reprinted pieces-第36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！



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

reading　a　Sunday　paper）　is　a　pupil　of　mine。　　I'm　a　teaching　of　him

to　read；　sir。　　He's　a　promising　cove；　sir。　　He's　a　smith；　he　is；

and　gets　his　living　by　the　sweat　of　the　brow；　sir。　　So　do　I；

myself；　sir。　　This　young　woman　is　my　sister；　Mr。　Field。　　SHE'S

getting　on　very　well　too。　　I've　a　deal　of　trouble　with　'em；　sir；

but　I'm　richly　rewarded；　now　I　see　'em　all　a　doing　so　well；　and

growing　up　so　creditable。　　That's　a　great　comfort；　that　is；　an't

it；　sir？　…　In　the　midst　of　the　kitchen　（the　whole　kitchen　is　in

ecstasies　with　this　impromptu　'chaff'）　sits　a　young；　modest；

gentle…looking　creature；　with　a　beautiful　child　in　her　lap。　　She

seems　to　belong　to　the　company；　but　is　so　strangely　unlike　it。　　She

has　such　a　pretty；　quiet　face　and　voice；　and　is　so　proud　to　hear

the　child　admired　…　thinks　you　would　hardly　believe　that　he　is　only

nine　months　old！　　Is　she　as　bad　as　the　rest；　I　wonder？

Inspectorial　experience　does　not　engender　a　belief　contrariwise；

but　prompts　the　answer；　Not　a　ha'porth　of　difference！



There　is　a　piano　going　in　the　old　Farm　House　as　we　approach。　　It

stops。　　Landlady　appears。　　Has　no　objections；　Mr。　Field；　to

gentlemen　being　brought；　but　wishes　it　were　at　earlier　hours；　the

lodgers　complaining　of　ill…conwenience。　　Inspector　Field　is　polite

and　soothing　…　knows　his　woman　and　the　sex。　　Deputy　（a　girl　in　this

case）　shows　the　way　up　a　heavy；　broad　old　staircase；　kept　very

clean；　into　clean　rooms　where　many　sleepers　are；　and　where　painted

panels　of　an　older　time　look　strangely　on　the　truckle　beds。　　The

sight　of　whitewash　and　the　smell　of　soap　…　two　things　we　seem　by

this　time　to　have　parted　from　in　infancy　…　make　the　old　Farm　House

a　phenomenon；　and　connect　themselves　with　the　so　curiously

misplaced　picture　of　the　pretty　mother　and　child　long　after　we　have

left　it；　…　long　after　we　have　left；　besides；　the　neighbouring　nook

with　something　of　a　rustic　flavour　in　it　yet；　where　once；　beneath　a

low　wooden　colonnade　still　standing　as　of　yore；　the　eminent　Jack

Sheppard　condescended　to　regale　himself；　and　where；　now；　two　old

bachelor　brothers　in　broad　hats　（who　are　whispered　in　the　Mint　to

have　made　a　compact　long　ago　that　if　either　should　ever　marry；　he

must　forfeit　his　share　of　the　joint　property）　still　keep　a

sequestered　tavern；　and　sit　o'　nights　smoking　pipes　in　the　bar；

among　ancient　bottles　and　glasses；　as　our　eyes　behold　them。



How　goes　the　night　now？　　Saint　George　of　Southwark　answers　with

twelve　blows　upon　his　bell。　　Parker；　good　night；　for　Williams　is

already　waiting　over　in　the　region　of　Ratcliffe　Highway；　to　show

the　houses　where　the　sailors　dance。



I　should　like　to　know　where　Inspector　Field　was　born。　　In　Ratcliffe

Highway；　I　would　have　answered　with　confidence；　but　for　his　being

equally　at　home　wherever　we　go。　　HE　does　not　trouble　his　head　as　I

do；　about　the　river　at　night。　　HE　does　not　care　for　its　creeping；

black　and　silent；　on　our　right　there；　rushing　through　sluice…gates；

lapping　at　piles　and　posts　and　iron　rings；　hiding　strange　things　in

its　mud；　running　away　with　suicides　and　accidentally　drowned　bodies

faster　than　midnight　funeral　should；　and　acquiring　such　various

experience　between　its　cradle　and　its　grave。　　It　has　no　mystery　for

HIM。　　Is　there　not　the　Thames　Police！



Accordingly；　Williams　leads　the　way。　　We　are　a　little　late；　for

some　of　the　houses　are　already　closing。　　No　matter。　　You　show　us

plenty。　　All　the　landlords　know　Inspector　Field。　　All　pass　him；

freely　and　good…humouredly；　wheresoever　he　wants　to　go。　　So

thoroughly　are　all　these　houses　open　to　him　and　our　local　guide；

that；　granting　that　sailors　must　be　entertained　in　their　own　way　…

as　I　suppose　they　must；　and　have　a　right　to　be　…　I　hardly　know　how

such　places　could　be　better　regulated。　　Not　that　I　call　the　company

very　select；　or　the　dancing　very　graceful　…　even　so　graceful　as

that　of　the　German　Sugar　Bakers；　whose　assembly；　by　the　Minories；

we　stopped　to　visit　…　but　there　is　watchful　maintenance　of　order　in

every　house；　and　swift　expulsion　where　need　is。　　Even　in　the　midst

of　drunkenness；　both　of　the　lethargic　kind　and　the　lively；　there　is

sharp　landlord　supervision；　and　pockets　are　in　less　peril　than　out

of　doors。　　These　houses　show；　singularly；　how　much　of　the

picturesque　and　romantic　there　truly　is　in　the　sailor；　requiring　to

be　especially　addressed。　　All　the　songs　（sung　in　a　hailstorm　of

halfpence；　which　are　pitched　at　the　singer　without　the　least

tenderness　for　the　time　or　tune　…　mostly　from　great　rolls　of　copper

carried　for　the　purpose　…　and　which　he　occasionally　dodges　like

shot　as　they　fly　near　his　head）　are　of　the　sentimental　sea　sort。

All　the　rooms　are　decorated　with　nautical　subjects。　　Wrecks；

engagements；　ships　on　fire；　ships　passing　lighthouses　on　iron…bound

coasts；　ships　blowing　up；　ships　going　down；　ships　running　ashore；

men　lying　out　upon　the　main…yard　in　a　gale　of　wind；　sailors　and

ships　in　every　variety　of　peril；　constitute　the　illustrations　of

fact。　　Nothing　can　be　done　in　the　fanciful　way；　without　a　thumping

boy　upon　a　scaly　dolphin。



How　goes　the　night　now？　　Past　one。　　Black　and　Green　are　waiting　in

Whitechapel　to　unveil　the　mysteries　of　Wentworth　Street。　　Williams；

the　best　of　friends　must　part。　　Adieu！



Are　not　Black　and　Green　ready　at　the　appointed　place？　　O　yes！　　They

glide　out　of　shadow　as　we　stop。　　Imperturbable　Black　opens　the　cab…

door；　Imperturbable　Green　takes　a　mental　note　of　the　driver。　　Both

Green　and　Black　then　open　each　his　flaming　eye；　and　marshal　us　the

way　that　we　are　going。



The　lodging…house　we　want　is　hidden　in　a　maze　of　streets　and

courts。　　It　is　fast　shut。　　We　knock　at　the　door；　and　stand　hushed

looking　up　for　a　light　at　one　or　other　of　the　begrimed　old　lattice

windows　in　its　ugly　front；　when　another　constable　comes　up　…

supposes　that　we　want　'to　see　the　school。'　　Detective　Sergeant

meanwhile　has　got　over　a　rail；　opened　a　gate；　dropped　down　an　area；

overcome　some　other　little　obstacles；　and　tapped　at　a　window。　　Now

returns。　　The　landlord　will　send　a　deputy　immediately。



Deputy　is　heard　to　stumble　out　of　bed。　　Deputy　lights　a　candle；

draws　back　a　bolt　or　two；　and　appears　at　the　door。　　Deputy　is　a

shivering　shirt　and　trousers　by　no　means　clean；　a　yawning　face；　a

shock　head　much　confused　externally　and　internally。　　We　want　to

look　for　some　one。　　You　may　go　up　with　the　light；　and　take　'em　all；

if　you　like；　says　Deputy；　resigning　it；　and　sitting　down　upon　a

bench　in　the　kitchen　with　his　ten　fingers　sleepily　twisting　in　his

hair。



Halloa　here！　　Now　then！　　Show　yourselves。　　That'll　do。　　It's　not

you。　　Don't　disturb　yourself　any　more！　　So　on；　through　a　labyrinth

of　airless　rooms；　each　man　responding；　like　a　wild　beast；　to　the

keeper　who　has　tamed　him；　and　who　goes　into　his　cage。　　What；　you

haven't　found　him；　then？　says　Deputy；　when　we　came　down。　　A　woman

mysteriously　sitting　up　all　night　in　the　dark　by　the　smouldering

ashes　of　the　kitchen　fire；　says　it's　only　tramps　and　cadgers　here；

it's　gonophs　over　the　way。　　A　man　mysteriously　walking　about　the

kitchen　all　night　in　the　dark；　bids　her　hold　her　tongue。　　We　come

out。　　Deputy　fastens　the　door　and　goes　to　bed　again。



Black　and　Green；　you　know　Bark；　lodging…house　keeper　and　receiver

of　stolen　goods？　…　O　yes；　Inspector　Field。　…　Go　to　Bark's　next。



Bark　sleeps　in　an　inner　wooden　hutch；　near　his　street　door。　　As　we

parley　on　the　step　with　Bark's　Deputy；　Bark　growls　in　his　bed。　　We

enter；　and　Bark　flies　out　of　bed。　　Bark　is　a　red　villain　and　a

wrathful；　with　a　sanguine　throat　that　looks　very　much　as　if　it　were

expressly　made　for　hanging；　as　he　stretches　it　out；　in　pale

defiance；　over　the　half…door　of　his　hutch。　　Bark's　parts　of　speech

are　of　an　awful　sort　…　principally　adjectives。　　I　won't；　says　Bark；

have　no　adjective　police　and　adjective　strangers　in　my　adjective

premises！　　I　won't；　by　adjective　and　substantive！　　Give　me　my

trousers；　and　I'll　send　the　whole　adjective　police　to　adjective　and

substantive！　　Give　me；　says　Bark；　my　adjective　trousers！　　I'll　put

an　adjective　knife　in　the　whole　bileing　of　'em。　　I'll　punch　their

adjective　heads。　　I'll　rip　up　their　adjective　substantives。　　Give

me　my　adjective　trousers！　says　Bark；　and　I'll　spile　the　bileing　of

'em！



Now；　Bark；　what's　the　use　of　this？　　Here's　Black　and　Green；

Detective　Sergeant；　and　Inspector　Field。　　You　know　we　will　come　in。

…　I　know　you　won't！　says　Bark。　　Somebody　give　me　my　adjective

trousers！　　Bark's　trousers　seem　difficult　to　find。　　He　calls　for

them　as　Hercules　might　for　his　club。　　Give　me　my　adjective

trousers！　says　Bark；　and　I'll　spile　the　bileing　of　'em！



Inspector　Field　holds　that　it's　all　one　whether　Bark　likes　the

visit　or　don't　like　it。　　He；　Inspector　Field；　is　an　Inspector　of

the　Detective　Police；　Detective　Sergeant　IS　Detective　Sergeant；

Black　and　Green　are　constables　in　uniform。　　Don't　you　be　a　fool；

Bark；　or　you　know　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you。　…　I　don't　care；

says　Bark。　　Give　me　my　adjective　trousers！



At　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　we　descend　into　Bark's　low　kitchen；

leaving　Bark　to　foam　at　the　mouth　above；　and　Imperturbable　Black

and　Green　to　look　at　him。　　Bark's　kitchen　is　crammed　full　of

thieves；　holding　a　CONVERSAZIONE　there　by　lamp…light。　　It　is　by　far

the　most　dangerous　assembly　we　have　seen　yet。　　Stimulated　by　the

ravings　of　Bark；　above；　their　looks　are　sullen；　but　not　a　man

speaks。　　We　ascend　again。　　Bark　has　got　his　trousers；　and　is　in　a

state　of　madness　in　the　passage　with　his　back　against　a　door　that

shuts　off　the　upper　staircase。　　We　observe；　in　other　respects；　a

ferocious　individuality　in　Bark。　　Instead　of　'STOP　THIEF！'　on　his

linen；　he　prints　'STOLEN　FROM　Bark's！'



Now；　Bark；　we　are　going　up…stairs！　…　No；　you　ain't！　…　YOU　refuse

admission　to　the　Police；　do　you；　Bark？　…　Yes；　I　do！　　I　refuse　it　to

all　the　adjective　poli