a book of scoundrels-第30章

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f　Arthur's　Seat。　　Kipping　was　his　early　sin；　but　the　sportsman's　instinct；　born　of　his　father's　trade；　was　so　strong　within　him；　that　he　pinched　a　fighting　cock　before　he　was　breeched；　and　risked　the　noose　for　horse…stealing　when　marbles　should　have　engrossed　his　boyish　fancy。　　Turbulent　and　lawless；　he　bitterly　resented　the　intolerable　restraint　of　a　tranquil　life；　and；　at　last；　in　the　hope　of　a　larger　liberty；　he　enlisted　for　a　drummer　in　the　Norfolk　Militia；　stationed　at　the　moment　in　Edinburgh　Castle。　　A　brief；　insubordinate　year；　misspent　in　his　country's　service；　proved　him　hopeless　of　discipline：　he　claimed　his　discharge；　and　henceforth　he　was　free　to　follow　the　one　craft　for　which　nature　and　his　own　ambition　had　moulded　him。


Like　Chatterton；　like　Rimbaud；　Haggart　came　into　the　full　possession　of　his　talent　while　still　a　child。　　A　Barrington　of　fourteen；　he　knew　every　turn　and　twist　of　his　craft；　before　he　escaped　from　school。　　His　youthful　necessities　were　munificently　supplied　by　facile　depredation；　and　the　only　hindrance　to　immediate　riches　was　his　ignorance　of　flash　kens　where　he　might　fence　his　plunder。　　Meanwhile　he　painted　his　soul　black　with　wickedness。　　Such　hours　as　he　could　snatch　from　the　profitable　conduct　of　his　trade　he　devoted　to　the　austere　debauchery　of　Leith　or　the　Golden　Acre。　　Though　he　knew　not　the　seduction　of　whisky；　he　missed　never　a　dance　nor　a　raffle；　joining　the　frolics　of　prigs　and　callets　in　complete　forgetfulness　of　the　shorter　catechism。　　In　vain　the　kirk　compared　him　to　a　‘bottle　in　the　smoke'；　in　vain　the　minister　whispered　of　hell　and　the　gallows；　his　heart　hardened；　as　his　fingers　grew　agile；　and　when；　at　sixteen；　he　left　his　father's　house　for　a　sporting　life；　he　had　not　his　equal　in　the　three　kingdoms　for　cunning　and　courage。

His　first　accomplice　was　Barney　M'Guire；　whountil　a　fourteen　stretch　sent　him　to　Botany　Bayplayed　Clytus　to　David's　Alexander；　and　it　was　at　Portobello　Races　that　their　brilliant　partnership　began。　　Hitherto　Haggart　had　worked　by　stealth；　he　had　tracked　his　booty　under　the　cloud　of　night。　　Now　was　the　moment　to　prove　his　prowess　in　the　eye　of　day；　to　break　with　a　past　which　he　already　deemed　ignoble。　　His　heart　leaped　with　the　occasion：　he　tackled　his　adventure　with　the　hot…head　energy　of　a　new　member；　big　with　his　maiden　speech。　　The　victim　was　chosen　in　an　instant：　a　backer；　whose　good　fortune　had　broken　the　bookmakers。　　There　was　no　thief　on　the　course　who　did　not　wait；　in　hungry　appetence；　the　sportsman's　descent　from　the　stand；　yet　the　novice　outstripped　them　all。　　‘I　got　the　first　dive　at　his　keek…cloy；'　he　writes　in　his　simple；　heroic　style；　‘and　was　so　eager　on　my　prey；　that　I　pulled　out　the　pocket　along　with　the　money；　and　nearly　upset　the　gentleman。'　　A　steady　brain　saved　him　from　the　consequence　of　an　o'erbuoyant　enthusiasm。　　The　notes　were　passed　to　Barney　in　a　flash；　and　when　the　sportsman　turned　upon　his　assailant；　Haggart's　hands　were　empty。

Thereupon　followed　an　infinite　series　of　brilliant　exploits。　　With　Barney　to　aid；　he　plundered　the　Border　like　a　reiver。　　He　stripped　the　yeomen　of　Tweedside　with　a　ferocity　which　should　have　avenged　the　disgrace　of　Flodden。　　More　than　once　he　ransacked　Ecclefechan；　though　it　is　unlikely　that　he　emptied　the　lean　pocket　of　Thomas　Carlyle。　　There　was　not　a　gaff　from　Newcastle　to　the　Tay　which　he　did　not　haunt　with　sedulous　perseverance；　nor　was　he　confronted　with　failure；　until　his　figure　became　a　universal　terror。　　His　common　method　was　to　price　a　horse；　and　while　the　dealer　showed　Barney　the　animal's　teeth；　Haggart　would　slip　under　the　uplifted　arm；　and　ease　the　blockhead　of　his　blunt。　　Arrogant　in　his　skill；　delighted　with　his　manifold　triumphs；　Haggart　led　a　life　of　unbroken　prosperity　under　the　brisk　air　of　heaven；　and；　despite　the　risk　of　his　profession；　he　remained　two　years　a　stranger　to　poverty　and　imprisonment。　　His　worst　mishap　was　to　slip　his　forks　into　an　empty　pocket；　or　to　encounter　in　his　cups　a　milvadering　horse…　dealer；　but　his　joys　were　free　and　frank；　while　he　exulted　in　his　success　with　a　boyish　glee。　　‘I　was　never　happier　in　all　my　life　than　when　I　fingered　all　this　money；'　he　exclaims　when　he　had　captured　the　comfortable　prize　of　two　hundred　pounds。　　And　then　he　would　make　merry　at　Newcastle　or　York；　forgetting　the　knowing　ones　for　a　while；　going　abroad　in　white　cape　and　tops；　and　flicking　his　leg　like　a　gentleman　with　a　dandy　whip。　　But　at　last　Barney　and　a　wayward　ambition　persuaded　him　to　desert　his　proper　craft　for　the　greater　hazard　of　cracking　a　crib；　and　thus　he　was　involved　in　his　ultimate　ruin。　　He　incurred　and　he　deserved　the　untoward　fate　of　those　who　overlook　their　talents'　limitation；　and　when　this　master　of　pickpockets　followed　Barney　through　the　window　of　a　secluded　house　upon　the　York　Road；　he　might　already　have　felt　the　noose　tightening　at　his　neck。　　The　immediate　reward　of　this　bungled　attack　was　thirty　pounds；　but　two　days　later　he　was　committed　with　Barney　to　the　Durham　Assizes；　where　he　exchanged　the　obscurity　of　the　perfect　craftsman　for　the　notoriety　of　the　dangerous　gaol…bird。

For　the　moment；　however；　he　recovered　his　freedom：　breaking　prison；　he　straightway　conveyed　a　fiddlestick　to　his　comrade；　and　in　a　twinkling　was　at　Newcastle　again；　picking　up　purses　well　lined　with　gold；　and　robbing　the　bumpkins　of　their　scouts　and　chats。　　But　the　time　of　security　was　overpast。　　Marked　and　suspicious；　he　began　to　fear　the　solitude　of　the　country；　he　left　the　horse…fair　for　the　city；　and　sought　in　the　budging…kens　of　Edinburgh　the　secrecy　impossible　on　the　hill…side。　　A　clumsy　experiment　in　shop…lifting　doubled　his　danger；　and　more　than　once　he　saw　the　inside　of　the　police…office。　　Henceforth；　he　was　free　of　the　family；　he　loafed　in　the　Shirra…Brae；　he　knew　the　flash　houses　of　Leith　and　the　Grassmarket。　　With　Jean　Johnston；　the　blowen　of　his　choice；　he　smeared　his　hands　with　the　squalor　of　petty　theft；　and　the　drunken　recklessness　wherewith　he　swaggered　it　abroad　hastened　his　approaching　downfall。

With　a　perpetual　anxiety　to　avoid　the　nippers　his　artistry　dwindled。　　The　left　hand；　invincible　on　the　Cheviots；　seemed　no　better　than　a　bunch　of　thumbs　in　the　narrow　ways　of　Edinburgh；　and　after　innumerable　misadventures　Haggart　was　safely　lodged　in　Dumfries　gaol。　　No　sooner　was　he　locked　within　his　cell　than　his　restless　brain　planned　a　generous　escape。　　He　would　win　liberty　for　his　fellows　as　well　as　for　himself；　and　after　a　brief　council　a　murderous　plot　was　framed　and　executed。　　A　stone　slung　in　a　handkerchief　sent　Morrin；　the　gaoler；　to　sleep；　the　keys　found　on　him　opened　the　massy　doors；　and　Haggart　was　free　with　a　reward　set　upon　his　head。　　The　shock　of　the　enterprise　restored　his　magnanimity。　　Never　did　he　display　a　finer　bravery　than　in　this　spirited　race　for　his　life；　and　though　three　counties　were　aroused　he　doubled　and　ducked　to　such　purpose　that　he　outstripped　John　Richardson　himself　with　all　his　bloodhounds；　and　two　days　later　marched　into　Carlisle　disguised　in　the　stolen　rags　of　a　potato…bogle。

During　the　few　months　that　remained　to　him　of　life　he　embarked　upon　a　veritable　Odyssey：　he　scoured　Scotland　from　the　Border　to　St。　Andrews；　and　finally　contrived　a　journey　oversea　to　Ireland；　where　he　made　the　name　of　Daniel　O'Brien　a　terror　to　well…doers。　　Insolent　and　careless；　he　lurched　from　prison　to　prison；　now　it　was　Armagh　that　held　him；　now　Downpatrick；　until　at　last　he　was　thrust　on　a　general　charge　of　vagabondage　and　ill…company　into　Kilmainham；　which　has　since　harboured　many　a　less　valiant　adventurer　than　David　Haggart。　　Here　the　culminating　disgrace　overtook　him：　he　was　detected　in　the　prison　yard　by　his　ancient　enemy；　John　Richardson；　of　Dumfries；　who　dragged　him　back　to　Scotland　heavily　shackled　and　charged　with　murder。　　So　nimble　had　he　proved　himself　in　extrication；　that　his　captors　secured　him　with　pitiless　severity；　round　his　waist　he　carried　an　iron　belt；　whereto　were　padlocked　the　chains；　clanking　at　his　wrists　and　ankles。　　Thus　tortured　and　helpless；　he　was　fed　‘like　a　sucking　turkey　in　Bedlam'；　but　his　sorrows　vanished；　and　his　dying　courage　revived　at　sight　of　the　torchlight　procession；　which　set　forth　from　Dumfries　to　greet　his　return。