Here and there among this knot of labourers, one, with a lantern or
a smoky link, stood by to light his fellows at their work; and by its
doubtful aid, some might be dimly seen taking up the pavement of the
road, while others held great upright posts, or fixed them in the holes
thus made for their reception. Some dragged slowly on, towards the rest,
an empty cart, which they brought rumbling from the prison-yard; while
others erected strong barriers across the street. All were busily
engaged. Their dusky figures moving to and fro, at that unusual hour,
so active and so silent, might have been taken for those of shadowy
creatures toiling at midnight on some ghostly unsubstantial work, which,
like themselves, would vanish with the first gleam of day, and leave but
morning mist and vapour.
While it was yet dark, a few lookers-on collected, who had plainly come
there for the purpose and intended to remain: even those who had to pass
the spot on their way to some other place, lingered, and lingered yet,
as though the attraction of that were irresistible. Meanwhile the noise
of saw and mallet went on briskly, mingled with the clattering of boards
on the stone pavement of the road, and sometimes with the workmen's
voices as they called to one another.
Pages:
996
997
998
999
1000
1001
1002
1003
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020