Part 20 (1/2)
”But these times are lang by,” said Mr. Sharpitlaw. ”In my father's time, there was mair search for silenced ministers about the Bow-head and the Covenant Close, and all the tents of Kedar, as they ca'd the dwellings o'
the G.o.dly in those days, than there's now for thieves and vagabonds in the Laigh Calton and the back o' the Canongate. But that time's weel by, an it bide. And if the Bailie will get me directions and authority from the Provost, I'll speak wi' Daddie Rat mysell; for I'm thinking I'll make mair out o' him than ye'll do.”
Mr. Sharpitlaw, being necessarily a man of high trust, was accordingly empowered, in the course of the day, to make such arrangements as might seem in the emergency most advantageous for the Good Town. He went to the jail accordingly, and saw Ratcliffe in private.
The relative positions of a police-officer and a professed thief bear a different complexion, according to circ.u.mstances. The most obvious simile of a hawk pouncing upon his prey is often least applicable. Sometimes the guardian of justice has the air of a cat watching a mouse, and, while he suspends his purpose of springing upon the pilferer, takes care so to calculate his motions that he shall not get beyond his power. Sometimes, more pa.s.sive still, he uses the art of fascination ascribed to the rattlesnake, and contents himself with glaring on the victim, through all his devious flutterings; certain that his terror, confusion, and disorder of ideas, will bring him into his jaws at last. The interview between Ratcliffe and Sharpitlaw had an aspect different from all these. They sat for five minutes silent, on opposite sides of a small table, and looked fixedly at each other, with a sharp, knowing, and alert cast of countenance, not unmingled with an inclination to laugh, and resembled more than anything else, two dogs, who, preparing for a game at romps, are seen to couch down, and remain in that posture for a little time, watching each other's movements, and waiting which shall begin the game.
”So, Mr. Ratcliffe,” said the officer, conceiving it suited his dignity to speak first, ”you give up business, I find?”
”Yes, sir,” replied Ratcliffe; ”I shall be on that lay nae mair--and I think that will save your folk some trouble, Mr. Sharpitlaw?”
”Which Jock Daigleish” (then finisher of the law* in the Scottish metropolis) ”wad save them as easily,” returned the procurator-fiscal.
* [Among the flying leaves of the period, there is one called ”Sutherland's Lament for the loss of his post,--with his advice, to John Daglees his successor.” He was whipped and banished 25th July 1722. There is another, called the Speech and dying words of John Dalgleish, lockman _alias_ hangman of Edinburgh, containing these lines:--
Death, I've a Favour for to beg, That ye wad only gie a Fleg, And spare my Life; As I did to ill-hanged Megg, The Webster's Wife.”]
”Ay; if I waited in the Tolbooth here to have him fit my cravat--but that's an idle way o' speaking, Mr. Sharpitlaw.”
”Why, I suppose you know you are under sentence of death, Mr. Ratcliffe?”
replied Mr. Sharpitlaw.
”Aye, so are a', as that worthy minister said in the Tolbooth Kirk the day Robertson wan off; but naebody kens when it will be executed. Gude faith, he had better reason to say sae than he dreamed off, before the play was played out that morning!”
”This Robertson,” said Sharpitlaw, in a lower and something like a confidential tone, ”d'ye ken, Rat--that is, can ye gie us ony inkling where he is to be heard tell o'?”
”Troth, Mr. Sharpitlaw, I'll be frank wi' ye; Robertson is rather a cut abune me--a wild deevil he was, and mony a daft prank he played; but except the Collector's job that Wilson led him into, and some tuilzies about run goods wi' the gaugers and the waiters, he never did onything that came near our line o' business.”
”Umph! that's singular, considering the company he kept.”
”Fact, upon my honour and credit,” said Ratcliffe, gravely. ”He keepit out o' our little bits of affairs, and that's mair than Wilson did; I hae dune business wi' Wilson afore now. But the lad will come on in time; there's nae fear o' him; naebody will live the life he has led, but what he'll come to sooner or later.”
”Who or what is he, Ratcliffe? you know, I suppose?” said Sharpitlaw.
”He's better born, I judge, than he cares to let on; he's been a soldier, and he has been a play-actor, and I watna what he has been or hasna been, for as young as he is, sae that it had daffing and nonsense about it.”
”Pretty pranks he has played in his time, I suppose?”
”Ye may say that,” said Ratcliffe, with a sardonic smile; ”and” (touching his nose) ”a deevil amang the la.s.ses.”
”Like enough,” said Sharpitlaw. ”Weel, Ratcliffe, I'll no stand niffering wi' ye; ye ken the way that favour's gotten in my office; ye maun be usefu'.”
”Certainly, sir, to the best of my power--naething for naething--I ken the rule of the office,” said the ex-depredator.
”Now the princ.i.p.al thing in hand e'en now,” said the official person, ”is the job of Porteous's; an ye can gie us a lift--why, the inner turnkey's office to begin wi', and the captains.h.i.+p in time--ye understand my meaning?”
”Ay, troth do I, sir; a wink's as gude as a nod to a blind horse; but Jock Porteous's job--Lord help ye!--I was under sentence the haill time.
G.o.d! but I couldna help laughing when I heard Jock skirting for mercy in the lads' hands. Mony a het skin ye hae gien me, neighbour, thought I, tak ye what's gaun: time about's fair play; ye'll ken now what hanging's gude for.”
”Come, come, this is all nonsense, Rat,” said the procurator. ”Ye canna creep out at that hole, lad; you must speak to the point--you understand me--if you want favour; gif-gaf makes gude friends, ye ken.”