of　work　proved　too　strong　for　prudence；　and　in　a　fortnight　he　had　planned
  an　attack　on　the　pawnshop　of　one　Rawling；　at　the　Four　Balls　in　Drury
  Lane。
  Sheppard；　whom　no　house　ever　built　with　hands　was　strong　enough　to
  hold；　was　better　skilled　at　breaking　out　than　at　breaking　in；　and　it　is
  remarkable　that　his　last　feat　in　the　cracking　of　cribs　was　also　his　greatest。
  Its　very　conception　was　a　masterpiece　of　effrontery。　　Drury　Lane　was　the
  thief…catcher's　chosen　territory；　yet　it　was　the　Four　Balls　that　Jack
  designed　for　attack；　and　watches；　tie…wigs；　snuff…boxes　were　among　his
  booty。　　Whatever　he　could　not　crowd　upon　his　person　he　presented　to　a
  brace　of　women。　　Tricked　out　in　his　stolen　finery；　he　drank　and
  swaggered　in　Clare　Market。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　superb　suit　of　black；　a
  diamond　fawney　flashed　upon　his　finger；　his　light　tie…periwig　was　worth
  no　less　than　seven　pounds；　pistols；　tortoise…shell　snuff…boxes；　and　golden
  guineas　jostled　one　another　in　his　pockets。
  Thus；　in　brazen　magnificence；　he　marched　down　Drury　Lane　on　a
  certain　Saturday　night　in　November　1724。　　Towards　midnight　he　visited
  Thomas　Nicks；　the　butcher；　and　having　bargained　for　three　ribs　of　beef；
  carried　Nicks　with　him　to　a　chandler's　hard　by；　that　they　might　ratify　the
  bargain　with　a　dram。　　Unhappily；　a　boy　from　the　‘Rose　and　Crown'
  sounded　the　alarm；　for　coming　into　the　chandler's　for　the　empty　ale…pots；
  he　instantly　recognised　the　incomparable　gaol…thief；　and　lost　no　time　in
  acquainting　his　master。　　Now；　Mr。　Bradford；　of　the　‘Rose　and　Crown；'
  was　a　head…　borough；　who；　with　the　zeal　of　a　triumphant　Dogberry；
  summoned　the　watch；　and　in　less　than　half　an　hour　Jack　Sheppard　was
  screaming　blasphemies　in　a　hackney…cab　on　his　way　home　to　Newgate。
  86
  …　87
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  The　Stone…Jug　received　him　with　deference　and　admiration。　　Three
  hundred　pounds　weight　of　irons　were　put　upon　him　for　an　adornment；　and
  the　Governor　professed　so　keen　a　solicitude　for　his　welfare　that　he　never
  left　him　unattended。　　There　was　scarce　a　beautiful　woman　in　London　who
  did　not　solace　him　with　her　condescension；　and　enrich　him　with　her　gifts。
  Not　only　did　the　President　of　the　Royal　Academy　deign　to　paint　his
  portrait；　but　（a　far　greater　honour）　Hogarth　made　him　immortal。　　Even　the
  King　displayed　a　proper　interest；　demanding　a　full　and　precise　account　of
  his　escapes。　　The　hero　himself　was　drunk　with　flattery；　he　bubbled　with
  ribaldry；　he　touched　off　the　most　valiant　of　his　contemporaries　in　a
  ludicrous　phrase。　　But　his　chief　delight　was　to　illustrate　his　prowess　to　his
  distinguished　visitors；　and　nothing　pleased　him　better　than　to　slip　in　and
  out　of　his　chains。
  Confronted　with　his　judge；　he　forthwith　proposed　to　rid　himself　of　his
  handcuffs；　and　he　preserved　until　the　fatal　tree　an　illimitable　pride　in　his
  artistry。　　Nor　would　he　believe　in　the　possibility　of　death。　　To　the　very
  last　he　was　confirmed　in　the　hope　of　pardon；　but；　pardon　failing　him；　his
  single　consolation　was　that　his　procession　from　Westminster　to　Newgate
  was　the　largest　that　London　had　ever　known；　and　that　in　the　crowd　a
  constable　broke　his　leg。　　Even　in　the　Condemned　Hole　he　was
  unreconciled。　　If　he　had　broken　the　Castle；　why　should　he　not　also　evade
  the　gallows？　　Wherefore　he　resolved　to　carry　a　knife　to　Tyburn　that　he
  might　cut　the　rope；　and　so；　losing　himself　in　the　crowd；　ensure　escape。
  But　the　knife　was　discovered　by　his　warder's　vigilance；　and　taken　from
  him　after　a　desperate　struggle。　　At　the　scaffold　he　behaved　with　admirable
  gravity：　confessing　the　wickeder　of　his　robberies；　and　asking　pardon　for
  his　enormous　crimes。　　‘Of　two　virtues；'　he　boasted　at　the　self…same
  moment　that　the　cart　left　him　dancing　without　the　music；　‘I　have　ever
  cherished　an　honest　pride：　never　have　I　stooped　to　friendship　with
  Jonathan　Wild；　or　with　any　of　his　detestable　thief…takers；　and；　though　an
  undutiful　son；　I　never　damned　my　mother's　eyes。'
  Thus　died　Jack　Sheppard；　intrepid　burglar　and　incomparable　artist；
  who；　in　his　own　separate　ambition　of　prison…breaking；　remains；　and　will
  ever　remain；　unrivalled。　　His　most　brilliant　efforts　were　the　result　neither
  87
  …　88
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  of　strength　nor　of　cunning；　for　so　slight　was　he　of　build；　so　deficient　in
  muscle；　that　both　Edgworth　Bess　and　Mistress　Maggot　were　wont　to　bang
  him　to　their　own　mind　and　purpose。　　And　an　escape　so　magnificently
  planned；　so　bravely　executed　as　was　his　from　the　Strong　Room；　is　far
  greater　than　a　mere　effect　of　cunning。　　Those　mysterious　gifts　which
  enable　mankind　to　batter　the　stone　walls　of　a　prison；　or　to　bend　the　iron
  bars　of　a　cage；　were　pre…eminently　his。　　It　is　also　certain　that　he　could　not
  have　employed　his　gifts　in　a　more　reputable　profession。
  II　LOUIS…DOMINIQUE　CARTOUCHE
  LOUIS…DOMINIQUE　CARTOUCHE
  Of　all　the　heroes　who　have　waged　a　private　and　undeclared　war　upon
  their　neighbours；　Louis…Dominique　Cartouche　was　the　most　generously
  endowed。　　It　was　but　his　resolute　contempt　for　politics；　his　unswerving
  love　of　plunder　for　its　own　sake；　that　prevented　him　from　seizing　a　throne
  or　questing　after　the　empire　of　the　world。　　The　modesty　of　his　ambition
  sets　him　below　Csar；　or　Napoleon；　but　he　yields　to　neither　in　the
  genius　of　success：　whatever　he　would　attain　was　his　on　the　instant；　nor　did
  failure　interrupt　his　career；　until　treachery；　of　which　he　went　in　perpetual
  terror；　involved　himself　and　his　comrades　in　ruin。　　His　talent　of
  generalship　was　unrivalled。　　None　of　the　gang　was　permitted　the　liberty
  of　a　free…lance。　　By　Cartouche　was　the　order　given；　and　so　long　as　the
  chief　was　in　repose；　Paris　might　enjoy　her　sleep。　　When　it　pleased　him　to
  join　battle　a　whistle　was　enough。
  Now；　it　was　revealed　to　his　intelligence　that　the　professional　thief；　who
  devoted　all　his　days　and　such　of　his　nights　as　were　spared　from
  depredation　to　wine　and　women；　was　more　readily　detected　than　the　valet…
  de…chambre；　who　did　but　crack　a　crib　or　cry　‘Stand　and　deliver！'　on　a
  proper　occasion。　　Wherefore；　he　bade　his　soldiers　take　service　in　the　great
  houses　of　Paris；　that；　secure　of　suspicion；　they　might　still　be　ready　to　obey
  the　call　of　duty。　　Thus；　also；　they　formed　a　reconnoitring　force；　whose
  vigilance　no　prize　might　elude；　and　nowhere　did　Cartouche　display　his
  genius　to　finer　purpose　than　in　this　prudent　disposition　of　his　army。　　It
  remained　only　to　efface　himself；　and　therein　he　succeeded　admirably　by
  88
  …　89
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  never　sleeping　two　following　nights　in　the　same　house：　so　that；　when
  Cartouche　was　the　terror　of　Paris；　when　even　the　King　trembled　in　his　bed；
  none　knew　his　stature　nor　could　recognise　his　features。　　In　this　shifting
  and　impersonal　vizard；　he　broke　houses；　picked　pockets；　robbed　on　the　pad。
  One　night　he　would　terrify　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；　another　he　would
  plunder　the　humbler　suburb　of　St。　Antoine；　but　on　each　excursion　he　was
  companioned　by　experts；　and　the　map　of　Paris　was　rigidly　apportioned
  among　his　followers。　　To　each　district　a　captain　was　appointed；　whose
  business　it　was　to　apprehend　the　customs　of　the　quarter；　and　thus　to
  indicate　the　proper　season　of　attack。
  Ever　triumphant；　with　yellow…boys　ever　jingling　in　his　pocket；
  Cartouche　lived　a　life　of　luxurious　merriment。　　A　favourite　haunt　was　a
  cabaret　in　the　Rue　Dauphine；　chosen　for　the　sanest　of　reasons；　as　his
  Captain　Ferrand　declared；　that　the　landlady　was　a　femme　d'esprit。　　Here
  he　would　sit　with　his　friends　and　his　women；　and　thereafter　drive　his
  chariot　across　the　Pont　Neuf　to　the　sunnier　gaiety　of　the　Palais…Royal。　　A
  finished　dandy；　he　wore　by　preference　a　grey…white　coat　with　silver
  buttons；　his　breeches　and　stockings　were　on　a　famous　occasion　of　black
  silk；　while　a　sword；　scabbarded　in　satin；　hung　at　his　hip。
  But　if　Cartouche；　like　many　another　great　man；　had　the　faculty　of
  enjoyment；　if　he　loved　wine　and　wit；　and　mistresses　handsomely　attired　in
  damask；　he　did　not　therefore　neglect　his　art。　　When　once　the　gang　was
  perfectly　ordered；　murder　followed　robbery　with　so　instant　a　frequency
  that　Paris　was　panic…stricken。　　A　cry　of　‘Cartouche'　straightway　ensured
  an　empty　street。　　The　King　took　counsel　with　his　ministers：　munificent
  rewards　were　offered；　without　effect。　　The　thief　was　still　at　work　in　all
  security；　and　it　was　a　pretty　irony　which　urged　him　to　strip　and　kill　on　the
  highway　one　of　the　King's　own　pages。　　Also；　he　did　his　work　with　so
  astonishing　a　silence；　with　so　reasoned　a　certainty；　that　it　seemed
  impossible　to　take　him　or　his　minions　red…handed。
  Before　all；　he　discouraged　the　use　of　firearms。　　‘A　pistol；'　his
  philosophy　urged；　‘is　an　excellent　weapon　in　an　emergency；　but　reserve