THEPURSUITANDESCAPE
NeartothatpartoftheThamesonwhichthechurchatRotherhitheabuts，wherethebuildingsonthebanksaredirtiestandthevesselsontheriverblackestwiththedustofcolliersandthesmokeofclose-builtlow-roofedhouses，thereexiststhefilthiest，thestrangest，themostextraordinaryofthemanylocalitiesthatarehiddeninLondon，whollyunknown，evenbyname，tothegreatmassofitsinhabitants。
Toreachthisplace，thevisitorhastopenetratethroughamazeofclose，narrow，andmuddystreets，throngedbytheroughestandpoorestofwatersidepeople，anddevotedtothetraffictheymaybesupposedtooccasion。Thecheapestandleastdelicateprovisionsareheapedintheshops；thecoarsestandcommonestarticlesofwearingappareldangleatthesalesman'sdoor，andstreamfromthehouse-parapetandwindows。Jostlingwithunemployedlabourersofthelowestclass，ballast-heavers，coal-whippers，brazenwomen，raggedchildren，andtheraffandrefuseoftheriver，hemakeshiswaywithdifficultyalong，assailedbyoffensivesightsandsmellsfromthenarrowalleyswhichbranchoffontherightandleft，anddeafenedbytheclashofponderouswaggonsthatbeargreatpilesofmerchandisefromthestacksofwarehousesthatrisefromeverycorner。Arriving，atlength，instreetsremoterandless-frequentedthanthosethroughwhichhehaspassed，hewalksbeneathtotteringhouse-frontsprojectingoverthepavement，dismantledwallsthatseemtototterashepasses，chimneyshalfcrushedhalfhesitatingtofall，windowsguardedbyrustyironbarsthattimeanddirthavealmosteatenaway，everyimaginablesignofdesolationandneglect。
Insuchaneighborhood，beyondDockheadintheBoroughofSouthwark，standsJacob'sIsland，surroundedbyamuddyditch，sixoreightfeetdeepandfifteenortwentywidewhenthetideisin，oncecalledMillPond，butknowninthedaysofthisstoryasFollyDitch。ItisacreekorinletfromtheThames，andcanalwaysbefilledathighwaterbyopeningthesluicesattheLeadMillsfromwhichittookitsoldname。Atsuchtimes，astranger，lookingfromoneofthewoodenbridgesthrownacrossitatMillLane，willseetheinhabitantsofthehousesoneithersideloweringfromtheirbackdoorsandwindows，buckets，pails，domesticutensilsofallkinds，inwhichtohaulthewaterup；andwhenhiseyeisturnedfromtheseoperationstothehousesthemselves，hisutmostastonishmentwillbeexcitedbythescenebeforehim。Crazywoodengalleriescommontothebacksofhalfadozenhouses，withholesfromwhichtolookupontheslimebeneath；windows，brokenandpatched，withpolesthrustout，onwhichtodrythelinenthatisneverthere；roomssosmall，sofilthy，soconfined，thattheairwouldseemtootaintedevenforthedirtandsqualorwhichtheyshelter；woodenchambersthrustingthemselvesoutabovethemud，andthreateningtofallintoit--assomehavedone；dirt-besmearedwallsanddecayingfoundations；everyrepulsivelineamentofpoverty，everyloathsomeindicationoffilth，rot，andgarbage；alltheseornamentthebanksofFollyDitch。
InJacob'sIsland，thewarehousesarerooflessandempty；thewallsarecrumblingdown；thewindowsarewindowsnomore；thedoorsarefallingintothestreets；thechimneysareblackened，buttheyyieldnosmoke。Thirtyorfortyyearsago，beforelossesandchancerysuitscameuponit，itwasathrivingplace；butnowitisadesolateislandindeed。Thehouseshavenoowners；theyarebrokenopen，andentereduponbythosewhohavethecourage；andtheretheylive，andtheretheydie。Theymusthavepowerfulmotivesforasecretresidence，orbereducedtoadestituteconditionindeed，whoseekarefugeinJacob'sIsland。
Inanupperroomofoneofthesehouses--adetachedhouseoffairsize，ruinousinotherrespects，butstronglydefendedatdoorandwindow：ofwhichhousethebackcommandedtheditchinmanneralreadydescribed--therewereassembledthreemen，who，regardingeachothereverynowandthenwithlooksexpressiveofperplexityandexpectation，satforsometimeinprofoundandgloomysilence。OneofthesewasTobyCrackit，anotherMr。Chitling，andthethirdarobberoffiftyyears，whosenosehadbeenalmostbeatenin，insomeoldscuffle，andwhosefaceboreafrightfulscarwhichmightprobablybetracedtothesameoccasion。Thismanwasareturnedtransport，andhisnamewasKags。
‘Iwish，’saidTobyturningtoMr。Chitling，‘thatyouhadpickedoutsomeothercribwhenthetwooldonesgottoowarm，andhadnotcomehere，myfinefeller。’
‘Whydidn'tyou，blunder-head！’saidKags。
‘Well，Ithoughtyou'dhavebeenalittlemoregladtoseemethanthis，’repliedMr。Chitling，withamelancholyair。
‘Why，look'e，younggentleman，’saidToby，‘whenamankeepshimselfsoveryex-clusiveasIhavedone，andbythatmeanshasasnughouseoverhisheadwithnobodyapryingandsmellingaboutit，it'sratherastartlingthingtohavethehonourofawisitfromayounggentleman（howeverrespectableandpleasantapersonhemaybetoplaycardswithatconweniency）circumstancedasyouare。’
‘Especially，whentheexclusiveyoungmanhasgotafriendstoppingwithhim，that'sarrivedsoonerthanwasexpectedfromforeignparts，andistoomodesttowanttobepresentedtotheJudgesonhisreturn，’addedMr。Kags。
Therewasashortsilence，afterwhichTobyCrackit，seemingtoabandonashopelessanyfurtherefforttomaintainhisusualdevil-may-careswagger，turnedtoChitlingandsaid，
‘WhenwasFagintookthen？’
‘Justatdinner-time--twoo'clockthisafternoon。CharleyandImadeourluckyupthewash-uschimney，andBoltergotintotheemptywater-butt，headdownwards；buthislegsweresopreciouslongthattheystuckoutatthetop，andsotheytookhimtoo。’
‘AndBet？’
‘PoorBet！ShewenttoseetheBody，tospeaktowhoitwas，’repliedChitling，hiscountenancefallingmoreandmore，‘andwentoffmad，screamingandraving，andbeatingherheadagainsttheboards；sotheyputastrait-weskutonherandtookhertothehospital--andtheresheis。’
‘Wot'scomeofyoungBates？’demandedKags。
‘Hehungabout，nottocomeoverhereaforedark，buthe'llbeheresoon，’repliedChitling。‘There'snowhereelsetogotonow，forthepeopleattheCripplesareallincustody，andthebaroftheken--Iwentupthereandseeitwithmyowneyes--isfilledwithtraps。’
‘Thisisasmash，’observedToby，bitinghislips。‘There'smorethanonewillgowiththis。’
‘Thesessionsareon，’saidKags：‘iftheygettheinquestover，andBolterturnsKing'sevidence：asofcoursehewill，fromwhathe'ssaidalready：theycanproveFaginanaccessorybeforethefact，andgetthetrialononFriday，andhe'llswinginsixdaysfromthis，byG--！’
‘Youshouldhaveheardthepeoplegroan，’saidChitling；‘theofficersfoughtlikedevils，orthey'dhavetornhimaway。Hewasdownonce，buttheymadearingroundhim，andfoughttheirwayalong。Youshouldhaveseenhowhelookedabouthim，allmuddyandbleeding，andclungtothemasiftheywerehisdearestfriends。Icansee’emnow，notabletostanduprightwiththepressingofthemob，anddragginhimalongamongst‘em；Icanseethepeoplejumpingup，onebehindanother，andsnarlingwiththeirteethandmakingathim；Icanseetheblooduponhishairandbeard，andhearthecrieswithwhichthewomenworkedthemselvesintothecentreofthecrowdatthestreetcorner，andsworethey'dtearhisheartout！’
Thehorror-strickenwitnessofthisscenepressedhishandsuponhisears，andwithhiseyesclosedgotupandpacedviolentlytoandfro，likeonedistracted。
Whilehewasthusengaged，andthetwomensatbyinsilencewiththeireyesfixeduponthefloor，apatteringnoisewashearduponthestairs，andSikes'sdogboundedintotheroom。Theyrantothewindow，downstairs，andintothestreet。Thedoghadjumpedinatanopenwindow；hemadenoattempttofollowthem，norwashismastertobeseen。
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