’OCheapside!Cheapside!’saidI，asIadvancedupthatmightythoroughfare，’trulythouartawonderfulplaceforhurry，noise，andriches!MentalkofthebazaarsoftheEast-Ihaveneverseenthem-butIdaresaythat，comparedwiththee，theyarepoorplaces，silentplaces，aboundingwithemptyboxes，OthouprideofLondon’seast!-mightymartofoldrenown!-forthouartnotaplaceofyesterday：-longbeforetheRosesredandwhitebattledinfairEngland，thoudidstexist-aplaceofthrongandbustle-
placeofgoldandsilver，perfumesandfinelinen。CenturiesagothoucouldstextortthepraisesevenofthefiercestfoesofEngland。FiercebardsofWales，swornfoesofEngland，sangthypraisescenturiesago；andeventhefiercestofthemall，RedJuliushimself，wildGlendower’sbard，hadawordofpraiseforLondon’s’Cheape，’forsothebardsofWalesstyledtheeintheirflowingodes。Then，ifthosewhowerenotEnglish，andhatedEngland，andallconnectedtherewith，hadyetmuchtosayinthypraise，whenthouwastfarinferiortowhatthouartnow，whyshouldtrue-bornEnglishmen，orthosewhocallthemselvesso，turnuptheirnosesatthee，andscofftheeatthepresentday，asI
believetheydo？But，letothersdoastheywill，I，atleast，whoamnotonlyanEnglishman，butanEastEnglishman，willnotturnupmynoseatthee，butwillpraiseandextolthee，callingtheemartoftheworld-aplaceofwonderandastonishment!-and，wereitrightandfittingtowishthatanythingshouldendureforever，I
wouldsayprosperitytoCheapside，throughoutallages-mayitbetheworld’sresortformerchandise，worldwithoutend。
AndwhenIhadpassedthroughtheCheapeIenteredanotherstreet，whichledupakindofascent，andwhichprovedtobethestreetoftheLombards，calledsofromthenameofitsfirstfounders；andI
walkedrapidlyupthestreetoftheLombards，neitherlookingtotherightnorleft，forithadnointerestforme，thoughIhadakindofconsciousnessthatmightythingswerebeingtransactedbehinditswalls：butitwantedthethrong，bustle，andoutwardmagnificenceoftheCheape，andithadneverbeenspokenofby’ruddybards’!And，whenIhadgottotheendofthestreetoftheLombards，Istoodstillforsometime，deliberatingwithinmyselfwhetherIshouldturntotherightortheleft，orgostraightforward，andatlastIturnedtotheright，downastreetofrapiddescent，andpresentlyfoundmyselfuponabridgewhichtraversedtheriverwhichrunsbythebigcity。
Astrangekindofbridgeitwas；hugeandmassive，andseeminglyofgreatantiquity。Ithadanarchedback，likethatofahog，ahighbalustrade，andateitherside，atintervals，werestonebowersbulkingovertheriver，butopenontheotherside，andfurnishedwithasemicircularbench。Thoughthebridgewaswide-verywide-itwasalltoonarrowfortheconcourseuponit。Thousandsofhumanbeingswerepouringoverthebridge。Butwhatchieflystruckmyattentionwasadoublerowofcartsandwagons，thegeneralitydrawnbyhorsesaslargeaselephants，eachrowstrivinghardinadifferentdirection，andnotunfrequentlybroughttoastand-still。
Ohthecrackingofwhips，theshoutsandoathsofthecarters，andthegratingofwheelsupontheenormousstonesthatformedthepavement!Infact，therewasawildburly-burlyuponthebridge，whichnearlydeafenedme。But，ifuponthebridgetherewasaconfusion，belowittherewasaconfusiontentimesconfounded。
Thetide，whichwasfastebbing，obstructedbytheimmensepiersoftheoldbridge，pouredbeneaththearcheswithafallofseveralfeet，formingintheriverbelowasmanywhirlpoolsastherewerearches。Trulytremendouswastheroarofthedescendingwaters，andthebellowofthetremendousgulfs，whichswallowedthemforatime，andthencastthemforth，foamingandfrothingfromtheirhorridwombs。Slowlyadvancingalongthebridge，Icametothehighestpoint，andthereIstoodstill，closebesideoneofthestonebowers，inwhich，besideafruit-stall，satanoldwoman，withapanofcharcoalatherfeet，andabookinherhand，inwhichsheappearedtobereadingintently。ThereIstood，justabovetheprincipalarch，lookingthroughthebalustradeatthescenethatpresenteditself-andsuchascene!Towardstheleftbankoftheriver，aforestofmasts，thickandclose，asfarastheeyecouldreach；spaciouswharfs，surmountedwithgiganticedifices；and，faraway，Caesar’sCastle，withitsWhiteTower。Totheright，anotherforestofmasts，andamazeofbuildings，fromwhich，hereandthere，shotuptotheskychimneystallerthanCleopatra’sNeedle，vomitingforthhugewreathsofthatblacksmokewhichformsthecanopy-occasionallyagorgeousone-ofthemorethanBabelcity。Stretchingbeforeme，thetroubledbreastofthemightyriver，and，immediatelybelow，themainwhirlpooloftheThames-theMaelstromofthebulwarksofthemiddlearch-agrislypool，which，withitssuperabundanceofhorror，fascinatedme。WhoknowsbutIshouldhaveleaptintoitsdepths？-Ihaveheardofsuchthings-butforaratherstartlingoccurrencewhichbrokethespell。AsIstooduponthebridge，gazingintothejawsofthepool，asmallboatshotsuddenlythroughthearchbeneathmyfeet。Therewerethreepersonsinit；anoarsmaninthemiddle，whilstamanandwomansatatthestern。Ishallneverforgetthethrillofhorrorwhichwentthroughmeatthissuddenapparition。
What!-aboat-asmallboat-passingbeneaththatarchintoyonderroaringgulf!Yes，yes，downthroughthatawfulwater-way，withmorethantheswiftnessofanarrow，shottheboat，orskiff，rightintothejawsofthepool。Amonstrousbreakercurlsovertheprow-thereisnohope；theboatisswamped，andalldrownedinthatstranglingvortex。No!theboat，whichappearedtohavethebuoyancyofafeather，skippedoverthethreateninghorror，and，thenextmoment，wasoutofdanger，theboatman-atrueboatmanofCockaignethat-elevatingoneofhisscullsinsignoftriumph，themanhallooing，andthewoman，atrueEnglishwomanthat-ofacertainclass-wavinghershawl。Whetheranyoneobservedthemsavemyself，orwhetherthefeatwasacommonone，Iknownot；
butnobodyappearedtotakeanynoticeofthem。Asformyself，I
wassoexcitedthatIstrovetoclamberupthebalustradeofthebridge，inordertoobtainabetterviewofthedaringadventurers。
BeforeIcouldaccomplishmydesign，however，Ifeltmyselfseizedbythebody，and，turningmyhead，perceivedtheoldfruit-woman，whowasclingingtome。
’Nay，dear!don’t-don’t!’saidshe。’Don’tflingyourselfover-
perhapsyoumayhavebetterlucknexttime!’
’Iwasnotgoingtoflingmyselfover，’saidI，droppingfromthebalustrade；’howcameyoutothinkofsuchathing？’
’Why，seeingyouclamberupsofiercely，Ithoughtyoumighthavehadillluck，andthatyouwishedtomakeawaywithyourself。’
’Illluck，’saidI，goingintothestonebower，andsittingdown。
’Whatdoyoumean？illluckinwhat？’
’Why，nogreatharm，dear!cly-fakingperhaps。’
’Areyoucomingovermewithdialects，’saidI，’speakinguntomeinfashionsIwotnothingof？’
’Nay，dear!don’tlooksostrangewiththoseeyesofyour’n，nortalksostrangely；Idon’tunderstandyou。’
’NorIyou；whatdoyoumeanbycly-faking？’
’Lor，dear!noharm；onlytakingahandkerchiefnowandthen。’
’Doyoutakemeforathief？
’Nay，dear!don’tmakeuseofbadlanguage；wenevercallsthemthieveshere，butprigsandfakers：totellyouthetruth，dear，seeingyouspringatthatrailingputmeinmindofmyowndearson，whoisnowatBot’ny：whenhehadbadluck，healwaysusedtotalkofflinginghimselfoverthebridge；and，sureenough，whenthetrapswereafterhim，hedidflinghimselfintotheriver，butthatwasoffthebank；nevertheless，thetrapspulledhimout，andheisnowsufferinghissentence；soyouseeyoumayspeakout，ifyouhavedoneanythingintheharmlessline，forIammyson’sownmother，Iassureyou。’
’Soyouthinkthere’snoharminstealing？’
’Noharmintheworld，dear!Doyouthinkmyownchildwouldhavebeentransportedforit，iftherehadbeenanyharminit？and，what’smore，wouldtheblessedwomaninthebookherehavewrittenherlifeasshehasdone，andgivenittotheworld，iftherehadbeenanyharminfaking？She，too，waswhattheycallathiefandacut-purse；ay，andwastransportedforit，likemydearson；anddoyouthinkshewouldhavetoldtheworldso，iftherehadbeenanyharminthething？Oh，itisacomforttomethattheblessedwomanwastransported，andcameback-forcomebackshedid，andrichtoo-foritisanassurancetomethatmydearson，whowastransportedtoo，willcomebacklikeher。’
’Whatwashername？’
’Hername，blessedMaryFlanders。’
’Willyouletmelookatthebook？’
’Yes，dear，thatIwill，ifyoupromisemenottorunawaywithit。’
Itookthebookfromherhand；ashortthickvolume，atleastacenturyold，boundwithgreasyblackleather。Iturnedtheyellowanddog’s-earedpages，readinghereandthereasentence。Yes，andnomistake!HISpen，hisstyle，hisspiritmightbeobservedineverylineoftheuncouth-lookingoldvolume-theair，thestyle，thespiritofthewriterofthebookwhichfirsttaughtmetoread。
Icoveredmyfacewithmyhand，andthoughtofmychildhood……
’Thisisasingularbook，’saidIatlast；’butitdoesnotappeartohavebeenwrittentoprovethatthievingisnoharm，butrathertoshowtheterribleconsequencesofcrime：itcontainsadeepmoral。’
’Adeepwhat，dear？’
’A-butnomatter，Iwillgiveyouacrownforthisvolume。’
’No，dear，Iwillnotsellthevolumeforacrown。’
’Iampoor，’saidI；’butIwillgiveyoutwosilvercrownsforyourvolume。’
’No，dear，Iwillnotsellmyvolumefortwosilvercrowns；no，norforthegoldenoneintheking’stowerdownthere；withoutmybookIshouldmopeandpine，andperhapsflingmyselfintotheriver；
butIamgladyoulikeit，whichshowsthatIwasrightaboutyou，afterall；youareoneofourparty，andyouhaveaflashaboutthateyeofyourswhichputsmejustinmindofmydearson。No，dear，Iwon’tsellyoumybook；but，ifyoulike，youmayhaveapeepintoitwheneveryoucomethisway。Ishallbegladtoseeyou；youareoneoftherightsort，for，ifyouhadbeenacommonone，youwouldhaverunawaywiththething；butyouscornsuchbehaviour，and，asyouaresoflashofyourmoney，thoughyousayyouarepoor，youmaygivemeatannertobuyalittlebaccywith；
Ilovebaccy，dear，morebytokenthatitcomesfromtheplantationstowhichtheblessedwomanwassent。’
’What’satanner？’saidI。