but,thecutler’sknivesandaxesweresharpandbright,the smith’shammerswereheavy,andthegunmaker’sstockwas murderous.Thecripplingstonesofthepavement,withtheirmany littlereservoirsofmudandwater,hadnofootways,butbrokeoff abruptlyatthedoors.Thekennel,tomakeamends,randownthe middleofthestreetwhenitranatall:whichwasonlyafterheavy CharlesDickensElecBookClassics rains,andthenitran,bymanyeccentricfits,intothehouses. Acrossthestreets,atwideintervals,oneclumsylampwasslung byaropeandpulleyatnight,whenthelamplighterhadletthese down,andlighted,andhoistedthemagain,afeeblegroveofdim wicksswunginasicklymanneroverhead,asiftheywereatsea. Indeedtheywereatsea,andtheshipandcrewwereinperilof tempest. For,thetimewastocome,whenthegauntscarecrowsofthat regionshouldhavewatchedthelamplighter,intheiridlenessand hunger,solong,astoconceivetheideaofimprovingonhis method,andhaulingupmenbythoseropesandpulleys,toflare uponthedarknessoftheircondition.But,thetimewasnotcome yetandeverywindthatblewoverFranceshooktheragsofthe scarecrowsinvain,forthebirds,fineofsongandfeather,tookno warning. Thewine-shopwasacornershop,betterthanmostothersinits appearanceanddegree,andthemasterofthewine-shophad stoodoutsideit,inayellowwaistcoatandgreenbreeches,l