第21章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(4)

第21章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(4)

theyhangedattyburninthosedays，sothestreetoutsidenewgatehadnotobtainedoneinfamousnotorietythathassinceattachedtoit.but，thegaolwasavileplace，inwhichmostkindsofdebaucheryandvillainywerepractised，andwheredirediseaseswerebred，thatcameintocourtwiththeprisoners，andsometimesrushedstraightfromthedockatmylordchiefjusticehimself，andpulledhimoffthebench.ithadmorethanoncehappened，thatthejudgeintheblackcappronouncedhisowndoomascertainlyastheprisoner's，andevendiedbeforehim.fortherest，theoldbaileywasfamousasakindofdeadlyinn-yard，fromwhichpaletravellerssetoutcontinually，incartsandcoaches，onaviolentpassageintotheotherworld：traversingsometwomilesandahalfofpublicstreetandroad，andshamingfewgoodcitizens，ifany.sopowerfulisuse，andsodesirabletobegooduseinthebeginning.itwasfamous，too，forthepillory，awiseoldinstitution，thatinflictedapunishmentofwhichnoonecouldforeseetheextent；also，forthewhipping-post，anotherdearoldinstitution，veryhumanisingandsofteningtobeholdinaction；also，forextensivetransactionsinblood-money，anotherfragmentofancestralwisdom，systematicallyleadingtothemostfrightfulmercenarycrimesthatcouldbecommittedunderheaven.altogether，theoldbailey，atthatdate，wasachoiceillustrationofthepreceptthat'whateveris，isright'；anaphorismthatwouldbeasfinalasitislazy，diditnotincludethetroublesomeconsequence，thatnothingthateverwas，waswrong.

makinghiswaythroughthetaintedcrowd，dispersedupanddownthishideoussceneofaction，withtheskillofamanaccustomedtomakehiswayquietly，themessengerfoundoutthedoorhesought，andhandedinhisletterthroughatrapinit.for，peoplethenpaidtoseetheplayattheoldbailey，justastheypaidtoseetheplayinbedlam—onlytheformerentertainmentwasmuchthedearer.therefore，alltheoldbaileydoorswerewellguarded—except，indeed，thesocialdoorsbywhichthecriminalsgotthere，andthosewerealwaysleftwideopen.

aftersomedelayanddemur，thedoorgrudginglyturnedonitshingesaverylittleway，andallowedmr.jerrycrunchertosqueezehimselfintocourt.

'what'son？'heasked，inawhisper，ofthemanhefoundhimselfnextto.

'nothingyet.'

'what'scomingon？'

'thetreasoncase.'

'thequarteringone，eh？'

'ah！'returnedtheman，witharelish；'he'llbedrawnonahurdletobehalfhanged，andthenhe'llbetakendownandslicedbeforehisownface，andthenhisinsidewillbetakenoutandburntwhilehelookson，andthenhisheadwillbechoppedoff，andhe'llbecutintoquarters.that'sthesentence.'

'ifhe'sfoundguilty，youmeantosay？'jerryadded，bywayofproviso.

'oh！they'llfindhimguilty，'saidtheother.'don'tyoubeafraidofthat.'

mr.cruncher'sattentionwasheredivertedtothedoor-keeper，whomhesawmakinghiswaytomr.lorry，withthenoteinhishand.mr.lorrysatatatable，amongthegentlemeninwigs：notfarfromaedgentleman，theprisoner'scounsel，whohadagreatbundleofpapersbeforehim：andnearlyoppositeanotheredgentlemanwithhishandsinhispockets，whosewholeattention，whenmr.cruncherlookedathimthenorafterwards，seemedtobeconcentratedontheceilingofthecourt.aftersomegruffcoughingandrubbingofhischinandsigningwithhishand，jerryattractedthenoticeofmr.lorry，whohadstooduptolookforhim，andwhoquietlynoddedandsatdownagain.

'what'shegottodowiththecase？'askedthemanhehadspokenwith.

'blestifiknow，'saidjerry.

'whathaveyougottodowithit，then，ifapersonmayinquire？'

'blestifiknowthateither，'saidjerry.

theentranceofthejudge，andaconsequentgreatstirandsettlingdowninthecourt，stoppedthedialogue.presently，thedockbecamethecentralpointofinterest.twogaolers，whohadbeenstandingthere，wentout，andtheprisonerwasbroughtin，andputtothebar.

everybodypresent，excepttheoneedgentlemanwholookedattheceiling，staredathim.allthehumanbreathintheplace，rolledathim，likeasea，orawind，orafire.eagerfacesstrainedroundpillarsandcorners，togetasightofhim；spectatorsinbackrowsstoodup，nottomissahairofhim；peopleonthefloorofthecourt，laidtheirhandsontheshouldersofthepeoplebeforethem，tohelpthemselves，atanybody'scost，toaviewofhim，stooda-tiptoe，gotuponledges，stooduponnexttonothing，toseeeveryinchofhim.conspicuousamongtheselatter，likeananimatedbitofthespikedwallofnewgate，jerrystood：aimingattheprisonerthebeerybreathofawhethehadtakenashecamealong，anddischargingittominglewiththewavesofotherbeer，andgin，andtea，andcoffee，andwhatnot，thatflowedathim，andalreadybrokeuponthegreatwindowsbehindhiminanimpuremistandrain.

theobjectofallthisstaringandblaring，wasayoungmanofaboutfiveandtwenty，well-grownandwell-looking，withasunburntcheekandadarkeye.hisconditionwasthatofayounggentleman.hewasplainlydressedinblack，orverydarkgrey，andhishair，whichwaslonganddark，wasgatheredinaribbonatthebackofhisneck；moretobeoutofhiswaythanforornament.asanemotionofthemindwillexpressitselfthroughanycoveringofthebody，sothepalenesswhichhissituationengenderedcamethroughthebrownuponhischeek，showingthesoultobestrongerthanthesun.hewasotherwisequiteself-possessed，bowedtothejudge，andstoodquiet.