a book of scoundrels-第25章

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and　out　of　his　chains。

Confronted　with　his　judge；　he　forthwith　proposed　to　rid　himself　of　his　handcuffs；　and　he　preserved　until　the　fatal　tree　an　illimitable　pride　in　his　artistry。　　Nor　would　he　believe　in　the　possibility　of　death。　　To　the　very　last　he　was　confirmed　in　the　hope　of　pardon；　but；　pardon　failing　him；　his　single　consolation　was　that　his　procession　from　Westminster　to　Newgate　was　the　largest　that　London　had　ever　known；　and　that　in　the　crowd　a　constable　broke　his　leg。　　Even　in　the　Condemned　Hole　he　was　unreconciled。　　If　he　had　broken　the　Castle；　why　should　he　not　also　evade　the　gallows？　　Wherefore　he　resolved　to　carry　a　knife　to　Tyburn　that　he　might　cut　the　rope；　and　so；　losing　himself　in　the　crowd；　ensure　escape。　　But　the　knife　was　discovered　by　his　warder's　vigilance；　and　taken　from　him　after　a　desperate　struggle。　　At　the　scaffold　he　behaved　with　admirable　gravity：　confessing　the　wickeder　of　his　robberies；　and　asking　pardon　for　his　enormous　crimes。　　‘Of　two　virtues；'　he　boasted　at　the　self…same　moment　that　the　cart　left　him　dancing　without　the　music；　‘I　have　ever　cherished　an　honest　pride：　never　have　I　stooped　to　friendship　with　Jonathan　Wild；　or　with　any　of　his　detestable　thief…takers；　and；　though　an　undutiful　son；　I　never　damned　my　mother's　eyes。'

Thus　died　Jack　Sheppard；　intrepid　burglar　and　incomparable　artist；　who；　in　his　own　separate　ambition　of　prison…breaking；　remains；　and　will　ever　remain；　unrivalled。　　His　most　brilliant　efforts　were　the　result　neither　of　strength　nor　of　cunning；　for　so　slight　was　he　of　build；　so　deficient　in　muscle；　that　both　Edgworth　Bess　and　Mistress　Maggot　were　wont　to　bang　him　to　their　own　mind　and　purpose。　　And　an　escape　so　magnificently　planned；　so　bravely　executed　as　was　his　from　the　Strong　Room；　is　far　greater　than　a　mere　effect　of　cunning。　　Those　mysterious　gifts　which　enable　mankind　to　batter　the　stone　walls　of　a　prison；　or　to　bend　the　iron　bars　of　a　cage；　were　pre…eminently　his。　　It　is　also　certain　that　he　could　not　have　employed　his　gifts　in　a　more　reputable　profession。


II　LOUIS…DOMINIQUE　CARTOUCHE



LOUIS…DOMINIQUE　CARTOUCHE


Of　all　the　heroes　who　have　waged　a　private　and　undeclared　war　upon　their　neighbours；　Louis…Dominique　Cartouche　was　the　most　generously　endowed。　　It　was　but　his　resolute　contempt　for　politics；　his　unswerving　love　of　plunder　for　its　own　sake；　that　prevented　him　from　seizing　a　throne　or　questing　after　the　empire　of　the　world。　　The　modesty　of　his　ambition　sets　him　below　Csar；　or　Napoleon；　but　he　yields　to　neither　in　the　genius　of　success：　whatever　he　would　attain　was　his　on　the　instant；　nor　did　failure　interrupt　his　career；　until　treachery；　of　which　he　went　in　perpetual　terror；　involved　himself　and　his　comrades　in　ruin。　　His　talent　of　generalship　was　unrivalled。　　None　of　the　gang　was　permitted　the　liberty　of　a　free…lance。　　By　Cartouche　was　the　order　given；　and　so　long　as　the　chief　was　in　repose；　Paris　might　enjoy　her　sleep。　　When　it　pleased　him　to　join　battle　a　whistle　was　enough。

Now；　it　was　revealed　to　his　intelligence　that　the　professional　thief；　who　devoted　all　his　days　and　such　of　his　nights　as　were　spared　from　depredation　to　wine　and　women；　was　more　readily　detected　than　the　valet…de…chambre；　who　did　but　crack　a　crib　or　cry　‘Stand　and　deliver！'　on　a　proper　occasion。　　Wherefore；　he　bade　his　soldiers　take　service　in　the　great　houses　of　Paris；　that；　secure　of　suspicion；　they　might　still　be　ready　to　obey　the　call　of　duty。　　Thus；　also；　they　formed　a　reconnoitring　force；　whose　vigilance　no　prize　might　elude；　and　nowhere　did　Cartouche　display　his　genius　to　finer　purpose　than　in　this　prudent　disposition　of　his　army。　　It　remained　only　to　efface　himself；　and　therein　he　succeeded　admirably　by　never　sleeping　two　following　nights　in　the　same　house：　so　that；　when　Cartouche　was　the　terror　of　Paris；　when　even　the　King　trembled　in　his　bed；　none　knew　his　stature　nor　could　recognise　his　features。　　In　this　shifting　and　impersonal　vizard；　he　broke　houses；　picked　pockets；　robbed　on　the　pad。　　One　night　he　would　terrify　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　another　he　would　plunder　the　humbler　suburb　of　St。　Antoine；　but　on　each　excursion　he　was　companioned　by　experts；　and　the　map　of　Paris　was　rigidly　apportioned　among　his　followers。　　To　each　district　a　captain　was　appointed；　whose　business　it　was　to　apprehend　the　customs　of　the　quarter；　and　thus　to　indicate　the　proper　season　of　attack。

Ever　triumphant；　with　yellow…boys　ever　jingling　in　his　pocket；　Cartouche　lived　a　life　of　luxurious　merriment。　　A　favourite　haunt　was　a　cabaret　in　the　Rue　Dauphine；　chosen　for　the　sanest　of　reasons；　as　his　Captain　Ferrand　declared；　that　the　landlady　was　a　femme　d'esprit。　　Here　he　would　sit　with　his　friends　and　his　women；　and　thereafter　drive　his　chariot　across　the　Pont　Neuf　to　the　sunnier　gaiety　of　the　Palais…Royal。　　A　finished　dandy；　he　wore　by　preference　a　grey…white　coat　with　silver　buttons；　his　breeches　and　stockings　were　on　a　famous　occasion　of　black　silk；　while　a　sword；　scabbarded　in　satin；　hung　at　his　hip。

But　if　Cartouche；　like　many　another　great　man；　had　the　faculty　of　enjoyment；　if　he　loved　wine　and　wit；　and　mistresses　handsomely　attired　in　damask；　he　did　not　therefore　neglect　his　art。　　When　once　the　gang　was　perfectly　ordered；　murder　followed　robbery　with　so　instant　a　frequency　that　Paris　was　panic…stricken。　　A　cry　of　‘Cartouche'　straightway　ensured　an　empty　street。　　The　King　took　counsel　with　his　ministers：　munificent　rewards　were　offered；　without　effect。　　The　thief　was　still　at　work　in　all　security；　and　it　was　a　pretty　irony　which　urged　him　to　strip　and　kill　on　the　highway　one　of　the　King's　own　pages。　　Also；　he　did　his　work　with　so　astonishing　a　silence；　with　so　reasoned　a　certainty；　that　it　seemed　impossible　to　take　him　or　his　minions　red…handed。

Before　all；　he　discouraged　the　use　of　firearms。　　‘A　pistol；'　his　philosophy　urged；　‘is　an　excellent　weapon　in　an　emergency；　but　reserve　it　for　emergencies。　　At　close　quarters　it　is　none　too　sure；　and　why　give　the　alarm　against　yourself？'　　Therefore　he　armed　his　band　with　loaded　staves；　which　sent　their　enemies　into　a　noiseless　and　fatal　sleep。　　Thus　was　he　wont　to　laugh　at　the　police；　deeming　capture　a　plain　impossibility。　　The　traitor；　in　sooth；　was　his　single；　irremediable　fear；　and　if　ever　suspicion　was　aroused　against　a　member　of　the　gang；　that　member　was　put　to　death　with　the　shortest　shrift。

It　happened　in　the　last　year　of　Cartouche's　supremacy　that　a　lily…livered　comrade　fell　in　love　with　a　pretty　dressmaker。　　The　indiscretion　was　the　less　pardonable　since　the　dressmaker　had　a　horror　of　theft；　and　impudently　tried　to　turn　her　lover　from　his　trade。　　Cartouche；　discovering　the　backslider；　resolved　upon　a　public　exhibition。　　Before　the　assembled　band　he　charged　the　miscreant　with　treason；　and；　cutting　his　throat；　disfigured　his　face　beyond　recognition。　　Thereafter　he　pinned　to　the　corse　the　following　inscription；　that　others　might　be　warned　by　so　monstrous　an　example：　　‘Ci　git　Jean　Rebti；　qui　a　eu　le　traitement　qu'il　m