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blurred；　as　if　we　saw　them　through　tears。　　A　damp　wind　blows　and

rakes　the　pieman's　fire　out；　when　he　opens　the　door　of　his　little

furnace；　carrying　away　an　eddy　of　sparks。



Saint　Giles's　clock　strikes　nine。　　We　are　punctual。　　Where　is

Inspector　Field？　　Assistant　Commissioner　of　Police　is　already　here；

enwrapped　in　oil…skin　cloak；　and　standing　in　the　shadow　of　Saint

Giles's　steeple。　　Detective　Sergeant；　weary　of　speaking　French　all

day　to　foreigners　unpacking　at　the　Great　Exhibition；　is　already

here。　　Where　is　Inspector　Field？



Inspector　Field　is；　to…night；　the　guardian　genius　of　the　British

Museum。　　He　is　bringing　his　shrewd　eye　to　bear　on　every　corner　of

its　solitary　galleries；　before　he　reports　'all　right。'　　Suspicious

of　the　Elgin　marbles；　and　not　to　be　done　by　cat…faced　Egyptian

giants　with　their　hands　upon　their　knees；　Inspector　Field；

sagacious；　vigilant；　lamp　in　hand；　throwing　monstrous　shadows　on

the　walls　and　ceilings；　passes　through　the　spacious　rooms。　　If　a

mummy　trembled　in　an　atom　of　its　dusty　covering；　Inspector　Field

would　say；　'Come　out　of　that；　Tom　Green。　　I　know　you！'　　If　the

smallest　'Gonoph'　about　town　were　crouching　at　the　bottom　of　a

classic　bath；　Inspector　Field　would　nose　him　with　a　finer　scent

than　the　ogre's；　when　adventurous　Jack　lay　trembling　in　his　kitchen

copper。　　But　all　is　quiet；　and　Inspector　Field　goes　warily　on；

making　little　outward　show　of　attending　to　anything　in　particular；

just　recognising　the　Ichthyosaurus　as　a　familiar　acquaintance；　and

wondering；　perhaps；　how　the　detectives　did　it　in　the　days　before

the　Flood。



Will　Inspector　Field　be　long　about　this　work？　　He　may　be　half…an…

hour　longer。　　He　sends　his　compliments　by　Police　Constable；　and

proposes　that　we　meet　at　St。　Giles's　Station　House；　across　the

road。　　Good。　　It　were　as　well　to　stand　by　the　fire；　there；　as　in

the　shadow　of　Saint　Giles's　steeple。



Anything　doing　here　to…night？　　Not　much。　　We　are　very　quiet。　　A

lost　boy；　extremely　calm　and　small；　sitting　by　the　fire；　whom　we

now　confide　to　a　constable　to　take　home；　for　the　child　says　that　if

you　show　him　Newgate　Street；　he　can　show　you　where　he　lives　…　a

raving　drunken　woman　in　the　cells；　who　has　screeched　her　voice

away；　and　has　hardly　power　enough　left　to　declare；　even　with　the

passionate　help　of　her　feet　and　arms；　that　she　is　the　daughter　of　a

British　officer；　and；　strike　her　blind　and　dead；　but　she'll　write　a

letter　to　the　Queen！　but　who　is　soothed　with　a　drink　of　water　…　in

another　cell；　a　quiet　woman　with　a　child　at　her　breast；　for　begging

…　in　another；　her　husband　in　a　smock…frock；　with　a　basket　of

watercresses　…　in　another；　a　pickpocket　…　in　another；　a　meek

tremulous　old　pauper　man　who　has　been　out　for　a　holiday　'and　has

took　but　a　little　drop；　but　it　has　overcome　him　after　so　many

months　in　the　house'　…　and　that's　all　as　yet。　　Presently；　a

sensation　at　the　Station　House　door。　　Mr。　Field；　gentlemen！



Inspector　Field　comes　in；　wiping　his　forehead；　for　he　is　of　a　burly

figure；　and　has　come　fast　from　the　ores　and　metals　of　the　deep

mines　of　the　earth；　and　from　the　Parrot　Gods　of　the　South　Sea

Islands；　and　from　the　birds　and　beetles　of　the　tropics；　and　from

the　Arts　of　Greece　and　Rome；　and　from　the　Sculptures　of　Nineveh；

and　from　the　traces　of　an　elder　world；　when　these　were　not。　　Is

Rogers　ready？　　Rogers　is　ready；　strapped　and　great…coated；　with　a

flaming　eye　in　the　middle　of　his　waist；　like　a　deformed　Cyclops。

Lead　on；　Rogers；　to　Rats'　Castle！



How　many　people　may　there　be　in　London；　who；　if　we　had　brought　them

deviously　and　blindfold；　to　this　street；　fifty　paces　from　the

Station　House；　and　within　call　of　Saint　Giles's　church；　would　know

it　for　a　not　remote　part　of　the　city　in　which　their　lives　are

passed？　　How　many；　who　amidst　this　compound　of　sickening　smells；

these　heaps　of　filth；　these　tumbling　houses；　with　all　their　vile

contents；　animate；　and　inanimate；　slimily　overflowing　into　the

black　road；　would　believe　that　they　breathe　THIS　air？　　How　much　Red

Tape　may　there　be；　that　could　look　round　on　the　faces　which　now　hem

us　in　…　for　our　appearance　here　has　caused　a　rush　from　all　points

to　a　common　centre　…　the　lowering　foreheads；　the　sallow　cheeks；　the

brutal　eyes；　the　matted　hair；　the　infected；　vermin…haunted　heaps　of

rags　…　and　say；　'I　have　thought　of　this。　　I　have　not　dismissed　the

thing。　　I　have　neither　blustered　it　away；　nor　frozen　it　away；　nor

tied　it　up　and　put　it　away；　nor　smoothly　said　pooh；　pooh！　to　it

when　it　has　been　shown　to　me？'



This　is　not　what　Rogers　wants　to　know；　however。　　What　Rogers　wants

to　know；　is；　whether　you　WILL　clear　the　way　here；　some　of　you；　or

whether　you　won't；　because　if　you　don't　do　it　right　on　end；　he'll

lock　you　up！　　'What！　　YOU　are　there；　are　you；　Bob　Miles？　　You

haven't　had　enough　of　it　yet；　haven't　you？　　You　want　three　months

more；　do　you？　　Come　away　from　that　gentleman！　　What　are　you

creeping　round　there　for？'



'What　am　I　a　doing；　thinn；　Mr。　Rogers？'　says　Bob　Miles；　appearing；

villainous；　at　the　end　of　a　lane　of　light；　made　by　the　lantern。



'I'll　let　you　know　pretty　quick；　if　you　don't　hook　it。　　WILL　you

hook　it？'



A　sycophantic　murmur　rises　from　the　crowd。　　'Hook　it；　Bob；　when　Mr。

Rogers　and　Mr。　Field　tells　you！　　Why　don't　you　hook　it；　when　you

are　told　to？'



The　most　importunate　of　the　voices　strikes　familiarly　on　Mr。

Rogers's　ear。　　He　suddenly　turns　his　lantern　on　the　owner。



'What！　　YOU　are　there；　are　you；　Mister　Click？　　You　hook　it　too　…

come！'



'What　for？'　says　Mr。　Click；　discomfited。



'You　hook　it；　will　you！'　says　Mr。　Rogers　with　stern　emphasis。



Both　Click　and　Miles　DO　'hook　it；'　without　another　word；　or；　in

plainer　English；　sneak　away。



'Close　up　there；　my　men！'　says　Inspector　Field　to　two　constables　on

duty　who　have　followed。　　'Keep　together；　gentlemen；　we　are　going

down　here。　　Heads！'



Saint　Giles's　church　strikes　half…past　ten。　　We　stoop　low；　and

creep　down　a　precipitous　flight　of　steps　into　a　dark　close　cellar。

There　is　a　fire。　　There　is　a　long　deal　table。　　There　are　benches。

The　cellar　is　full　of　company；　chiefly　very　young　men　in　various

conditions　of　dirt　and　raggedness。　　Some　are　eating　supper。　　There

are　no　girls　or　women　present。　　Welcome　to　Rats'　Castle；　gentlemen；

and　to　this　company　of　noted　thieves！



'Well；　my　lads！　　How　are　you；　my　lads？　　What　have　you　been　doing

to…day？　　Here's　some　company　come　to　see　you；　my　lads！　…　THERE'S　a

plate　of　beefsteak；　sir；　for　the　supper　of　a　fine　young　man！　　And

there's　a　mouth　for　a　steak；　sir！　　Why；　I　should　be　too　proud　of

such　a　mouth　as　that；　if　I　had　it　myself！　　Stand　up　and　show　it；

sir！　　Take　off　your　cap。　　There's　a　fine　young　man　for　a　nice

little　party；　sir！　　An't　he？'



Inspector　Field　is　the　bustling　speaker。　　Inspector　Field's　eye　is

the　roving　eye　that　searches　every　corner　of　the　cellar　as　he

talks。　　Inspector　Field's　hand　is　the　well…known　hand　that　has

collared　half　the　people　here；　and　motioned　their　brothers；

sisters；　fathers；　mothers；　male　and　female　friends；　inexorably　to

New　South　Wales。　　Yet　Inspector　Field　stands　in　this　den；　the

Sultan　of　the　place。　　Every　thief　here　cowers　before　him；　like　a

schoolboy　before　his　schoolmaster。　　All　watch　him；　all　answer　when

addressed；　all　laugh　at　his　jokes；　all　seek　to　propitiate　him。

This　cellar　company　alone　…　to　say　nothing　of　the　crowd　surrounding

the　entrance　from　the　street　above；　and　making　the　steps　shine　with

eyes　…　is　strong　enough　to　murder　us　all；　and　willing　enough　to　do

it；　but；　let　Inspector　Field　have　a　mind　to　pick　out　one　thief

here；　and　take　him；　let　him　produce　that　ghostly　truncheon　from　his

pocket；　and　say；　with　his　business…air；　'My　lad；　I　want　you！'　and

all　Rats'　Castle　shall　be　stricken　with　paralysis；　and　not　a　finger

move　against　him；　as　he　fits　the　handcuffs　on！



Where's　the　Earl　of　Warwick？　…　Here　he　is；　Mr。　Field！　　Here's　the

Earl　of　Warwick；　Mr。　Field！　…　O　there　you　are；　my　Lord。　　Come

for'ard。　　There's　a　chest；　sir；　not　to　have　a　clean　shirt　on。　　An't

it？　　Take　your　hat　off；　my　Lord。　　Why；　I　should　be　ashamed　if　I　was

you　…　and　an　Earl；　too　…　to　show　myself　to　a　gentleman　with　my　hat

on！　…　The　Earl　of　Warwick　laughs　and　uncovers。　　All　the　company

laugh。　　One　pickpocket；　especially；　laughs　with　great　enthusiasm。

O　what　a　jolly　game　it　is；　when　Mr。　Field　comes　down　…　and　don't

want　nobody！



So；　YOU　are　here；　too；　are　you；　you　tall；　grey；　soldierly…looking；

grave　man；　standing　by　the　fire？　…　Yes；　sir。　　Good　evening；　Mr。

Field！　…　Let　us　see。　　You　lived　servant　to　a　nobleman　once？　…　Yes；

Mr。　Field。　…　And　what　is　it　you　do　now；　I　forget？　…　Well；　Mr。


Field；　I　job　about　as　well　as　I　can。　　I　left　my　employment　on

account　of　delicate　health。　　The　family　is　still　kind　to　me。　　Mr。

Wix　of　Piccadilly　is　also　very　kind　to　me　when　I　am　hard　up。

Likewise　Mr。　Nix　of　Oxford　Street。　　I　get　a　trifle　from　them

occasionally；　and　rub　on　as　well　as　I　can；　Mr。　Field。　　Mr。　Field's

eye　rolls　enjoyingly；　for　this　man　is　a　notorious　begging…letter

writer。　…　Good　night；　my　lads！　…　Good　night；　Mr。　Field；　and

thank'ee；　sir！



Clear　the　street　here；　half　a　thousand　of　you！　　Cut　it；　Mrs。

Stalker　…　none　of　that　…　we　don't　want　you！　　Rogers　of　the　flaming

eye；　lead　on　to　the　tramps'　lodging…house！



A　dream　of　baleful　faces　attends　to　the　door。　　Now；　stand　back　all

of　you！　　In　the　rear　Detective　Sergeant　plants　himself；　composedly

whistling；　with　his　strong　right　arm　across　the　narrow　passage。

Mrs。　Stalker；　I　am　something'd　that　need　not　be　written　here；　if

you　won't　get　yourself　into　trouble；　in　about　half　a　minute；　if　I

see　that　face　of　yours　again！



Saint　Giles's　church　clock；　striking　eleven；　hums　through　our　hand

from　the　dilapidated　door　of　a　dark　outhouse　as　we　open　it；　and　are

stricken　back　by　the　pestilent　breath　that　issues　from　within。

Rogers　to　the　front　with　the　light；　and　let　us　lo