　Incarnate。　　His　prowess　has　been　extolled　in　novels　and　upon　the　stage；　his　ride　to　York　is　still　bepraised　for　a　feat　of　miraculous　courage　and　endurance；　the　death　of　Black　Bess　has　drawn　floods　of　tears　down　the　most　callous　cheeks。　　And　the　truth　is　that　Turpin　was　never　a　gentleman　of　the　road　at　all！　　Black　Bess　is　as　pure　an　invention　as　the　famous　ride　to　York。　　The　ruffian；　who　is　said　to　have　ridden　the　phantom　mare　from　one　end　of　England　to　the　other；　was　a　common　butcher；　who　burned　an　old　woman　to　death　at　Epping；　and　was　very　properly　hanged　at　York　for　the　stealing　of　a　horse　which　he　dared　not　bestride。

Not　one　incident　in　his　career　gives　colour　to　the　splendid　myth　which　has　been　woven　round　his　memory。　　Once　he　was　in　London；　and　he　died　at　York。　　So　much　is　true；　but　there　is　naught　to　prove　that　his　progress　from　the　one　town　to　the　other　did　not　occupy　a　year。　　Nor　is　there　any　reason　why　the　halo　should　have　been　set　upon　his　head　rather　than　upon　another's。　　Strangest　truth　of　all；　none　knows　at　what　moment　Dick　Turpin　first　shone　into　glory。　　At　any　rate；　there　is　a　gap　in　the　tradition；　and　the　chap…books　of　the　time　may　not　be　credited　with　this　vulgar　error。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　popular　drama　of　Skelt　which　put　the　ruffian　upon　the　black　mare's　back；　but　whatever　the　date　of　the　invention；　Turpin　was　a　popular　hero　long　before　Ainsworth　sent　him　rattling　across　England。　　And　in　order　to　equip　this　butcher　with　a　false　reputation；　a　valiant　officer　and　gentleman　was　stripped　of　the　credit　due　to　a　magnificent　achievement。　　For　though　Turpin　tramped　to　York　at　a　journeyman's　leisure；　Nicks　rode　thither　at　a　stretchNicks　the　intrepid　and　gallant；　whom　Charles　II。；　in　admiration　of　his　feat；　was　wont　to　call　Swiftnicks。

This　valiant　collector；　whom　posterity　has　robbed　for　Turpin's　embellishment；　lived　at　the　highest　moment　of　his　art。　　He　knew　by　rote　the　lessons　taught　by　Hind　and　Duval；　he　was　a　fearless　rider　and　a　courteous　thief。　　Now；　one　morning　at　five　of　the　clock；　he　robbed　a　gentleman　near　Barnet　of　560；　and　riding　straight　for　York；　he　appeared　on　the　Bowling　Green　at　six　in　the　evening。　　Being　presently　recognised　by　his　victim；　he　was　apprehended；　and　at　the　trial　which　followed　he　pleaded　a　triumphant　alibi。　　But　vanity　was　too　strong　for　discretion；　and　no　sooner　was　Swiftnicks　out　of　danger；　than　he　boasted；　as　well　he　might；　of　his　splendid　courage。　　Forthwith　he　appeared　a　popular　hero；　obtained　a　commission　in　Lord　Moncastle's　regiment；　and　married　a　fortune。　　And　then　came　Turpin　to　filch　his　glory！　　Nor　need　Turpin　have　stooped　to　a　vicarious　notoriety；　for　he　possessed　a　certain　rough；　half　conscious　humour；　which　was　not　despicable。　　He　purchased　a　new　fustian　coat　and　a　pair　of　pumps；　in　which　to　be　hanged；　and　he　hired　five　poor　men　at　ten　shillings　the　day；　that　his　death　might　not　go　unmourned。　　Above　all；　he　was　distinguished　in　prison。　　A　crowd　thronged　his　cell　to　identify　him；　and　one　there　was　who　offered　to　bet　the　keeper　half　a　guinea　that　the　prisoner　was　not　Turpin；　whereupon　Turpin　whispered　the　keeper；　‘Lay　him　the　wager；　you　fool；　and　I　will　go　you　halves。'　　Surely　this　impudent　indifference　might　have　kept　green　the　memory　of　the　man　who　never　rode　to　York！

If　the　Scoundrel　may　claim　distinction　on　many　grounds；　his　character　is　singularly　uniform。　　To　the　anthropologist　he　might　well　appear　the　survival　of　a　savage　race；　and　savage　also　are　his　manifold　superstitions。　　He　is　a　creature　of　times　and　seasons。　　He　chooses　the　occasion　of　his　deeds　with　as　scrupulous　a　care　as　he　examines　his　formidable　crowbars　and　jemmies。　　At　certain　hours　he　would　refrain　from　action；　though　every　circumstance　favoured　his　success：　he　would　rather　obey　the　restraining　voice　of　a　wise；　unreasoning　wizardry；　than　fill　his　pockets　with　the　gold　for　which　his　human　soul　is　ever　hungry。　　There　is　no　law　of　man　he　dares　not　break　but　he　shrinks　in　horror　from　the　infringement　of　the　unwritten　rules　of　savagery。　　Though　he　might　cut　a　throat　in　self…defence；　he　would　never　walk　under　a　ladder；　and　if　the　13th　fell　on　a　Friday；　he　would　starve　that　day　rather　than　obtain　a　loaf　by　the　method　he　best　understands。　　He　consults　the　omens　with　as　patient　a　divination　as　the　augurs　of　old；　and　so　long　as　he　carries　an　amulet　in　his　pocket；　though　it　be　but　a　pebble　or　a　polished　nut；　he　is　filled　with　an　irresistible　courage。　　For　him　the　worst　terror　of　all　is　the　evil　eye；　and　he　would　rather　be　hanged　by　an　unsuspected　judge　than　receive　an　easy　stretch　from　one　whose　glance　he　dared　not　face。　　And　while　the　anthropologist　claims　him　for　a　savage；　whose　civilisation　has　been　arrested　at　brotherhood　with　the　Solomon　Islanders；　the　politician　might　pronounce　him　a　true　communist；　in　that　he　has　preserved　a　wholesome　contempt　of　property　and　civic　life。　　The　pedant；　again；　would　feel　his　bumps；　prescribe　a　gentle　course　of　bromide；　and　hope　to　cure　all　the　sins　of　the　world　by　a　municipal　Turkish　bath。　　The　wise　man；　respecting　his　superstitions；　is　content　to　take　him　as　he　finds　him；　and　to　deduce　his　character　from　his　very　candid　history；　which　is　unaffected　by　pedant　or　politician。

Before　all　things；　he　is　sanguine；　he　believes　that　Chance；　the　great　god　of　his　endeavour；　fights　upon　his　side。　　Whatever　is　lacking　to…day；　to…morrow's　enterprise　will　fulfil；　and　if　only　the　omens　be　favourable；　he　fears　neither　detection　nor　the　gallows。　　His　courage　proceeds　from　this　sanguine　temperament；　strengthened　by　shame　and　tradition　rather　than　from　a　self…　controlled　magnanimity；　he　hopes　until　despair　is　inevitable；　and　then　walks　firmly　to　the　gallows；　that　no　comrade　may　suspect　the　white　feather。　　His　ambition；　too；　is　the　ambition　of　the　savage　or　of　the　child；　he　despises　such　immaterial　advantages　as　power　and　influence；　being　perfectly　content　if　he　have　a　smart　coat　on　his　back　and　a　bottle　of　wine　at　his　elbow。　　He　would　rather　pick　a　lock　than　batter　a　constitution；　and　the　world　would　be　well　lost；　if　he　and　his　doxy　might　survey　the　ruin　in　comfort。

But　if　his　ambition　be　modest；　his　love　of　notoriety　is　boundless。　　He　must　be　famous；　his　name　must　be　in　the　mouths　of　men；　he　must　be　immortal　（for　a　week）　in　a　rough　woodcut。　　And　then；　what　matters　it　how　soon　the　end？　　His　braveries　have　been　hawked　in　the　street；　his　prowess　has　sold　a　Special　Edition；　he　is　the　first　of　his　race；　until　a　luckier　rival　eclipses　him。　　Thus；　also；　his　dandyism　is　inevitable：　it　is　not　enough　for　him　to　cover　his　nakednesshe　must　dress；　and　though　his　taste　is　sometimes　unbridled；　it　is　never　insignificant。　　Indeed；　his　biographers　have　recorded　the　expression　of　his　fancy　in　coats　and　small…clothes　as　patiently　and　enthusiastically　as　they　have　applauded　his　courage。　　And　truly　the　love　of　magnificence；　which　he　shares　with　all　artists；　is　sincere　and　characteristic。　　When　an　accomplice　of　Jonathan　Wild's　robbed　Lady　Mn　at　Windsor；　his　equipage　cost　him　forty　pounds；　and　Nan　Hereford　was　arrested　for　shoplifting　at　the　very　moment　that　four　footmen　awaited　her　return　with　an　elegant　sedan…chair。

His　vanity　makes　him　but　a　prudish　lover；　who　desires　to　woo　less　than　to　be　wooed；　and　at　all　times　and　through　all　moods　he　remains　the　primeval　sentimentalist。　　He　will　detach　his　life　entirely　from　the　catchwords　which　pretend　to　govern　his　actions；　he　will　sit　and　croon　the　most　heartrending　ditties　in　celebration　of　home…life　and　a　mother's　love；　and　then　set　forth　incontinently　upon　a　well…planned　errand　of　plunder。　　For　all　his　artistry；　he　lacks　balance　as　flagrantly　as　a　popular　politician　or　an　advanced　journalist。　　Therefore　it　is　the　more　remarkable　that　in　one　point　he　displays　a　certain　caution：　he　boggles　at　a　superfluous　murder。　　For　all　his　contempt　of　property；　he　still　preserves　a　respect　for　life；　and　the　least　suspicion　of　unnecessary　brutality　sets　not　only　the　law　but　his　own　fellows　against　him。　　Like　all　men　whose　god　is　Opportunity；　he　is　a　reckless　gambler；　and；　like　all　gamblers；　he　is　monstrously　extravagant。　　In　brief；　he　is　a　tangle　of　picturesque　qualities；　which；　until　our　own　generation；　was　incapable　of　nothing　save　dulness。

The　Bible　and　the　Newgate　Calendarthese　twain　were　George　Borrow's　favourite　reading；　and　all　save　the　psychologist　and　the　pedant　will　applaud　the　preference。　　For　the　annals　of　the　‘family'　are　distinguished　by　an　epic　severity；　a　fearless　directness　of　speech；　which　you　will　hardly　match　outside　the　Iliad　or　the　Chronicles　of　the　Kings。　　But　the　Newgate　Calendar　did　not　spring　ready…made　into　being：　it　is　the　result