a book of scoundrels-第11章

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ave　gone　with　Colonel　Downe's　men　upon　the　road；　she　would　have　sailed　to　the　Spanish　Main　for　pieces　of　eight。　　But　the　tyranny　of　womanhood　was　as　yet　supreme；　and　the　honest　shoemaker；　ignorant　of　his　daughter's　talent；　bade　her　take　service　at　a　respectable　saddler's；　and　thus　suppress　the　frowardness　of　her　passion。　　Her　rebellion　was　instant。　　Never　would　she　abandon　the　sword　and　the　wrestling…booth　for　the　harmless　bodkin　and　the　hearthstone　of　domesticity。　　Being　absolute　in　refusal；　she　was　kidnapped　by　her　friends　and　sent　on　board　a　ship；　bound　for　Virginia　and　slavery。　　There；　in　the　dearth　of　womankind；　even　so　sturdy　a　wench　as　Moll　might　have　found　a　husband；　but　the　enterprise　was　little　to　her　taste；　and；　always　resourceful；　she　escaped　from　shipboard　before　the　captain　had　weighed　his　anchor。

Henceforth　she　resolved　her　life　should　be　free　and　chainless　as　the　winds。　　Never　more　should　needle　and　thread　tempt　her　to　a　womanish　inactivity。　　As　Hercules；　whose　counterpart　she　was；　changed　his　club　for　the　distaff　of　Omphale；　so　would　she　put　off　the　wimple　and　bodice　of　her　sex　for　jerkin　and　galligaskins。　　If　she　could　not　allure　manhood；　then　would　she　brave　it。　　And　though　she　might　not　cross　swords　with　her　country's　foes；　at　least　she　might　levy　tribute　upon　the　unjustly　rich；　and　confront　an　enemy　wherever　there　was　a　full　pocket。

Her　entrance　into　a　gang　of　thieves　was　beset　by　no　difficulty。　　The　Bear　Garden；　always　her　favourite　resort；　had　made　her　acquainted　with　all　the　divers　and　rumpads　of　the　town。　　The　time；　moreover；　was　favourable　to　enterprise；　and　once　again　was　genius　born　into　a　golden　age。　　The　cutting　of　purses　was　an　art　brought　to　perfection；　and　already　the　more　elegant　practice　of　picking　pockets　was　understood。　　The　transition　gave　scope　for　endless　ingenuity；　and　Moll　was　not　slow　in　mastering　the　theory　of　either　craft。　　It　was　a　changing　fashion　of　dress；　as　I　have　said；　which　forced　a　new　tactic　upon　the　thief；　the　pocket　was　invented　because　the　hanging　purse　was　too　easy　a　prey　for　the　thievish　scissors。　　And　no　sooner　did　the　world　conceal　its　wealth　in　pockets　than　the　cly…filer　was　born　to　extract　the　booty　with　his　long；　nimble　fingers。　　The　trick　was　managed　with　an　admirable　forethought；　which　has　been　a　constant　example　to　after　ages。　　The　file　was　always　accompanied　by　a　bull：；　whose　duty　it　was　to　jostle　and　distract　the　victim　while　his　pockets　were　rifled。　　The　bung；　or　what　not；　was　rapidly　passed　on　to　the　attendant　rub；　who　scurried　off　before　the　cry　of　STOP　THIEF！　　could　be　raised。

Thus　was　the　craft　of　thieving　practised　when　Moll　was　enrolled　a　humble　member　of　the　gang。　　Yet　nature　had　not　endowed　her　with　the　qualities　which　ensure　an　active　triumph。　　‘The　best　signs　and　marks　of　a　happy；　industrious　hand；'　wrote　the　hoyden；　‘is　a　long　middle　finger；　equally　suited　with　that　they　call　the　fool's　or　first　finger。'　　Now；　though　she　was　never　a　clumsy　jade；　the　practice　of　sword…play　and　quarterstaff　had　not　refined　the　industry　of　her　hands；　which　were　the　rather　framed　for　strength　than　for　delicacy。　　So　that　though　she　served　a　willing　apprenticeship；　and　eagerly　shared　the　risks　of　her　chosen　trade；　the　fear　of　Newgate　and　Tyburn　weighed　heavily　upon　her　spirit；　and　she　cast　about　her　for　a　method　of　escape。　　Avoiding　the　danger　of　discovery；　she　was　loth　to　forego　her　just　profit；　and　hoped　that　intelligence　might　atone　for　her　sturdy；　inactive　fingers。　　Already　she　had　endeared　herself　to　the　gang　by　unnumbered　acts　of　kindness　and　generosity；　already　her　inflexible　justice　had　made　her　umpire　in　many　a　difficult　dispute。　　If　a　rascal　could　be　bought　off　at　the　gallows'　foot；　there　was　Moll　with　an　open　purse；　and　so　speedily　did　she　penetrate　all　the　secrets　of　thievish　policy；　that　her　counsel　and　comfort　were　soon　indispensable。

Here；　then；　was　her　opportunity。　　Always　a　diplomatist　rather　than　a　general；　she　gave　up　the　battlefield　for　the　council　chamber。　　She　planned　the　robberies　which　defter　hands　achieved；　and；　turning　herself　from　cly…filer　to　fence；　she　received　and　changed　to　money　all　the　watches　and　trinkets　stolen　by　the　gang。

Were　a　citizen　robbed　upon　the　highway；　he　straightway　betook　himself　to　Moll；　and　his　property　was　presently　returned　him　at　a　handsome　price。　　Her　house；　in　short；　became　a　brokery。　　Hither　the　blades　and　divers　brought　their　purchases；　and　sought　the　ransom；　hither　came　the　outraged　victims　to　buy　again　the　jewels　and　rings　which　thievish　fingers　had　pinched。　　With　prosperity　her　method　improved；　until　at　last　her　statesmanship　controlled　the　remotest　details　of　the　craft。　　Did　one　of　her　gang　get　to　work　overnight　and　carry　off　a　wealthy　swag；　she　had　due　intelligence　of　the　affair　betimes　next　morning；　so　that；　furnished　with　an　inventory　of　the　booty；　she　might　make　a　just　division；　or　be　prepared　for　the　advent　of　the　rightful　owner。

So　she　gained　a　complete　ascendency　over　her　fellows。　　And　when　once　her　position　was　assured；　she　came　forth　a　pitiless　autocrat。　　Henceforth　the　gang　existed　for　her　pleasure；　not　she　for　the　gang's；　and　she　was　as　urgent　to　punish　insubordination　as　is　an　empress　to　avenge　the　heinous　sin　of　treason。　　The　pickpocket　who　had　claimed　her　protection　knew　no　more　the　delight　of　freedom。　　If　he　dared　conceal　the　booty　that　was　his；　he　had　an　enemy　more　powerful　than　the　law；　and　many　a　time　did　contumacy　pay　the　last　penalty　at　the　gallows。　　But　the　faithful　also　had　their　reward；　for　Moll　never　deserted　a　comrade；　and　while　she　lived　in　perfect　safety　herself　she　knew　well　how　to　contrive　the　safety　of　others。　　Nor　was　she　content　merely　to　discharge　those　duties　of　the　fence　for　which　an　instinct　of　statecraft　designed　her。　　Her　restless　brain　seethed　with　plans　of　plunder；　and　if　her　hands　were　idle　it　was　her　direction　that　emptied　half　the　pockets　in　London。　　Having　drilled　her　army　of　divers　to　an　unparalleled　activity；　she　cast　about　for　some　fresh　method　of　warfare；　and　so　enrolled　a　regiment　of　heavers；　who　would　lurk　at　the　mercers'　doors　for　an　opportunity　to　carry　off　ledgers　and　account…books。　　The　price　of　redemption　was　fixed　by　Moll　herself；　and　until　the　mercers　were　aroused　by　frequent　losses　to　a　quicker　vigilance；　the　trade　was　profitably　secure。

Meanwhile　new　clients　were　ever　seeking　her　aid；　and；　already　empress　of　the　thieves；　she　presently　aspired　to　the　friendship　and　patronage　of　the　highwaymen。　　Though　she　did　not　dispose　of　their　booty；　she　was　appointed　their　banker；　and　vast　was　the　treasure　entrusted　to　the　coffers　of　honest　Moll。　　Now；　it　was　her　pride　to　keep　only　the　best　company；　for　she　hated　stupidity　worse　than　a　clumsy　hand；　and　they　were　men　of　wit　and　spirit　who　frequented　her　house。　　Thither　came　the　famous　Captain　Hind；　the　Regicides'　inveterate　enemy；　whose　lofty　achievements　Moll；　with　an　amiable　extravagance；　was　wont　to　claim　for　her　own。　　Thither　came　the　unamiably　notorious　Mull　Sack；　who　once　emptied　Cromwell's　pocket　on　the　Mall；　and　whose　courage　was　as　formidable　as　his　rough…edged　tongue。　　Another　favourite　was　the　ingenious　Crowder；　whose　humour　it　was　to　take　the　road　habited　like　a　bishop；　and　who　surprised　the　victims　of　his　greed　with　ghostly　counsel。　　Thus　it　was　a　merry　party　that　assembled　in　the　lady's　parlour；　loyal　to　the　memory　of　the　martyred　king；　and　quick　to　fling　back　an　offending　pleasantry。

But　the　house　in　Fleet　Street　was　a　refuge　as　well　as　a　resort；　the　sanctuary　of　a　hundred　rascals；　whose　misdeeds　were　not　too　flagrantly　discovered。　　For；　while　Moll　always　allowed　discretion　to　govern　her　conduct；　while　she　would　risk　no　present　security　for　a　vague　promise　of　advantages　to　come；　her　secret　influence　in　Newgate　made　her　more　powerful　than　the　hangman　and　the　whole　bench　of　judges。　　There　was　no　turnkey　who　was　not　her　devoted　servitor；　but　it　was　the　clerk　of　Newgate　to　whom　she　and　her　family　were　most　deeply　beholden。　　This　was　one　Ralph　Briscoe；　as　pretty　a　fellow　as　ever　deserted　the　law　for　a　bull…　baiting。　　Though　wizened　and　clerkly　in　appearance；　he　was　of　a　lofty　courage；　and　Moll　was　heard　to　declare　that　had　she　not　been　sworn　to　celibacy；　she　would　have　cast　an　eye　upon　the　f