A PUBLIC FUNCTIONARY.
Urged by that sense of duty to which we have before alluded, and which
prompted him to neglect no step that might lead to the discovery of a
great criminal's lurking-place, Richard accompanied the police-officer
to various houses where the dregs of the population herded together.
The inspection of a plague-hospital could not have been more appalling:
the scrutiny of a lazar-house could not have produced deeper disgust.
In some the inmates were engaged in drunken broils, the women enacting
the part of furies: in others the females sang obscene songs, the men
joining in the chorus.
Here a mother waited until her daughter should return with the wages of
prostitution, to purchase the evening meal: there a husband boasted that
his wife was enabled, by the liberality of a paramour, to supply him
with ample means for his night's debauchery.
In one house which our hero and the constable visited, three sisters of
the respective ages of eleven, thirteen, and fourteen, were comparing
the produce of their evening's avocations,—the avocations of the
daughters of crime!
And then those three children, having portioned out the necessary amount
for their suppers and their lodging that night, and their breakfast next
morning, laughed joyously as they perceived how much they had left to
purchase gin!
For GIN is the deity, and INTEMPERANCE is the hand-maiden, of both sexes
and nearly all ages in that district of London.
What crimes, what follies have been perpetrated for Gin! A river of
alcohol rolls through the land, sweeping away health, honour, and
happiness with its remorseless tide. The creaking gibbet, and the prison
ward—the gloomy hulk, and the far-off penal isle—the debtors' gaol, and
the silent penitentiary—the tomb-like workhouse, and the loathsome
hospital—the galling chain, and the spirit-breaking tread-wheel—the
frightful mad-cell, and the public dissecting-room—the death-bed of
despair, and the grave of the suicide, are indebted for many, many
victims to thee, most potent GIN!
O GIN! the Genius of Accidents and the Bad Angel of Offences worship
thee! Thou art the Juggernaut beneath whose wheels millions throw
themselves in blind adoration.
The pawnbroker points to thee and says, "Whilst thy dominion lasts, I am
sure to thrive."
The medical man smiles as he marks thy progress, for he knows that thou
leadest a ghastly train,—apoplexy, palsy, dropsy, delirium tremens,
consumption, madness.
The undertaker chuckles when he remembers thine influence, for he says
within himself, "Thou art the Angel of Death."
And Satan rejoices in his kingdom, well-knowing how thickly it can be
populated by thee!
Yes—great is thy power, O GIN: thou keepest pace with the progress of
civilisation, and thou art made the companion of the Bible. For when the
missionary takes the Word of God to the savage in some far distant
clime, he bears the fire-water with him at the same time. While his
right hand points to the paths of peace and salvation, his left scatters
the seeds of misery, disease, death, and damnation!
Yes—great is thy power, O Gin: a terrible instrument of evil art thou.
Thou sweepest over the world with the wing of the pestilence: thy breath
that of a plague:—like the poisonous garment of Dejanira on the burning
limbs of the Centaur, dost thou cling around thy victims.
And where the grave-yard is heaped up with mouldering bones—and where
disease and death prevail in all their most hideous shapes—and where
misery is most keenly felt, and poverty is most pinching—and where the
wails of hapless children ascend to heaven in vain appeal against the
cruelty of inhuman parents—and where crime is most diabolical,—there are
thy triumphs—there are thy victories!
But to continue.
The clock of St. Giles's Church proclaimed the hour of midnight; and
though our hero and the constable had visited many of the low dens and
lodging-houses in the Holy Land, still their search was without success.
"Unless my mates have been more lucky than us," observed the policeman,
halting at the corner of a street, "we must conclude that the bird is
flown."
"And even if they should chance to enter a house where the miscreant has
taken refuge, how would they be enabled to recognise him?" asked
Richard.
"One of them knows him well," replied the constable.
At that moment a violent scream issued from the upper part of the house
close to which Markham and the constable were standing.
The dwelling was high, narrow, and, if possible, more gloomy, when
viewed by the feeble rays of a watery moon, than the neighbouring
houses.
From the uppermost window streamed a strong light, which danced upon the
black wall of the building opposite, making the sombre appearance of the
locality the more sinister as it was the more visible.
That scream, which expressed both horror and agony, caused Markham to
start with momentary consternation.
The constable did not, however, appear surprised; but merely observed
with a strange coolness, "Ah! there's Smithers at his old tricks again."
"And who is Smithers?" inquired Richard.
But before the constable could reply to the question, the window, whence
the light emanated, was thrown up with crashing violence, and a female
voice shrieked for assistance.
"Had we not bettor ascertain what is the matter here?" exclaimed
Markham, hastily.
"I dare not force an entry, unless there's a cry of '_Murder_,'"
answered the officer.
Scarcely were these words uttered when the sound of a heavy blow, like
that of a thong or leathern strap upon a person's back, echoed along the
street; and then terrific shrieks, mingled with cries of "_Murder!_"
issued from the open window.
In another instant the female was dragged away from the casement by some
one in the room where this scene occurred; then the blows were resumed
with frightful severity, and the screams and cries continued in a more
appalling manner than at first.
Immediately afterwards, and just as the constable was preparing to force
an entry, some one was heard to rush precipitately down the stairs
inside the house: the door opened, and a strange-looking being darted
madly into the street.
"Now, Gibbet," cried the policeman, catching the hump-backed lad—for
such Markham perceived him to be—by the collar, "what's all this about?"
"Oh! you are an officer!" exclaimed the hump-back, in a tone of surprise
and delight: "for God's sake come up—father's murdering Kate!"
The screams and the sounds of the blows still continuing up stairs, the
constable did not hesitate to comply with the request of the deformed
lad whom he had saluted by the singular name of Gibbet; and Markham
hastened after him, anxious to render any assistance that might be
required at his hands.
The policeman and our hero hurried up the narrow stairs, lighted by the
officer's bull's-eye; and speedily reached the room whence the screams
had emanated.
But we must pause for a moment to describe that apartment, and to give
the reader some idea of the inmates of the house to which we have
introduced him.
The room was situated at the top of the house, and bore the appearance
of a loft, there being no ceiling to conceal the massive beams and spars
which supported the angular roof.
From one of the horizontal beams hung a stuffed figure, resembling a
human being, and as large as life. It was dressed in a complete suit of
male attire; and a white mask gave it the real but ghastly appearance of
a dead body. It was suspended by a thick cord, or halter, the knot of
which being fastened beneath the left ear, made the head incline
somewhat over the right shoulder; and it was waving gently backwards and
forwards, as if it had been recently disturbed. The arms were pinioned
behind; and the hands, which were made more or less life-like by means
of dingy white kid gloves, were curled up as it were in a last
convulsion. In a word, it presented the exact appearance of a man
hanging.
Markham started back when his eyes first fell on this sinister object;
but a second glance convinced him that the figure was only a puppet.
This second survey brought to his view other features, calculated to
excite his wonder and curiosity, in that strange apartment.
The figure already described was suspended in such a way that its lower
extremity was about a foot from the ground; but it was concealed nearly
up to the knees by a small scaffold, or large black box, it having been
suffered to fall that much through a trap-door made like a drop in the
platform of that diminutive stage.
From this strange spectacle,—which, in all respects, was a perfect
representation of an execution—Markham's eyes wandered round the loft.
The walls—the rough brick-work of which was smeared over with
white-wash,—were covered with rude pictures, glaringly coloured and set
in common black wooden frames. These pictures were such as are sold in
low neighbourhoods for a few pence each, and representing scenes in the
lives of remarkable highwaymen, murderers, and other criminals who had
ended their days upon the scaffold. The progress of Jack Sheppard to the
gibbet at Tyburn,—the execution of Jonathan Wild,—Turpin's ride to
York,—Sawney Bean and his family feasting off human flesh in their
cave,—Hunt and Thurtell throwing the body of Mr. Weare into the
pond,—Corder murdering Maria Martin at the Red Barn,—James Greenacre
cutting up the corpse of Hannah Brown,—such were the principal subjects
of that Gallery of Human Enormity.
But as if these pictorial mementos of crime and violent death were not
sufficient to gratify the strange taste of the occupants of that
apartment, some hand, which was doubtless the agent of an imagination
that loved to "sup full of horrors," had scrawled with a burnt stick
upon the wall various designs of an equally terrific nature. Gibbets of
all forms, and criminals in all the different stages of their last
minutes in this life, were there represented. The ingenuity of the
draughtsman had even suggested improvements in the usual modes of
execution, and had delineated drops, halters, and methods of pinioning
on new principles!
Every thing in that spacious loft savoured of the scaffold!
Oh! had the advocates of capital punishment but been enabled to glance
upon that scene of horrors, they would have experienced a feeling of
dire regret that any system which they had supported could have led to
such an exhibition!
But to proceed.
On a rude board which served as a mantel over the grate, was a miniature
gibbet, about eight inches high, and suspended to the horizontal beam of
which was a mouse—most scientifically hung with a strong piece of
pack-thread.
The large silver watch belonging to the principal inmate of the house
was suspended to a horizontal piece of wood, with an oblique supporter,
projecting from the wall above the fire-place.
In one corner of the room was a bed, over which flowed curtains of a
coarse yellow material; and even these were suspended to a spar arranged
and propped up like the arm of a gibbet.
A table, on which the supper things still remained, and half a dozen
chairs, completed the contents of this strange room.
And now a few words relative to the inmates of that house.
The hump-backed lad who had rushed down the stairs in the manner already
described, was about seventeen or eighteen years of age, and so
hideously ugly that he scarcely seemed to belong to the human species.
His hair was fiery red, and covered with coarse and matted curls a huge
head that would not have been unsuitable for the most colossal form. His
face was one mass of freckles; his eyes were of a pinkish hue; his
eyebrows and lashes were white; and his large teeth glittered like
dominoes between his thick and blueish lips. His arms were long like
those of a baboon; but his legs were short; and he was not more than
four feet and a half high. In spite of his hideous deformity and almost
monstrous ugliness, there was an air of good-nature about him, combined
with an evident consciousness of his own repulsive appearance, which
could not do otherwise than inspire compassion—if not interest.
The moment the policeman, who entered the room first, made his
appearance upon the threshold, a young female precipitated herself
towards him, exclaiming, "For God's sake protect me—but do not, do not
hurt my uncle!"
This girl was about sixteen years of age, and, though not beautiful,
possessed a countenance whose plaintive expression was calculated to
inspire deep interest in her behalf. She was tall, and of a graceful
figure: her hair was light chesnut; her eyes dark blue, and with a deep
melancholy characterising their bashful glances; her teeth were small,
white, and even. Though clad in humble attire, there was something
genteel in her appearance,—something superior to the place and society
in which we now find her.
The man from whose cruel blows she implored protection, was of middle
height, rather stoutly built, with a pale countenance, and an expression
of stern hard-heartedness in his large grey eyes and compressed lips. He
was dressed in a suit which evidently had never been made for him,—the
blue frock coat being too long in the sleeves, the waistcoat too wide
round the waist, and the trousers scarcely reaching below the knees.
"For God's sake protect me!" exclaimed the young girl, as above stated;
"but do not—do not hurt my uncle," she added in a tone which proved the
sincerity of the prayer.
"Come, come, Master Smithers," said the constable, "this won't do: you
musn't alarm the neighbourhood in this manner."
"Why, then, does she interfere between me and Gibbet?" cried the man
brutally, at the same time flourishing a thick leathern thong in his
right hand.
"She does it out of good-nature, I suppose," observed the constable.
"Every one knows how shameful you treat your son Gibbet; and this poor
gal takes her cousin's part."
At these words the hump-back cast a timid but affectionate glance
towards Katherine, who, on her part, threw a look of profound compassion
upon the unfortunate lad.
"She does it out of good-nature, does she?" repeated the man: "then why
won't he learn my business? He never can be fit for any other. But,
no—the moment I leave him, he is off to the side of Miss there; and she
makes him read in her outlandish books, so that he despises his father
and the business that he must take to, sooner or later."
"But you ought not to beat Miss Katherine, Smithers," reiterated the
policeman. "The next time I hear the cry of '_Murder_' in your house
I'll walk you off to the station—and that's all about it."
"I suppose that I may leather my own son if I choose?" said the man,
savagely.
"You ought to remember that he is deformed through your cruelty," cried
the constable, "and that his mother died of fright and grief——"
"Hold your tongue, blue-bottle!" interrupted Smithers, his lips
quivering with rage. "It isn't for you to come and make mischief in a
family. Get out with you!"
"But if we leave this poor girl to the rage of her uncle," said Markham
to the constable, whom he drew aside and thus addressed in a whisper,
"he will do her some injury."
"What is to be done with her, sir?" demanded the officer. "Smithers says
she is his niece——"
"Is it not certain that she stands in such a degree of relationship
towards him?" inquired our hero, whose humane heart was moved in favour
of the suffering girl.
"Now, then, what are you chattering about there?" ejaculated Smithers.
"I want to go to bed: Gibbet, you be off to your room—and, Kate, you go
to yours. This is mine—and I should advise the blue-bottle with his spy
in plain clothes to make themselves scarce."
"Remember, I shall report you to our serjeant," said the policeman; "and
he will tell the Division to keep an eye on you."
"Tell him whatever you like," returned the man doggedly.
The hump-back and Katherine had already left the room in obedience to
the command of Smithers.
The constable repeated a caution to the ruffian who had ill-used them,
and then took his departure, followed by Richard Markham.
When they were once more in the street, our hero said to his companion,
"Who is that man?"
"The PUBLIC EXECUTIONER," was the reply.