reprinted pieces-第30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！



Livery　Stables　say　he　was　eight　year　old；　so　I　says；　as　knowing　as

possible；　〃Rising　eight。〃）　　〃Rising　eight；　is　he？〃　says　he。

〃Rising　eight；〃　says　I。　　〃Well；〃　he　says；　〃what　do　you　want　for

it？〃　　〃Why；　the　first　and　last　figure　for　the　whole　concern　is

five…and…twenty　pound！〃　　〃That's　very　cheap！〃　he　says；　looking　at

me。　　〃Ain't　it？〃　I　says。　　〃I　told　you　it　was　a　bargain！　　Now；

without　any　higgling　and　haggling　about　it；　what　I　want　is　to　sell；

and　that's　my　price。　　Further；　I'll　make　it　easy　to　you；　and　take

half　the　money　down；　and　you　can　do　a　bit　of　stiff　（1）　for　the

balance。〃



〃　Well；〃　he　says　again；　〃that's　very　cheap。〃　　〃I　believe　you；〃　says

I；　〃get　in　and　try　it；　and　you'll　buy　it。　　Come！　take　a　trial！〃



'Ecod；　he　gets　in；　and　we　get　in；　and　we　drive　along　the　road；　to

show　him　to　one　of　the　railway　clerks　that　was　hid　in　the　public…

house　window　to　identify　him。　　But　the　clerk　was　bothered；　and

didn't　know　whether　it　was　him；　or　wasn't　…　because　the　reason　why？

I'll　tell　you；　…　on　account　of　his　having　shaved　his　whiskers。

〃It's　a　clever　little　horse；〃　he　says；　〃and　trots　well；　and　the

shay　runs　light。〃　　〃Not　a　doubt　about　it；〃　I　says。　　〃And　now；　Mr。

Fikey；　I　may　as　well　make　it　all　right；　without　wasting　any　more　of

your　time。　　The　fact　is；　I'm　Inspector　Wield；　and　you're　my

prisoner。〃　　〃You　don't　mean　that？〃　he　says。　　〃I　do；　indeed。〃　　〃Then

burn　my　body；〃　says　Fikey；　〃if　this　ain't　TOO　bad！〃



'Perhaps　you　never　saw　a　man　so　knocked　over　with　surprise。　　〃I

hope　you'll　let　me　have　my　coat？〃　he　says。　　〃By　all　means。〃　　〃Well；

then；　let's　drive　to　the　factory。〃　　〃Why；　not　exactly　that；　I

think；〃　said　I；　〃I've　been　there；　once　before；　to…day。　　Suppose　we

send　for　it。〃　　He　saw　it　was　no　go；　so　he　sent　for　it；　and　put　it

on；　and　we　drove　him　up　to　London；　comfortable。'



This　reminiscence　is　in　the　height　of　its　success；　when　a　general

proposal　is　made　to　the　fresh…complexioned；　smooth…faced　officer；

with　the　strange　air　of　simplicity；　to　tell　the　'Butcher's　Story。'



The　fresh…complexioned；　smooth…faced　officer；　with　the　strange　air

of　simplicity；　began　with　a　rustic　smile；　and　in　a　soft；　wheedling

tone　of　voice；　to　relate　the　Butcher's　Story；　thus：



'It's　just　about　six　years　ago；　now；　since　information　was　given　at

Scotland　Yard　of　there　being　extensive　robberies　of　lawns　and　silks

going　on；　at　some　wholesale　houses　in　the　City。　　Directions　were

given　for　the　business　being　looked　into；　and　Straw；　and　Fendall；

and　me；　we　were　all　in　it。'



'When　you　received　your　instructions；'　said　we；　'you　went　away；　and

held　a　sort　of　Cabinet　Council　together！'



The　smooth…faced　officer　coaxingly　replied；　'Ye…es。　　Just　so。　　We

turned　it　over　among　ourselves　a　good　deal。　　It　appeared；　when　we

went　into　it；　that　the　goods　were　sold　by　the　receivers

extraordinarily　cheap　…　much　cheaper　than　they　could　have　been　if

they　had　been　honestly　come　by。　　The　receivers　were　in　the　trade；

and　kept　capital　shops　…　establishments　of　the　first　respectability

…　one　of　'em　at　the　West　End；　one　down　in　Westminster。　　After　a　lot

of　watching　and　inquiry；　and　this　and　that　among　ourselves；　we

found　that　the　job　was　managed；　and　the　purchases　of　the　stolen

goods　made；　at　a　little　public…house　near　Smithfield；　down　by　Saint

Bartholomew's；　where　the　Warehouse　Porters；　who　were　the　thieves；

took　'em　for　that　purpose；　don't　you　see？　and　made　appointments　to

meet　the　people　that　went　between　themselves　and　the　receivers。

This　public…house　was　principally　used　by　journeymen　butchers　from

the　country；　out　of　place；　and　in　want　of　situations；　so；　what　did

we　do；　but　…　ha；　ha；　ha！　…　we　agreed　that　I　should　be　dressed　up

like　a　butcher　myself；　and　go　and　live　there！'



Never；　surely；　was　a　faculty　of　observation　better　brought　to　bear

upon　a　purpose；　than　that　which　picked　out　this　officer　for　the

part。　　Nothing　in　all　creation　could　have　suited　him　better。　　Even

while　he　spoke；　he　became　a　greasy；　sleepy；　shy；　good…natured；

chuckle…headed；　unsuspicious；　and　confiding　young　butcher。　　His

very　hair　seemed　to　have　suet　in　it；　as　he　made　it　smooth　upon　his

head；　and　his　fresh　complexion　to　be　lubricated　by　large　quantities

of　animal　food。



'　…　So　I　…　ha；　ha；　ha！'　（always　with　the　confiding　snigger　of　the

foolish　young　butcher）　'so　I　dressed　myself　in　the　regular　way；

made　up　a　little　bundle　of　clothes；　and　went　to　the　public…house；

and　asked　if　I　could　have　a　lodging　there？　　They　says；　〃yes；　you

can　have　a　lodging　here；〃　and　I　got　a　bedroom；　and　settled　myself

down　in　the　tap。　　There　was　a　number　of　people　about　the　place；　and

coming　backwards　and　forwards　to　the　house；　and　first　one　says；　and

then　another　says；　〃Are　you　from　the　country；　young　man？〃　　〃Yes；〃　I

says；　〃I　am。　　I'm　come　out　of　Northamptonshire；　and　I'm　quite

lonely　here；　for　I　don't　know　London　at　all；　and　it's　such　a　mighty

big　town。〃　　〃It　IS　a　big　town；〃　they　says。　　〃Oh；　it's　a　VERY　big

town！〃　I　says。　　〃Really　and　truly　I　never　was　in　such　a　town。　　It

quite　confuses　of　me！〃　and　all　that；　you　know。



'When　some　of　the　journeymen　Butchers　that　used　the　house；　found

that　I　wanted　a　place；　they　says；　〃Oh；　we'll　get　you　a　place！〃　　And

they　actually　took　me　to　a　sight　of　places；　in　Newgate　Market；

Newport　Market；　Clare；　Carnaby　…　I　don't　know　where　all。　　But　the

wages　was　…　ha；　ha；　ha！　…　was　not　sufficient；　and　I　never　could

suit　myself；　don't　you　see？　　Some　of　the　queer　frequenters　of　the

house　were　a　little　suspicious　of　me　at　first；　and　I　was　obliged　to

be　very　cautious　indeed　how　I　communicated　with　Straw　or　Fendall。

Sometimes；　when　I　went　out；　pretending　to　stop　and　look　into　the

shop　windows；　and　just　casting　my　eye　round；　I　used　to　see　some　of

'em　following　me；　but；　being　perhaps　better　accustomed　than　they

thought　for；　to　that　sort　of　thing；　I　used　to　lead　'em　on　as　far　as

I　thought　necessary　or　convenient　…　sometimes　a　long　way　…　and　then

turn　sharp　round；　and　meet　'em；　and　say；　〃Oh；　dear；　how　glad　I　am

to　come　upon　you　so　fortunate！　　This　London's　such　a　place；　I'm

blowed　if　I　ain't　lost　again！〃　　And　then　we'd　go　back　all　together；

to　the　public…house；　and　…　ha；　ha；　ha！　and　smoke　our　pipes；　don't

you　see？



'They　were　very　attentive　to　me；　I　am　sure。　　It　was　a　common　thing；

while　I　was　living　there；　for　some　of　'em　to　take　me　out；　and　show

me　London。　　They　showed　me　the　Prisons　…　showed　me　Newgate　…　and

when　they　showed　me　Newgate；　I　stops　at　the　place　where　the　Porters

pitch　their　loads；　and　says；　〃Oh　dear；　is　this　where　they　hang　the

men？　　Oh　Lor！〃　　〃That！〃　they　says；　〃what　a　simple　cove　he　is！　　THAT

ain't　it！〃　　And　then；　they　pointed　out　which　WAS　it；　and　I　says

〃Lor！〃　and　they　says；　〃Now　you'll　know　it　agen；　won't　you？〃　　And　I

said　I　thought　I　should　if　I　tried　hard　…　and　I　assure　you　I　kept　a

sharp　look　out　for　the　City　Police　when　we　were　out　in　this　way；

for　if　any　of　'em　had　happened　to　know　me；　and　had　spoke　to　me；　it

would　have　been　all　up　in　a　minute。　　However；　by　good　luck　such　a

thing　never　happened；　and　all　went　on　quiet：　though　the

difficulties　I　had　in　communicating　with　my　brother　officers　were

quite　extraordinary。



'The　stolen　goods　that　were　brought　to　the　public…house　by　the

Warehouse　Porters；　were　always　disposed　of　in　a　back　parlour。　　For

a　long　time；　I　never　could　get　into　this　parlour；　or　see　what　was

done　there。　　As　I　sat　smoking　my　pipe；　like　an　innocent　young　chap；

by　the　tap…room　fire；　I'd　hear　some　of　the　parties　to　the　robbery；

as　they　came　in　and　out；　say　softly　to　the　landlord；　〃Who's　that？

What　does　HE　do　here？〃　　〃Bless　your　soul；〃　says　the　landlord；　〃he's

only　a〃　…　ha；　ha；　ha！　…　〃he's　only　a　green　young　fellow　from　the

country；　as　is　looking　for　a　butcher's　sitiwation。　　Don't　mind

HIM！〃　　So；　in　course　of　time；　they　were　so　convinced　of　my　being

green；　and　got　to　be　so　accustomed　to　me；　that　I　was　as　free　of　the

parlour　as　any　of　'em；　and　I　have　seen　as　much　as　Seventy　Pounds'

Worth　of　fine　lawn　sold　there；　in　one　night；　that　was　stolen　from　a

warehouse　in　Friday　Street。　　After　the　sale　the　buyers　always　stood

treat　…　hot　supper；　or　dinner；　or　what　not　…　and　they'd　say　on

those　occasions；　〃Come　on；　Butcher！　　Put　your　best　leg　foremost；

young　'un；　and　walk　into　it！〃　　Which　I　used　to　do　…　and　hear；　at

table；　all　manner　of　particulars　that　it　was　very　important　for　us

Detectives　to　know。



'This　went　on　for　ten　weeks。　　I　lived　in　the　public…house　all　the

time；　and　never　was　out　of　the　Butcher's　dress　…　except　in　bed。　　At

last；　when　I　had　followed　seven　of　the　thieves；　and　set　'em　to

rights　…　that's　an　expression　of　ours；　don't　you　see；　by　which　I

mean　to　say　that　I　traced　'em；　and　found　out　where　the　robberies

were　done；　and　all　about　'em　…　Straw；　and　Fendall；　and　I；　gave　one

another　the　office；　and　at　a　time　agreed　upon；　a　descent　was　made

upon　the　public…house；　and　the　apprehensions　effected。　　One　of　the

first　things　the　officers　did；　was　to　collar　me　…　for　the　parties

to　the　robbery　weren't　to　suppose　yet；　that　I　was　anything　but　a

Butcher　…　on　which　the　landlord　cries　out；　〃Don't　take　HIM；〃　he

says；　〃whatever　you　do！　　He's　only　a　poor　young　chap　from　the

country；　and　butter　wouldn't　melt　in　his　mouth！〃　　However；　they　…

ha；　ha；　ha！　…　they　took　me；　and　pretended　to　search　my　bedroom；

where　nothing　was　found　but　an　old　fiddle　belonging　to　the

landlord；　that　had　got　there　somehow　or　another。　　But；　it　entirely

changed　the　landlord's　opinion；　for　when　it　was　produced；　he　says；

〃My　fiddle！　　The　Butcher's　a　purloiner！　　I　give　him　into　custody

for　the　robbery　of　a　musical　instrument！〃



'The　man　that　had　stolen　the　goods　in　Friday　Street　was　not　taken

yet。　　He　had　told　me；　in　confidence；　that　he　had　his　suspicions

there　was　something　wrong　（on　account　of　the　City　Police　having

captured　one　of　the　party）；　and　that　he　was　going　to　make　himself

scarce。　　I　asked　him；　〃Where　do　you　mean　to　go；　Mr。　Shep