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With a perpetual anxiety to avoid the nippers his artistry dwindled。 The left hand； invincible on the Cheviots； seemed no better than a bunch of thumbs in the narrow ways of Edinburgh； and after innumerable misadventures Haggart was safely lodged in Dumfries gaol。 No sooner was he locked within his cell than his restless brain planned a generous escape。 He would win liberty for his fellows as well as for himself； and after a brief council a murderous plot was framed and executed。 A stone slung in a handkerchief sent Morrin； the gaoler； to sleep； the keys found on him opened the massy doors； and Haggart was free with a reward set upon his head。 The shock of the enterprise restored his magnanimity。 Never did he display a finer bravery than in this spirited race for his life； and though three counties were aroused he doubled and ducked to such purpose that he outstripped John Richardson himself with all his bloodhounds； and two days later marched into Carlisle disguised in the stolen rags of a potato…bogle。
During the few months that remained to him of life he embarked upon a veritable Odyssey： he scoured Scotland from the Border to St。 Andrews； and finally contrived a journey oversea to Ireland； where he made the name of Daniel O'Brien a terror to well…doers。 Insolent and careless； he lurched from prison to prison； now it was Armagh that held him； now Downpatrick； until at last he was thrust on a general charge of vagabondage and ill…company into Kilmainham； which has since harboured many a less valiant adventurer than David Haggart。 Here the culminating disgrace overtook him： he was detected in the prison yard by his ancient enemy； John Richardson； of Dumfries； who dragged him back to Scotland heavily shackled and charged with murder。 So nimble had he proved himself in extrication； that his captors secured him with pitiless severity； round his waist he carried an iron belt； whereto were padlocked the chains； clanking at his wrists and ankles。 Thus tortured and helpless； he was fed ‘like a sucking turkey in Bedlam'； but his sorrows vanished； and his dying courage revived at sight of the torchlight procession； which set forth from Dumfries to greet his return。
His coach was hustled by a mob； thousands strong； eager to catch sight of Haggart the Murderer； and though the spot where he slew Morrin was like fire beneath his passing feet； he carried to his cell a heart and a brain aflame with gratified vanity。 His guilt being patent； reprieve was as hopeless as acquittal； and after the assured condemnation he spent his last few days with what profit he might in religious and literary exercises。 He composed a memoir； which is a model of its kind； so diligently did he make his soul； that he could appear on the scaffold in a chastened spirit of prayerful gratitude； and； being an eminent scoundrel； he seemed a proper subject for the ministrations of Mr。 George Combe。 ‘That is the one thing I did not know before；' he confessed with an engaging modesty； when his bumps were squeezed； and yet he was more than a match for the amiable phrenologist； whose ignorance of mankind persuaded him to believe that an illiterate felon could know himself and analyse his character。
His character escaped his critics as it escaped himself。 Time was when George Borrow； that other picaroon； surprised the youthful David； thinking of Willie Wallace upon the Castle Rock； and Lavengro's romantic memory transformed the raw…boned pickpocket into a monumental hero； who lacked nothing save a vast theatre to produce a vast effect。 He was a Tamerlane； robbed of his opportunity； a valiant warrior； who looked in vain for a battlefield； a marauder who climbed the scaffold not for the magnitude； but for the littleness of his sins。 Thus Borrow； in complete misunderstanding of the rascal's qualities。
Now； Haggart's ambition was as circumscribed as his ability。 He died； as he was born； an expert cly…faker； whose achievements in sleight of hand are as yet unparalleled。 Had the world been one vast breast pocket his fish…hook fingers would have turned it inside out。 But it was not his to mount a throne； or overthrow a dynasty。 ‘My forks；' he boasted； ‘are equally long； and they never fail me。' That is at once the reason and the justification of his triumph。 Born with a consummate artistry tingling at his finger…tips； how should he escape the compulsion of a glorious destiny？ Without fumbling or failure he discovered the single craft for which fortune had framed him； and he pursued it with a courage and an industry which gave him not a kingdom； but fame and booty； exceeding even his greedy aspiration。 No Tamerlane he； questing for a continent； but David Haggart； the man with the long forks； happy if he snatched his neighbour's purse。
Before all things he respected the profession which his left hand made inevitable； and which he pursued with unconquerable pride。 Nor in his inspired youth was plunder his sole ambition： he cultivated the garden of his style with the natural zeal of the artist； he frowned upon the bungler with a lofty contempt。 His materials were simplicity itself： his forks； which were always with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since； sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his neck for a purse that did not contain so much as would ‘sweeten a grawler。' At its best； his method was always wittythat is the single word which will characterise itwitty as a piece of Heine's prose； and as dangerous。 He would run over a man's pockets while he spoke with him； returning what he chose to discard without the lightest breath of suspicion。 ‘A good workman；' his contemporaries called him； and they thought it a shame for him to be idle。 Moreover； he did not blunder unconsciously upon his triumph； he tackled the trade in so fine a spirit of analysis that he might have been the very Aristotle of his science。 ‘The keek…cloy；' he wrote； in his hints to young sportsmen； ‘is easily picked。 If the notes are in the long fold just tip them the forks； but if there is a purse or open money in the case； you must link it。' The breast…pocket； on the other hand； is a severer test。 ‘Picking the suck is sometimes a kittle job；' again the philosopher speaks。 ‘If the coat is buttoned it must be opened by slipping past。 Then bring the lil down between the flap of the coat and the body； keeping your spare arm across your man's breast； and so slip it to a comrade； then abuse the fellow for jostling you。'
Not only did he master the tradition of thievery； he vaunted his originality with the familiar complacence of the scoundrel。 Forgetting that it was by burglary that he was undone； he explains for his public glorification that he was wont to enter the houses of Leith by forcing the small window above the outer door。 This artifice； his vanity grumbles； is now common； but he would have all the world understand that it was his own invention； and he murmurs with the pedantry of the convicted criminal that it is now set forth for the better protection of honest citizens。 No less admirable in his own eyes was that other artifice which induced him to conceal such notes as he managed to filch in the collar of his coat。 Thus he eluded the vigilance