a book of scoundrels-第24章

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　of　life；　he　smiled　the　smile　of　contentment；　as　became　one　who　had　emptied　more　quarts；　had　delivered　more　harrowing　discourses；　and　had　lived　familiarly　with　more　scoundrels　than　any　devil…dodger　of　his　generation。



SHEPPARD　AND　CARTOUCHE

I　JACK　SHEPPARD



JACK　SHEPPARD　IT　was　midnight　when　Jack　Sheppard　reached　the　leads；　wearied　by　his　magical　achievement；　and　still　fearful　of　discovery。　　The　‘jolly　pair　of　handcuffs；'　provided　by　the　thoughtful　Governor；　lay　discarded　in　his　distant　cell；　the　chains　which　a　few　hours　since　had　grappled　him　to　the　floor　encumbered　the　now　useless　staple。　　No　trace　of　the　ancient　slavery　disgraced　him　save　the　iron　anklets　which　clung　about　his　legs；　though　many　a　broken　wall　and　shattered　lock　must　serve　for　evidence　of　his　prowess　on　the　morrow。　　The　Stone…Jug　was　all　be…chipped　and　shattered。　　From　the　castle　he　had　forced　his　way　through　a　nine…foot　wall　into　the　Red　Room；　whose　bolts；　bars；　and　hinges　he　had　ruined　to　gain　the　Chapel。　　The　road　thence　to　the　roof　and　to　freedom　was　hindered　by　three　stubborn　iron　doors；　yet　naught　stood　in　the　way　of　Sheppard's　genius；　and　he　was　sensible；　at　last；　of　the　night　air　chill　upon　his　cheek。

But　liberty　was　not　yet：　there　was　still　a　fall　of　forty　feet；　and　he　must　needs　repass　the　wreckage　of　his　own　making　to　filch　the　blankets　from　his　cell。　　In　terror　lest　he　should　awaken　the　Master…Side　Debtors；　he　hastened　back　to　the　roof；　lashed　the　coverlets　together；　and；　as　the　city　clocks　clashed　twelve；　he　dropped　noiselessly　upon　the　leads　of　a　turner's　house；　built　against　the　prison's　outer　wall。　　Behind　him　Newgate　was　cut　out　a　black　mass　against　the　sky；　at　his　feet　glimmered　the　garret　window　of　the　turner's　house；　and　behind　the　winking　casement　he　could　see　the　turner's　servant　going　to　bed。　　Through　her　chamber　lay　the　road　to　glory　and　Clare　Market；　and　breathlessly　did　Sheppard　watch　till　the　candle　should　be　extinguished　and　the　maid　silenced　in　sleep。　　In　his　anxiety　he　must　tarrytarry；　and　for　a　weary　hour　he　kicked　his　heels　upon　the　leads；　ambition　still　too　uncertain　for　quietude。　　Yet　he　could　not　but　catch　a　solace　from　his　splendid　craft。　　Said　he　to　himself：　　‘Am　I　not　the　most　accomplished　slip…string　the　world　has　known？　　The　broken　wall　of　every　round　house　in　town　attests　my　bravery。　　Light…limbed　though　I　be；　have　I　not　forced　the　impregnable　Castle　itself？　　And　my　enemiesare　they　not　to…day　writhing　in　distress　？　The　head　of　Blueskin；　that　pitiful　thief；　quivers　in　the　noose；　and　Jonathan　Wild　bleeds　at　the　throat　from　the　dregs　of　a　coward's　courage。　　What　a　triumph　shall　be　mine　when　the　Keeper　finds　the　stronghold　tenantless！'

Now；　unnumbered　were　the　affronts　he　had　suffered　from　the　Keeper's　impertinence；　and　he　chuckled　aloud　at　his　own　witty　rejoinder。　　Only　two　days　since　the　Gaoler　had　caught　him　tampering　with　his　irons。　　‘Young　man；'　he　had　said；　‘I　see　what　you　have　been　doing；　but　the　affair　betwixt　us　stands　thus：　　It　is　your　business　to　make　your　escape；　and　mine　to　take　care　you　shall　not。'　　Jack　had　answered　coolly　enough：　　‘Then　let's　both　mind　our　own　business。'　　And　it　was　to　some　purpose　that　he　had　minded　his。　　The　letter　to　his　baffled　guardian；　already　sketched　in　his　mind；　tickled　him　afresh；　when　suddenly　he　leaps　to　his　feet　and　begins　to　force　the　garret　window。

The　turner's　maid　was　a　heavy　sleeper；　and　Sheppard　crept　from　her　garret　to　the　twisted　stair　in　peace。　　Once；　on　a　lower　floor；　his　heart　beat　faster　at　the　trumpetings　of　the　turner's　nose；　but　he　knew　no　check　until　he　reached　the　street　door。　　The　bolt　was　withdrawn　in　an　instant；　but　the　lock　was　turned；　and　the　key　nowhere　to　be　found。　　However；　though　the　risk　of　disturbance　was　greater　than　in　Newgate；　the　task　was　light　enough：　and　with　an　iron　link　from　his　fetter；　and　a　rusty　nail　which　had　served　him　bravely；　the　box　was　wrenched　off　in　a　trice；　and　Sheppard　stood　unattended　in　the　Old　Bailey。　　At　first　he　was　minded　to　make　for　his　ancient　haunts；　or　to　conceal　himself　within　the　Liberty　of　Westminster；　but　the　fetter…locks　were　still　upon　his　legs；　and　he　knew　that　detection　would　be　easy　as　long　as　he　was　thus　embarrassed。　　Wherefore；　weary　and　an…hungered；　he　turned　his　steps　northward；　and　never　rested　until　he　had　gained　Finchley　Common。

At　break　of　day；　when　the　world　re…awoke　from　the　fear　of　thieves；　he　feigned　a　limp　at　a　cottage　door；　and　borrowed　a　hammer　to　straighten　a　pinching　shoe。　　Five　minutes　behind　a　hedge；　and　his　anklets　had　dropped　from　him；　and；　thus　a　free　man；　he　took　to　the　high　road。　　After　all　he　was　persuaded　to　desert　London　and　to　escape　a　while　from　the　sturdy　embrace　of　Edgworth　Bess。　　Moreover；　if　Bess　herself　were　in　the　lock…up；　he　still　feared　the　interested　affection　of　Mistress　Maggot；　that　other　doxy；　whose　avarice　would　surely　drive　him　upon　a　dangerous　enterprise；　so　he　struck　across　country；　and　kept　starvation　from　him　by　petty　theft。　　Up　and　down　England　he　wandered　in　solitary　insolence。　　Once；　saith　rumour；　his　lithe　apparition　startled　the　peace　of　Nottingham；　once；　he　was　wellnigh　caught　begging　wort　at　a　brew…house　in　Thames　Street。　　But　he　might　as　well　have　lingered　in　Newgate　as　waste　his　opportunity　far　from　the　delights　of　Town；　the　old　lust　of　life　still　impelled　him；　and　a　week　after　the　hue…and…cry　was　raised　he　crept　at　dead　of　night　down　Drury　Lane。　　Here　he　found　harbourage　with　a　friendly　fence；　Wild's　mortal　enemy；　who　promised　him　a　safe　conduct　across　the　seas。　　But　the　desire　of　work　proved　too　strong　for　prudence；　and　in　a　fortnight　he　had　planned　an　attack　on　the　pawnshop　of　one　Rawling；　at　the　Four　Balls　in　Drury　Lane。

Sheppard；　whom　no　house　ever　built　with　hands　was　strong　enough　to　hold；　was　better　skilled　at　breaking　out　than　at　breaking　in；　and　it　is　remarkable　that　his　last　feat　in　the　cracking　of　cribs　was　also　his　greatest。　　Its　very　conception　was　a　masterpiece　of　effrontery。　　Drury　Lane　was　the　thief…catcher's　chosen　territory；　yet　it　was　the　Four　Balls　that　Jack　designed　for　attack；　and　watches；　tie…wigs；　snuff…boxes　were　among　his　booty。　　Whatever　he　could　not　crowd　upon　his　person　he　presented　to　a　brace　of　women。　　Tricked　out　in　his　stolen　finery；　he　drank　and　swaggered　in　Clare　Market。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　superb　suit　of　black；　a　diamond　fawney　flashed　upon　his　finger；　his　light　tie…periwig　was　worth　no　less　than　seven　pounds；　pistols；　tortoise…shell　snuff…boxes；　and　golden　guineas　jostled　one　another　in　his　pockets。

Thus；　in　brazen　magnificence；　he　marched　down　Drury　Lane　on　a　certain　Saturday　night　in　November　1724。　　Towards　midnight　he　visited　Thomas　Nicks；　the　butcher；　and　having　bargained　for　three　ribs　of　beef；　carried　Nicks　with　him　to　a　chandler's　hard　by；　that　they　might　ratify　the　bargain　with　a　dram。　　Unhappily；　a　boy　from　the　‘Rose　and　Crown'　sounded　the　alarm；　for　coming　into　the　chandler's　for　the　empty　ale…pots；　he　instantly　recognised　the　incomparable　gaol…thief；　and　lost　no　time　in　acquainting　his　master。　　Now；　Mr。　Bradford；　of　the　‘Rose　and　Crown；'　was　a　head…　borough；　who；　with　the　zeal　of　a　triumphant　Dogberry；　summoned　the　watch；　and　in　less　than　half　an　hour　Jack　Sheppard　was　screaming　blasphemies　in　a　hackney…cab　on　his　way　home　to　Newgate。


The　Stone…Jug　received　him　with　deference　and　admiration。　　Three　hundred　pounds　weight　of　irons　were　put　upon　him　for　an　adornment；　and　the　Governor　professed　so　keen　a　solicitude　for　his　welfare　that　he　never　left　him　unattended。　　There　was　scarce　a　beautiful　woman　in　London　who　did　not　solace　him　with　her　condescension；　and　enrich　him　with　her　gifts。　　Not　only　did　the　President　of　the　Royal　Academy　deign　to　paint　his　portrait；　but　（a　far　greater　honour）　Hogarth　made　him　immortal。　　Even　the　King　displayed　a　proper　interest；　demanding　a　full　and　precise　account　of　his　escapes。　　The　hero　himself　was　drunk　with　flattery；　he　bubbled　with　ribaldry；　he　touched　off　the　most　valiant　of　his　contemporaries　in　a　ludicrous　phrase。　　But　his　chief　delight　was　to　illustrate　his　prowess　to　his　distinguished　visitors；　and　nothing　pleased　him　better　than　to　slip　in　and　out　of　his　chains。

Confronted　with　his　judge；　he　forthwith　proposed　to　rid　himself　of　his　han