a book of scoundrels-第14部分

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nce；　but　the　Ordinary　was　more　difficult　of　conciliation。　　The　Clerk　had　not　been　long　in　Newgate　before　he　saw　that　between　the　reverend　gentleman　and　himself　there　could　be　naught　save　war。　　Hitherto　the　Ordinary　had　reserved　to　his　own　profit　the　right　of　intrigue；　he　it　was　who　had　received　the　hard…scraped　money　of　the　sorrowing　relatives；　and　untied　the　noose　when　it　seemed　good　to　him。　　Briscoe　insisted　upon　a　division　of　labour。　　‘It　is　your　business；'　he　said；　‘to　save　the　scoundrels　in　the　other　world。　　Leave　to　me　the　profit　of　their　salvation　in　this。'　　And　the　Clerk　triumphed　after　his　wont：　freedom　jingled　in　his　pocket；　he　doled　out　comfort；　even　life；　to　the　oppressed；　and　he　extorted　a　comfortable　fortune　in　return　for　privileges　which　were　never　in　his　gift。

Without　the　walls　of　Newgate　the　house　of　his　frequentation　was　the　‘Dog　Tavern。'　　Thither　he　would　wander　every　afternoon　to　meet　his　clients　and　to　extort　blood…money。　　In　this　haunt　of　criminals　and　pettifoggers　no　man　was　better　received　than　the　Newgate　Clerk；　and　while　he　assumed　a　manner　of　generous　cordiality；　it　was　a　strange　sight　to　see　him　wince　when　some　sturdy　ruffian　slapped　him　too　strenuously　upon　the　back。　　He　had　a　joke　and　a　chuckle　for　all；　and　his　merry　quips；　dry　as　they　were；　were　joyously　quoted　to　all　new…comers。　　His　legal　ingenuity　appeared　miraculous；　and　it　was　confidently　asserted　in　the　Coffee　House　that　he　could　turn　black　to　white　with　so　persuasive　an　argument　that　there　was　no　Judge　on　the　Bench　to　confute　him。　　But　he　was　not　omnipotent；　and　his　zeal　encountered　many　a　serious　check。　　At　times　he　failed　to　save　the　necks　even　of　his　intimates；　since；　when　once　a　ruffian　was　notorious；　Moll　and　the　Clerk　fought　vainly　for　his　release。　　Thus　it　was　that　Cheney；　the　famous　wrestler；　whom　Ralph　had　often　backed　against　all　comers；　died　at　Tyburn。　　He　had　been　taken　by　the　troopers　red…handed　upon　the　highway。　　Seized　after　a　desperate　resistance；　he　was　wounded　wellnigh　to　death；　and　Briscoe　quoted　a　dozen　precedents　to　prove　that　he　was　unfit　to　be　tried　or　hanged。　　Argument　failing；　the　munificent　Clerk　offered　fifty　pounds　for　the　life　of　his　friend。　　But　to　no　purpose：　the　valiant　wrestler　was　carried　to　the　cart　in　a　chair；　and　so　lifted　to　the　gallows；　which　cured　him　of　his　gaping　wounds。

When　the　Commonwealth　administered　justice　with　pedantic　severity；　Briscoe's　influence　still　further　declined。　　There　was　no　longer　scope　in　the　State　for　men　of　spirit；　even　the　gaols　were　handed　over　to　the　stern　mercy　of　crop…eared　Puritans；　Moll　herself　had　fallen　upon　evil　times；　and　Ralph　Briscoe　determined　to　make　a　last　effort　for　wealth　and　retirement。　　At　the　very　moment　when　his　expulsion　seemed　certain；　an　heiress　was　thrown　into　Newgate　upon　a　charge　of　murdering　a　too　importunate　suitor。　　The　chain　of　evidence　was　complete：　the　dagger　plunged　in　his　heart　was　recognised　for　her　own；　she　was　seen　to　decoy　him　to　the　secret　corner　of　a　wood；　where　his　raucous　love…making　was　silenced　for　ever。　　Taken　off　her　guard；　she　had　even　hinted　confession　of　her　crime；　and　nothing　but　intrigue　could　have　saved　her　gentle　neck　from　the　gallows。　　Briscoe；　hungry　for　her　money…bags；　promised　assistance。　　He　bribed；　he　threatened；　he　cajoled；　he　twisted　the　law　as　only　he　could　twist　it；　he　suppressed　honest　testimony；　he　procured　false；　in　fine；　he　weakened　the　case　against　her　with　so　resistless　an　effrontery；　that　not　the　Hanging　Judge　himself　could　convict　the　poor　innocent。

At　the　outset　he　had　agreed　to　accept　a　handsome　bribe；　but　as　the　trial　approached；　his　avarice　increased；　and　he　would　be　content　with　nothing　less　than　the　lady's　hand　and　fortune。　　Not　that　he　loved　her；　his　heart　was　long　since　given　to　Moll　Cutpurse；　but　he　knew　that　his　career　of　depredation　was　at　an　end；　and　it　became　him　to　provide　for　his　declining　years。　　The　victim　repulsed　his　suit；　regretting　a　thousand　times　that　she　had　stabbed　her　ancient　lover。　　At　last；　bidden　summarily　to　choose　between　Death　and　the　Clerk；　she　chose　the　Clerk；　and　thus　Ralph　Briscoe　left　Newgate　the　richest　squire　in　a　western　county。　　Henceforth　he　farmed　his　land　like　a　gentleman；　drank　with　those　of　his　neighbours　who　would　crack　a　bottle　with　him；　and　unlocked　the　strange　stores　of　his　memory　to　bumpkins　who　knew　not　the　name　of　Newgate。　　Still　devoted　to　sport；　he　hunted　the　fox；　and　made　such　a　bull…ring　as　his　youthful　imagination　could　never　have　pictured。　　So　he　lived　a　life　of　country　ease；　and　died　a　churchwarden。　　And　he　deserved　his　prosperity；　for　he　carried　the　soul　of　Falstaff　in　the　shrunken　body　of　Justice　Shallow。


GILDEROY　AND　THE　SIXTEEN…　STRING　JACK

I　GILDEROY


GILDEROY

HE　stood　six　feet　ten　in　his　stockinged　feet；　and　was　the　tallest　ruffian　that　ever　cut　a　purse　or　held　up　a　coach　on　the　highway。　　A　mass　of　black　hair　curled　over　a　low　forehead；　and　a　glittering　eye　intensified　his　villainous　aspect；　nor　did　a　deep　scar；　furrowing　his　cheek　from　end　to　end；　soften　the　horror　of　his　sudden　apparition。　　Valiant　men　shuddered　at　his　approach；　women　shrank　from　the　distant　echo　of　his　name；　for　fifteen　years　he　terrorised　Scotland　from　Caithness　to　the　border；　and　the　most　partial　chronicler　never　insulted　his　memory　with　the　record　of　a　good　deed。

He　was　born　to　a　gentle　family　in　the　Calendar　of　Monteith；　and　was　celebrated　even　in　boyhood　for　his　feats　of　strength　and　daring。　　While　still　at　school　he　could　hold　a　hundredweight　at　arm's…length；　and　crumple　up　a　horseshoe　like　a　wisp　of　hay。　　The　fleetest　runner；　the　most　desperate　fighter　in　the　country；　he　was　already　famous　before　his　name　was　besmirched　with　crime；　and　he　might　have　been　immortalised　as　the　Hercules　of　the　seventeenth　century；　had　not　his　ambition　been　otherwise　flattered。　　At　the　outset；　though　the　inclination　was　never　lacking；　he　knew　small　temptation　to　break　the　sterner　laws　of　conduct。　　His　pleasures　were　abundantly　supplied　by　his　father's　generosity；　and　he　had　no　need　to　refrain　from　such　vices　as　became　a　gentleman。　　If　he　was　no　drunkard；　it　was　because　his　head　was　equal　to　the　severest　strain；　and；　despite　his　forbidding　expression；　he　was　always　a　successful　breaker　of　hearts。　　His　very　masterfulness　overcame　the　most　stubborn　resistance；　and　more　than　once　the　pressure　of　his　dishonourable　suit　converted　hatred　into　love。　　At　the　very　time　that　he　was　denounced　for　Scotland's　disgrace；　his　praises　were　chanted　in　many　a　dejected　ballad。　　‘Gilderoy　was　a　bonny　boy；'　sang　one　heart…broken　maiden：

　　　　　　　　　　Had　roses　till　his　shoon；　　　　　　His　stockings　were　of　silken　soy；　　　　　　　　　　　Wi'　garters　hanging　doon。

But　in　truth　he　was　admired　less　for　his　amiability　than　for　that　quality　of　governance　which；　when　once　he　had　torn　the　decalogue　to　pieces；　made　him　a　veritable　emperor　of　crime。

His　father's　death　was　the　true　beginning　of　his　career。　　A　modest　patrimony　was　squandered　in　six　months；　and　Gilderoy　had　no　penny　left　wherewith　to　satisfy　the　vices　which　insisted　upon　indulgence。　　He　demanded　money　at　all　hazards；　and　money　without　toil。　　For　a　while　his　more　loudly　clamant　needs　were　fulfilled　by　the　amiable　simplicity　of　his　mother；　whom　he　blackmailed　with　insolence　and　contempt。　　And　when　she；　wearied　by　his　shameless　importunity；　at　last　withdrew　her　support；　he　determined　upon　a　monstrous　act　of　vengeance。　　With　a　noble　affectation　of　penitence　he　visited　his　home；　promised　reform　at　supper；　and　said　good…night　in　the　broken　accent　of　reconciliation。　　No　sooner　was　the　house　sunk　in　slumber　than　he　crawled　stealthily　upstairs　in　order　to　forestall　by　theft　a　promised　generosity。　　He　opened　the　door　of　the　bed…chamber　in　a　hushed　silence；　but　the　wrenching　of　the　cofferlid　awoke　the　sleeper；　and　Gilderoy；　having　cut　his　mother's　throat　with　an　infamous　levity；　seized　whatever　money　and　jewels　were　in　the　house；　cruelly　maltreated　his　sister；　and　laughingly　burnt　the　house　to　the　ground；　that　the　possibility　of　evidence　might　be　destroyed。

Henceforth　his　method　of　plunder　was　assured。　　It　was　part　of　his　philosophy　to　prevent　detection　by　murder；　and　the　flames　from　the　burning　walls　added　a　pleasure　to　his　lustful　eye。　　His　march　across　Scotland　was　marked　by　slaughtered　families　and　ruined　houses。　　Plunder　was　the　first　cause　of　his　exploits；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　death　and　arson　were　a　solace　to　his　fierce　spirit；　and　for　a　while　this　giant　of　cruelty　knew　neither　check　nor　hindrance。　　Presently　it　became　a　superstition　with　him　that　death　was　the　inevitable　accompaniment　of　robbery；　and；　as　he　was　incapable　of　remorse；　he　grew　callous；　and　neglected　the　simplest　precautions。　　At　Dunkeld　he　razed　a　rifled　house　to　the　ground；　and　with　the　utmost　effrontery　repeated　the　performance　at　Aberdeen。　　But　at　last　he　had　been　tracked　by　a　company　of　soldiers；　who；　that　justice　might　not　be　cheated　of　her　prey；　carried　him　to　gaol；　where　after　the　briefest　trial　he　was　condemned　to　death。

Gilderoy；　however；　was　still　master　of　himself。　　His　immense　strength　not　only　burst　his　bonds；　but　broke　prison；　and　this　invincible　Samson　was　once　more　free　in　Aberdeen；　inspiring　that　respectable　city　with　a　legendary　dread。　　The　reward　of　one　hundred　pounds　was　offered　in　vain。　　Had　he　shown　himself　on　the　road　in　broad　daylight；　none　would　have　dared　to　arrest　him；　and　it　was　not　until　his　plans　were　deliberately　laid；　that　he　crossed　the　sea。　　The　more　violent　period　of　his　career　was　at　an　end。　　Never　again　did　he　yield　to　his　passion　for　burning　and　sudden　death；　and；　if　the　world　found　him　unconquerable；　his　self…control　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　in　the　heyday　of　his　strength　he　turned　from　his　unredeemed　brutality　to　a　gentler　method。　　He　now　deserted　Scotland　for　France；　with　which；　like　all　his　countrymen；　he　claimed　a　cousinship；　and　so　profoundly　did　he　impose　upon　Paris　with　his　immense　stature；　his　elegant　attire；　his　courtly　manners　（for　he　was　courtesy　itself；　when　it　pleased　him）；　that　he　was　taken　for　an　eminent　scholar；　or　at　least　a　soldier　of　fortune。

Prosperity　might　doubtless　have　followed　a　discreet　profession；　but　Gilderoy　must　still　be　thieving；　and　he　reaped　a　rich　harvest　among　the　unsuspicious　courtiers　of　France。　　His