Themasqueraders，bythistime，hadrecovered，insomemeasure，fromtheiralarm；and，beginningtoregardthewholematterasawell-contrivedpleasantry，setupaloudshoutoflaughteratthepredicamentoftheapes。
“Leavethemtome！”nowscreamedHop-Frog，hisshrillvoicemakingitselfeasilyheardthroughallthedin。“Leavethemtome。IfancyIknowthem。
IfIcanonlygetagoodlookatthem，Icansoontellwhotheyare。”
Here，scramblingovertheheadsofthecrowd，hemanagedtogettothewall；when，seizingaflambeaufromoneoftheCaryatides，hereturned，ashewent，tothecentreoftheroom-leaping，withtheagilityofamonkey，uponthekingshead，andthenceclamberedafewfeetupthechain；holdingdownthetorchtoexaminethegroupofourang-outangs，andstillscreaming：“Ishallsoonfindoutwhotheyare！”
Andnow，whilethewholeassemblytheapesincludedwereconvulsedwithlaughter，thejestersuddenlyutteredashrillwhistle；whenthechainflewviolentlyupforaboutthirtyfeetdraggingwithitthedismayedandstrugglingourang-outangs，andleavingthemsuspendedinmid-airbetweenthesky-lightandthefloor。Hop-Frog，clingingtothechainasitrose，stillmaintainedhisrelativepositioninrespecttotheeightmaskers，andstillasifnothingwerethemattercontinuedtothrusthistorchdowntowardthem，asthoughendeavoringtodiscoverwhotheywere。
Sothoroughlyastonishedwasthewholecompanyatthisascent，thatadeadsilence，ofaboutaminute’sduration，ensued。Itwasbrokenbyjustsuchalow，harsh，gratingsound，ashadbeforeattractedtheattentionofthekingandhiscouncillorswhentheformerthrewthewineinthefaceofTrippetta。But，onthepresentoccasion，therecouldbenoquestionastowhencethesoundissued。Itcamefromthefangliketeethofthedwarf，whogroundthemandgnashedthemashefoamedatthemouth，andglared，withanexpressionofmaniacalrage，intotheupturnedcountenancesofthekingandhissevencompanions。
“Ah，ha！”saidatlengththeinfuriatedjester。“Ah，ha！Ibegintoseewhothesepeoplearenow！”Here，pretendingtoscrutinizethekingmoreclosely，heheldtheflambeautotheflaxencoatwhichenvelopedhim，andwhichinstantlyburstintoasheetofvividflame。Inlessthanhalfaminutethewholeeightourang-outangswereblazingfiercely，amidtheshrieksofthemultitudewhogazedatthemfrombelow，horror-stricken，andwithoutthepowertorenderthemtheslightestassistance。
Atlengththeflames，suddenlyincreasinginvirulence，forcedthejestertoclimbhigherupthechain，tobeoutoftheirreach；and，ashemadethismovement，thecrowdagainsank，forabriefinstant，intosilence。
Thedwarfseizedhisopportunity，andoncemorespoke：
“Inowseedistinctly。”hesaid，“whatmannerofpeoplethesemaskersare。
Theyareagreatkingandhissevenprivy-councillors，akingwhodoesnotscrupletostrikeadefencelessgirlandhissevencouncillorswhoabethimintheoutrage。Asformyself，IamsimplyHop-Frog，thejesterandthisismylastjest。”
Owingtothehighcombustibilityofboththeflaxandthetartowhichitadhered，thedwarfhadscarcelymadeanendofhisbriefspeechbeforetheworkofvengeancewascomplete。Theeightcorpsesswungintheirchains，afetid，blackened，hideous，andindistinguishablemass。Thecripplehurledhistorchatthem，clamberedleisurelytotheceiling，anddisappearedthroughthesky-light。
ItissupposedthatTrippetta，stationedontheroofofthesaloon，hadbeentheaccompliceofherfriendinhisfieryrevenge，andthat，together，theyeffectedtheirescapetotheirowncountry：forneitherwasseenagain。
ITwaswellsaidofacertainGermanbookthat“_erlasstsichnichtlesen_“-itdoesnotpermititselftoberead。Therearesomesecretswhichdonotpermitthemselvestobetold。Mendienightlyintheirbeds，wringingthehandsofghostlyconfessorsandlookingthempiteouslyintheeyesdiewithdespairofheartandconvulsionofthroat，onaccountofthehideousnessofmysterieswhichwillnotsufferthemselvestoberevealed。Nowandthen，alas，theconscienceofmantakesupaburthensoheavyinhorrorthatitcanbethrowndownonlyintothegrave。Andthustheessenceofallcrimeisundivulged。
Notlongago，abouttheclosinginofaneveninginautumn，IsatatthelargebowwindowoftheDCoffee-HouseinLondon。ForsomemonthsIhadbeenillinhealth，butwasnowconvalescent，and，withreturningstrength，foundmyselfinoneofthosehappymoodswhicharesopreciselytheconverseofennui-moodsofthekeenestappetency，whenthefilmfromthementalvisiondeparts-the“PL>0BDT，B？L-andtheintellect，electrified，surpassesasgreatlyitsevery-daycondition，asdoesthevividyetcandidreasonofLeibnitz，themadandflimsyrhetoricofGorgias。Merelytobreathewasenjoyment；andIderivedpositivepleasureevenfrommanyofthelegitimatesourcesofpain。Ifeltacalmbutinquisitiveinterestineverything。Withacigarinmymouthandanewspaperinmylap，Ihadbeenamusingmyselfforthegreaterpartoftheafternoon，nowinporingoveradvertisements，nowinobservingthepromiscuouscompanyintheroom，andnowinpeeringthroughthesmokypanesintothestreet。
Thislatterisoneoftheprincipalthoroughfaresofthecity，andhadbeenverymuchcrowdedduringthewholeday。But，asthedarknesscameon，thethrongmomentlyincreased；and，bythetimethelampswerewelllighted，twodenseandcontinuoustidesofpopulationwererushingpastthedoor。AtthisparticularperiodoftheeveningIhadneverbeforebeeninasimilarsituation，andthetumultuousseaofhumanheadsfilledme，therefore，withadeliciousnoveltyofemotion。Igaveup，atlength，allcareofthingswithinthehotel，andbecameabsorbedincontemplationofthescenewithout。
Atfirstmyobservationstookanabstractandgeneralizingturn。Ilookedatthepassengersinmasses，andthoughtofthemintheiraggregaterelations。Soon，however，Idescendedtodetails，andregardedwithminuteinteresttheinnumerablevarietiesoffigure，dress，air，gait，visage，andexpressionofcountenance。
Byfarthegreaternumberofthosewhowentbyhadasatisfiedbusiness-likedemeanor，andseemedtobethinkingonlyofmakingtheirwaythroughthepress。Theirbrowswereknit，andtheireyesrolledquickly；
whenpushedagainstbyfellow-wayfarerstheyevincednosymptomofimpatience，butadjustedtheirclothesandhurriedon。Others，stillanumerousclass，wererestlessintheirmovements，hadflushedfaces，andtalkedandgesticulatedtothemselves，asiffeelinginsolitudeonaccountoftheverydensenessofthecompanyaround。Whenimpededintheirprogress，thesepeoplesuddenlyceasedmuttering，butre-doubledtheirgesticulations，andawaited，withanabsentandoverdonesmileuponthelips，thecourseofthepersonsimpedingthem。Ifjostled，theybowedprofuselytothejostlers，andappearedoverwhelmedwithconfusion-
TherewasnothingverydistinctiveaboutthesetwolargeclassesbeyondwhatIhavenoted。Theirhabilimentsbelongedtothatorderwhichispointedlytermedthedecent。Theywereundoubtedlynoblemen，merchants，attorneys，tradesmen，stock-jobbers-theEupatridsandthecommon-placesofsociety-menofleisureandmenactivelyengagedinaffairsoftheirown-conductingbusinessupontheirownresponsibility。Theydidnotgreatlyexcitemyattention。
ThetribeofclerkswasanobviousoneandhereIdiscernedtworemarkabledivisions。Therewerethejuniorclerksofflashhouses-younggentlemenwithtightcoats，brightboots，well-oiledhair，andsuperciliouslips。
Settingasideacertaindappernessofcarriage，whichmaybetermeddeskismforwantofabetterword，themannerofthesepersonsseemedtomeanexactfac-simileofwhathadbeentheperfectionofbontonabouttwelveoreighteenmonthsbefore。Theyworethecast-offgracesofthegentry；-andthis，Ibelieve，involvesthebestdefinitionoftheclass。
Thedivisionoftheupperclerksofstaunchfirms，orofthe“steadyoldfellows。”itwasnotpossibletomistake。Thesewereknownbytheircoatsandpantaloonsofblackorbrown，madetositcomfortably，withwhitecravatsandwaistcoats，broadsolid-lookingshoes，andthickhoseorgaiters-Theyhadallslightlybaldheads，fromwhichtherightears，longusedtopen-holding，hadanoddhabitofstandingoffonend。I
observedthattheyalwaysremovedorsettledtheirhatswithbothhands，andworewatches，withshortgoldchainsofasubstantialandancientpattern。Theirswastheaffectationofrespectability；-ifindeedtherebeanaffectationsohonorable。
Thereweremanyindividualsofdashingappearance，whomIeasilyunderstoodasbelongingtotheraceofswellpick-pocketswithwhichallgreatcitiesareinfested。Iwatchedthesegentrywithmuchinquisitiveness，andfounditdifficulttoimaginehowtheyshouldeverbemistakenforgentlemenbygentlementhemselves。Theirvoluminousnessofwristband，withanairofexcessivefrankness，shouldbetraythematonce。
Thegamblers，ofwhomIdescriednotafew，werestillmoreeasilyrecognisable。Theyworeeveryvarietyofdress，fromthatofthedesperatethimble-rigbully，withvelvetwaistcoat，fancyneckerchief，giltchains，andfilagreedbuttons，tothatofthescrupulouslyinornateclergyman，thanwhichnothingcouldbelessliabletosuspicion。Stillallweredistinguishedbyacertainsoddenswarthinessofcomplexion，afilmydimnessofeye，andpallorandcompressionoflip。Thereweretwoothertraits，moreover，bywhichIcouldalwaysdetectthem；-aguardedlownessoftoneinconversation，andamorethanordinaryextensionofthethumbinadirectionatrightangleswiththefingers-Veryoften，incompanywiththesesharpers，Iobservedanorderofmensomewhatdifferentinhabits，butstillbirdsofakindredfeather。Theymaybedefinedasthegentlemenwholivebytheirwits。Theyseemtopreyuponthepublicintwobattalions-thatofthedandiesandthatofthemilitarymen。Ofthefirstgradetheleadingfeaturesarelonglocksandsmiles；ofthesecondfroggedcoatsandfrowns。
Descendinginthescaleofwhatistermedgentility，Ifounddarkeranddeeperthemesforspeculation。IsawJewpedlars，withhawkeyesflashingfromcountenanceswhoseeveryotherfeatureworeonlyanexpressionofabjecthumility；sturdyprofessionalstreetbeggarsscowlinguponmendicantsofabetterstamp，whomdespairalonehaddrivenforthintothenightforcharity；feebleandghastlyinvalids，uponwhomdeathhadplacedasurehand，andwhosidledandtotteredthroughthemob，lookingeveryonebeseechinglyintheface，asifinsearchofsomechanceconsolation，somelosthope；modestyounggirlsreturningfromlongandlatelabortoacheerlesshome，andshrinkingmoretearfullythanindignantlyfromtheglancesofruffians，whosedirectcontact，even，couldnotbeavoided；
womenofthetownofallkindsandofallages-theunequivocalbeautyintheprimeofherwomanhood，puttingoneinmindofthestatueinLucian，withthesurfaceofParianmarble，andtheinteriorfilledwithfilth-
theloathsomeandutterlylostleperinrags-thewrinkled，bejewelledandpaint-begrimedbeldame，makingalasteffortatyouth-themerechildofimmatureform，yet，fromlongassociation，anadeptinthedreadfulcoquetriesofhertrade，andburningwitharabidambitiontoberankedtheequalofhereldersinvice；drunkardsinnumerableandindescribable-
someinshredsandpatches，reeling，inarticulate，withbruisedvisageandlack-lustreeyes-someinwholealthoughfilthygarments，withaslightlyunsteadyswagger，thicksensuallips，andhearty-lookingrubicundfaces-
othersclothedinmaterialswhichhadoncebeengood，andwhichevennowwerescrupulouslywellbrushed-menwhowalkedwithamorethannaturallyfirmandspringystep，butwhosecountenanceswerefearfullypale，whoseeyeshideouslywildandred，andwhoclutchedwithquiveringfingers，astheystrodethroughthecrowd，ateveryobjectwhichcamewithintheirreach；besidethese，pie-men，porters，coal-heavers，sweeps；
organ-grinders，monkey-exhibitersandballadmongers，thosewhovendedwiththosewhosang；raggedartizansandexhaustedlaborersofeverydescription，andallfullofanoisyandinordinatevivacitywhichjarreddiscordantlyupontheear，andgaveanachingsensationtotheeye。
Asthenightdeepened，sodeepenedtometheinterestofthescene；fornotonlydidthegeneralcharacterofthecrowdmateriallyalteritsgentlerfeaturesretiringinthegradualwithdrawalofthemoreorderlyportionofthepeople，anditsharsheronescomingoutintobolderrelief，asthelatehourbroughtfortheveryspeciesofinfamyfromitsden，buttheraysofthegas-lamps，feebleatfirstintheirstrugglewiththedyingday，hadnowatlengthgainedascendancy，andthrewovereverythingafitfulandgarishlustre。Allwasdarkyetsplendid-asthatebonytowhichhasbeenlikenedthestyleofTertullian。
Thewildeffectsofthelightenchainedmetoanexaminationofindividualfaces；andalthoughtherapiditywithwhichtheworldoflightflittedbeforethewindow，preventedmefromcastingmorethanaglanceuponeachvisage，stillitseemedthat，inmythenpeculiarmentalstate，Icouldfrequentlyread，eveninthatbriefintervalofaglance，thehistoryoflongyears。
Withmybrowtotheglass，Iwasthusoccupiedinscrutinizingthemob，whensuddenlytherecameintoviewacountenancethatofadecrepidoldman，somesixty-fiveorseventyyearsofage，-acountenancewhichatoncearrestedandabsorbedmywholeattention，onaccountoftheabsoluteidiosyncrasyofitsexpression。AnythingevenremotelyresemblingthatexpressionIhadneverseenbefore。Iwellrememberthatmyfirstthought，uponbeholdingit，wasthatRetzch，hadheviewedit，wouldhavegreatlypreferredittohisownpicturalincarnationsofthefiend。AsI