a book of scoundrels-第31章
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evived at sight of the torchlight procession； which set forth from Dumfries to greet his return。
His coach was hustled by a mob； thousands strong； eager to catch sight of Haggart the Murderer； and though the spot where he slew Morrin was like fire beneath his passing feet； he carried to his cell a heart and a brain aflame with gratified vanity。 His guilt being patent； reprieve was as hopeless as acquittal； and after the assured condemnation he spent his last few days with what profit he might in religious and literary exercises。 He composed a memoir； which is a model of its kind； so diligently did he make his soul； that he could appear on the scaffold in a chastened spirit of prayerful gratitude； and； being an eminent scoundrel； he seemed a proper subject for the ministrations of Mr。 George Combe。 ‘That is the one thing I did not know before；' he confessed with an engaging modesty； when his bumps were squeezed； and yet he was more than a match for the amiable phrenologist； whose ignorance of mankind persuaded him to believe that an illiterate felon could know himself and analyse his character。
His character escaped his critics as it escaped himself。 Time was when George Borrow； that other picaroon； surprised the youthful David； thinking of Willie Wallace upon the Castle Rock； and Lavengro's romantic memory transformed the raw…boned pickpocket into a monumental hero； who lacked nothing save a vast theatre to produce a vast effect。 He was a Tamerlane； robbed of his opportunity； a valiant warrior； who looked in vain for a battlefield； a marauder who climbed the scaffold not for the magnitude； but for the littleness of his sins。 Thus Borrow； in complete misunderstanding of the rascal's qualities。
Now； Haggart's ambition was as circumscribed as his ability。 He died； as he was born； an expert cly…faker； whose achievements in sleight of hand are as yet unparalleled。 Had the world been one vast breast pocket his fish…hook fingers would have turned it inside out。 But it was not his to mount a throne； or overthrow a dynasty。 ‘My forks；' he boasted； ‘are equally long； and they never fail me。' That is at once the reason and the justification of his triumph。 Born with a consummate artistry tingling at his finger…tips； how should he escape the compulsion of a glorious destiny？ Without fumbling or failure he discovered the single craft for which fortune had framed him； and he pursued it with a courage and an industry which gave him not a kingdom； but fame and booty； exceeding even his greedy aspiration。 No Tamerlane he； questing for a continent； but David Haggart； the man with the long forks； happy if he snatched his neighbour's purse。
Before all things he respected the profession which his left hand made inevitable； and which he pursued with unconquerable pride。 Nor in his inspired youth was plunder his sole ambition： he cultivated the garden of his style with the natural zeal of the artist； he frowned upon the bungler with a lofty contempt。 His materials were simplicity itself： his forks； which were always with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since； sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his neck for a purse that did not contain so much as would ‘sweeten a grawler。' At its best； his method was always wittythat is the single word which will characterise itwitty as a piece of Heine's prose； and as dangerous。 He would run over a man's pockets while he spoke with him； returning what he chose to discard without the lightest breath of suspicion。 ‘A good workman；' his contemporaries called him； and they thought it a shame for him to be idle。 Moreover； he did not blunder unconsciously upon his triumph； he tackled the trade in so fine a spirit of analysis that he might have been the very Aristotle of his science。 ‘The keek…cloy；' he wrote； in his hints to young sportsmen； ‘is easily picked。 If the notes are in the long fold just tip them the forks； but if there is a purse or open money in the case； you must link it。' The breast…pocket； on the other hand； is a severer test。 ‘Picking the suck is sometimes a kittle job；' again the philosopher speaks。 ‘If the coat is buttoned it must be opened by slipping past。 Then bring the lil down between the flap of the coat and the body； keeping your spare arm across your man's breast； and so slip it to a comrade； then abuse the fellow for jostling you。'
Not only did he master the tradition of thievery； he vaunted his originality with the familiar complacence of the scoundrel。 Forgetting that it was by burglary that he was undone； he explains for his public glorification that he was wont to enter the houses of Leith by forcing the small window above the outer door。 This artifice； his vanity grumbles； is now common； but he would have all the world understand that it was his own invention； and he murmurs with the pedantry of the convicted criminal that it is now set forth for the better protection of honest citizens。 No less admirable in his own eyes was that other artifice which induced him to conceal such notes as he managed to filch in the collar of his coat。 Thus he eluded the vigilance of the police； which searched its prey in those days with a sorry lack of cunning。 In truth； Haggart's wits were as nimble as his fingers； and he seldom failed to render a profitable account of his talents。 He beguiled one of his sojourns in gaol by manufacturing tinder wherewith to light the prisoners' pipes； and it is not astonishing that he won a general popularity。 In Ireland； when the constables would take him for a Scot； he answered in high Tipperary； and saved his skin for a while by a brogue which would not have shamed a modern patriot。 But quick as were his wits； his vanity always outstripped them； and no hero ever bragged of his achievements with a louder effrontery。
Now all you ramblers in mourning go； For the prince of ramblers is lying low； And all you maidens that love the game； Put on your mourning veils again。
Thus he celebrated his downfall in a ballad that has the true Newgate ring； and verily in his own eyes he was a hero who carried to the scaffold a dauntless spirit unstained by treachery。
He believed himself an adept in all the arts； as a squire of dames he held himself peerless； and he assured the ineffable Combe； who recorded his flippant utterance with a credulous respect； that he had sacrificed hecatombs of innocent virgins to his importunate lust。 Prose and verse trickled with equal facility from his pen； and his biography is a masterpiece。 Written in the pedlar's French as it was misspoken in the hells of Edinburgh； it is a narrative of uncommon simplicity and directness； marred now and again by such superfluous reflections as are the natural result of thievish sentimentality。 He tells his tale without paraphrase or adornment； and the worthy Writer to the Signet； who prepared the work for the Press； would have asked three times the space to record one…half the adventures。 ‘I sunk upon it with my forks and brought it with me'； ‘We obtained thirty…three pounds by this affair'is there not the stalwart flavour of the epic in these plain； unvarnished sentences？
His other accomplishments are pallid in the light of his brilliant left hand。 Once； at Derryhe attended a cock… fight； and beguiled an interval by emptying the pockets of a lucky bookmaker。 An expert； who watched the exploit in admiration； could not withhold a compliment。 ‘You are the Switcher；' he exclaimed； ‘some take all； but you leave nothing。' And it is as the Switcher that Haggart keeps his memory green。
II GENTLEMAN HARRY
GENTLEMAN HARRY
‘DAMN ye both！ stop； or I will blow your brains out！' Thus it was that Harry Simms greeted his victims； proving in a phrase that the heroic age of the rumpad was no more。 Forgotten the debonair courtesy of Claude Duval！ Forgotten the lightning wit； the swift repartee of the incomparable Hind！ No longer was the hightoby…gloak a ‘gentleman' of the road； he was a butcher； if not a beggar； on horseback； a braggart without the courage to pull a trigger； a swashbuckler； oblivious of that ancient style which converted the misery of surrender into a privilege。 Yet Harry Simms； the supreme adventurer of his
