the uncommercial traveller-第71部分

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constable　once　did　his　duty　in　bringing　him　to　justice。　　When　he

rushes　into　the　bar　of　a　public…house　and　scoops　an　eye　out　of　one

of　the　company　there；　or　bites　his　ear　off；　it　is　because　the　man

he　maims　gave　evidence　against　him。　　When　he　and　a　line　of　comrades

extending　across　the　footway　…　say　of　that　solitary　mountain…spur

of　the　Abruzzi；　the　Waterloo　Road　…　advance　towards　me　'skylarking'

among　themselves；　my　purse　or　shirt…pin　is　in　predestined　peril

from　his　playfulness。　　Always　a　Ruffian；　always　a　Thief。　　Always　a

Thief；　always　a　Ruffian。



Now；　when　I；　who　am　not　paid　to　know　these　things；　know　them　daily

on　the　evidence　of　my　senses　and　experience；　when　I　know　that　the

Ruffian　never　jostles　a　lady　in　the　streets；　or　knocks　a　hat　off；

but　in　order　that　the　Thief　may　profit；　is　it　surprising　that　I

should　require　from　those　who　ARE　paid　to　know　these　things；

prevention　of　them？



Look　at　this　group　at　a　street　corner。　　Number　one　is　a　shirking

fellow　of　five…and…twenty；　in　an　ill…favoured　and　ill…savoured

suit；　his　trousers　of　corduroy；　his　coat　of　some　indiscernible

groundwork　for　the　deposition　of　grease；　his　neckerchief　like　an

eel；　his　complexion　like　dirty　dough；　his　mangy　fur　cap　pulled　low

upon　his　beetle　brows　to　hide　the　prison　cut　of　his　hair。　　His

hands　are　in　his　pockets。　　He　puts　them　there　when　they　are　idle；

as　naturally　as　in　other　people's　pockets　when　they　are　busy；　for

he　knows　that　they　are　not　roughened　by　work；　and　that　they　tell　a

tale。　　Hence；　whenever　he　takes　one　out　to　draw　a　sleeve　across　his

nose　…　which　is　often；　for　he　has　weak　eyes　and　a　constitutional

cold　in　his　head　…　he　restores　it　to　its　pocket　immediately

afterwards。　　Number　two　is　a　burly　brute　of　five…and…thirty；　in　a

tall　stiff　hat；　is　a　composite　as　to　his　clothes　of　betting…man　and

fighting…man；　is　whiskered；　has　a　staring　pin　in　his　breast；　along

with　his　right　hand；　has　insolent　and　cruel　eyes：　　large　shoulders；

strong　legs　booted　and　tipped　for　kicking。　　Number　three　is　forty

years　of　age；　is　short；　thick…set；　strong；　and　bow…legged；　wears

knee　cords　and　white　stockings；　a　very　long…sleeved　waistcoat；　a

very　large　neckerchief　doubled　or　trebled　round　his　throat；　and　a

crumpled　white　hat　crowns　his　ghastly　parchment　face。　　This　fellow

looks　like　an　executed　postboy　of　other　days；　cut　down　from　the

gallows　too　soon；　and　restored　and　preserved　by　express　diabolical

agency。　　Numbers　five；　six；　and　seven；　are　hulking；　idle；　slouching

young　men；　patched　and　shabby；　too　short　in　the　sleeves　and　too

tight　in　the　legs；　slimily　clothed；　foul…spoken；　repulsive　wretches

inside　and　out。　　In　all　the　party　there　obtains　a　certain　twitching

character　of　mouth　and　furtiveness　of　eye；　that　hint　how　the　coward

is　lurking　under　the　bully。　　The　hint　is　quite　correct；　for　they

are　a　slinking　sneaking　set；　far　more　prone　to　lie　down　on　their

backs　and　kick　out；　when　in　difficulty；　than　to　make　a　stand　for

it。　　（This　may　account　for　the　street　mud　on　the　backs　of　Numbers

five；　six；　and　seven；　being　much　fresher　than　the　stale　splashes　on

their　legs。）



These　engaging　gentry　a　Police…constable　stands　contemplating。　　His

Station；　with　a　Reserve　of　assistance；　is　very　near　at　hand。　　They

cannot　pretend　to　any　trade；　not　even　to　be　porters　or　messengers。

It　would　be　idle　if　they　did；　for　he　knows　them；　and　they　know　that

he　knows　them；　to　be　nothing　but　professed　Thieves　and　Ruffians。

He　knows　where　they　resort；　knows　by　what　slang　names　they　call　one

another；　knows　how　often　they　have　been　in　prison；　and　how　long；

and　for　what。　　All　this　is　known　at　his　Station；　too；　and　is　（or

ought　to　be）　known　at　Scotland　Yard；　too。　　But　does　he　know；　or

does　his　Station　know；　or　does　Scotland　Yard　know；　or　does　anybody

know；　why　these　fellows　should　be　here　at　liberty；　when；　as　reputed

Thieves　to　whom　a　whole　Division　of　Police　could　swear；　they　might

all　be　under　lock　and　key　at　hard　labour？　　Not　he；　truly　he　would

be　a　wise　man　if　he　did！　　He　only　knows　that　these　are　members　of

the　'notorious　gang；'　which；　according　to　the　newspaper　Police…

office　reports　of　this　last　past　September；　'have　so　long　infested'

the　awful　solitudes　of　the　Waterloo　Road；　and　out　of　which　almost

impregnable　fastnesses　the　Police　have　at　length　dragged　Two；　to

the　unspeakable　admiration　of　all　good　civilians。



The　consequences　of　this　contemplative　habit　on　the　part　of　the

Executive　…　a　habit　to　be　looked　for　in　a　hermit；　but　not　in　a

Police　System　…　are　familiar　to　us　all。　　The　Ruffian　becomes　one　of

the　established　orders　of　the　body　politic。　　Under　the　playful　name

of　Rough　（as　if　he　were　merely　a　practical　joker）　his　movements　and

successes　are　recorded　on　public　occasions。　　Whether　he　mustered　in

large　numbers；　or　small；　whether　he　was　in　good　spirits；　or

depressed；　whether　he　turned　his　generous　exertions　to　very

prosperous　account；　or　Fortune　was　against　him；　whether　he　was　in　a

sanguinary　mood；　or　robbed　with　amiable　horse…play　and　a　gracious

consideration　for　life　and　limb；　all　this　is　chronicled　as　if　he

were　an　Institution。　　Is　there　any　city　in　Europe；　out　of　England；

in　which　these　terms　are　held　with　the　pests　of　Society？　　Or　in

which；　at　this　day；　such　violent　robberies　from　the　person　are

constantly　committed　as　in　London？



The　Preparatory　Schools　of　Ruffianism　are　similarly　borne　with。

The　young　Ruffians　of　London　…　not　Thieves　yet；　but　training　for

scholarships　and　fellowships　in　the　Criminal　Court　Universities　…

molest　quiet　people　and　their　property；　to　an　extent　that　is　hardly

credible。　　The　throwing　of　stones　in　the　streets　has　become　a

dangerous　and　destructive　offence；　which　surely　could　have　got　to

no　greater　height　though　we　had　had　no　Police　but　our　own　riding…

whips　and　walking…sticks　…　the　Police　to　which　I　myself　appeal　on

these　occasions。　　The　throwing　of　stones　at　the　windows　of　railway

carriages　in　motion　…　an　act　of　wanton　wickedness　with　the　very

Arch…Fiend's　hand　in　it　…　had　become　a　crying　evil；　when　the

railway　companies　forced　it　on　Police　notice。　　Constabular

contemplation　had　until　then　been　the　order　of　the　day。



Within　these　twelve　months；　there　arose　among　the　young　gentlemen

of　London　aspiring　to　Ruffianism；　and　cultivating　that　much…

encouraged　social　art；　a　facetious　cry　of　'I'll　have　this！'

accompanied　with　a　clutch　at　some　article　of　a　passing　lady's

dress。　　I　have　known　a　lady's　veil　to　be　thus　humorously　torn　from

her　face　and　carried　off　in　the　open　streets　at　noon；　and　I　have

had　the　honour　of　myself　giving　chase；　on　Westminster　Bridge；　to

another　young　Ruffian；　who；　in　full　daylight　early　on　a　summer

evening；　had　nearly　thrown　a　modest　young　woman　into　a　swoon　of

indignation　and　confusion；　by　his　shameful　manner　of　attacking　her

with　this　cry　as　she　harmlessly　passed　along　before　me。　　MR。

CARLYLE；　some　time　since；　awakened　a　little　pleasantry　by　writing

of　his　own　experience　of　the　Ruffian　of　the　streets。　　I　have　seen

the　Ruffian　act　in　exact　accordance　with　Mr。　Carlyle's　description；

innumerable　times；　and　I　never　saw　him　checked。



The　blaring　use　of　the　very　worst　language　possible；　in　our　public

thoroughfares　…　especially　in　those　set　apart　for　recreation　…　is

another　disgrace　to　us；　and　another　result　of　constabular

contemplation；　the　like　of　which　I　have　never　heard　in　any　other

country　to　which　my　uncommercial　travels　have　extended。　　Years　ago；

when　I　had　a　near　interest　in　certain　children　who　were　sent　with

their　nurses；　for　air　and　exercise；　into　the　Regent's　Park；　I　found

this　evil　to　be　so　abhorrent　and　horrible　there；　that　I　called

public　attention　to　it；　and　also　to　its　contemplative　reception　by

the　Police。　　Looking　afterwards　into　the　newest　Police　Act；　and

finding　that　the　offence　was　punishable　under　it；　I　resolved；　when

striking　occasion　should　arise；　to　try　my　hand　as　prosecutor。　　The

occasion　arose　soon　enough；　and　I　ran　the　following　gauntlet。



The　utterer　of　the　base　coin　in　question　was　a　girl　of　seventeen　or

eighteen；　who；　with　a　suitable　attendance　of　blackguards；　youths；

and　boys；　was　flaunting　along　the　streets；　returning　from　an　Irish

funeral；　in　a　Progress　interspersed　with　singing　and　dancing。　　She

had　turned　round　to　me　and　expressed　herself　in　the　most　audible

manner；　to　the　great　delight　of　that　select　circle。　　I　attended　the

party；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way；　for　a　mile　further；　and

then　encountered　a　Police…constable。　　The　party　had　made　themselves

merry　at　my　expense　until　now；　but　seeing　me　speak　to　the

constable；　its　male　members　instantly　took　to　their　heels；　leaving

the　girl　alone。　　I　asked　the　constable　did　he　know　my　name？　　Yes；

he　did。　　'Take　that　girl　into　custody；　on　my　charge；　for　using　bad

language　in　the　streets。'　　He　had　never　heard　of　such　a　charge。　　I

had。　　Would　he　take　my　word　that　he　should　get　into　no　trouble？

Yes；　sir；　he　would　do　that。　　So　he　took　the　girl；　and　I　went　home

for　my　Police　Act。



With　this　potent　instrument　in　my　pocket；　I　literally　as　well　as

figuratively　'returned　to　the　charge；'　and　presented　myself　at　the

Police　Station　of　the　district。　　There；　I　found　on　duty　a　very

intelligent　Inspector　（they　are　all　intelligent　men）；　who；

likewise；　had　never　heard　of　such　a　charge。　　I　showed　him　my

clause；　and　we　went　over　it　together　twice　or　thrice。　　It　was

plain；　and　I　engaged　to　wait　upon　the　suburban　Magistrate　to…morrow

morning　at　ten　o'clock。



In　the　morning　I　put　my　Police　Act　in　my　pocket　again；　and　waited

on　the　suburban　Magistrate。　　I　was　not　quite　so　courteously

received　by　him　as　I　should　have　been　by　The　Lord　Chancellor　or　The

Lord　Chief　Justice；　but　that　was　a　question　of　good　breeding　on　the

suburban　Magistrate's　part；　and　I　had　my　clause　ready　with　its　leaf

turned　down。　　Which　was　enough　for　ME。



Conference　took　place　between　the　Magistrate　and　clerk　respecting

the　charge。　　Du