’Whohaveyougotup-stairshere？’saysSharpeye，generally。IntheMove-ontone。
’Nobody，surr；surenotablessedsowl！’Irishfemininereply。
’Whatdoyoumeanbynobody？Didn’tIhearawoman’sstepgoup-
stairswhenmyhandwasonthelatch？’
’Ah！surethinyou’reright，surr，Iforgother！’Tison’yBetsyWhite，surr。Ah！youknowBetsy，surr。Comedown，Betsydarlin’，andsaythegintlemin。’
Generally，Betsylooksoverthebanistersthesteepstaircaseisintheroomwithaforcibleexpressioninherprotestingface，ofanintentiontocompensateherselfforthepresenttrialbygrindingJackfinerthanusualwhenhedoescome。Generally，SharpeyeturnstoMr。Superintendent，andsays，asifthesubjectsofhisremarkswerewax-work:
’Oneoftheworst，sir，thishouseis。Thiswomanhasbeenindictedthreetimes。Thisman’saregularbadonelikewise。HisrealnameisPegg。GiveshimselfoutasWaterhouse。’
’NeverhadsitchanameasPeggnearmeback，thin，sinceIwasinthishouse，beethegoodLard！’saysthewoman。
Generally，themansaysnothingatall，butbecomesexceedinglyround-shouldered，andpretendstoreadhispaperwithraptattention。Generally，Sharpeyedirectsourobservationwithalook，totheprintsandpicturesthatareinvariablynumerousonthewalls。Always，TrampfootandQuickeararetakingnoticeonthedoorstep。IndefaultofSharpeyebeingacquaintedwiththeexactindividualityofanygentlemanencountered，oneofthesetwoissuretoproclaimfromtheouterair，likeagruffspectre，thatJacksonisnotJackson，butknowshimselftobeFogle；orthatCanlonisWalker’sbrother，againstwhomtherewasnotsufficientevidence；orthatthemanwhosaysheneverwasatseasincehewasaboy，cameashorefromavoyagelastThursday，orsailstomorrowmorning。’Andthatisabadclassofman，yousee，’saysMr。
Superintendent，whenhegotoutintothedarkagain，’andverydifficulttodealwith，who，whenhehasmadethisplacetoohottoholdhim，entershimselfforavoyageasstewardorcook，andisoutofknowledgeformonths，andthenturnsupagainworsethanever。’
Whenwehadgoneintomanysuchhouses，andhadcomeoutalwaysleavingeverybodyrelapsingintowaitingforJack，westartedofftoasinging-housewhereJackwasexpectedtomusterstrong。
Thevocalisationwastakingplaceinalonglowroomup-stairs；atoneend，anorchestraoftwoperformers，andasmallplatform；
acrosstheroom，aseriesofopenpewsforJack，withanaisledownthemiddle；attheotherendalargerpewthantherest，entitledSNUG，andreservedformatesandsimilargoodcompany。Abouttheroom，someamazingcoffee-colouredpicturesvarnishedaninchdeep，andsomestuffedcreaturesincases；dottedamongtheaudience，inSungandoutofSnug，the’Professionals；’amongthem，thecelebratedcomicfavouriteMr。BanjoBones，lookingveryhideouswithhisblackenedfaceandlimpsugar-loafhat；besidehim，sippingrum-and-water，Mrs。BanjoBones，inhernaturalcolours-alittleheightened。
ItwasaFridaynight，andFridaynightwasconsiderednotagoodnightforJack。Atanyrate，Jackdidnotshowinverygreatforceevenhere，thoughthehousewasonetowhichhemuchresorts，andwhereagooddealofmoneyistaken。TherewasBritishJack，alittlemaudlinandsleepy，lollingoverhisemptyglass，asifheweretryingtoreadhisfortuneatthebottom；therewasLoafingJackoftheStarsandStripes，ratheranunpromisingcustomer，withhislongnose，lankcheek，highcheek-bones，andnothingsoftabouthimbuthiscabbage-leafhat；therewasSpanishJack，withcurlsofblackhair，ringsinhisears，andaknifenotfarfromhishand，ifyougotintotroublewithhim；therewereMalteseJack，andJackofSweden，andJacktheFinn，loomingthroughthesmokeoftheirpipes，andturningfacesthatlookedasiftheywerecarvedoutofdarkwood，towardstheyoungladydancingthehornpipe:whofoundtheplatformsoexceedinglysmallforit，thatIhadanervousexpectationofseeingher，inthebackwardsteps，disappearthroughthewindow。Still，ifallhandshadbeengottogether，theywouldnothavemorethanhalf-filledtheroom。Observe，however，saidMr。LicensedVictualler，thehost，thatitwasFridaynight，and，besides，itwasgettingonfortwelve，andJackhadgoneaboard。A
sharpandwatchfulman，Mr。LicensedVictualler，thehost，withtightlipsandacompleteeditionofCocker’sarithmeticineacheye。Attendedtohisbusinesshimself，hesaid。Alwaysonthespot。Whenheheardoftalent，trustednobody’saccountofit，butwentoffbyrailtoseeit。Iftruetalent，engagedit。Poundsaweekfortalent-fourpound-fivepound。BanjoBoneswasundoubtedtalent。Hearthisinstrumentthatwasgoingtoplay-itwasrealtalent！Intruthitwasverygood；akindofpiano-
accordion，playedbyayounggirlofadelicateprettinessofface，figure，anddress，thatmadetheaudiencelookcoarser。Shesangtotheinstrument，too；first，asongaboutvillagebells，andhowtheychimed；thenasongabouthowIwenttosea；windingupwithanimitationofthebagpipes，whichMercantileJackseemedtounderstandmuchthebest。Agoodgirl，saidMr。LicensedVictualler。Keptherselfselect。SatinSnug，notlisteningtotheblandishmentsofMates。Livedwithmother。Fatherdead。Onceamerchantwelltodo，butover-speculatedhimself。Ondelicateinquiryastosalarypaidforitemoftalentunderconsideration，Mr。Victualler’spoundsdroppedsuddenlytoshillings-stillitwasaverycomfortablethingforayoungpersonlikethat，youknow；sheonlywentonsixtimesanight，andwasonlyrequiredtobetherefromsixatnighttotwelve。Whatwasmoreconclusivewas，Mr。Victualler’sassurancethathe’neverallowedanylanguage，andneversufferedanydisturbance。’Sharpeyeconfirmedthestatement，andtheorderthatprevailedwasthebestproofofitthatcouldhavebeencited。So，IcametotheconclusionthatpoorMercantileJackmightdoasIamafraidhedoesmuchworsethantrusthimselftoMr。Victualler，andpasshiseveningshere。
Butwehadnotyetlooked，Mr。Superintendent-saidTrampfoot，receivingusinthestreetagainwithmilitarysalute-forDarkJack。True，Trampfoot。Ringthewonderfulstick，rubthewonderfullantern，andcausethespiritsofthestickandlanterntoconveyustotheDarkies。
TherewasnodisappointmentinthematterofDarkJack；HEwasproducible。TheGeniisetusdowninthelittlefirstfloorofalittlepublic-house，andthere，inastiflinglycloseatmosphere，wereDarkJack，andDarkJack’sdelight，hisWHITEunlovelyNan，sittingagainstthewallallroundtheroom。Morethanthat:DarkJack’sdelightwastheleastunlovelyNan，bothmorallyandphysically，thatIsawthatnight。
Asafiddleandtambourinebandweresittingamongthecompany，Quickearsuggestedwhynotstrikeup？’Ah，la’ads！’saidanegrosittingbythedoor，’gibthejebblemadarnse。Tak’yahpardlers，jebblem，for’umQUAD-rill。’
Thiswasthelandlord，inaGreekcap，andadresshalfGreekandhalfEnglish。Asmasteroftheceremonies，hecalledallthefigures，andoccasionallyaddressedhimselfparenthetically-afterthismanner。Whenhewasveryloud，Iusecapitals。
’Nowden！Hoy！ONE。Rightandleft。Putasteamon，gib’umpowder。LA-dies’chail。BAL-loonsay。Lemonade！TWO。AD-
warnseandgobackgib’ellabreakdown，shakeitouto’yerselbs，keepamovil。SWING-corners，BAL-loonsay，andLemonade！Hoy！
THREE。GENTcomefor’ardwithaladyandgoback，hoppersitecomefor’ardanddowhatyercan。Aeiohoy！BAL-loonsay，andleetlelemonade。Dathairniggerby’umfireplace’hinda’time，shakeitouto’yerselbs，gib’ellabreakdown。Nowden！Hoy！FOUR！
Lemonade。BAL-loonsay，andswing。FOURladiesmeetin’ummiddle，FOURgentsgoesround’umladies，FOURgentspassesoutunder’umladies’arms，SWING-andLemonadetill’amoosiccan’tplaynomore！Hoy，Hoy！’
Themaledancerswereallblacks，andonewasanunusuallypowerfulmanofsixfeetthreeorfour。Thesoundoftheirflatfeetonthefloorwasasunlikethesoundofwhitefeetastheirfaceswereunlikewhitefaces。Theytoedandheeled，shuffled，double-
shuffled，double-double-shuffled，coveredthebuckle，andbeatthetimeout，rarely，dancingwithagreatshowofteeth，andwithachildishgood-humouredenjoymentthatwasveryprepossessing。Theygenerallykepttogether，thesepoorfellows，saidMr。
Superintendent，becausetheywereatadisadvantagesingly，andliabletoslightsintheneighbouringstreets。But，ifIwereLightJack，IshouldbeveryslowtointerfereoppressivelywithDarkJack，for，wheneverIhavehadtodowithhimIhavefoundhimasimpleandagentlefellow。Bearingthisinmind，Iaskedhisfriendlypermissiontoleavehimrestorationofbeer，inwishinghimgoodnight，andthusitfelloutthatthelastwordsIheardhimsayasIblundereddownthewornstairs，were，’Jebblem’selth！
Ladiesdrinksfust！’
Thenightwasnowwellonintothemorning，but，formilesandhoursweexploredastrangeworld，wherenobodyevergoestobed，buteverybodyiseternallysittingup，waitingforJack。Thisexplorationwasamongalabyrinthofdismalcourtsandblindalleys，calledEntries，keptinwonderfulorderbythepolice，andinmuchbetterorderthanbythecorporation:thewantofgaslightinthemostdangerousandinfamousoftheseplacesbeingquiteunworthyofsospiritedatown。IneeddescribebuttwoorthreeofthehousesinwhichJackwaswaitedforasspecimensoftherest。Manyweattainedbynoisomepassagessoprofoundlydarkthatwefeltourwaywithourhands。Notoneofthewholenumberwevisited，waswithoutitsshowofprintsandornamentalcrockery；
thequantityofthelattersetforthonlittleshelvesandinlittlecases，inotherwisewretchedrooms，indicatingthatMercantileJackmusthaveanextraordinaryfondnessforcrockery，tonecessitatesomuchofthatbaitinhistraps。
Amongsuchgarniture，inonefrontparlourinthedeadofthenight，fourwomenweresittingbyafire。Oneofthemhadamalechildinherarms。Onastoolamongthemwasaswarthyyouthwithaguitar，whohadevidentlystoppedplayingwhenourfootstepswereheard。