Andnow，Iambroughttothefact，thatthelowestpartoftheaudienceofthepreviousnight，WASNOTTHERE。Thereisnodoubtaboutit。Therewasnosuchthinginthatbuilding，thatSundayevening。Ihavebeentoldsince，thatthelowestpartoftheaudienceoftheVictoriaTheatrehasbeenattractedtoitsSundayservices。Ihavebeenverygladtohearit，butonthisoccasionofwhichIwrite，thelowestpartoftheusualaudienceoftheBritanniaTheatre，decidedlyandunquestionablystayedaway。WhenIfirsttookmyseatandlookedatthehouse，mysurpriseatthechangeinitsoccupantswasasgreatasmydisappointment。Tothemostrespectableclassofthepreviousevening，wasaddedagreatnumberofrespectablestrangersattractedbycuriosity，anddraftsfromtheregularcongregationsofvariouschapels。Itwasimpossibletofailinidentifyingthecharacteroftheselast，andtheywereverynumerous。Icameoutinastrong，slowtideofthemsettingfromtheboxes。Indeed，whilethediscoursewasinprogress，therespectablecharacteroftheauditorywassomanifestintheirappearance，thatwhentheministeraddressedasupposititious’outcast，’onereallyfeltalittleimpatientofit，asafigureofspeechnotjustifiedbyanythingtheeyecoulddiscover。
Thetimeappointedfortheconclusionoftheproceedingswaseighto’clock。Theaddresshavinglasteduntilfullthattime，anditbeingthecustomtoconcludewithahymn，thepreacherintimatedinafewsensiblewordsthattheclockhadstruckthehour，andthatthosewhodesiredtogobeforethehymnwassung，couldgonow，withoutgivingoffence。Noonestirred。Thehymnwasthensung，ingoodtimeandtuneandunison，anditseffectwasverystriking。
Acomprehensivebenevolentprayerdismissedthethrong，andinsevenoreightminutestherewasnothingleftintheTheatrebutalightcloudofdust。
ThattheseSundaymeetingsinTheatresaregoodthings，Idonotdoubt。NordoIdoubtthattheywillworklowerandlowerdowninthesocialscale，ifthosewhopresideoverthemwillbeverycarefulontwoheads:firstly，nottodisparagetheplacesinwhichtheyspeak，ortheintelligenceoftheirhearers；secondly，nottosetthemselvesinantagonismtothenaturalinborndesireofthemassofmankindtorecreatethemselvesandtobeamused。
Thereisathirdhead，takingprecedenceofallothers，towhichmyremarksonthediscourseIheard，havetended。IntheNewTestamentthereisthemostbeautifulandaffectinghistoryconceivablebyman，andtherearethetersemodelsforallprayerandforallpreaching。Astothemodels，imitatethem，Sundaypreachers-elsewhyaretheythere，consider？Astothehistory，tellit。Somepeoplecannotread，somepeoplewillnotread，manypeoplethisespeciallyholdsamongtheyoungandignorantfindithardtopursuetheverse-forminwhichthebookispresentedtothem，andimaginethatthosebreaksimplygapsandwantofcontinuity。Helpthemoverthatfirststumbling-block，bysettingforththehistoryinnarrative，withnofearofexhaustingit。Youwillneverpreachsowell，youwillnevermovethemsoprofoundly，youwillneversendthemawaywithhalfsomuchtothinkof。Whichisthebetterinterest:Christ’schoiceoftwelvepoormentohelpinthosemercifulwondersamongthepoorandrejected；orthepiousbullyingofawholeUnion-fullofpaupers？Whatisyourchangedphilosophertowretchedme，peepinginatthedooroutofthemudofthestreetsandofmylife，whenyouhavethewidow’ssontotellmeabout，theruler’sdaughter，theotherfigureatthedoorwhenthebrotherofthetwosisterswasdead，andoneofthetworantothemourner，crying，’TheMasteriscomeandcallethforthee’？-Letthepreacherwhowillthoroughlyforgethimselfandremembernoindividualitybutone，andnoeloquencebutone，standupbeforefourthousandmenandwomenattheBritanniaTheatreanySundaynight，recountingthatnarrativetothemasfellowcreatures，andheshallseeasight！
IsthesweetlittlecherubwhositssmilingaloftandkeepswatchonlifeofpoorJack，commissionedtotakechargeofMercantileJack，aswellasJackofthenationalnavy？Ifnot，whois？Whatisthecherubabout，andwhatareweallabout，whenpoorMercantileJackishavinghisbrainsslowlyknockedoutbypenny-
weights，aboardthebrigBeelzebub，orthebarqueBowie-knife-
whenhelookshislastatthatinfernalcraft，withthefirstofficer’sironboot-heelinhisremainingeye，orwithhisdyingbodytowedoverboardintheship’swake，whilethecruelwoundsinitdo’themultitudinousseasincarnadine’？
Isitunreasonabletoentertainabeliefthatif，aboardthebrigBeelzebuborthebarqueBowie-knife，thefirstofficerdidhalfthedamagetocottonthathedoestomen，therewouldpresentlyarisefrombothsidesoftheAtlanticsovociferousaninvocationofthesweetlittlecherubwhositscalculatingaloft，keepingwatchonthemarketsthatpay，thatsuchvigilantcherubwould，withawingedsword，havethatgallantofficer’sorganofdestructivenessoutofhisheadinthespaceofaflashoflightning？
Ifitbeunreasonable，thenamIthemostunreasonableofmen，forIbelieveitwithallmysoul。
ThiswasmythoughtasIwalkedthedock-quaysatLiverpool，keepingwatchonpoorMercantileJack。Alasforme！Ihavelongoutgrownthestateofsweetlittlecherub；butthereIwas，andthereMercantileJackwas，andverybusyhewas，andverycoldhewas:thesnowyetlyinginthefrozenfurrowsoftheland，andthenorth-eastwindssnippingoffthetopsofthelittlewavesintheMersey，androllingthemintohailstonestopelthimwith。
MercantileJackwashardatit，inthehardweather:ashemostlyisinallweathers，poorJack。Hewasgirdedtoships’mastsandfunnelsofsteamers，likeaforestertoagreatoak，scrapingandpainting；hewaslyingoutonyards，furlingsailsthattriedtobeathimoff；hewasdimlydiscernibleupinaworldofgiantcobwebs，reefingandsplicing；hewasfaintlyaudibledowninholds，stowingandunshippingcargo；hewaswindingroundandroundatcapstansmelodious，monotonous，anddrunk；hewasofadiabolicalaspect，withcoalingfortheAntipodes；hewaswashingdecksbarefoot，withthebreastofhisredshirtopentotheblast，thoughitwassharperthantheknifeinhisleatherngirdle；hewaslookingoverbulwarks，alleyesandhair；hewasstandingbyattheshootoftheCunardsteamer，offto-morrow，asthestocksintradeofseveralbutchers，poulterers，andfishmongers，poureddownintotheice-house；hewascomingaboardofothervessels，withhiskitinatarpaulinbag，attendedbyplundererstotheverylastmomentofhisshore-goingexistence。Asthoughhissenses，whenreleasedfromtheuproaroftheelements，wereunderobligationtobeconfusedbyotherturmoil，therewasarattlingofwheels，aclatteringofhoofs，aclashingofiron，ajoltingofcottonandhidesandcasksandtimber，anincessantdeafeningdisturbanceonthequays，thatwastheverymadnessofsound。Andas，inthemidstofit，hestoodswayingabout，withhishairblownallmannerofwildways，rathercrazedlytakingleaveofhisplunderers，alltherigginginthedockswasshrillinthewind，andeverylittlesteamercomingandgoingacrosstheMerseywassharpinitsblowingoff，andeverybuoyintheriverbobbedspitefullyupanddown，asiftherewereageneraltauntingchorusof’Comealong，MercantileJack！Ill-lodged，ill-fed，ill-used，hocussed，entrapped，anticipated，cleanedout。Comealong，PoorMercantileJack，andbetempest-tossedtillyouaredrowned！’
TheuncommercialtransactionwhichhadbroughtmeandJacktogether，wasthis:-IhadenteredtheLiverpoolpoliceforce，thatImighthavealookatthevariousunlawfultrapswhichareeverynightsetforJack。Asmytermofserviceinthatdistinguishedcorpswasshort，andasmypersonalbiasinthecapacityofoneofitsmembershasceased，nosuspicionwillattachtomyevidencethatitisanadmirableforce。Besidesthatitiscomposed，withoutfavour，ofthebestmenthatcanbepicked，itisdirectedbyanunusualintelligence。ItsorganisationagainstFires，Itaketobemuchbetterthanthemetropolitansystem，andinallrespectsittempersitsremarkablevigilancewithastillmoreremarkablediscretion。
Jackhadknockedoffworkinthedockssomehours，andIhadtaken，forpurposesofidentification，aphotograph-likenessofathief，intheportrait-roomatourheadpoliceofficeonthewhole，heseemedrathercomplimentedbytheproceeding，andIhadbeenonpoliceparade，andthesmallhandoftheclockwasmovingontoten，whenItookupmylanterntofollowMr。SuperintendenttothetrapsthatweresetforJack。InMr。SuperintendentIsaw，asanybodymight，atall，well-looking，well-set-upmanofasoldierlybearing，withacavalryair，agoodchest，andaresolutebutnotbyanymeansungentleface。Hecarriedinhishandaplainblackwalking-stickofhardwood；andwheneverandwherever，atanyafter-timeofthenight，hestruckitonthepavementwitharingingsound，itinstantlyproducedawhistleoutofthedarkness，andapoliceman。Tothisremarkablestick，IreferanairofmysteryandmagicwhichpervadedthewholeofmyperquisitionamongthetrapsthatweresetforJack。
Webeganbydivingintotheobscureststreetsandlanesoftheport。Suddenlypausinginaflowofcheerfuldiscourse，beforeadeadwall，apparentlysometenmileslong，Mr。Superintendentstruckupontheground，andthewallopenedandshotout，withmilitarysaluteofhandtotemple，twopolicemen-notintheleastsurprisedthemselves，notintheleastsurprisingMr。
Superintendent。
Allright，Sharpeye？’
Allright，sir。’
Allright，Trampfoot？’
Allright，sir。’
IsQuickearthere？’
HereamI，sir。’
Comewithus。’
Yes，sir。’
So，Sharpeyewentbefore，andMr。SuperintendentandIwentnext，andTrampfootandQuickearmarchedasrear-guard。Sharp-eye，I
soonhadoccasiontoremark，hadaskilfulandquiteprofessionalwayofopeningdoors-touchedlatchesdelicately，asiftheywerekeysofmusicalinstruments-openedeverydoorhetouched，asifhewereperfectlyconfidentthattherewasstolenpropertybehindit-instantlyinsinuatedhimself，topreventitsbeingshut。
SharpeyeopenedseveraldoorsoftrapsthatweresetforJack，butJackdidnothappentobeinanyofthem。Theywereallsuchmiserableplacesthatreally，Jack，ifIwereyou，Iwouldgivethemawiderberth。Ineverytrap，somebodywassittingoverafire，waitingforJack。Now，itwasacrouchingoldwoman，likethepictureoftheNorwoodGipsyintheoldsixpennydream-books；
now，itwasacrimpofthemalesex，inacheckedshirtandwithoutacoat，readinganewspaper；now，itwasamancrimpandawomancrimp，whoalwaysintroducedthemselvesasunitedinholymatrimony；now，itwasJack’sdelight，hisunlovelyNan；buttheywereallwaitingforJack，andwereallfrightfullydisappointedtoseeus。