CHAPTER XXI. THE EXPEDITION

Itwasacheerlessmorningwhentheygotintothestreetblowingandraininghardandthecloudslookingdullandstormy.Thenighthadbeenverywet:largepoolsofwaterhadcollectedintheroad:andthekennelswereoverflowing.Therewasafaintglimmeringofthecomingdayintheskybutitratheraggravatedthanrelievedthegloomofthescene:thesombrelightonlyservingtopalethatwhichthestreetlampsafforded,withoutsheddinganywarmerorbrightertintsuponthewethouse-tops,anddrearystreets.Thereappearedtobenobodystirringinthatquarterofthetownthewindowsofthehouseswereallcloselyshutandthestreetsthroughwhichtheypassed,werenoiselessandempty. BythetimetheyhadturnedintotheBethnalGreenRoad,thedayhadfairlybeguntobreak.Manyofthelampswerealreadyextinguishedafewcountrywaggonswereslowlytoilingon,towardsLondonnowandthen,astage-coach,coveredwithmud,rattledbrisklyby:thedriverbestowing,ashepassed,anadmonitorylashupontheheavywaggonerwho,bykeepingonthewrongsideoftheroad,hadendangeredhisarrivingattheoffice,aquarterofaminuteafterhistime.Thepublic-houses,withgas-lightsburninginside,werealreadyopen.Bydegrees,othershopsbegantobeunclosed,andafewscatteredpeopleweremetwith.Then,camestragglinggroupsoflabourersgoingtotheirworkthen,menandwomenwithfish-basketsontheirheadsdonkey-cartsladenwithvegetableschaise-cartsfilledwithlive-stockorwholecarcassesofmeatmilk-womenwithpailsanunbrokenconcourseofpeople,trudgingoutwithvarioussuppliestotheeasternsuburbsofthetown.AstheyapproachedtheCity,thenoiseandtrafficgraduallyincreasedwhentheythreadedthestreetsbetweenShoreditchandSmithfield,ithadswelledintoaroarofsoundandbustle.Itwasaslightasitwaslikelytobe,tillnightcameonagain,andthebusymorningofhalftheLondonpopulationhadbegun. TurningdownSunStreetandCrownStreet,andcrossingFinsburysquare,Mr.Sikesstruck,bywayofChiswellStreet,intoBarbican:thenceintoLongLane,andsointoSmithfieldfromwhichlatterplacearoseatumultofdiscordantsoundsthatfilledOliverTwistwithamazement. Itwasmarket-morning.Thegroundwascovered,nearlyankle-deep,withfilthandmireathicksteam,perpetuallyrisingfromthereekingbodiesofthecattle,andmingl