CHAPTER I.The Period

themusketeersfiredonthemob,andnobodythoughtanyoftheseoccurrencesmuchoutofthecommonway.Inthemidstofthem,thehangman,everbusyandeverworsethanuseless,wasinconstantrequisitionnow,stringinguplongrowsofmiscellaneouscriminalsnow,hangingahousebreakeronSaturdaywhohadbeentakenonTuesdaynow,burningpeopleinthehandatNewgatebythedozen,andnowburningpamphletsatthedoorofWestminsterHallto-day,takingthelifeofanatrociousmurderer,andto-morrowofawretchedpilfererwhohadrobbedafarmer’sboyofsixpence. Allthesethings,andathousandlikethem,cametopassinandcloseuponthedearoldyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-five.Environedbythem,whiletheWoodmanandtheFarmerworkedunheeded,thosetwoofthelargejaws,andthoseothertwooftheplainandthefairfaces,trodwithstirenough,andcarriedtheirdivinerightswithahighhand.Thusdidtheyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-fiveconducttheirGreatnesses,andmyriadsofsmallcreatures—thecreaturesofthischronicleamongtherest—alongtheroadsthatlaybeforethem.