reprinted pieces-第35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！



stricken　back　by　the　pestilent　breath　that　issues　from　within。

Rogers　to　the　front　with　the　light；　and　let　us　look！



Ten；　twenty；　thirty　…　who　can　count　them！　　Men；　women；　children；

for　the　most　part　naked；　heaped　upon　the　floor　like　maggots　in　a

cheese！　　Ho！　　In　that　dark　corner　yonder！　　Does　anybody　lie　there？

Me　sir；　Irish　me；　a　widder；　with　six　children。　　And　yonder？　　Me

sir；　Irish　me；　with　me　wife　and　eight　poor　babes。　　And　to　the　left

there？　　Me　sir；　Irish　me；　along　with　two　more　Irish　boys　as　is　me

friends。　　And　to　the　right　there？　　Me　sir　and　the　Murphy　fam'ly；

numbering　five　blessed　souls。　　And　what's　this；　coiling；　now；　about

my　foot？　　Another　Irish　me；　pitifully　in　want　of　shaving；　whom　I

have　awakened　from　sleep　…　and　across　my　other　foot　lies　his　wife　…

and　by　the　shoes　of　Inspector　Field　lie　their　three　eldest　…　and

their　three　youngest　are　at　present　squeezed　between　the　open　door

and　the　wall。　　And　why　is　there　no　one　on　that　little　mat　before

the　sullen　fire？　　Because　O'Donovan；　with　his　wife　and　daughter；　is

not　come　in　from　selling　Lucifers！　　Nor　on　the　bit　of　sacking　in

the　nearest　corner？　　Bad　luck！　　Because　that　Irish　family　is　late

to…night；　a…cadging　in　the　streets！



They　are　all　awake　now；　the　children　excepted；　and　most　of　them　sit

up；　to　stare。　　Wheresoever　Mr。　Rogers　turns　the　flaming　eye；　there

is　a　spectral　figure　rising；　unshrouded；　from　a　grave　of　rags。　　Who

is　the　landlord　here？　…　I　am；　Mr。　Field！　says　a　bundle　of　ribs　and

parchment　against　the　wall；　scratching　itself。　…　Will　you　spend

this　money　fairly；　in　the　morning；　to　buy　coffee　for　'em　all？　…

Yes；　sir；　I　will！　…　O　he'll　do　it；　sir；　he'll　do　it　fair。　　He's

honest！　cry　the　spectres。　　And　with　thanks　and　Good　Night　sink　into

their　graves　again。



Thus；　we　make　our　New　Oxford　Streets；　and　our　other　new　streets；

never　heeding；　never　asking；　where　the　wretches　whom　we　clear　out；

crowd。　　With　such　scenes　at　our　doors；　with　all　the　plagues　of

Egypt　tied　up　with　bits　of　cobweb　in　kennels　so　near　our　homes；　we

timorously　make　our　Nuisance　Bills　and　Boards　of　Health；

nonentities；　and　think　to　keep　away　the　Wolves　of　Crime　and　Filth；

by　our　electioneering　ducking　to　little　vestrymen　and　our

gentlemanly　handling　of　Red　Tape！



Intelligence　of　the　coffee…money　has　got　abroad。　　The　yard　is　full；

and　Rogers　of　the　flaming　eye　is　beleaguered　with　entreaties　to

show　other　Lodging　Houses。　　Mine　next！　　Mine！　　Mine！　　Rogers；

military；　obdurate；　stiff…necked；　immovable；　replies　not；　but　leads

away；　all　falling　back　before　him。　　Inspector　Field　follows。

Detective　Sergeant；　with　his　barrier　of　arm　across　the　little

passage；　deliberately　waits　to　close　the　procession。　　He　sees

behind　him；　without　any　effort；　and　exceedingly　disturbs　one

individual　far　in　the　rear　by　coolly　calling　out；　'It　won't　do；　Mr。

Michael！　　Don't　try　it！'



After　council　holden　in　the　street；　we　enter　other　lodging…houses；

public…houses；　many　lairs　and　holes；　all　noisome　and　offensive；

none　so　filthy　and　so　crowded　as　where　Irish　are。　　In　one；　The

Ethiopian　party　are　expected　home　presently　…　were　in　Oxford　Street

when　last　heard　of　…　shall　be　fetched；　for　our　delight；　within　ten

minutes。　　In　another；　one　of　the　two　or　three　Professors　who　drew

Napoleon　Buonaparte　and　a　couple　of　mackerel；　on　the　pavement　and

then　let　the　work　of　art　out　to　a　speculator；　is　refreshing　after

his　labours。　　In　another；　the　vested　interest　of　the　profitable

nuisance　has　been　in　one　family　for　a　hundred　years；　and　the

landlord　drives　in　comfortably　from　the　country　to　his　snug　little

stew　in　town。　　In　all；　Inspector　Field　is　received　with　warmth。

Coiners　and　smashers　droop　before　him；　pickpockets　defer　to　him；

the　gentle　sex　（not　very　gentle　here）　smile　upon　him。　　Half…drunken

hags　check　themselves　in　the　midst　of　pots　of　beer；　or　pints　of

gin；　to　drink　to　Mr。　Field；　and　pressingly　to　ask　the　honour　of　his

finishing　the　draught。　　One　beldame　in　rusty　black　has　such

admiration　for　him；　that　she　runs　a　whole　street's　length　to　shake

him　by　the　hand；　tumbling　into　a　heap　of　mud　by　the　way；　and　still

pressing　her　attentions　when　her　very　form　has　ceased　to　be

distinguishable　through　it。　　Before　the　power　of　the　law；　the　power

of　superior　sense　…　for　common　thieves　are　fools　beside　these　men　…

and　the　power　of　a　perfect　mastery　of　their　character；　the　garrison

of　Rats'　Castle　and　the　adjacent　Fortresses　make　but　a　skulking

show　indeed　when　reviewed　by　Inspector　Field。



Saint　Giles's　clock　says　it　will　be　midnight　in　half…an…hour；　and

Inspector　Field　says　we　must　hurry　to　the　Old　Mint　in　the　Borough。

The　cab…driver　is　low…spirited；　and　has　a　solemn　sense　of　his

responsibility。　　Now；　what's　your　fare；　my　lad？　…　O　YOU　know；

Inspector　Field；　what's　the　good　of　asking　ME！



Say；　Parker；　strapped　and　great…coated；　and　waiting　in　dim　Borough

doorway　by　appointment；　to　replace　the　trusty　Rogers　whom　we　left

deep　in　Saint　Giles's；　are　you　ready？　　Ready；　Inspector　Field；　and

at　a　motion　of　my　wrist　behold　my　flaming　eye。



This　narrow　street；　sir；　is　the　chief　part　of　the　Old　Mint；　full　of

low　lodging…houses；　as　you　see　by　the　transparent　canvas…lamps　and

blinds；　announcing　beds　for　travellers！　　But　it　is　greatly　changed；

friend　Field；　from　my　former　knowledge　of　it；　it　is　infinitely

quieter　and　more　subdued　than　when　I　was　here　last；　some　seven

years　ago？　　O　yes！　　Inspector　Haynes；　a　first…rate　man；　is　on　this

station　now　and　plays　the　Devil　with　them！



Well；　my　lads！　　How　are　you　to…night；　my　lads？　　Playing　cards　here；

eh？　　Who　wins？　…　Why；　Mr。　Field；　I；　the　sulky　gentleman　with　the

damp　flat　side…curls；　rubbing　my　bleared　eye　with　the　end　of　my

neckerchief　which　is　like　a　dirty　eel…skin；　am　losing　just　at

present；　but　I　suppose　I　must　take　my　pipe　out　of　my　mouth；　and　be

submissive　to　YOU　…　I　hope　I　see　you　well；　Mr。　Field？　…　Aye；　all

right；　my　lad。　　Deputy；　who　have　you　got　up…stairs？　　Be　pleased　to

show　the　rooms！



Why　Deputy；　Inspector　Field　can't　say。　　He　only　knows　that　the　man

who　takes　care　of　the　beds　and　lodgers　is　always　called　so。

Steady；　O　Deputy；　with　the　flaring　candle　in　the　blacking…bottle；

for　this　is　a　slushy　back…yard；　and　the　wooden　staircase　outside

the　house　creaks　and　has　holes　in　it。



Again；　in　these　confined　intolerable　rooms；　burrowed　out　like　the

holes　of　rats　or　the　nests　of　insect…vermin；　but　fuller　of

intolerable　smells；　are　crowds　of　sleepers；　each　on　his　foul

truckle…bed　coiled　up　beneath　a　rug。　　Holloa　here！　　Come！　　Let　us

see　you！　　Show　your　face！　　Pilot　Parker　goes　from　bed　to　bed　and

turns　their　slumbering　heads　towards　us；　as　a　salesman　might　turn

sheep。　　Some　wake　up　with　an　execration　and　a　threat。　…　What！　who

spoke？　　O！　　If　it's　the　accursed　glaring　eye　that　fixes　me；　go

where　I　will；　I　am　helpless。　　Here！　　I　sit　up　to　be　looked　at。　　Is

it　me　you　want？　　Not　you；　lie　down　again！　and　I　lie　down；　with　a

woful　growl。



Whenever　the　turning　lane　of　light　becomes　stationary　for　a　moment；

some　sleeper　appears　at　the　end　of　it；　submits　himself　to　be

scrutinised；　and　fades　away　into　the　darkness。



There　should　be　strange　dreams　here；　Deputy。　　They　sleep　sound

enough；　says　Deputy；　taking　the　candle　out　of　the　blacking…bottle；

snuffing　it　with　his　fingers；　throwing　the　snuff　into　the　bottle；

and　corking　it　up　with　the　candle；　that's　all　I　know。　　What　is　the

inscription；　Deputy；　on　all　the　discoloured　sheets？　　A　precaution

against　loss　of　linen。　　Deputy　turns　down　the　rug　of　an　unoccupied

bed　and　discloses　it。　　STOP　THIEF！



To　lie　at　night；　wrapped　in　the　legend　of　my　slinking　life；　to　take

the　cry　that　pursues　me；　waking；　to　my　breast　in　sleep；　to　have　it

staring　at　me；　and　clamouring　for　me；　as　soon　as　consciousness

returns；　to　have　it　for　my　first…foot　on　New…Year's　day；　my

Valentine；　my　Birthday　salute；　my　Christmas　greeting；　my　parting

with　the　old　year。　　STOP　THIEF！



And　to　know　that　I　MUST　be　stopped；　come　what　will。　　To　know　that　I

am　no　match　for　this　individual　energy　and　keenness；　or　this

organised　and　steady　system！　　Come　across　the　street；　here；　and；

entering　by　a　little　shop　and　yard；　examine　these　intricate

passages　and　doors；　contrived　for　escape；　flapping　and　counter…

flapping；　like　the　lids　of　the　conjurer's　boxes。　　But　what　avail

they？　　Who　gets　in　by　a　nod；　and　shows　their　secret　working　to　us？

Inspector　Field。



Don't　forget　the　old　Farm　House；　Parker！　　Parker　is　not　the　man　to

forget　it。　　We　are　going　there；　now。　　It　is　the　old　Manor…House　of

these　parts；　and　stood　in　the　country　once。　　Then；　perhaps；　there

was　something；　which　was　not　the　beastly　street；　to　see　from　the

shattered　low　fronts　of　the　overhanging　wooden　houses　we　are

passing　under　…　shut　up　now；　pasted　over　with　bills　about　the

literature　and　drama　of　the　Mint；　and　mouldering　away。　　This　long

paved　yard　was　a　paddock　or　a　garden　once；　or　a　court　in　front　of

the　Farm　House。　　Perchance；　with　a　dovecot　in　the　centre；　and　fowls

peeking　about　…　with　fair　elm　trees；　then；　where　discoloured

chimney…stacks　and　gables　are　now　…　noisy；　then；　with　rooks　which

have　yielded　to　a　different　sort　of　rookery。　　It's　likelier　than

not；　Inspector　Field　thinks；　as　we　turn　into　the　common　kitchen；

which　is　in　the　yard；　and　many　paces　from　the　house。



Well；　my　lads　and　lasses；　how　are　you　all？　　Where's　Blackey；　who

has　stood　near　London　Bridge　these　five…and…twenty　years；　with　a

painted　skin　to　represent　disease？　…　Here　he　is；　Mr。　Field！　…　How

are　you；　Blackey？　…　Jolly；　sa！　　Not　playing　the　fiddle　to…night；

Blackey？　…　Not　a　night；　sa！　　A　sharp；　smiling　youth；　the　wit　of　the

kitchen；　interposes。　　He　an't　musical　to…night；　sir。　　I've　been

giving　him　a　moral　lecture；　I've　been　a　talking　to　him　about　his

latter　end；　you　see。　　A　good　many　of　these　are　my　pupils；　sir。

This　here　young　man　（smoothing　down　the　hair　of　one　near　him；

reading　a　Sunday