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orgaiters.Theyhadallslightlybaldheads,fromwhichtherightears,
longusedtopen-holding,hadanoddhabitofstandingoffonend.
Iobservedthattheyalwaysremovedorsettledtheirhatswithboth
hands,andworewatches,withshortgoldchainsofasubstantialand
ancientpattern.Theirswastheaffectationofrespectability—ifindeed
therebeanaffectationsohonorable.
Thereweremanyindividualsofdashingappearance,whomIeasily
understoodasbelongingtotheraceofswellpick-pocketswithwhich
allgreatcitiesareinfested.Iwatchedthesegentrywithmuch
inquisitiveness,andfounditdifficulttoimaginehowtheyshouldever
bemistakenforgentlemenbygentlementhemselves.Their
voluminousnessofwristband,withanairofexcessivefrankness,
shouldbetraythematonce.
Thegamblers,ofwhomIdescriednotafew,werestillmoreeasily
recognisable.Theyworeeveryvarietyofdress,fromthatofthe
desperatethimble-rigbully,withvelvetwaistcoat,fancyneckerchief,
giltchains,andfilagreedbuttons,tothatofthescrupulouslyinornate
clergyman,thanwhichnothingcouldbelessliabletosuspicion.Still
allweredistinguishedbyacertainsoddenswarthinessofcomplexion,
afilmydimnessofeye,andpallorandcompressionoflip.Therewere
twoothertraits,moreover,bywhichIcouldalwaysdetectthem:
aguardedlownessoftoneinconversation,andamorethanordinary
extensionofthethumbinadirectionatrightangleswiththefingers.
Veryoften,incompanywiththesesharpers,Iobservedanorder
ofmensomewhatdifferentinhabits,butstillbirdsofakindredfeather.
Theymaybedefinedasthegentlemenwholivebytheirwits.They
seemtopreyuponthepublicintwobattalions—thatofthedandiesand
thatofthemilitarymen.Ofthefirstgradetheleadingfeaturesarelong
locksandsmiles;ofthesecond,froggedcoatsandfrowns.
Descendinginthescaleofwhatistermedgentility,Ifounddarker
anddeeperthemesforspeculation.IsawJewpedlars,withhawkeyes
flashingfromcountenanceswhoseeveryotherfeatureworeonly
anexpressionofabjecthumility;sturdyprofessionalstreetbeggars
scowlinguponmendicantsofabetterstamp,whomdespairalonehad
drivenforthintothenightforcharity;feebleandghastlyinvalids,upon
whomdeathhadplacedasurehand,andwhosidledandtottered
throughthemob,lookingeveryonebeseechinglyintheface,
asifinsearchofsomechanceconsolation,somelosthope;modest
