the uncommercial traveller-第12章

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is　in　all　weathers；　poor　Jack。　　He　was　girded　to　ships'　masts　and

funnels　of　steamers；　like　a　forester　to　a　great　oak；　scraping　and

painting；　he　was　lying　out　on　yards；　furling　sails　that　tried　to

beat　him　off；　he　was　dimly　discernible　up　in　a　world　of　giant

cobwebs；　reefing　and　splicing；　he　was　faintly　audible　down　in

holds；　stowing　and　unshipping　cargo；　he　was　winding　round　and　round

at　capstans　melodious；　monotonous；　and　drunk；　he　was　of　a

diabolical　aspect；　with　coaling　for　the　Antipodes；　he　was　washing

decks　barefoot；　with　the　breast　of　his　red　shirt　open　to　the　blast；

though　it　was　sharper　than　the　knife　in　his　leathern　girdle；　he　was

looking　over　bulwarks；　all　eyes　and　hair；　he　was　standing　by　at　the

shoot　of　the　Cunard　steamer；　off　to…morrow；　as　the　stocks　in　trade

of　several　butchers；　poulterers；　and　fishmongers；　poured　down　into

the　ice…house；　he　was　coming　aboard　of　other　vessels；　with　his　kit

in　a　tarpaulin　bag；　attended　by　plunderers　to　the　very　last　moment

of　his　shore…going　existence。　　As　though　his　senses；　when　released

from　the　uproar　of　the　elements；　were　under　obligation　to　be

confused　by　other　turmoil；　there　was　a　rattling　of　wheels；　a

clattering　of　hoofs；　a　clashing　of　iron；　a　jolting　of　cotton　and

hides　and　casks　and　timber；　an　incessant　deafening　disturbance　on

the　quays；　that　was　the　very　madness　of　sound。　　And　as；　in　the

midst　of　it；　he　stood　swaying　about；　with　his　hair　blown　all　manner

of　wild　ways；　rather　crazedly　taking　leave　of　his　plunderers；　all

the　rigging　in　the　docks　was　shrill　in　the　wind；　and　every　little

steamer　coming　and　going　across　the　Mersey　was　sharp　in　its　blowing

off；　and　every　buoy　in　the　river　bobbed　spitefully　up　and　down；　as

if　there　were　a　general　taunting　chorus　of　'Come　along；　Mercantile

Jack！　　Ill…lodged；　ill…fed；　ill…used；　hocussed；　entrapped；

anticipated；　cleaned　out。　　Come　along；　Poor　Mercantile　Jack；　and　be

tempest…tossed　till　you　are　drowned！'



The　uncommercial　transaction　which　had　brought　me　and　Jack

together；　was　this：…　I　had　entered　the　Liverpool　police　force；　that

I　might　have　a　look　at　the　various　unlawful　traps　which　are　every

night　set　for　Jack。　　As　my　term　of　service　in　that　distinguished

corps　was　short；　and　as　my　personal　bias　in　the　capacity　of　one　of

its　members　has　ceased；　no　suspicion　will　attach　to　my　evidence

that　it　is　an　admirable　force。　　Besides　that　it　is　composed；

without　favour；　of　the　best　men　that　can　be　picked；　it　is　directed

by　an　unusual　intelligence。　　Its　organisation　against　Fires；　I　take

to　be　much　better　than　the　metropolitan　system；　and　in　all　respects

it　tempers　its　remarkable　vigilance　with　a　still　more　remarkable

discretion。



Jack　had　knocked　off　work　in　the　docks　some　hours；　and　I　had　taken；

for　purposes　of　identification；　a　photograph…likeness　of　a　thief；

in　the　portrait…room　at　our　head　police　office　（on　the　whole；　he

seemed　rather　complimented　by　the　proceeding）；　and　I　had　been　on

police　parade；　and　the　small　hand　of　the　clock　was　moving　on　to

ten；　when　I　took　up　my　lantern　to　follow　Mr。　Superintendent　to　the

traps　that　were　set　for　Jack。　　In　Mr。　Superintendent　I　saw；　as

anybody　might；　a　tall；　well…looking；　well…set…up　man　of　a　soldierly

bearing；　with　a　cavalry　air；　a　good　chest；　and　a　resolute　but　not

by　any　means　ungentle　face。　　He　carried　in　his　hand　a　plain　black

walking…stick　of　hard　wood；　and　whenever　and　wherever；　at　any

after…time　of　the　night；　he　struck　it　on　the　pavement　with　a

ringing　sound；　it　instantly　produced　a　whistle　out　of　the　darkness；

and　a　policeman。　　To　this　remarkable　stick；　I　refer　an　air　of

mystery　and　magic　which　pervaded　the　whole　of　my　perquisition　among

the　traps　that　were　set　for　Jack。



We　began　by　diving　into　the　obscurest　streets　and　lanes　of　the

port。　　Suddenly　pausing　in　a　flow　of　cheerful　discourse；　before　a

dead　wall；　apparently　some　ten　miles　long；　Mr。　Superintendent

struck　upon　the　ground；　and　the　wall　opened　and　shot　out；　with

military　salute　of　hand　to　temple；　two　policemen　…　not　in　the　least

surprised　themselves；　not　in　the　least　surprising　Mr。

Superintendent。



'All　right；　Sharpeye？'



'All　right；　sir。'



'All　right；　Trampfoot？'



'All　right；　sir。'



'Is　Quickear　there？'



'Here　am　I；　sir。'



'Come　with　us。'



'Yes；　sir。'



So；　Sharpeye　went　before；　and　Mr。　Superintendent　and　I　went　next；

and　Trampfoot　and　Quickear　marched　as　rear…guard。　　Sharp…eye；　I

soon　had　occasion　to　remark；　had　a　skilful　and　quite　professional

way　of　opening　doors　…　touched　latches　delicately；　as　if　they　were

keys　of　musical　instruments　…　opened　every　door　he　touched；　as　if

he　were　perfectly　confident　that　there　was　stolen　property　behind

it　…　instantly　insinuated　himself；　to　prevent　its　being　shut。



Sharpeye　opened　several　doors　of　traps　that　were　set　for　Jack；　but

Jack　did　not　happen　to　be　in　any　of　them。　　They　were　all　such

miserable　places　that　really；　Jack；　if　I　were　you；　I　would　give

them　a　wider　berth。　　In　every　trap；　somebody　was　sitting　over　a

fire；　waiting　for　Jack。　　Now；　it　was　a　crouching　old　woman；　like

the　picture　of　the　Norwood　Gipsy　in　the　old　sixpenny　dream…books；

now；　it　was　a　crimp　of　the　male　sex；　in　a　checked　shirt　and　without

a　coat；　reading　a　newspaper；　now；　it　was　a　man　crimp　and　a　woman

crimp；　who　always　introduced　themselves　as　united　in　holy

matrimony；　now；　it　was　Jack's　delight；　his　（un）lovely　Nan；　but　they

were　all　waiting　for　Jack；　and　were　all　frightfully　disappointed　to

see　us。



'Who　have　you　got　up…stairs　here？'　says　Sharpeye；　generally。　　（In

the　Move…on　tone。）



'Nobody；　surr；　sure　not　a　blessed　sowl！'　　（Irish　feminine　reply。）



'What　do　you　mean　by　nobody？　　Didn't　I　hear　a　woman's　step　go　up…

stairs　when　my　hand　was　on　the　latch？'



'Ah！　sure　thin　you're　right；　surr；　I　forgot　her！　　'Tis　on'y　Betsy

White；　surr。　　Ah！　you　know　Betsy；　surr。　　Come　down；　Betsy　darlin'；

and　say　the　gintlemin。'



Generally；　Betsy　looks　over　the　banisters　（the　steep　staircase　is

in　the　room）　with　a　forcible　expression　in　her　protesting　face；　of

an　intention　to　compensate　herself　for　the　present　trial　by

grinding　Jack　finer　than　usual　when　he　does　come。　　Generally；

Sharpeye　turns　to　Mr。　Superintendent；　and　says；　as　if　the　subjects

of　his　remarks　were　wax…work：



'One　of　the　worst；　sir；　this　house　is。　　This　woman　has　been

indicted　three　times。　　This　man's　a　regular　bad　one　likewise。　　His

real　name　is　Pegg。　　Gives　himself　out　as　Waterhouse。'



'Never　had　sitch　a　name　as　Pegg　near　me　back；　thin；　since　I　was　in

this　house；　bee　the　good　Lard！'　says　the　woman。



Generally；　the　man　says　nothing　at　all；　but　becomes　exceedingly

round…shouldered；　and　pretends　to　read　his　paper　with　rapt

attention。　　Generally；　Sharpeye　directs　our　observation　with　a

look；　to　the　prints　and　pictures　that　are　invariably　numerous　on

the　walls。　　Always；　Trampfoot　and　Quickear　are　taking　notice　on　the

doorstep。　　In　default　of　Sharpeye　being　acquainted　with　the　exact

individuality　of　any　gentleman　encountered；　one　of　these　two　is

sure　to　proclaim　from　the　outer　air；　like　a　gruff　spectre；　that

Jackson　is　not　Jackson；　but　knows　himself　to　be　Fogle；　or　that

Canlon　is　Walker's　brother；　against　whom　there　was　not　sufficient

evidence；　or　that　the　man　who　says　he　never　was　at　sea　since　he　was

a　boy；　came　ashore　from　a　voyage　last　Thursday；　or　sails　tomorrow

morning。　　'And　that　is　a　bad　class　of　man；　you　see；'　says　Mr。

Superintendent；　when　he　got　out　into　the　dark　again；　'and　very

difficult　to　deal　with；　who；　when　he　has　made　this　place　too　hot　to

hold　him；　enters　himself　for　a　voyage　as　steward　or　cook；　and　is

out　of　knowledge　for　months；　and　then　turns　up　again　worse　than

ever。'



When　we　had　gone　into　many　such　houses；　and　had　come　out　（always

leaving　everybody　relapsing　into　waiting　for　Jack）；　we　started　off

to　a　singing…house　where　Jack　was　expected　to　muster　strong。



The　vocalisation　was　taking　place　in　a　long