a book of scoundrels(流浪之书)-第34章
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thinking of Willie Wallace upon the Castle Rock； and Lavengro's romantic
memory transformed the raw…boned pickpocket into a monumental hero；
who lacked nothing save a vast theatre to produce a vast effect。 He was a
Tamerlane； robbed of his opportunity； a valiant warrior； who looked in
vain for a battlefield； a marauder who climbed the scaffold not for the
magnitude； but for the littleness of his sins。 Thus Borrow； in complete
misunderstanding of the rascal's qualities。
Now； Haggart's ambition was as circumscribed as his ability。 He died；
as he was born； an expert cly…faker； whose achievements in sleight of hand
are as yet unparalleled。 Had the world been one vast breast pocket his
fish…hook fingers would have turned it inside out。 But it was not his to
mount a throne； or overthrow a dynasty。 ‘My forks；' he boasted； ‘are
equally long； and they never fail me。' That is at once the reason and the
justification of his triumph。 Born with a consummate artistry tingling at
his finger…tips； how should he escape the compulsion of a glorious destiny？
Without fumbling or failure he discovered the single craft for which
fortune had framed him； and he pursued it with a courage and an industry
which gave him not a kingdom； but fame and booty； exceeding even his
greedy aspiration。 No Tamerlane he； questing for a continent； but David
Haggart； the man with the long forks； happy if he snatched his neighbour's
purse。
Before all things he respected the profession which his left hand made
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inevitable； and which he pursued with unconquerable pride。 Nor in his
inspired youth was plunder his sole ambition： he cultivated the garden of
his style with the natural zeal of the artist； he frowned upon the bungler
with a lofty contempt。 His materials were simplicity itself： his forks；
which were always with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since；
sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his neck for a purse that did not
contain so much as would ‘sweeten a grawler。' At its best； his method
was always wittythat is the single word which will characterise itwitty
as a piece of Heine's prose； and as dangerous。 He would run over a man's
pockets while he spoke with him； returning what he chose to discard
without the lightest breath of suspicion。 ‘A good workman；' his
contemporaries called him； and they thought it a shame for him to be idle。
Moreover； he did not blunder unconsciously upon his triumph； he tackled
the trade in so fine a spirit of analysis that he might have been the very
Aristotle of his science。 ‘The keek…cloy；' he wrote； in his hints to young
sportsmen； ‘is easily picked。 If the notes are in the long fold just tip them
the forks； but if there is a purse or open money in the case； you must link
it。' The breast…pocket； on the other hand； is a severer test。 ‘Picking the
suck is sometimes a kittle job；' again the philosopher speaks。 ‘If the coat
is buttoned it must be opened by slipping past。 Then bring the lil down
between the flap of the coat and the body； keeping your spare arm across
your man's breast； and so slip it to a comrade； then abuse the fellow for
jostling you。'
Not only did he master the tradition of thievery； he vaunted his
originality with the familiar complacence of the scoundrel。 Forgetting
that it was by burglary that he was undone； he explains for his public
glorification that he was wont to enter the houses of Leith by forcing the
small window above the outer door。 This artifice； his vanity grumbles； is
now common； but he would have all the world understand that it was his
own invention； and he murmurs with the pedantry of the convicted
criminal that it is now set forth for the better protection of honest citizens。
No less admirable in his own eyes was that other artifice which induced
him to conceal such notes as he managed to filch in the collar of his coat。
Thus he eluded the vigilance of the police； which searched its prey in
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those days with a sorry lack of cunning。 In truth； Haggart's wits were as
nimble as his fingers； and he seldom failed to render a profitable account
of his talents。 He beguiled one of his sojourns in gaol by manufacturing
tinder wherewith to light the prisoners' pipes； and it is not astonishing that
he won a general popularity。 In Ireland； when the constables would take
him for a Scot； he answered in high Tipperary； and saved his skin for a
while by a brogue which would not have shamed a modern patriot。 But
quick as were his wits； his vanity always outstripped them； and no hero
ever bragged of his achievements with a louder effrontery。
Now all you ramblers in mourning go； For the prince of
ramblers is lying low； And all you maidens that love the game；
Put on your mourning veils again。
Thus he celebrated his downfall in a ballad that has the true Newgate
ring； and verily in his own eyes he was a hero who carried to the scaffold a
dauntless spirit unstained by treachery。
He believed himself an adept in all the arts； as a squire of dames he
held himself peerless； and he assured the ineffable Combe； who recorded
his flippant utterance with a credulous respect； that he had sacrificed
hecatombs of innocent virgins to his importunate lust。 Prose and verse
trickled with equal facility from his pen； and his biography is a
masterpiece。 Written in the pedlar's French as it was misspoken in the
hells of Edinburgh； it is a narrative of uncommon simplicity and directness；
marred now and again by such superfluous reflections as are the natural
result of thievish sentimentality。 He tells his tale without paraphrase or
adornment； and the worthy Writer to the Signet； who prepared the work
for the Press； would have asked three times the space to record one…half
the adventures。 ‘I sunk upon it with my forks and brought it with me'；
‘We obtained thirty…three pounds by this affair'is there not the stalwart
flavour of the epic in these plain； unvarnished sentences？
His other accomplishments are pallid in the light of his brilliant left
hand。 Once； at Derryhe attended a cock… fight； and beguiled an interval
by emptying the pockets of a lucky bookmaker。 An expert； who watched
the exploit in admiration； could not withhold a compliment。 ‘You are the
Switcher；' he exclaimed； ‘some take all； but you leave nothing。' And it is
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as the Switcher that Haggart keeps his memory green。
II GENTLEMAN HARRY
‘DAMN ye both！ stop； or I will blow your brains out！' Thus it was
that Harry Simms greeted his victims； proving in a phrase that the heroic
age of the rumpad was no more。 Forgotten the debonair courtesy of
Claude Duval！ Forgotten the lightning wit； the swift repartee of the
incomparable Hind！ No longer was the hightoby…gloak a ‘gentleman' of
the road； he was a butcher； if not a beggar； on horseback； a braggart
without the courage to pull a trigger； a swashbuckler； oblivious of that
ancient style which converted the misery of surrender into a privilege。
Yet Harry Simms； the supreme adventurer of his age； was not without
distinction； his lithe form and his hard…ridden horse were the common
dread of England； his activity was rewarded with a princely treasure； and
if his method were lacking in urbanity； the excuse is that he danced not to
the brilliant measure of the Cavaliers； but limped to the clumsy fiddle…
scraping of the early Georges。
At Eton； where a too…indulgent grandmother had placed him； he
ransacked the desks of his school…fellows； and avenged a birching by
emptying his master's pockets。 Wherefore he lost the hope of a polite
