a book of scoundrels-第23章

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h　the　nearer　to　his　victims；　would　roll　a　cold　and　bitter　eye　upon　them；　as　of　a　cat　watching　caged　birds。　　One　famous　gesture　was　irresistible；　and　he　never　employed　it　but　some　poor　ruffian　fell　senseless　to　the　floor。　　His　stumpy　fingers　would　fix　a　noose　of　air　round　some　imagined　neck；　and　so　devoutly　was　the　pantomime　studied　that　you　almost　heard　the　creak　of　the　retreating　cart　as　the　phantom　culprit　was　turned　off。　　But　his　conduct　in　the　pulpit　was　due　to　no　ferocity　of　temperament。　　He　merely　exercised　his　legitimate　craft。　　So　long　as　Newgate　supplied　him　with　an　enforced　audience；　so　long　would　he　thunder　and　bluster　at　the　wrongdoer　according　to　law　and　the　dictates　of　his　conscience。

Many；　in　truth；　were　his　triumphs；　but；　as　he　would　mutter　in　his　garrulous　old　age；　never　was　he　so　successful　as　in　the　last　exhortation　delivered　to　Matthias　Brinsden。　　Now；　Matthias　Brinsden　incontinently　murdered　his　wife　because　she　harboured　too　eager　a　love　of　the　brandy…shop。　　A　model　husband；　he　had　spared　no　pains　in　her　correction。　　He　had　flogged　her　without　mercy　and　without　result。　　His　one　design　was　to　make　his　wife　obey　him；　which；　as　the　Scriptures　say；　all　wives　should　do。　　But　the　lust　of　brandy　overcame　wifely　obedience；　and　Brinsden；　hoping　for　the　best；　was　constrained　to　cut　a　hole　in　her　skull。　　The　next　day　she　was　as　impudent　as　ever；　until　Matthias　rose　yet　more　fiercely　in　his　wrath；　and　the　shrew　perished。　　Then　was　Thomas　Pureney's　opportunity；　and　the　Sunday　following　the　miscreant's　condemnation　he　delivered　unto　him　and　seventeen　other　malefactors　the　moving　discourse　which　here　follows：

‘We　shall　take　our　text；'　gruffed　the　Ordinary　‘From　out　the　Psalms：　　‘‘Bloodthirsty　and　deceitful　men　shall　not　live　out　half　their　days。''　　And　firstly；　we　shall　expound　to　you　the　heinous　sin　of　murder；　which　is　unlawful　（1）　according　to　the　Natural　Laws；　（2）　according　to　the　Jewish　Law；　（3）　according　to　the　Christian　Law；　proportionably　stronger。　　By　Nature　'tis　unlawful　as　'tis　injuring　Society：　as　'tis　robbing　God　of　what　is　His　Right　and　Property；　as　'tis　depriving　the　Slain　of　the　satisfaction　of　Eating；　Drinking；　Talking；　and　the　Light　of　the　Sun；　which　it　is　his　right　to　enjoy。　　And　especially　'tis　unlawful；　as　it　is　sending　a　Soul　naked　and　unprepared　to　appear　before　a　wrathful　and　avenging　Deity　without　time　to　make　his　Soul　composedly　or　to　listen　to　the　thoughtful　ministrations　of　one　（like　ourselves）　soundly　versed　in　Divinity。　　By　the　Jewish　Law　'tis　forbidden；　for　is　it　not　written　（Gen。　ix。　6）：　　‘‘Whosoever　sheddeth　Man's　Blood；　by　Man　his　Blood　shall　be　shed''？　　And　if　an　Eye　be　given　for　an　Eye；　a　Tooth　for　a　Tooth；　how　shall　the　Murderer　escape　with　his　dishonoured　Life？　　'Tis　further　forbidden　by　the　Christian　Law　（proportionably　stronger）。

But　on　this　head　we　would　speak　no　word；　for　were　not　you　all；　O　miserable　Sinners；　born　not　in　the　Darkness　of　Heathendom；　but　in　the　burning　Light　of　Christian　England？

‘Secondly；　we　will　consider　the　peculiar　wickedness　of　Parricide；　and　especially　the　Murder　of　a　Wife。　　What　deed；　in　truth；　is　more　heinous　than　that　a　man　should　slay　the　Parent　of　his　own　Children；　the　Wife　he　had　once　loved　and　chose　out　of　all　the　world　to　be　a　Companion　of　his　Days；　the　Wife　who　long　had　shared　his　good　Fortune　and　his　ill；　who　had　brought　him　with　Pain　and　Anguish　several　Tokens　and　Badges　of　Affection；　the　Olive　Branches　round　about　his　Table？　　To　embrew　the　hands　in　such　blood　is　double　Murder；　as　it　murders　not　only　the　Person　slain；　but　kills　the　Happiness　of　the　orphaned　Children；　depriving　them　of　Bread；　and　forcing　them　upon　wicked　Ways　of　getting　a　Maintenance；　which　often　terminate　in　Newgate　and　an　ignominious　death。

‘Bloodthirsty　men；　we　have　said；　shall　not　live　out　half　their　Days。　　And　think　not　that　Repentance　avails　the　Murderer。　　‘‘Hell　and　Damnation　are　never　full''　（Prov。　xxvii。　20）；　and　the　meanest　Sinner　shall　find　a　place　in　the　Lake　which　burns　unto　Eternity　with　Fire　and　Brimstone。　　Alas！　your　Punishment　shall　not　finish　with　the　Noose。　　Your　‘‘end　is　to　be　burned''　（Heb。　vi。　8）；　to　be　burned；　for　the　Blood　that　is　shed　cries　aloud　for　Vengeance。'　　At　these　words；　as　Pureney　would　relate　with　a　smile　of　recollected　triumph；　Matthias　Brinsden　screamed　aloud；　and　a　shiver　ran　through　the　idle　audience　which　came　to　Newgate　on　a　Black　Sunday；　as　to　a　bull…baiting。　　Truly；　the　throng　of　thoughtless　spectators　hindered　the　proper　solace　of　the　Ordinary's　ministrations；　and　many　a　respectable　murderer　complained　of　the　intruding　mob。　　But　the　Ordinary；　otherwise　minded；　loved　nothing　so　well　as　a　packed　house；　and　though　he　would　invite　the　criminal　to　his　private　closet；　and　comfort　his　solitude　with　pious　ejaculations；　he　would　neither　shield　him　from　curiosity；　nor　tranquillise　his　path　to　the　unquenchable　fire。

Not　only　did　he　exercise　in　the　pulpit　a　poignant　and　visible　influence。　　He　boasted　the　confidence　of　many　heroes。　　His　green　old　age　cherished　no　more　famous　memory　than　the　friendship　of　Jonathan　Wild。　　He　had　known　the　Great　Man　at　his　zenith；　he　had　wrestled　with　him　in　the　hour　of　discomfiture；　he　had　preached　for　his　benefit　that　famous　sermon　on　the　text：　　‘Hide　Thy　Face　from　my　sins；　and　blot　out　all　my　Iniquities'；　he　had　witnessed　the　hero's　awful　progress　from　Newgate　to　Tyburn；　he　had　seen　him　shiver　at　the　nubbing…cheat；　he　had　composed　for　him　a　last　dying　speech；　which　did　not　shame　the　king　of　thief…takers；　and　whose　sale　brought　a　comfortable　profit　to　the　widow。　　Jonathan；　on　his　side；　had　shown　the　Ordinary　not　a　little　condescension。　　It　had　been　his　whim；　on　the　eve　of　his　marriage；　to　present　Mr。　Pureney　with　a　pair　of　white　gloves；　which　were　treasured　as　a　priceless　relic　for　many　a　year。　　And　when　he　paid　his　last；　forced　visit　to　Newgate；　he　gave　the　Chaplain；　for　a　pledge　of　his　esteem；　that　famous　silver　staff；　which　he　carried；　as　a　badge　of　authority　from　the　Government；　the　better　to　keep　the　people　in　awe；　and　favour　the　enterprises　of　his　rogues。

Only　one　cloud　shadowed　this　old　and　equal　friendship。　　Jonathan　had　entertained　the　Ordinary　with　discourse　so　familiar；　they　had　cracked　so　many　a　bottle　together；　that　when　the　irrevocable　sentence　was　passed；　when　he　who　had　never　shown　mercy；　expected　none；　the　Great　Man　found　the　exhortations　of　the　illiterate　Chaplain　insufficient　for　his　high　purpose。　　‘As　soon　as　I　came　into　the　condemned　Hole；'　thus　he　wrote；　‘I　began　to　think　of　making　a　preparation　for　my　soul；　and　the　better　to　bring　my　stubborn　heart　to　repentance；　I　desired　the　advice　of　a　man　of　learning；　a　man　of　sound　judgment　in　divinity；　and　therefore　application　being　made　to　the　Reverend　Mr。　Nicholson；　he　very　Christian…like　gave　me　his　assistance。'　　Alas！　　Poor　Pureney！　　He　lacked　subtlety；　and　he　was　instantly　baffled；　when　the　Great　Man　bade　him　expound　the　text：　　‘Cursed　is　every　one　that　hangeth　on　a　tree。'　　The　shiftiest　excuse　would　have　brought　solace　to　a　breaking　heart　and　conviction　to　a　casuist　brain。　　Yet　for　once　the　Ordinary　was　at　a　loss；　and　Wild；　finding　him　insufficient　for　his　purpose；　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　his　ministrations。　　Thus　he　was　rudely　awakened　from　the　dream　of　many　sleepless　nights。　　His　large　heart　almost　broke　at　the　neglect。

But　if　his　more　private　counsels　were　scorned；　he　still　had　the　joy　of　delivering　a　masterpiece　from　the　pulpit；　of　using　‘all　the　means　imaginable　to　make　Wild　think　of　another　world；'　and　of　seeing　him　as　neatly　turned　off　as　the　most　exacting　Ordinary　could　desire。　　And　what　inmate　of　Newgate　ever　forgot　the　afternoon　of　that　glorious　day　（May　the　24th；　1725）？　　Mr。　Pureney　returned　to　his　flock；　fortified　with　punch　and　good　tidings。　　He　pictured　the　scene　at　Tyburn　with　a　bibulous　circumstance；　which　admirably　became　his　style；　rejoicing；　as　he　has　rejoiced　ever　since；　that；　though　he　lost　a　friend；　the　honest　rogue　was　saved　at　last　from　the　machinations　of　the　thief…taker。

So　he　basked　and　smoked　and　drank　his　ale；　retelling　the　ancient　stories；　and　hiccuping　forth　the　ancient　sermons。　　So；　in　the　fading　twilight　of　life；　he　smiled　the　smile　of　contentment；　as　became　one　who　had　emptied　more　quarts；　had　deliver