Mitts，inabonnetidentifiedashavingbeenre-embellished，wentoutwalkingwithhim，andstayedouttilltheteno’clockbeer，Greenwichtime。
Therewasnowatruce，evenastothetroubledwatersofMrs。
Saggers’spail；nothingwasspokenofamongtheladiesbuttheconductofMrs。MittsanditsblightinginfluenceonthereputationofTitbull’s。ItwasagreedthatMr。Battens’oughttotakeitup，’andMr。Battenswascommunicatedwithonthesubject。Thatunsatisfactoryindividualreplied’thathedidn’tseehiswayyet，’
anditwasunanimouslyvotedbytheladiesthataggravationwasinhisnature。
Howitcametopass，withsomeappearanceofinconsistency，thatMrs。MittswascutbyalltheladiesandthePensioneradmiredbyalltheladies，mattersnot。Beforeanotherweekwasout，Titbull’swasstartledbyanotherphenomenon。Atteno’clockintheforenoonappearedacab，containingnotonlytheGreenwichPensionerwithonearm，but，toboot，aChelseaPensionerwithoneleg。BothdismountingtoassistMrs。Mittsintothecab，theGreenwichPensionerborehercompanyinside，andtheChelseaPensionermountedtheboxbythedriver:hiswoodenlegstickingoutafterthemannerofabowsprit，asifinjocularhomagetohisfriend’ssea-goingcareer。Thustheequipagedroveaway。NoMrs。
Mittsreturnedthatnight。
WhatMr。Battensmighthavedoneinthematteroftakingitup，goadedbytheinfuriatedstateofpublicfeelingnextmorning，wasanticipatedbyanotherphenomenon。ATruck，propelledbytheGreenwichPensionerandtheChelseaPensioner，eachplacidlysmokingapipe，andpushinghiswarriorbreastagainstthehandle。
ThedisplayonthepartoftheGreenwichPensionerofhis’marriage-lines，’andhisannouncementthathimselfandfriendhadlookedinforthefurnitureofMrs。G。Pensioner，lateMitts，bynomeansreconciledtheladiestotheconductoftheirsister；onthecontrary，itissaidthattheyappearedmorethaneverexasperated。
Nevertheless，mystrayvisitstoTitbull’ssincethedateofthisoccurrence，haveconfirmedmeinanimpressionthatitwasawholesomefillip。Thenineladiesaresmarter，bothinmindanddress，thantheyusedtobe，thoughitmustbeadmittedthattheydespisethesixgentlementothelastextent。Theyhaveamuchgreaterinterestintheexternalthoroughfaretoo，thantheyhadwhenIfirstknewTitbull’s。AndwheneverIchancetobeleaningmybackagainstthepumportheironrailings，andtobetalkingtooneofthejuniorladies，andtoseethataflushhaspassedoverherface，IimmediatelyknowwithoutlookingroundthataGreenwichPensionerhasgonepast。
IentertainsostronganobjectiontotheeuphonioussofteningofRuffianintoRough，whichhaslatelybecomepopular，thatIrestoretherightwordtotheheadingofthispaper；therather，asmyobjectistodwelluponthefactthattheRuffianistoleratedamongustoanextentthatgoesbeyondallunruffianlyendurance。
ItakethelibertytobelievethatiftheRuffianbesetsmylife，aprofessionalRuffianatlargeintheopenstreetsofagreatcity，notoriouslyhavingnoothercallingthanthatofRuffian，andofdisquietinganddespoilingmeasIgopeacefullyaboutmylawfulbusiness，interferingwithnoone，thentheGovernmentunderwhichIhavethegreatconstitutionalprivilege，supremehonourandhappiness，andalltherestofit，toexist，breaksdowninthedischargeofanyGovernment’smostsimpleelementaryduty。
WhatdidIreadintheLondondailypapers，intheearlydaysofthislastSeptember？ThatthePolicehad’ATLENGTHSUCCEEDEDIN
CAPTURINGTWOOFTHENOTORIOUSGANGTHATHAVESOLONGINVESTEDTHE
WATERLOOROAD。’Isitpossible？WhatawonderfulPolice！Hereisastraight，broad，publicthoroughfareofimmenseresort；halfamilelong；gas-lightedbynight；withagreatgas-lightedrailwaystationinit，extrathestreetlamps；fullofshops；traversedbytwopopularcrossthoroughfaresofconsiderabletraffic；itselfthemainroadtotheSouthofLondon；andtheadmirablePolicehave，afterlonginfestmentofthisdarkandlonelyspotbyagangofRuffians，actuallygotholdoftwoofthem。Why，canitbedoubtedthatanymanoffairLondonknowledgeandcommonresolution，armedwiththepowersoftheLaw，couldhavecapturedthewholeconfederacyinaweek？
ItistothesavingupoftheRuffianclassbytheMagistracyandPolice-totheconventionalpreservingofthem，asiftheywerePartridges-thattheirnumberandaudacitymustbeingreatpartreferred。WhyisanotoriousThiefandRuffianeverleftatlarge？
Heneverturnshislibertytoanyaccountbutviolenceandplunder，heneverdidaday’sworkoutofgaol，heneverwilldoaday’sworkoutofgaol。AsaprovednotoriousThiefheisalwaysconsignabletoprisonforthreemonths。Whenhecomesout，heissurelyasnotoriousaThiefashewaswhenhewentin。Thensendhimbackagain。’JustHeaven！’criestheSocietyfortheprotectionofremonstrantRuffians。’Thisisequivalenttoasentenceofperpetualimprisonment！’Preciselyforthatreasonithasmyadvocacy。IdemandtohavetheRuffiankeptoutofmyway，andoutofthewayofalldecentpeople。IdemandtohavetheRuffianemployed，perforce，inhewingwoodanddrawingwatersomewhereforthegeneralservice，insteadofhewingatherMajesty’ssubjectsanddrawingtheirwatchesoutoftheirpockets。
Ifthisbetermedanunreasonabledemand，thenthetax-gatherer’sdemandonmemustbefarmoreunreasonable，andcannotbeotherwisethanextortionateandunjust。
ItwillbeseenthatItreatoftheThiefandRuffianasone。Idoso，becauseIknowthetwocharacterstobeone，inthevastmajorityofcases，justaswellasthePoliceknowit。AstotheMagistracy，withafewexceptions，theyknownothingaboutitbutwhatthePolicechoosetotellthem。Therearedisorderlyclassesofmenwhoarenotthieves；asrailway-navigators，brickmakers，wood-sawyers，costermongers。Theseclassesareoftendisorderlyandtroublesome；butitismostlyamongthemselves，andatanyratetheyhavetheirindustriousavocations，theyworkearlyandlate，andworkhard。ThegenericRuffian-honourablememberforwhatistenderlycalledtheRoughElement-iseitheraThief，orthecompanionofThieves。WhenheinfamouslymolestswomencomingoutofchapelonSundayeveningsforwhichIwouldhavehisbackscarifiedoftenanddeepitisnotonlyforthegratificationofhispleasantinstincts，butthattheremaybeaconfusionraisedbywhicheitherheorhisfriendsmayprofit，inthecommissionofhighwayrobberiesorinpickingpockets。Whenhegetsapolice-
constabledownandkickshimhelplessforlife，itisbecausethatconstableoncedidhisdutyinbringinghimtojustice。Whenherushesintothebarofapublic-houseandscoopsaneyeoutofoneofthecompanythere，orbiteshisearoff，itisbecausethemanhemaimsgaveevidenceagainsthim。Whenheandalineofcomradesextendingacrossthefootway-sayofthatsolitarymountain-spuroftheAbruzzi，theWaterlooRoad-advancetowardsme’skylarking’
amongthemselves，mypurseorshirt-pinisinpredestinedperilfromhisplayfulness。AlwaysaRuffian，alwaysaThief。AlwaysaThief，alwaysaRuffian。
Now，whenI，whoamnotpaidtoknowthesethings，knowthemdailyontheevidenceofmysensesandexperience；whenIknowthattheRuffianneverjostlesaladyinthestreets，orknocksahatoff，butinorderthattheThiefmayprofit，isitsurprisingthatI
shouldrequirefromthosewhoAREpaidtoknowthesethings，preventionofthem？
Lookatthisgroupatastreetcorner。Numberoneisashirkingfellowoffive-and-twenty，inanill-favouredandill-savouredsuit，histrousersofcorduroy，hiscoatofsomeindiscerniblegroundworkforthedepositionofgrease，hisneckerchieflikeaneel，hiscomplexionlikedirtydough，hismangyfurcappulledlowuponhisbeetlebrowstohidetheprisoncutofhishair。Hishandsareinhispockets。Heputsthemtherewhentheyareidle，asnaturallyasinotherpeople’spocketswhentheyarebusy，forheknowsthattheyarenotroughenedbywork，andthattheytellatale。Hence，wheneverhetakesoneouttodrawasleeveacrosshisnose-whichisoften，forhehasweakeyesandaconstitutionalcoldinhishead-herestoresittoitspocketimmediatelyafterwards。Numbertwoisaburlybruteoffive-and-thirty，inatallstiffhat；isacompositeastohisclothesofbetting-manandfighting-man；iswhiskered；hasastaringpininhisbreast，alongwithhisrighthand；hasinsolentandcrueleyes:largeshoulders；
stronglegsbootedandtippedforkicking。Numberthreeisfortyyearsofage；isshort，thick-set，strong，andbow-legged；wearskneecordsandwhitestockings，averylong-sleevedwaistcoat，averylargeneckerchiefdoubledortrebledroundhisthroat，andacrumpledwhitehatcrownshisghastlyparchmentface。Thisfellowlookslikeanexecutedpostboyofotherdays，cutdownfromthegallowstoosoon，andrestoredandpreservedbyexpressdiabolicalagency。Numbersfive，six，andseven，arehulking，idle，slouchingyoungmen，patchedandshabby，tooshortinthesleevesandtootightinthelegs，slimilyclothed，foul-spoken，repulsivewretchesinsideandout。Inallthepartythereobtainsacertaintwitchingcharacterofmouthandfurtivenessofeye，thathinthowthecowardislurkingunderthebully。Thehintisquitecorrect，fortheyareaslinkingsneakingset，farmorepronetoliedownontheirbacksandkickout，whenindifficulty，thantomakeastandforit。ThismayaccountforthestreetmudonthebacksofNumbersfive，six，andseven，beingmuchfresherthanthestalesplashesontheirlegs。
TheseengaginggentryaPolice-constablestandscontemplating。HisStation，withaReserveofassistance，isverynearathand。Theycannotpretendtoanytrade，noteventobeportersormessengers。
Itwouldbeidleiftheydid，forheknowsthem，andtheyknowthatheknowsthem，tobenothingbutprofessedThievesandRuffians。
Heknowswheretheyresort，knowsbywhatslangnamestheycalloneanother，knowshowoftentheyhavebeeninprison，andhowlong，andforwhat。AllthisisknownathisStation，too，andisoroughttobeknownatScotlandYard，too。Butdoesheknow，ordoeshisStationknow，ordoesScotlandYardknow，ordoesanybodyknow，whythesefellowsshouldbehereatliberty，when，asreputedThievestowhomawholeDivisionofPolicecouldswear，theymightallbeunderlockandkeyathardlabour？Nothe；trulyhewouldbeawisemanifhedid！Heonlyknowsthatthesearemembersofthe’notoriousgang，’which，accordingtothenewspaperPolice-
officereportsofthislastpastSeptember，’havesolonginfested’
theawfulsolitudesoftheWaterlooRoad，andoutofwhichalmostimpregnablefastnessesthePolicehaveatlengthdraggedTwo，totheunspeakableadmirationofallgoodcivilians。