Againthehingescreaked，andwerushed。Disorderlypressureforsometimeensuedbeforetheuncommercialunitgotfiguredintothefrontrowofthesum。Itwasstrangetoseesomuchheatanduproarseethingaboutonepoorspare，white-hairedoldman，quietforevermore。Hewascalmoffeatureandundisfigured，ashelayonhisback-havingbeenstruckuponthehinderpartofhishead，andthrownforward-andsomethinglikeatearortwohadstartedfromtheclosedeyes，andlaywetupontheface。Theuncommercialinterest，satedataglance，directeditselfuponthestrivingcrowdoneithersideandbehind:wonderingwhetheronemighthaveguessed，fromtheexpressionofthosefacesmerely，whatkindofsighttheywerelookingat。Thedifferencesofexpressionwerenotmany。Therewasalittlepity，butnotmuch，andthatmostlywithaselfishtouchinit-aswhowouldsay，’ShallI，poorI，looklikethat，whenthetimecomes！’Therewasmoreofasecretlybroodingcontemplationandcuriosity，as’ThatmanIdon’tlike，andhavethegrudgeagainst；wouldsuchbehisappearance，ifsomeone-nottomentionnames-byanychancegavehimanknock？’
Therewasawolfishstareattheobject，inwhichhomicidalwhite-
leadworkershoneconspicuous。Andtherewasamuchmoregeneral，purposeless，vacantstaringatit-likelookingatwaxwork，withoutacatalogue，andnotknowingwhattomakeofit。ButalltheseexpressionsconcurredinpossessingtheoneunderlyingexpressionofLOOKINGATSOMETHINGTHATCOULDNOTRETURNALOOK。
Theuncommercialnoticehadestablishedthisasveryremarkable，whenanewpressureallatoncecomingupfromthestreetpinionedhimignominiously，andhurriedhimintothearmsnowsleevedagainoftheCustodiansmokingathisdoor，andansweringquestions，betweenpuffs，withacertainplacidmeritoriousairofnotbeingproud，thoughhighinoffice。Andmentioningpride，itmaybeobserved，bytheway，thatonecouldnotwellhelpinvestingtheoriginalsoleoccupantofthefrontrowwithanairdepreciatoryofthelegitimateattractionofthepooroldman:
whilethetwointhesecondrowseemedtoexultatthissupersededpopularity。
PacingpresentlyroundthegardenoftheTowerofSt。JacquesdelaBoucherie，andpresentlyagaininfrontoftheHoteldeVille，I
calledtomindacertaindesolateopen-airMorguethatIhappenedtolightuponinLondon，onedayinthehardwinterof1861，andwhichseemedasstrangetome，atthetimeofseeingit，asifI
hadfounditinChina。Towardsthathourofawinter’safternoonwhenthelamp-lightersarebeginningtolightthelampsinthestreetsalittlebeforetheyarewanted，becausethedarknessthickensfastandsoon，IwaswalkinginfromthecountryonthenorthernsideoftheRegent’sPark-hardfrozenanddeserted-
whenIsawanemptyHansomcabdriveuptothelodgeatGloucester-
gate，andthedriverwithgreatagitationcalltothemanthere:
whoquicklyreachedalongpolefromatree，and，deftlycollaredbythedriver，jumpedtothestepofhislittleseat，andsotheHansomrattledoutatthegate，gallopingovertheiron-boundroad。
Ifollowedrunning，thoughnotsofastbutthatwhenIcametotheright-handCanalBridge，nearthecross-pathtoChalkFarm，theHansomwasstationary，thehorsewassmokinghot，thelongpolewasidleontheground，andthedriverandthepark-keeperwerelookingoverthebridgeparapet。Lookingovertoo，Isaw，lyingonthetowing-pathwithherfaceturneduptowardsus，awoman，deadadayortwo，andunderthirty，asIguessed，poorlydressedinblack。
Thefeetwerelightlycrossedattheankles，andthedarkhair，allpushedbackfromtheface，asthoughthathadbeenthelastactionofherdesperatehands，streamedovertheground。Dabbledallabouther，wasthewaterandthebrokenicethathaddroppedfromherdress，andhadsplashedasshewasgotout。Thepolicemanwhohadjustgotherout，andthepassingcostermongerwhohadhelpedhim，werestandingnearthebody；thelatterwiththatstareatitwhichIhavelikenedtobeingatawaxworkexhibitionwithoutacatalogue；theformer，lookingoverhisstock，withprofessionalstiffnessandcoolness，inthedirectioninwhichthebearershehadsentforwereexpected。Sodreadfullyforlorn，sodreadfullysad，sodreadfullymysterious，thisspectacleofourdearsisterheredeparted！Abargecameup，breakingthefloatingiceandthesilence，andawomansteeredit。Themanwiththehorsethattowedit，caredsolittleforthebody，thatthestumblinghoofshadbeenamongthehair，andthetow-ropehadcaughtandturnedthehead，beforeourcryofhorrortookhimtothebridle。Atwhichsoundthesteeringwomanlookedupatusonthebridge，withcontemptunutterable，andthenlookingdownatthebodywithasimilarexpression-asifitweremadeinanotherlikenessfromherself，hadbeeninformedwithotherpassions，hadbeenlostbyotherchances，hadhadanothernaturedraggeddowntoperdition-steeredaspurningstreakofmudatit，andpassedon。
Abetterexperience，butalsooftheMorguekind，inwhichchancehappilymademeusefulinaslightdegree，arosetomyremembranceasItookmywaybytheBoulevarddeSebastopoltothebrighterscenesofParis。
Thethinghappened，sayfive-and-twentyyearsago。Iwasamodestyounguncommercialthen，andtimidandinexperienced。Manysunsandwindshavebrownedmeintheline，butthoseweremypaledays。
Havingnewlytakentheleaseofahouseinacertaindistinguishedmetropolitanparish-ahousewhichthenappearedtometobeafrightfullyfirst-classFamilyMansion，involvingawfulresponsibilities-IbecamethepreyofaBeadle。IthinktheBeadlemusthaveseenmegoinginorcomingout，andmusthaveobservedthatItotteredundertheweightofmygrandeur。OrhemayhavebeeninhidingunderstrawwhenIboughtmyfirsthorseinthedesirablestable-yardattachedtothefirst-classFamilyMansion，andwhenthevendorremarkedtome，inanoriginalmanner，onbringinghimforapproval，takinghisclothoffandsmackinghim，’There，Sir！THERE’SaOrse！’AndwhenIsaidgallantly，’Howmuchdoyouwantforhim？’andwhenthevendorsaid，’Nomorethansixtyguineas，fromyou，’andwhenIsaidsmartly，’WhynotmorethansixtyfromME？’Andwhenhesaidcrushingly，’Becauseuponmysoulandbodyhe’dbeconsideredcheapatseventy，byonewhounderstoodthesubject-butyoudon’t。’-I
say，theBeadlemayhavebeeninhidingunderstraw，whenthisdisgracebefellme，orhemayhavenotedthatIwastoorawandyounganAtlastocarrythefirst-classFamilyMansioninaknowingmanner。Bethisasitmay，theBeadledidwhatMelancholydidtotheyouthinGray’sElegy-hemarkedmeforhisown。AndthewayinwhichtheBeadledidit，wasthis:hesummonedmeasaJurymanonhisCoroner’sInquests。
InmyfirstfeverishalarmIrepaired’forsafetyandforsuccour’-
likethosesagaciousNorthernshepherdswho，havinghadnopreviousreasonwhatevertobelieveinyoungNorval，veryprudentlydidnotoriginatethehazardousideaofbelievinginhim-toadeephouseholder。ThisprofoundmaninformedmethattheBeadlecountedonmybuyinghimoff；onmybribinghimnottosummonme；
andthatifIwouldattendanInquestwithacheerfulcountenance，andprofessalacrityinthatbranchofmycountry’sservice，theBeadlewouldbedisheartened，andwouldgiveupthegame。
Irousedmyenergies，andthenexttimethewilyBeadlesummonedme，Iwent。TheBeadlewastheblankestBeadleIhaveeverlookedonwhenIansweredtomyname；andhisdiscomfituregavemecouragetogothroughwithit。
Wewereimpanelledtoinquireconcerningthedeathofaverylittlemiteofachild。Itwastheoldmiserablestory。Whetherthemotherhadcommittedtheminoroffenceofconcealingthebirth，orwhethershehadcommittedthemajoroffenceofkillingthechild，wasthequestiononwhichwewerewanted。Wemustcommitherononeofthetwoissues。
TheInquestcameoffintheparishworkhouse，andIhaveyetalivelyimpressionthatIwasunanimouslyreceivedbymybrotherJurymenasabrotheroftheutmostconceivableinsignificance。
Also，thatbeforewebegan，abrokerwhohadlatelycheatedmefearfullyinthematterofapairofcard-tables，wasfortheutmostrigourofthelaw。Irememberthatwesatinasortofboard-room，onsuchverylargesquarehorse-hairchairsthatI
wonderedwhatraceofPatagonianstheyweremadefor；andfurther，thatanundertakergavemehiscardwhenwewereinthefullmoralfreshnessofhavingjustbeensworn，as’aninhabitantthatwasnewlycomeintotheparish，andwaslikelytohaveayoungfamily。’
ThecasewasthenstatedtousbytheCoroner，andthenwewentdown-stairs-ledbytheplottingBeadle-toviewthebody。Fromthatdaytothis，thepoorlittlefigure，onwhichthatsoundinglegalappellationwasbestowed，haslaininthesameplaceandwiththesamesurroundings，tomythinking。Inakindofcryptdevotedtothewarehousingoftheparochialcoffins，andinthemidstofaperfectPanoramaofcoffinsofallsizes，itwasstretchedonabox；themotherhadputitinherbox-thisbox-almostassoonasitwasborn，andithadbeenpresentlyfoundthere。Ithadbeenopened，andneatlysewnup，andregardedfromthatpointofview，itlookedlikeastuffedcreature。Itrestedonacleanwhitecloth，withasurgicalinstrumentorsoathand，andregardedfromthatpointofview，itlookedasiftheclothwere’laid，’andtheGiantwerecomingtodinner。Therewasnothingrepellentaboutthepoorpieceofinnocence，anditdemandedamereformoflookingat。
So，welookedatanoldpauperwhowasgoingaboutamongthecoffinswithafootrule，asifhewereacaseofSelf-Measurement；
andwelookedatoneanother；andwesaidtheplacewaswellwhitewashedanyhow；andthenourconversationalpowersasaBritishJuryflagged，andtheforemansaid，’Allright，gentlemen？Backagain，Mr。Beadle！’
Themiserableyoungcreaturewhohadgivenbirthtothischildwithinaveryfewdays，andwhohadcleanedthecoldwetdoor-stepsimmediatelyafterwards，wasbroughtbeforeuswhenweresumedourhorse-hairchairs，andwaspresentduringtheproceedings。Shehadahorse-hairchairherself，beingveryweakandill；andIrememberhowsheturnedtotheunsympatheticnursewhoattendedher，andwhomighthavebeenthefigure-headofapauper-ship，andhowshehidherfaceandsobsandtearsuponthatwoodenshoulder。Iremember，too，howhardhermistresswasuponhershewasaservant-of-all-