different　direction；　and　not　unfrequently　brought　to　a　stand…still。
  Oh　the　cracking　of　whips；　the　shouts　and　oaths　of　the　carters；　and
  the　grating　of　wheels　upon　the　enormous　stones　that　formed　the
  pavement！　　In　fact；　there　was　a　wild　burly…burly　upon　the　bridge；
  which　nearly　deafened　me。　　But；　if　upon　the　bridge　there　was　a
  confusion；　below　it　there　was　a　confusion　ten　times　confounded。
  The　tide；　which　was　fast　ebbing；　obstructed　by　the　immense　piers　of
  the　old　bridge；　poured　beneath　the　arches　with　a　fall　of　several
  feet；　forming　in　the　river　below　as　many　whirlpools　as　there　were
  arches。　　Truly　tremendous　was　the　roar　of　the　descending　waters；
  and　the　bellow　of　the　tremendous　gulfs；　which　swallowed　them　for　a
  time；　and　then　cast　them　forth；　foaming　and　frothing　from　their
  horrid　wombs。　　Slowly　advancing　along　the　bridge；　I　came　to　the
  highest　point；　and　there　I　stood　still；　close　beside　one　of　the
  stone　bowers；　in　which；　beside　a　fruit…stall；　sat　an　old　woman；
  with　a　pan　of　charcoal　at　her　feet；　and　a　book　in　her　hand；　in
  which　she　appeared　to　be　reading　intently。　　There　I　stood；　just
  above　the　principal　arch；　looking　through　the　balustrade　at　the
  scene　that　presented　itself　…　and　such　a　scene！　　Towards　the　left
  bank　of　the　river；　a　forest　of　masts；　thick　and　close；　as　far　as
  the　eye　could　reach；　spacious　wharfs；　surmounted　with　gigantic
  edifices；　and；　far　away；　Caesar's　Castle；　with　its　White　Tower。　　To
  the　right；　another　forest　of　masts；　and　a　maze　of　buildings；　from
  which；　here　and　there；　shot　up　to　the　sky　chimneys　taller　than
  Cleopatra's　Needle；　vomiting　forth　huge　wreaths　of　that　black　smoke
  which　forms　the　canopy　…　occasionally　a　gorgeous　one　…　of　the　more
  than　Babel　city。　　Stretching　before　me；　the　troubled　breast　of　the
  mighty　river；　and；　immediately　below；　the　main　whirlpool　of　the
  Thames　…　the　Maelstrom　of　the　bulwarks　of　the　middle　arch　…　a
  grisly　pool；　which；　with　its　superabundance　of　horror；　fascinated
  me。　　Who　knows　but　I　should　have　leapt　into　its　depths？　…　I　have
  heard　of　such　things　…　but　for　a　rather　startling　occurrence　which
  broke　the　spell。　　As　I　stood　upon　the　bridge；　gazing　into　the　jaws
  of　the　pool；　a　small　boat　shot　suddenly　through　the　arch　beneath　my
  feet。　　There　were　three　persons　in　it；　an　oarsman　in　the　middle；
  whilst　a　man　and　woman　sat　at　the　stern。　　I　shall　never　forget　the
  thrill　of　horror　which　went　through　me　at　this　sudden　apparition。
  What！　…　a　boat　…　a　small　boat　…　passing　beneath　that　arch　into
  yonder　roaring　gulf！　　Yes；　yes；　down　through　that　awful　water…way；
  with　more　than　the　swiftness　of　an　arrow；　shot　the　boat；　or　skiff；
  right　into　the　jaws　of　the　pool。　　A　monstrous　breaker　curls　over
  the　prow　…　there　is　no　hope；　the　boat　is　swamped；　and　all　drowned
  in　that　strangling　vortex。　　No！　the　boat；　which　appeared　to　have
  the　buoyancy　of　a　feather；　skipped　over　the　threatening　horror；
  and；　the　next　moment；　was　out　of　danger；　the　boatman　…　a　true
  boatman　of　Cockaigne　that　…　elevating　one　of　his　sculls　in　sign　of
  triumph；　the　man　hallooing；　and　the　woman；　a　true　Englishwoman　that
  …　of　a　certain　class　…　waving　her　shawl。　　Whether　any　one　observed
  them　save　myself；　or　whether　the　feat　was　a　common　one；　I　know　not；
  but　nobody　appeared　to　take　any　notice　of　them。　　As　for　myself；　I
  was　so　excited　that　I　strove　to　clamber　up　the　balustrade　of　the
  bridge；　in　order　to　obtain　a　better　view　of　the　daring　adventurers。
  Before　I　could　accomplish　my　design；　however；　I　felt　myself　seized
  by　the　body；　and；　turning　my　head；　perceived　the　old　fruit…woman；
  who　was　clinging　to　me。
  'Nay；　dear！　don't　…　don't！'　said　she。　　'Don't　fling　yourself　over　…
  perhaps　you　may　have　better　luck　next　time！'
  'I　was　not　going　to　fling　myself　over；'　said　I；　dropping　from　the
  balustrade；　'how　came　you　to　think　of　such　a　thing？'
  'Why；　seeing　you　clamber　up　so　fiercely；　I　thought　you　might　have
  had　ill　luck；　and　that　you　wished　to　make　away　with　yourself。'
  'Ill　luck；'　said　I；　going　into　the　stone　bower；　and　sitting　down。
  'What　do　you　mean？　ill　luck　in　what？'
  'Why；　no　great　harm；　dear！　cly…faking　perhaps。'
  'Are　you　coming　over　me　with　dialects；'　said　I；　'speaking　unto　me
  in　fashions　I　wot　nothing　of？'
  'Nay；　dear！　don't　look　so　strange　with　those　eyes　of　your'n；　nor
  talk　so　strangely；　I　don't　understand　you。'
  'Nor　I　you；　what　do　you　mean　by　cly…faking？'
  'Lor；　dear！　no　harm；　only　taking　a　handkerchief　now　and　then。'
  'Do　you　take　me　for　a　thief？
  'Nay；　dear！　don't　make　use　of　bad　language；　we　never　calls　them
  thieves　here；　but　prigs　and　fakers：　　to　tell　you　the　truth；　dear；
  seeing　you　spring　at　that　railing　put　me　in　mind　of　my　own　dear
  son；　who　is　now　at　Bot'ny：　　when　he　had　bad　luck；　he　always　used　to
  talk　of　flinging　himself　over　the　bridge；　and；　sure　enough；　when
  the　traps　were　after　him；　he　did　fling　himself　into　the　river；　but
  that　was　off　the　bank；　nevertheless；　the　traps　pulled　him　out；　and
  he　is　now　suffering　his　sentence；　so　you　see　you　may　speak　out；　if
  you　have　done　anything　in　the　harmless　line；　for　I　am　my　son's　own
  mother；　I　assure　you。'
  'So　you　think　there's　no　harm　in　stealing？'
  'No　harm　in　the　world；　dear！　　Do　you　think　my　own　child　would　have
  been　transported　for　it；　if　there　had　been　any　harm　in　it？　and；
  what's　more；　would　the　blessed　woman　in　the　book　here　have　written
  her　life　as　she　has　done；　and　given　it　to　the　world；　if　there　had
  been　any　harm　in　faking？　　She；　too；　was　what　they　call　a　thief　and
  a　cut…purse；　ay；　and　was　transported　for　it；　like　my　dear　son；　and
  do　you　think　she　would　have　told　the　world　so；　if　there　had　been
  any　harm　in　the　thing？　　Oh；　it　is　a　comfort　to　me　that　the　blessed
  woman　was　transported；　and　came　back　…　for　come　back　she　did；　and
  rich　too　…　for　it　is　an　assurance　to　me　that　my　dear　son；　who　was
  transported　too；　will　come　back　like　her。'
  'What　was　her　name？'
  'Her　name；　blessed　Mary　Flanders。'
  'Will　you　let　me　look　at　the　book？'
  'Yes；　dear；　that　I　will；　if　you　promise　me　not　to　run　away　with
  it。'
  I　took　the　book　from　her　hand；　a　short　thick　volume；　at　least　a
  century　old；　bound　with　greasy　black　leather。　　I　turned　the　yellow
  and　dog's…eared　pages；　reading　here　and　there　a　sentence。　　Yes；　and
  no　mistake！　　HIS　pen；　his　style；　his　spirit　might　be　observed　in
  every　line　of　the　uncouth…looking　old　volume　…　the　air；　the　style；
  the　spirit　of　the　writer　of　the　book　which　first　taught　me　to　read。
  I　covered　my　face　with　my　hand；　and　thought　of　my　childhood。　。　。　。
  'This　is　a　singular　book；'　said　I　at　last；　'but　it　does　not　appear
  to　have　been　written　to　prove　that　thieving　is　no　harm；　but　rather
  to　show　the　terrible　consequences　of　crime：　　it　contains　a　deep
  moral。'
  'A　deep　what；　dear？'
  'A　…　but　no　matter；　I　will　give　you　a　crown　for　this　volume。'
  'No；　dear；　I　will　not　sell　the　volume　for　a　crown。'
  'I　am　poor；'　said　I；　'but　I　will　give　you　two　silver　crowns　for
  your　volume。'
  'No；　dear；　I　will　not　sell　my　volume　for　two　silver　crowns；　no；　nor
  for　the　golden　one　in　the　king's　tower　down　there；　without　my　book
  I　should　mope　and　pine；　and　perhaps　fling　myself　into　the　river；
  but　I　am　glad　you　like　it；　which　shows　that　I　was　right　about　you；
  after　all；　you　are　one　of　our　party；　and　you　have　a　flash　about
  that　eye　of　yours　which　puts　me　just　in　mind　of　my　dear　son。　　No；
  dear；　I　won't　sell　you　my　book；　but；　if　you　like；　you　may　have　a
  peep　into　it　whenever　you　come　this　way。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　see
  you；　you　are　one　of　the　right　sort；　for；　if　you　had　been　a　common
  one；　you　would　have　run　away　with　the　thing；　but　you　scorn　such
  behaviour；　and；　as　you　are　so　flash　of　your　money；　though　you　say
  you　are　poor；　you　may　give　me　a　tanner　to　buy　a　little　baccy　with；
  I　love　baccy；　dear；　more　by　token　that　it　comes　from　the
  plantations　to　which　the　blessed　woman　was　sent。'
  'What's　a　tanner？'　said　I。
  'Lor！　don't　you　know；　dear？　　Why；　a　tanner　is　sixpence；　and；　as　you
  were　talking　just　now　about　crowns；　it　will　be　as　well　to　tell　you
  that　those　of　our　trade　never　calls　them　crowns；　but　bulls；　but　I
  am　talking　nonsense；　just　as　if　you　did　not　know　all　that　already；
  as　well　as　myself；　you　are　only　shamming　…　I'm　no　trap；　dear；　nor
  more　was　the　blessed　woman　in　the　book。　　Thank　you；　dear　…　thank
  you　for　the　tanner；　if　I　don't　spend　it；　I'll　keep　it　in
  remembrance　of　your　sweet　face。　　What；　you　are　going？　…　well；　first
  let　me　whisper　a　word　to　you。　　If　you　have　any　clies　to　sell　at　any
  time；　I'll　buy　them　of　you；　all　safe　with　me；　I　never　peach；　and
  scores　a　trap；　so　now；　dear；　God　bless　you！　and　give　you　good　luck。
  Thank　you　for　your　pleasant　company；　and　thank　you　for　the　tanner。'
  CHAPTER　XXXII
  The　tanner　…　The　hotel　…　Drinking　claret　…　London　journal　…　New
  field　…