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use me genteelly； they only hold up a finger； beckon me； and I follow as
quietly as a lamb。 But you bluster and insult； as though you had never
dealings with gentlemen。'' Poor Jack； he was of a proud stomach； and
could not abide interference； yet they would never let him go free。 And
he would have been so happy had he been allowed his own way。 To pull
out a rusty pistol now and again； and to take a purse from a traveller
surely these were innocent pleasures； and he never meant to hurt a fellow…
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creature。 But for all his kindness of heart； for all his love of splendour
and fine clothes； they took him at last。
‘And this time； too； it was a watch which was our ruin。 How often
did I warn him： ‘‘Jack；'' I would say； ‘‘take all the money you can。
Guineas tell no tale。 But leave the watches in their owners' fobs。'' Alas！
he did not heed my words； and the last man he ever stopped on the road
was that pompous rascal； Dr。 Bell； then chaplain to the Princess Amelia。
‘‘Give me your money；'' screamed Jack； ‘‘and take no notice or I'll blow
your brains out。'' And the doctor gave him all that he had； the mean…
spirited devil…dodger； and it was no more than eighteenpence。 Now what
should a man of courage do with eighteenpence？ So poor Jack was
forced to seize the parson's watch and trinkets as well； and thus it was that
a second time we faced the Blind Beak。
When Jack brought home the watch； I was seized with a shuddering
presentiment； and I would have given the world to throw it out of the
window。 But I could not bear to see him pinched with hunger； and he
had already tossed the doctor's eighteenpence to a beggar woman。 So I
trudged off to the pawnbroker's； to get what price I could； and I bethought
me that none would know me for what I was so far away as Oxford Street。
But the monster behind the counter had a quick suspicion； though I swear I
looked as innocent as a babe； he discovered the owner of the watch； and
infamously followed me to my house。
‘The next day we were both arrested； and once more we stood in the
hot； stifling Court of the Old Bailey。 Jack was radiant as ever； the one
spot of colour and gaiety in that close； sodden atmosphere。 When we
were taken from Bow Street a thousand people formed our guard of
honour； and for a month we were the twin wonders of London。 The
lightest word； the fleetest smile of the renowned highwayman； threw the
world into a fit of excitement； and a glimpse of Rann was worth a king's
ransom。 I could look upon him all day for nothing！ And I knew what a
fever of fear throbbed behind his mask of happy contempt。 Yet bravely
he played the part unto the very end。 If the toasts of London were
determined to gaze at him； he assured them they should have a proper
salve for their eyes。 So he dressed himself as a light…hearted sportsman。
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
His coat and waistcoat were of pea… green cloth； his buckskin breeches
were spotlessly new； and all tricked out with the famous strings； his hat
was bound round with silver cords； and even the ushers of the Court were
touched to courtesy。 He would whisper to me； as we stood in the dock；
‘‘Cheer up； my girl。 I have ordered the best supper that Covent Garden
can provide； and we will make merry to…night when this foolish old judge
has done his duty。'' The supper was never eaten。 Through the weary
afternoon we waited for acquittal。 The autumn sun sank in hopeless
gloom。 The wretched lamps twinkled through the jaded air of the court…
house。 In an hour I lived a thousand years of misery； and when the
sentence was read； the words carried no sense to my withered brain。 It
was only in my cell I realised that I had seen Jack Rann for the last time；
that his pea…green coat would prove a final and ineffaceable memory。
‘Alas！ I； who had never been married； was already a hempen widow；
but I was too hopelessly heartbroken for my lover's fate to think of my
own paltry hardship。 I never saw him again。 They told me that he
suffered at Tyburn like a man； and that he counted upon a rescue to the
very end。 They told me （still bitterer news to hear） that two days before
his death he entertained seven women at supper； and was in the wildest
humour。 This almost broke my heart； it was an infidelity committed on
the other side of the grave。 But； poor Jack； he was a good lad； and loved
me more than them all； though he never could be faithful to me。' And
thus； bidding the drawer bring fresh glasses； Ellen Roach would end her
story。 Though she had told it a hundred times； at the last words a tear
always sparkled in her eye。 She lived without friend and without lover；
faithful to the memory of Sixteen… String Jack； who for her was the only
reality in the world of shades。 Her middle…age was as distant as her
youth。 The dressmaker's in Oxford Street was as vague a dream as the
inhospitable shore of Botany Bay。 So she waited on to a weary eld；
proud of the ‘Green Pig's' well…ordered comfort； prouder still that for two
years she shared the glory of Jack Rann； and that she did not desert her
hero； even in his punishment。
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III A PARALLEL
THEIR closest parallel is the notoriety which dogged them from the
very day of their death。 Each； for his own exploits； was the most famous
man of his time； the favourite of broadsides； the prime hero of the ballad…
mongers。 And each owed his fame as much to good fortune as to merit；
since both were excelled in their generation by more skilful scoundrels。
If Gilderoy was unsurpassed in brutality； he fell immeasurably below Hind
in artistry and wit； nor may he be compared to such accomplished
highwaymen as Mull Sack or the Golden Farmer。 His method was not
elevated by a touch of the grand style。 He stamped all the rules of the
road beneath his contemptuous foot； and cared not what enormity he
committed in his quest for gold。 Yet； though he lived in the true
Augustan age； he yielded to no one of his rivals in glorious recognition。
So； too； Jack Rann； of the Sixteen Strings； was a near contemporary of
George Barrington。 While that nimble…fingered prig was making a
brilliant appearance at Vauxhall； and emptying the pockets of his intimates；
Rann was riding over Hounslow Heath； and flashing his pistol in the eye
of the wayfarer。 The very year in which Jack danced his last jig at
Tyburn； Barrington had astonished London by a fruitless attempt to steal
Prince Orloff's miraculous snuff… box。 And not even Ellen Roach herself
would have dared to assert that Rann was Barrington's equal in sleight of
hand。 But Rann holds his own against the best of his craft； with an
imperishable name； while a host of more distinguished cracksmen are
excluded even from the Newgate Calendar。
In truth； there is one quality which has naught to do with artistic
supremacy； and in this quality both Rann and Gilderoy were rich beyond
their fellows。 They knew （none better） how to impose upon the world。
Had their deserts been even less than they were； they would still have been
bravely notorious。 It is a common superstition that the talent for
advertisement has but a transitory effect； that time sets all men in their
proper places。
Nothing can be more false； for he who has once declared himself
among the great ones of the earth； not only holds his position while he
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lives； but forces an unreasoning admiration upon the future。 Though he
declines from the lofty throne； whereon his own vanity and love of praise
have set him； he still stands above the modest level which contents the
genuinely great。 Why does Euripides still throw a shadow upon the
worthier poets of his time？ Because he had the faculty of displacement；
because he could compel the world to profess an interest not only in his
work but in himself。 Why is Michael Angelo a loftier figure in the
history of art than Donatello； the supreme sculptor of his time？ Because
Donatello had not the temper which would bully a hundred popes； and
extract a magnificent advertisement from each encounter。 Why does
Shelley still claim a larger share of the world's admiration than Keats； his
indubitable superior？ Because Shelley was blessed or cursed with the
trick of interesting the world by the accidents of his life。
So by a similar faculty Gilderoy and Jack Rann have kept themselves
and their achievements in the light of day。 Had they lived in the
nineteenth century they might have been the vendors of patent pills； or the
chairmen of bubble companies。 Whatever trade t