a book of scoundrels-第12节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
or rumpad that did not declare eternal war upon the black…hearted Regicides。 With a laudable devotion to her chosen cause； Moll despatched the most experienced of her gang to rob Lady Fairfax on her way to church； and there is a tradition that the Roaring Girl； hearing that Fairfax himself would pass by Hounslow； rode forth to meet him； and with her own voice bade him stand and deliver。 One would like to believe it； yet it is scarce credible。 If Fairfax had spent the balance of an ignominious career in being plundered by a band of loyal brigands； he would not have had time to justify the innumerable legends of pockets emptied and pistols levelled at his head。 Moreover； Moll herself was laden with years； and she had always preferred the council chamber to the battlefield。 But it is certain that； with Captain Hind and Mull Sack to aid； she schemed many a clever plot against the Roundheads； and nobly she played her part in avenging the martyred King。
Thus she declined into old age； attended； like Queen Mary； by her maids； who would card； reel； spin； and beguile her leisure with sweet singing。 Though her spirit was untamed； the burden of her years compelled her to a tranquil life。 She； who formerly never missed a bull…baiting； must now content herself with tick…tack。 Her fortune； moreover； had been wrecked in the Civil War。 Though silver shells still jingled in her pocket； time was she knew the rattle of the yellow boys。 But she never lost courage； and died at last of a dropsy； in placid contentment with her lot。 Assuredly she was born at a time well suited to her genius。 Had she lived to…day； she might have been a ‘Pioneer'； she might even have discussed some paltry problem of sex in a printed obscenity。
In her own freer； wiser age； she was not man's detractor； but his rival； and if she never knew the passion of love； she was always loyal to the obligation of friendship。 By her will she left twenty pounds to celebrate the Second Charles's restoration to his kingdom； and you contemplate her career with the single regret that she died a brief year before the red wine； thus generously bestowed； bubbled at the fountain。
II JONATHAN WILD
JONATHAN WILD
WHEN Jonathan Wild and the Count La Ruse； in Fielding's narrative； took a hand at cards； Jonathan picked his opponent's pocket； though he knew it was empty； while the Count； from sheer force of habit； stacked the cards； though Wild had not a farthing to lose。 And if in his uncultured youth the great man stooped to prig with his own hand； he was early cured of the weakness： so that Fielding's picture of the hero taking a bottle…screw from the Ordinary's pocket in the very moment of death is entirely fanciful。 For ‘this Machiavel of Thieves；' as a contemporary styled him； left others to accomplish what his ingenuity had planned。 His was the high policy of theft。 If he lived on terms of familiar intimacy with the mill…kens； the bridle…culls； the buttock…and…files of London； he was none the less the friend and minister of justice。 He enjoyed the freedom of Newgate and the Old Bailey。 He came and went as he liked： he packed juries； he procured bail； he manufactured evidence； and there was scarce an assize or a sessions passed but he slew his man。
The world knew him for a robber； yet could not refuse his brilliant service。 At the Poultry Counter； you are told； he laid the foundations of his future greatness； and to the Poultry Counter he was committed for some trifling debt ere he had fully served his apprenticeship to the art and mystery of buckle… making。 There he learned his craft； and at his enlargement he was able forthwith to commence thief…catcher。 His plan was conceived with an effrontery that was nothing less than genius。 On the one side he was the factor； or rather the tyrant； of the cross…coves： on the other he was the trusted agent of justice； the benefactor of the outraged and the plundered。 Among his earliest exploits was the recovery of the Countess of Gdn's chair； impudently carried off when her ladyship had but just alighted； and the courage wherewith he brought to justice the murderers of one Mrs。 Knap； who had been slain for some trifling booty； established his reputation as upon a rock。 He at once advertised himself in the public prints as Thief…Catcher General of Great Britain and Ireland； and proceeded to send to the gallows every scoundrel that dared dispute his position。
His opportunities of gain were infinite。 Even if he did not organise the robbery which his cunning was presently to discover； he had spies in every hole and corner to set him on the felon's track。 Nor did he leave a single enterprise to chance： ‘He divided the city and suburbs into wards or divisions； and appointed the persons who were to attend each ward； and kept them strictly to their duty。' If a subordinate dared to disobey or to shrink from murder； Jonathan hanged him at the next assize； and happily for him he had not a single confederate whose neck he might not put in the halter when he chose。 Thus he preserved the union and the fidelity of his gang； punishing by judicial murder the smallest insubordination； the faintest suspicion of rivalry。 Even when he had shut his victim up in Newgate； he did not leave him so long as there was a chance of blackmail。 He would make the most generous offers of evidence and defence to every thief that had a stiver left him。 But whether or not he kept his bargainthat depended upon policy and inclination。 On one occasion； when he had brought a friend to the Old Bailey； and relented at the last moment； he kept the prosecutor drunk from the noble motive of self…interest； until the case was over。 And so esteemed was he of the officers of the law that even this interference did but procure a reprimand。
His meanest action marked him out from his fellows； but it was not until he habitually pillaged the treasures he afterwards restored to their grateful owners for a handsome consideration； that his art reached the highest point of excellence。 The event was managed by him with amazing adroitness from beginning to end。
It was he who discovered the wealth and habit of the victim； it was he who posted the thief and seized the plunder； giving a paltry commission to his hirelings for the trouble； it was he who kept whatever valuables were lost in the transaction； and as he was the servant of the Court； discovery or inconvenience was impossible。 Surely the Machiavel of Thieves is justified of his title。 He was known to all the rich and titled folk in town； and if he was generally able to give them back their stolen valuables at something more than double their value； he treated his clients with a most proper insolence。 When Lady Mn was unlucky enough to lose a silver buckle at Windsor； she asked Wild to recover it； and offered the hero twenty pounds for his trouble。 ‘Zounds； Madam；' says he； ‘you offer nothing。 It cost the gentleman who took it forty pounds for his coach； equipage； and other expenses to Windsor。' His impudence increased with success； and in the geniality of his cups he was wont to boast his amazing rogueries： ‘hinting not without vanity at the poor Understandings of the Greatest Part of Mankind； and his own Superior Cunning。'
In fifteen years he claimed 10；000 for his dividend of recovered plunderings； and who shall estimate the moneys which flowed to his treasury from blackmail and the robberies of his gang？ So brisk became his trade in jewels and the precious metals that he opened relations with Holland； and was master of a fleet。 His splendour increased with wealth： he carried a silver… mounted sword； and a footman tramped at his heels。 ‘His table was very splendid；' says a biographer： ‘he seldom dining under five Dishes； the Reversions whereof were generally charitably bestow'd on the Commonside felons。' At his second marriage with Mrs。 Mary Dn； the hempen widow of Scull Dn； his humour was most happily expressed： he distributed white ribbons among the turnkeys； he gave the Ordinary gloves and favours； he sent the prisoners of Newgate several ankers of brandy for punch。 ‘Twas a fitting complaisance； since his fortune was drawn from Newgate； and since he was destined himself； a few years later； to drink punch‘a liquor nowhere spoken against in the Scriptures'with the same Ordinary whom he thus magnificently decorated。 Endowed with considerable courage； for a while he had the prudence to save his skin； and despite his bravado he was known on occasion to yield a plundered treasure to an accomplice who set a pistol to his head。 But it is certain that the accomplice died at Tyburn for his pains； and on equal terms Jonathan was resolute with the best。 On the trail he was savage as a wild beast。 When he arrested James Wright for a robbery committed upon the persons of the Earl of Bln and the Lord Bruce； he held on to the victim's chin by his teethan exploit which reminds you of the illustrious Tiger Roche。
Even in his lifetime he was generously styled the Great。 The scourge of London； he betrayed and destroyed every man that ever dared to live upon terms of friendship with him。 It was Jonathan that made Blueskin a thief； and Jonathan screened his creature from justice only so long as c
