Itisoneofmyfancies，thatevenmyidlestwalkmustalwayshaveitsappointeddestination。IsetmyselfataskbeforeIleavemylodginginCovent-gardenonastreetexpedition，andshouldnomorethinkofalteringmyroutebytheway，orturningbackandleavingapartofitunachieved，thanIshouldthinkoffraudulentlyviolatinganagreemententeredintowithsomebodyelse。Theotherday，findingmyselfunderthiskindofobligationtoproceedtoLimehouse，Istartedpunctuallyatnoon，incompliancewiththetermsofthecontractwithmyselftowhichmygoodfaithwaspledged。
Onsuchanoccasion，itismyhabittoregardmywalkasmybeat，andmyselfasahighersortofpolice-constabledoingdutyonthesame。ThereismanyaruffianinthestreetswhomImentallycollarandclearoutofthem，whowouldseemightylittleofLondon，Icantellhim，ifIcoulddealwithhimphysically。
Issuingforthuponthisverybeat，andfollowingwithmyeyesthreehulkinggarrottersontheirwayhome，-whichhomeIcouldconfidentlysweartobewithinsomanyyardsofDrury-lane，insuchanarrowandrestricteddirectionthoughtheyliveintheirlodgingquiteasundisturbedasIinmine，-IwentondutywithaconsiderationwhichIrespectfullyoffertothenewChiefCommissioner，-inwhomIthoroughlyconfideasatriedandefficientpublicservant。HowoftenthoughtIhaveIbeenforcedtoswallow，inpolice-reports，theintolerablestereotypedpillofnonsense，howthatthepolice-constableinformedtheworthymagistratehowthattheassociatesoftheprisonerdid，atthatpresentspeaking，dwellinastreetorcourtwhichnomandaredgodown，andhowthattheworthymagistratehadheardofthedarkreputationofsuchstreetorcourt，andhowthatourreaderswoulddoubtlessrememberthatitwasalwaysthesamestreetorcourtwhichwasthusedifyinglydiscoursedabout，sayonceafortnight。
Now，supposethataChiefCommissionersentroundacirculartoeverydivisionofpoliceemployedinLondon，requiringinstantlythenamesinalldistrictsofallsuchmuch-puffedstreetsorcourtswhichnomandurstgodown；andsupposethatinsuchcircularhegaveplainwarning，’Ifthoseplacesreallyexist，theyareaproofofpoliceinefficiencywhichImeantopunish；andiftheydonotexist，butareaconventionalfiction，thentheyareaproofoflazytacitpoliceconnivancewithprofessionalcrime，whichIalsomeantopunish’-whatthen？Fictionsorrealities，couldtheysurvivethetouchstoneofthisatomofcommonsense？Totellusinopencourt，untilithasbecomeastriteafeatureofnewsasthegreatgooseberry，thatacostlypolice-systemsuchaswasneverbeforeheardof，hasleftinLondon，inthedaysofsteamandgasandphotographsofthievesandelectrictelegraphs，thesanctuariesandstewsoftheStuarts！Why，aparityofpractice，inalldepartments，wouldbringbackthePlagueintwosummers，andtheDruidsinacentury！
Walkingfasterundermyshareofthispublicinjury，Ioverturnedawretchedlittlecreature，who，clutchingattheragsofapairoftrouserswithoneofitsclaws，andatitsraggedhairwiththeother，patteredwithbarefeetoverthemuddystones。Istoppedtoraiseandsuccourthispoorweepingwretch，andfiftylikeit，butofbothsexes，wereaboutmeinamoment，begging，tumbling，fighting，clamouring，yelling，shiveringintheirnakednessandhunger。ThepieceofmoneyIhadputintotheclawofthechildI