speech；　which　did　not　shame　the　king　of　thief…takers；　and　whose　sale
  brought　a　comfortable　profit　to　the　widow。　　Jonathan；　on　his　side；　had
  shown　the　Ordinary　not　a　little　condescension。　　It　had　been　his　whim；　on
  the　eve　of　his　marriage；　to　present　Mr。　Pureney　with　a　pair　of　white　gloves；
  which　were　treasured　as　a　priceless　relic　for　many　a　year。　　And　when　he
  paid　his　last；　forced　visit　to　Newgate；　he　gave　the　Chaplain；　for　a　pledge　of
  his　esteem；　that　famous　silver　staff；　which　he　carried；　as　a　badge　of
  authority　from　the　Government；　the　better　to　keep　the　people　in　awe；　and
  favour　the　enterprises　of　his　rogues。
  Only　one　cloud　shadowed　this　old　and　equal　friendship。　　Jonathan
  had　entertained　the　Ordinary　with　discourse　so　familiar；　they　had　cracked
  so　many　a　bottle　together；　that　when　the　irrevocable　sentence　was　passed；
  when　he　who　had　never　shown　mercy；　expected　none；　the　Great　Man
  82
  …　83
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  found　the　exhortations　of　the　illiterate　Chaplain　insufficient　for　his　high
  purpose。　　‘As　soon　as　I　came　into　the　condemned　Hole；'　thus　he　wrote；　‘I
  began　to　think　of　making　a　preparation　for　my　soul；　and　the　better　to　bring
  my　stubborn　heart　to　repentance；　I　desired　the　advice　of　a　man　of　learning；
  a　man　of　sound　judgment　in　divinity；　and　therefore　application　being　made
  to　the　Reverend　Mr。　Nicholson；　he　very　Christian…like　gave　me　his
  assistance。'　　Alas！　　Poor　Pureney！　　He　lacked　subtlety；　and　he　was
  instantly　baffled；　when　the　Great　Man　bade　him　expound　the　text：
  ‘Cursed　is　every　one　that　hangeth　on　a　tree。'　　The　shiftiest　excuse　would
  have　brought　solace　to　a　breaking　heart　and　conviction　to　a　casuist　brain。
  Yet　for　once　the　Ordinary　was　at　a　loss；　and　Wild；　finding　him　insufficient
  for　his　purpose；　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　his　ministrations。　　Thus　he　was
  rudely　awakened　from　the　dream　of　many　sleepless　nights。　　His　large
  heart　almost　broke　at　the　neglect。
  But　if　his　more　private　counsels　were　scorned；　he　still　had　the　joy　of
  delivering　a　masterpiece　from　the　pulpit；　of　using　‘all　the　means
  imaginable　to　make　Wild　think　of　another　world；'　and　of　seeing　him　as
  neatly　turned　off　as　the　most　exacting　Ordinary　could　desire。　　And　what
  inmate　of　Newgate　ever　forgot　the　afternoon　of　that　glorious　day　（May　the
  24th；　1725）？　　Mr。　Pureney　returned　to　his　flock；　fortified　with　punch　and
  good　tidings。　　He　pictured　the　scene　at　Tyburn　with　a　bibulous
  circumstance；　which　admirably　became　his　style；　rejoicing；　as　he　has
  rejoiced　ever　since；　that；　though　he　lost　a　friend；　the　honest　rogue　was
  saved　at　last　from　the　machinations　of　the　thief…taker。
  So　he　basked　and　smoked　and　drank　his　ale；　retelling　the　ancient
  stories；　and　hiccuping　forth　the　ancient　sermons。　　So；　in　the　fading
  twilight　of　life；　he　smiled　the　smile　of　contentment；　as　became　one　who
  had　emptied　more　quarts；　had　delivered　more　harrowing　discourses；　and
  had　lived　familiarly　with　more　scoundrels　than　any　devil…dodger　of　his
  generation。
  SHEPPARD　AND　CARTOUCHE
  I　JACK　SHEPPARD
  83
  …　84
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  JACK　SHEPPARD　IT　was　midnight　when　Jack　Sheppard　reached　the
  leads；　wearied　by　his　magical　achievement；　and　still　fearful　of　discovery。
  The　‘jolly　pair　of　handcuffs；'　provided　by　the　thoughtful　Governor；　lay
  discarded　in　his　distant　cell；　the　chains　which　a　few　hours　since　had
  grappled　him　to　the　floor　encumbered　the　now　useless　staple。　　No　trace　of
  the　ancient　slavery　disgraced　him　save　the　iron　anklets　which　clung　about
  his　legs；　though　many　a　broken　wall　and　shattered　lock　must　serve　for
  evidence　of　his　prowess　on　the　morrow。　　The　Stone…Jug　was　all　be…
  chipped　and　shattered。　　From　the　castle　he　had　forced　his　way　through　a
  nine…foot　wall　into　the　Red　Room；　whose　bolts；　bars；　and　hinges　he　had
  ruined　to　gain　the　Chapel。　　The　road　thence　to　the　roof　and　to　freedom
  was　hindered　by　three　stubborn　iron　doors；　yet　naught　stood　in　the　way　of
  Sheppard's　genius；　and　he　was　sensible；　at　last；　of　the　night　air　chill　upon
  his　cheek。
  But　liberty　was　not　yet：　there　was　still　a　fall　of　forty　feet；　and　he　must
  needs　repass　the　wreckage　of　his　own　making　to　filch　the　blankets　from
  his　cell。　　In　terror　lest　he　should　awaken　the　Master…Side　Debtors；　he
  hastened　back　to　the　roof；　lashed　the　coverlets　together；　and；　as　the　city
  clocks　clashed　twelve；　he　dropped　noiselessly　upon　the　leads　of　a　turner's
  house；　built　against　the　prison's　outer　wall。　　Behind　him　Newgate　was　cut
  out　a　black　mass　against　the　sky；　at　his　feet　glimmered　the　garret　window
  of　the　turner's　house；　and　behind　the　winking　casement　he　could　see　the
  turner's　servant　going　to　bed。　　Through　her　chamber　lay　the　road　to　glory
  and　Clare　Market；　and　breathlessly　did　Sheppard　watch　till　the　candle
  should　be　extinguished　and　the　maid　silenced　in　sleep。　　In　his　anxiety　he
  must　tarrytarry；　and　for　a　weary　hour　he　kicked　his　heels　upon　the　leads；
  ambition　still　too　uncertain　for　quietude。　　Yet　he　could　not　but　catch　a
  solace　from　his　splendid　craft。　　Said　he　to　himself：　　‘Am　I　not　the　most
  accomplished　slip…string　the　world　has　known？　　The　broken　wall　of　every
  round　house　in　town　attests　my　bravery。　　Light…limbed　though　I　be；　have
  I　not　forced　the　impregnable　Castle　itself？　　And　my　enemiesare　they　not
  to…day　writhing　in　distress　？　The　head　of　Blueskin；　that　pitiful　thief；
  quivers　in　the　noose；　and　Jonathan　Wild　bleeds　at　the　throat　from　the　dregs
  of　a　coward's　courage。　　What　a　triumph　shall　be　mine　when　the　Keeper
  84
  …　85
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  finds　the　stronghold　tenantless！'
  Now；　unnumbered　were　the　affronts　he　had　suffered　from　the　Keeper's
  impertinence；　and　he　chuckled　aloud　at　his　own　witty　rejoinder。　　Only
  two　days　since　the　Gaoler　had　caught　him　tampering　with　his　irons。
  ‘Young　man；'　he　had　said；　‘I　see　what　you　have　been　doing；　but　the　affair
  betwixt　us　stands　thus：　　It　is　your　business　to　make　your　escape；　and　mine
  to　take　care　you　shall　not。'　　Jack　had　answered　coolly　enough：　　‘Then
  let's　both　mind　our　own　business。'　　And　it　was　to　some　purpose　that　he
  had　minded　his。　　The　letter　to　his　baffled　guardian；　already　sketched　in
  his　mind；　tickled　him　afresh；　when　suddenly　he　leaps　to　his　feet　and　begins
  to　force　the　garret　window。
  The　turner's　maid　was　a　heavy　sleeper；　and　Sheppard　crept　from　her
  garret　to　the　twisted　stair　in　peace。　　Once；　on　a　lower　floor；　his　heart　beat
  faster　at　the　trumpetings　of　the　turner's　nose；　but　he　knew　no　check　until
  he　reached　the　street　door。　　The　bolt　was　withdrawn　in　an　instant；　but　the
  lock　was　turned；　and　the　key　nowhere　to　be　found。　　However；　though　the
  risk　of　disturbance　was　greater　than　in　Newgate；　the　task　was　light　enough：
  and　with　an　iron　link　from　his　fetter；　and　a　rusty　nail　which　had　served　him
  bravely；　the　box　was　wrenched　off　in　a　trice；　and　Sheppard　stood
  unattended　in　the　Old　Bailey。　　At　first　he　was　minded　to　make　for　his
  ancient　haunts；　or　to　conceal　himself　within　the　Liberty　of　Westminster；
  but　the　fetter…locks　were　still　upon　his　legs；　and　he　knew　that　detection
  would　be　easy　as　long　as　he　was　thus　embarrassed。　　Wherefore；　weary
  and　an…hungered；　he　turned　his　steps　northward；　and　never　rested　until　he
  had　gained　Finchley　Common。
  At　break　of　day；　when　the　world　re…awoke　from　the　fear　of　thieves；　he
  feigned　a　limp　at　a　cottage　door；　and　borrowed　a　hammer　to　straighten　a
  pinching　shoe。　　Five　minutes　behind　a　hedge；　and　his　anklets　had　dropped
  from　him；　and；　thus　a　free　man；　he　took　to　the　high　road。　　After　all　he　was
  persuaded　to　desert　London　and　to　escape　a　while　from　the　sturdy　embrace
  of　Edgworth　Bess。　　Moreover；　if　Bess　herself　were　in　the　lock…up；　he　still
  feared　the　interested　affection　of　Mistress　Maggot；　that　other　doxy；　whose
  avarice　would　surely　drive　him　upon　a　dangerous　enterprise；　so　he　struck
  across　country；　and　kept　starvation　from　him　by　petty　theft。　　Up　and
  85
  …　86
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  down　England　he　wandered　in　solitary　insolence。　　Once；　saith　rumour；
  his　lithe　apparition　startled　the　peace　of　Nottingham；　once；　he　was
  wellnigh　caught　begging　wort　at　a　brew…house　in　Thames　Street。　　But　he
  might　as　well　have　lingered　in　Newgate　as　waste　his　opportunity　far　from
  the　delights　of　Town；　the　old　lust　of　life　still　impelled　him；　and　a　week
  after　the　hue…and…cry　was　raised　he　crept　at　dead　of　night　down　Drury
  Lane。　　Here　he　found　harbourage　with　a　friendly　fence；　Wild's　mortal
  enemy；　who　promised　him　a　safe　conduct　across　the　seas。　　But　the　desire
  of　work　proved　too　strong　for　prudence；　and　in　a　fortnight　he　had　planned
  an　at