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him opened the massy doors； and Haggart was free with a reward set upon
his head。 The shock of the enterprise restored his magnanimity。 Never
did he display a finer bravery than in this spirited race for his life； and
though three counties were aroused he doubled and ducked to such
purpose that he outstripped John Richardson himself with all his
bloodhounds； and two days later marched into Carlisle disguised in the
stolen rags of a potato…bogle。
During the few months that remained to him of life he embarked upon
a veritable Odyssey： he scoured Scotland from the Border to St。 Andrews；
and finally contrived a journey oversea to Ireland； where he made the
name of Daniel O'Brien a terror to well…doers。 Insolent and careless； he
lurched from prison to prison； now it was Armagh that held him； now
Downpatrick； until at last he was thrust on a general charge of
vagabondage and ill…company into Kilmainham； which has since
harboured many a less valiant adventurer than David Haggart。 Here the
culminating disgrace overtook him： he was detected in the prison yard by
his ancient enemy； John Richardson； of Dumfries； who dragged him back
to Scotland heavily shackled and charged with murder。 So nimble had he
proved himself in extrication； that his captors secured him with pitiless
severity； round his waist he carried an iron belt； whereto were padlocked
the chains； clanking at his wrists and ankles。 Thus tortured and helpless；
he was fed ‘like a sucking turkey in Bedlam'； but his sorrows vanished；
and his dying courage revived at sight of the torchlight procession； which
set forth from Dumfries to greet his return。
His coach was hustled by a mob； thousands strong； eager to catch sight
of Haggart the Murderer； and though the spot where he slew Morrin was
like fire beneath his passing feet； he carried to his cell a heart and a brain
aflame with gratified vanity。 His guilt being patent； reprieve was as
hopeless as acquittal； and after the assured condemnation he spent his last
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few days with what profit he might in religious and literary exercises。 He
composed a memoir； which is a model of its kind； so diligently did he
make his soul； that he could appear on the scaffold in a chastened spirit of
prayerful gratitude； and； being an eminent scoundrel； he seemed a proper
subject for the ministrations of Mr。 George Combe。 ‘That is the one
thing I did not know before；' he confessed with an engaging modesty；
when his bumps were squeezed； and yet he was more than a match for the
amiable phrenologist； whose ignorance of mankind persuaded him to
believe that an illiterate felon could know himself and analyse his
character。
His character escaped his critics as it escaped himself。 Time was
when George Borrow； that other picaroon； surprised the youthful David；
thinking of Willie Wallace upon the Castle Rock； and Lavengro's romantic
memory transformed the raw…boned pickpocket into a monumental hero；
who lacked nothing save a vast theatre to produce a vast effect。 He was a
Tamerlane； robbed of his opportunity； a valiant warrior； who looked in
vain for a battlefield； a marauder who climbed the scaffold not for the
magnitude； but for the littleness of his sins。 Thus Borrow； in complete
misunderstanding of the rascal's qualities。
Now； Haggart's ambition was as circumscribed as his ability。 He died；
as he was born； an expert cly…faker； whose achievements in sleight of hand
are as yet unparalleled。 Had the world been one vast breast pocket his
fish…hook fingers would have turned it inside out。 But it was not his to
mount a throne； or overthrow a dynasty。 ‘My forks；' he boasted； ‘are
equally long； and they never fail me。' That is at once the reason and the
justification of his triumph。 Born with a consummate artistry tingling at
his finger…tips； how should he escape the compulsion of a glorious destiny？
Without fumbling or failure he discovered the single craft for which
fortune had framed him； and he pursued it with a courage and an industry
which gave him not a kingdom； but fame and booty； exceeding even his
greedy aspiration。 No Tamerlane he； questing for a continent； but David
Haggart； the man with the long forks； happy if he snatched his neighbour's
purse。
Before all things he respected the profession which his left hand made
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inevitable； and which he pursued with unconquerable pride。 Nor in his
inspired youth was plunder his sole ambition： he cultivated the garden of
his style with the natural zeal of the artist； he frowned upon the bungler
with a lofty contempt。 His materials were simplicity itself： his forks；
which were always with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since；
sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his neck for a purse that did not
contain so much as would ‘sweeten a grawler。' At its best； his method
was always wittythat is the single word which will characterise itwitty
as a piece of Heine's prose； and as dangerous。 He would run over a man's
pockets while he spoke with him； returning what he chose to discard
without the lightest breath of suspicion。 ‘A good workman；' his
contemporaries called him； and they thought it a shame for him to be idle。
Moreover； he did not blunder unconsciously upon his triumph； he tackled
the trade in so fine a spirit of analysis that he might have been the very
Aristotle of his science。 ‘The keek…cloy；' he wrote； in his hints to young
sportsmen； ‘is easily picked。 If the notes are in the long fold just tip them
the forks； but if there is a purse or open money in the case； you must link
it。' The breast…pocket； on the other hand； is a severer test。 ‘Picking the
suck is sometimes a kittle job；' again the philosopher speaks。 ‘If the coat
is buttoned it must be opened by slipping past。 Then bring the lil down
between the flap of the coat and the body； keeping your spare arm across
your man's breast； and so slip it to a comrade； then abuse the fellow for
jostling you。'
Not only did he master the tradition of thievery； he vaunted his
originality with the familiar complacence of the scoundrel。 Forgetting
that it was by burglary that he was undone； he explains for his public
glorification that he was wont to enter the houses of Leith by forcing the
small window above the outer door。 This artifice； his vanity grumbles； is
now common； but he would have all the world understand that it was his
own invention； and he murmurs with the pedantry of the convicted
criminal that it is now set forth for the better protection of honest citizens。
No less admirable in his own eyes was that other artifice which induced
him to conceal such notes as he managed to filch in the collar of his coat。
Thus he eluded the vigilance of the police； which searched its prey in
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those days with a sorry lack of cunning。 In truth； Haggart's wits were as
nimble as his fingers； and he seldom failed to render a profitable account
of his talents。 He beguiled one of his sojourns in gaol by manufacturing
tinder wherewith to light the prisoners' pipes； and it is not astonishing that
he won a general popularity。 In Ireland； when the constables would take
him for a Scot； he answered in high Tipperary； and saved his skin for a
while by a brogue which would not have shamed a modern patriot。 But
quick as were his wits； his vanity always outstripped them； and no hero
ever bragged of his achievements with a louder effrontery。
Now all you ramblers in mourning go； For the prince of
ramblers is lying low； And all you maidens that love the game；
Put on your mourning veils again。
Thus he celebrated his downfall in a ballad that has the true Newgate
ring； and verily in his own eyes he was a hero who carried to the scaffold a
dauntless spirit unstained by treachery。
He believed himself an adept in all the arts； as a squire of dames he
held himself peerless； and he assured the ineffable Combe； who recorded
his flippant utterance with a credulous respect； that he had sacrificed
hecatombs of innocent virgins to his importunate lust。 Prose and verse
trickled with equal facility from his pen； and his biography is a
masterpiece。 Written in the pedlar's French as it was misspoken in the
hells of Edinburgh； it is a narrative of uncommon simplicity and directness；
marred now and again by such superfluous reflections as are the natural
result of thievish sentimentality。 He tells his tale without paraphrase or
adornment； and the worthy Writer to the Signet； who prepared the work
for the Press； would have asked three times the space to record one…half
the adv