第54章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(37)

第54章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(37)

'whatd'yemean？whatareyouhooroaringat？whatdoyouwanttoconweytoyourownfather，youyoungrip！thisboyisagettingtoomanyforme！'saidmr.cruncher，surveyinghim.'himandhishooroars！don'tletmehearnomoreofyou，oryoushallfeelsomemoreofme.d'yehear？'

'iwarn'tdoingnoharm，'youngjerryprotested，rubbinghischeek.

'dropitthen，'saidmr.cruncher；'iwon'thavenoneofyournoharms.getatopofthatthereseat，andlookatthecrowd.'

hissonobeyed，andthecrowdapproached；theywerebawlingandhissingroundadingyhearseanddingymourningcoach，inwhichmourningcoachtherewasonlyonemourner，dressedinthedingytrappingsthatwereconsideredessentialtothedignityoftheposition.thepositionappearedbynomeanstopleasehim，however，withanincreasingrabblesurroundingthecoach，deridinghim，makinggrimacesathim，andincessantlygroaningandcallingout：'yah！spies！tst！yaha！spies！'withmanycomplimentstoonumerousandforcibletorepeat.

funeralshadatalltimesaremarkableattractionformr.cruncher；healwaysprickeduphissenses，andbecameexcited，whenafuneralpassedtellson's.naturally，therefore，afuneralwiththisuncommonattendanceexcitedhimgreatly，andheaskedofthefirstmanwhoranagainsthim：'whatisit，brother？what'sitabout？'

'idon'tknow，'saidtheman.'spies！yaha！tst！spies！'

heaskedanotherman.'whoisit？'

'idon'tknow，'returnedtheotherman，clappinghishandstohismouth，nevertheless，andvociferatinginasurprisingheatandwiththegreatestardour，'spies！yaha！tst，tst！spi-ies！'

atlength，apersonbetterinformedonthemeritsofthecase，tumbledagainsthim，andfromthispersonhelearnedthatthefuneralwasthefuneralofonerogercly.

'washeaspy？'askedmr.cruncher.

'oldbaileyspy，'returnedhisinformant.'yaha！tst！yah！oldbaileyspi-i-ies！'

'why，tobesure！'exclaimedjerry，recallingthetrialatwhichhehadassisted.'i'veseenhim.dead，ishe？'

'deadasmutton，'returnedtheother，'andcan'tbetoodead.have'emout，there！spies！pull'emout，there！spies！'

theideawassoacceptableintheprevalentabsenceofanyidea，thatthecrowdcaughtitupwitheagerness，andloudlyrepeatingtheestiontohave'emout，andtopull'emout，mobbedthetwovehiclessocloselythattheycametoastop.onthecrowd'sopeningthecoachdoors，theonemournerscuffledoutofhimselfandwasintheirhandsforamoment；buthewassoalert，andmadesuchgooduseofhistime，thatinanothermomenthewasscouringawayupbyaby-street，aftersheddinghiscloak，hat，longhatband，whitepocket-handkerchief，andothersymbolicaltears.

these，thepeopletoretopiecesandscatteredfarandwidewithgreatenjoyment，whilethetradesmenhurriedlyshutuptheirshops；foracrowdinthosetimesstoppedatnothing，andwasamonstermuchdreaded.theyhadalreadygottothelengthofopeningthehearsetotakethecoffinout，whensomebrightergeniusproposedinstead，itsbeingescortedtoitsdestinationamidstgeneralrejoicing.practicalestionsbeingmuchneeded，thisestion，too，wasreceivedwithacclamation，andthecoachwasimmediatelyfilledwitheightinsideandadozenout，whileasmanypeoplegotontheroofofthehearseascouldbyanyexerciseofingenuitystickuponit.amongthefirstofthesevolunteerswasjerrycruncherhimself，whomodestlyconcealedhisspikyheadfromtheobservationoftellson's，inthefurthercornerofthemourningcoach.

theofficiatingundertakersmadesomeprotestagainstthesechangesintheceremonies；but，theriverbeingalarminglynear，andseveralvoicesremarkingontheefficacyofcoldimmersioninbringingrefractorymembersoftheprofessiontoreason，theprotestwasfaintandbrief.theremodelledprocessionstarted，withachimney-sweepdrivingthehearse—advisedbytheregulardriver，whowasperchedbesidehim，undercloseinspection，forthepurpose—andwithapie-man，alsoattendedbyhiscabinetminister，drivingthemourningcoach.abear-leader，apopularstreetcharacterofthetime，wasimpressedasanadditionalornament，beforethecavalcadehadgonefardownthestrand；andhisbear，whowasblackandverymangy，gavequiteanundertakingairtothatpartoftheprocessioninwhichhewalked.

thus，withbeer-drinking，pipe-smoking，song-roaring，andinfinitecaricaturingofwoe，thedisorderlyprocessionwentitsway，recruitingateverystep，andalltheshopsshuttingupbeforeit.itsdestinationwastheoldchurchofsaintpancras，faroffinthefields.itgotthereincourseoftime；insistedonpouringintotheburial-ground；finally，accomplishedtheintermentofthedeceasedrogerclyinitsownway，andhighlytoitsownsatisfaction.

thedeadmandisposedof，andthecrowdbeingunderthenecessityofprovidingsomeotherentertainmentforitself，anotherbrightergenius（orperhapsthesame）conceivedthehumourofimpeachingcasualpassers-by，asoldbaileyspies，andwreakingvengeanceonthem.chasewasgiventosomescoresofinoffensivepersonswhohadneverbeenneartheoldbaileyintheirlives，intherealisationofthisfancy，andtheywereroughlyhustledandmaltreated.thetransitiontothesportofwindow-breaking，andthencetotheplunderingofpublic-houses，waseasyandnatural.atlast，afterseveralhours，whensundrysummer-houseshadbeenpulleddown，andsomearea-railingshadbeentornup，toarmthemorebelligerentspirits，arumourgotaboutthattheguardswerecoming.beforetherumour，thecrowdgraduallymeltedaway，andperhapstheguardscame，andperhapstheynevercame，andthiswastheusualprogressofamob.