reprinted pieces-第13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！



employing　a　lot　of　ruffians　from　the　Seven　Dials　to　come　and　fight

us；　and　on　one　occasion　the　old　bill…stickers　went　to　Trafalgar

Square　to　attempt　to　post　bills；　when　they　were　given　in　custody　by

the　watchman　in　their　employ；　and　fined　at　Queen　Square　five

pounds；　as　they　would　not　allow　any　of　us　to　speak　in　the　office；

but　when　they　were　gone；　we　had　an　interview　with　the　magistrate；

who　mitigated　the　fine　to　fifteen　shillings。　　During　the　time　the

men　were　waiting　for　the　fine；　this　company　started　off　to　a

public…house　that　we　were　in　the　habit　of　using；　and　waited　for　us

coming　back；　where　a　fighting　scene　took　place　that　beggars

description。　　Shortly　after　this；　the　principal　one　day　came　and

shook　hands　with　us；　and　acknowledged　that　he　had　broken　up　the

company；　and　that　he　himself　had　lost　five　hundred　pound　in　trying

to　overthrow　us。　　We　then　took　possession　of　the　hoarding　in

Trafalgar　Square；　but　Messrs。　Grissell　and　Peto　would　not　allow　us

to　post　our　bills　on　the　said　hoarding　without　paying　them　…　and

from　first　to　last　we　paid　upwards　of　two　hundred　pounds　for　that

hoarding；　and　likewise　the　hoarding　of　the　Reform　Club…house；　Pall

Mall。〃'



His　Majesty；　being　now　completely　out　of　breath；　laid　down　his

scroll　（which　he　appeared　to　have　finished）；　puffed　at　his　pipe；

and　took　some　rum…and…water。　　I　embraced　the　opportunity　of　asking

how　many　divisions　the　art　and　mystery　of　bill…sticking　comprised？

He　replied；　three　…　auctioneers'　bill…sticking；　theatrical　bill…

sticking；　general　bill…sticking。



'The　auctioneers'　porters；'　said　the　King；　'who　do　their　bill…

sticking；　are　mostly　respectable　and　intelligent；　and　generally

well　paid　for　their　work；　whether　in　town　or　country。　　The　price

paid　by　the　principal　auctioneers　for　country　work　is　nine

shillings　per　day；　that　is；　seven　shillings　for　day's　work；　one

shilling　for　lodging；　and　one　for　paste。　　Town　work　is　five

shillings　a　day；　including　paste。'



'Town　work　must　be　rather　hot　work；'　said　I；　'if　there　be　many　of

those　fighting　scenes　that　beggar　description；　among　the　bill…

stickers？'



'Well；'　replied　the　King；　'I　an't　a　stranger；　I　assure　you；　to

black　eyes；　a　bill…sticker　ought　to　know　how　to　handle　his　fists　a

bit。　　As　to　that　row　I　have　mentioned；　that　grew　out　of

competition；　conducted　in　an　uncompromising　spirit。　　Besides　a　man

in　a　horse…and…shay　continually　following　us　about；　the　company　had

a　watchman　on　duty；　night　and　day；　to　prevent　us　sticking　bills

upon　the　hoarding　in　Trafalgar　Square。　　We　went　there；　early　one

morning；　to　stick　bills　and　to　black…wash　their　bills　if　we　were

interfered　with。　　We　WERE　interfered　with；　and　I　gave　the　word　for

laying　on　the　wash。　　It　WAS　laid　on　…　pretty　brisk　…　and　we　were

all　taken　to　Queen　Square：　but　they　couldn't　fine　ME。　　I　knew

that；'　…　with　a　bright　smile　…　'I'd　only　give　directions　…　I　was

only　the　General。'　　Charmed　with　this　monarch's　affability；　I

inquired　if　he　had　ever　hired　a　hoarding　himself。



'Hired　a　large　one；'　he　replied；　'opposite　the　Lyceum　Theatre；　when

the　buildings　was　there。　　Paid　thirty　pound　for　it；　let　out　places

on　it；　and　called　it　〃The　External　Paper…Hanging　Station。〃　　But　it

didn't　answer。　　Ah！'　said　His　Majesty　thoughtfully；　as　he　filled

the　glass；　'Bill…stickers　have　a　deal　to　contend　with。　　The　bill…

sticking　clause　was　got　into　the　Police　Act　by　a　member　of

Parliament　that　employed　me　at　his　election。　　The　clause　is　pretty

stiff　respecting　where　bills　go；　but　HE　didn't　mind　where　HIS　bills

went。　　It　was　all　right　enough；　so　long　as　they　was　HIS　bills！'



Fearful　that　I　observed　a　shadow　of　misanthropy　on　the　King's

cheerful　face；　I　asked　whose　ingenious　invention　that　was；　which　I

greatly　admired；　of　sticking　bills　under　the　arches　of　the　bridges。



'Mine！'　said　His　Majesty。　　'I　was　the　first　that　ever　stuck　a　bill

under　a　bridge！　　Imitators　soon　rose　up；　of　course。　…　When　don't

they？　　But　they　stuck　'em　at　low…water；　and　the　tide　came　and　swept

the　bills　clean　away。　　I　knew　that！'　　The　King　laughed。



'What　may　be　the　name　of　that　instrument；　like　an　immense　fishing…

rod；'　I　inquired；　'with　which　bills　are　posted　on　high　places？'



'The　joints；'　returned　His　Majesty。　　'Now；　we　use　the　joints　where

formerly　we　used　ladders　…　as　they　do　still　in　country　places。

Once；　when　Madame'　（Vestris；　understood）　'was　playing　in　Liverpool；

another　bill…sticker　and　me　were　at　it　together　on　the　wall　outside

the　Clarence　Dock　…　me　with　the　joints　…　him　on　a　ladder。　　Lord！　　I

had　my　bill　up；　right　over　his　head；　yards　above　him；　ladder　and

all；　while　he　was　crawling　to　his　work。　　The　people　going　in　and

out　of　the　docks；　stood　and　laughed！　…　It's　about　thirty　years

since　the　joints　come　in。'



'Are　there　any　bill…stickers　who　can't　read？'　I　took　the　liberty　of

inquiring。



'Some；'　said　the　King。　　'But　they　know　which　is　the　right　side

up'ards　of　their　work。　　They　keep　it　as　it's　given　out　to　'em。　　I

have　seen　a　bill　or　so　stuck　wrong　side　up'ards。　　But　it's　very

rare。'



Our　discourse　sustained　some　interruption　at　this　point；　by　the

procession　of　cars　occasioning　a　stoppage　of　about　three…quarters

of　a　mile　in　length；　as　nearly　as　I　could　judge。　　His　Majesty；

however；　entreating　me　not　to　be　discomposed　by　the　contingent

uproar；　smoked　with　great　placidity；　and　surveyed　the　firmament。



When　we　were　again　in　motion；　I　begged　to　be　informed　what　was　the

largest　poster　His　Majesty　had　ever　seen。　　The　King　replied；　'A

thirty…six　sheet　poster。'　　I　gathered；　also；　that　there　were　about

a　hundred　and　fifty　bill…stickers　in　London；　and　that　His　Majesty

considered　an　average　hand　equal　to　the　posting　of　one　hundred

bills　（single　sheets）　in　a　day。　　The　King　was　of　opinion；　that；

although　posters　had　much　increased　in　size；　they　had　not　increased

in　number；　as　the　abolition　of　the　State　Lotteries　had　occasioned　a

great　falling　off；　especially　in　the　country。　　Over　and　above　which

change；　I　bethought　myself　that　the　custom　of　advertising　in

newspapers　had　greatly　increased。　　The　completion　of　many　London

improvements；　as　Trafalgar　Square　（I　particularly　observed　the

singularity　of　His　Majesty's　calling　THAT　an　improvement）；　the

Royal　Exchange；　&c。；　had　of　late　years　reduced　the　number　of

advantageous　posting…places。　　Bill…Stickers　at　present　rather

confine　themselves　to　districts；　than　to　particular　descriptions　of

work。　　One　man　would　strike　over　Whitechapel；　another　would　take

round　Houndsditch；　Shoreditch；　and　the　City　Road；　one　（the　King

said）　would　stick　to　the　Surrey　side；　another　would　make　a　beat　of

the　West…end。



His　Majesty　remarked；　with　some　approach　to　severity；　on　the

neglect　of　delicacy　and　taste；　gradually　introduced　into　the　trade

by　the　new　school：　a　profligate　and　inferior　race　of　impostors　who

took　jobs　at　almost　any　price；　to　the　detriment　of　the　old　school；

and　the　confusion　of　their　own　misguided　employers。　　He　considered

that　the　trade　was　overdone　with　competition；　and　observed　speaking

of　his　subjects；　'There　are　too　many　of　'em。'　　He　believed；　still；

that　things　were　a　little　better　than　they　had　been；　adducing；　as　a

proof；　the　fact　that　particular　posting　places　were　now　reserved；

by　common　consent；　for　particular　posters；　those　places；　however；

must　be　regularly　occupied　by　those　posters；　or；　they　lapsed　and

fell　into　other　hands。　　It　was　of　no　use　giving　a　man　a　Drury　Lane

bill　this　week　and　not　next。　　Where　was　it　to　go？　　He　was　of

opinion　that　going　to　the　expense　of　putting　up　your　own　board　on

which　your　sticker　could　display　your　own　bills；　was　the　only

complete　way　of　posting　yourself　at　the　present　time；　but；　even　to

effect　this；　on　payment　of　a　shilling　a　week　to　the　keepers　of

steamboat　piers　and　other　such　places；　you　must　be　able；　besides；

to　give　orders　for　theatres　and　public　exhibitions；　or　you　would　be

sure　to　be　cut　out　by　somebody。　　His　Majesty　regarded　the　passion

for　orders；　as　one　of　the　most　unappeasable　appetites　of　human

nature。　　If　there　were　a　building；　or　if　there　were　repairs；　going

on；　anywhere；　you　could　generally　stand　something　and　make　it　right

with　the　foreman　of　the　works；　but；　orders　would　be　expected　from

you；　and　the　man　who　could　give　the　most　orders　was　the　man　who

would　come　off　best。　　There　was　this　other　objectionable　point；　in

orders；　that　workmen　sold　them　for　drink；　and　often　sold　them　to

persons　who　were　likewise　troubled　with　the　weakness　of　thirst：

which　led　（His　Majesty　said）　to　the　presentation　of　your　orders　at

Theatre　doors；　by　individuals　who　were　'too　shakery'　to　derive

intellectual　profit　from　the　entertainments；　and　who　brought　a

scandal　on　you。　　Finally；　His　Majesty　said　that　you　could　hardly

put　too　little　in　a　poster；　what　you　wanted；　was；　two　or　three　good

catch…lines　for　the　eye　to　rest　on　…　then；　leave　it　alone　…　and

there　you　were！



These　are　the　minutes　of　my　conversation　with　His　Majesty；　as　I

noted　them　down　shortly　afterwards。　　I　am　not　aware　that　I　have

been　betrayed　into　any　alteration　or　suppression。　　The　manner　of

the　King　was　frank　in　the　extreme；　and　he　seemed　to　me　to　avoid；　at

once　that　slight　tendency　to　repetition　which　may　have　been

observed　in　the　conversation　of　His　Majesty　King　George　the　Third；

and　…　that　slight　under…current　of　egotism　which　the　curious

observer　may　perhaps　detect　in　the　conversation　of　Napoleon

Bonaparte。



I　must　do　the　King　the　justice　to　say　that　it　was　I；　and　not　he；

who　closed　the　dialogue。　　At　this　juncture；　I　became　the　subject　of

a　remarkable　optical　delusion；　the　legs　of　my　stool　appeared　to　me

to　double　up；　the　car　to　spin　round　and　round　with　great　violence；

and　a　mist　to　arise　between　myself　and　His　Majesty。　　In　addition　to

these　sensations；　I　felt　extremely　unwell。　　I　refer　these

unpleasant　effects；　either　to　the　paste　with　which　the　posters　were

affixed　to　the　van：　which