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that the lightning had struck him； but he assured me there was
nothing amiss。 He looked a little excited and confused； however。
I should have forgotten the incident； had he not told me
afterwardswhen I had come to know him intimatelythat in the
moment of that lightning flash； he had had a strange experience： he
had seen the form of his father； as he had seen him that Sunday
afternoon； in the midst of the surrounding light。 He was as certain
of the truth of the presentation as if a gradual revival of memory
had brought with it the clear conviction of its own accuracy。 His
explanation of the phenomenon was； that； in some cases； all that
prevents a vivid conception from assuming objectivity； is the
self…assertion of external objects。 The gradual approach of
darkness cannot surprise and isolate the phantasm； but the
suddenness of the lightning could and did； obliterating everything
without； and leaving that over which it had no power standing alone；
and therefore visible。
'But；' I ventured to ask； 'whence the minuteness of detail；
surpassing； you say； all that your memory could supply？'
'That I think was a quickening of the memory by the realism of the
presentation。 Excited by the vision； it caught at its own past； as
it were； and suddenly recalled that which it had forgotten。 In the
rapidity of all pure mental action； this at once took its part in
the apparent objectivity。'
To return to the narrative of my first evening in Falconer's
company。
It was strange how insensible the street population was to the
grandeur of the storm。 While the thunder was billowing and
bellowing over and around us
'A hundred pins for one ha'penny；' bawled a man from the gutter；
with the importance of a Cagliostro。
'Evening Star！ Telegrauwff！' roared an ear…splitting urchin in my
very face。 I gave him a shove off the pavement。
'Ah！ don't do that；' said Falconer。 'It only widens the crack
between him and his fellowsnot much； but a little。'
'You are right；' I said。 'I won't do it again。'
The same moment we heard a tumult in a neighbouring street。 A crowd
was execrating a policeman； who had taken a woman into custody； and
was treating her with unnecessary rudeness。 Falconer looked on for
a few moments。
'Come； policeman！' he said at length； in a tone of expostulation。
'You're rather rough； are you not？ She's a woman； you know。'
'Hold your blasted humbug；' answered the man； an exceptional
specimen of the force at that time at all events； and shook the
tattered wretch； as if he would shake her out of her rags。
Falconer gently parted the crowd； and stood beside the two。
'I will help you；' he said； 'to take her to the station； if you
like； but you must not treat her that way。'
'I don't want your help；' said the policeman； 'I know you； and all
the damned lot of you。'
'Then I shall be compelled to give you a lesson；' said Falconer。
The man's only answer was a shake that made the woman cry out。
'I shall get into trouble if you get off；' said Falconer to her。
'Will you promise me； on your word； to go with me to the station； if
I rid you of the fellow？'
'I will； I will；' said the woman。
'Then； look out；' said Falconer to the policeman； 'for I'm going to
give you that lesson。'
The officer let the woman go； took his baton； and made a blow at
Falconer。 In another momentI could hardly see howhe lay in the
street。
'Now； my poor woman； come along；' said Falconer。
She obeyed； crying gently。 Two other policemen came up。
'Do you want to give that woman in charge； Mr。 Falconer？' asked one
of them。
'I give that man in charge；' cried his late antagonist； who had just
scrambled to his feet。 'Assaulting the police in discharge of their
duty。'
'Very well；' said the other。 'But you're in the wrong box； and that
you'll find。 You had better come along to the station； sir。'
'Keep that fellow from getting hold of the womanyou two； and we'll
go together；' said Falconer。
Bewildered with the rapid sequence of events； I was following in the
crowd。 Falconer looked about till he saw me； and gave me a nod
which meant come along。 Before we reached Bow Street。 however； the
offending policeman； who had been walking a little behind in
conversation with one of the others； advanced to Falconer； touched
his hat； and said something； to which Falconer replied。
'Remember； I have my eye upon you；' was all I heard； however； as he
left the crowd and rejoined me。 We turned and walked eastward
again。
The storm kept on intermittently； but the streets were rather more
crowded than usual notwithstanding。
'Look at that man in the woollen jacket；' said Falconer。 'What a
beautiful outline of face！ There must be something noble in that
man。'
'I did not see him；' I answered； 'I was taken up with a woman's
face； like that of a beautiful corpse。 It's eyes were bright。
There was gin in its brain。'
The streets swarmed with human faces gleaming past。 It was a night
of ghosts。
There stood a man who had lost one arm； earnestly pumping
bilge…music out of an accordion with the other； holding it to his
body with the stump。 There was a woman； pale with hunger and gin；
three match…boxes in one extended hand； and the other holding a baby
to her breast。 As we looked； the poor baby let go its hold； turned
its little head； and smiled a wan； shrivelled； old…fashioned smile
in our faces。
Another happy baby； you see； Mr。 Gordon；' said Falconer。 'A child；
fresh from God； finds its heaven where no one else would。 The devil
could drive woman out of Paradise； but the devil himself cannot
drive the Paradise out of a woman。'
'What can be done for them？' I said； and at the moment； my eye fell
upon a row of little children； from two to five years of age； seated
upon the curb…stone。
They were chattering fast； and apparently carrying on some game； as
happy as if they had been in the fields。
'Wouldn't you like to take all those little grubby things； and put
them in a great tub and wash them clean？' I said。
'They'd fight like spiders；' rejoined Falconer。
'They're not fighting now。'
'Then don't make them。 It would be all useless。 The probability is
that you would only change the forms of the various evils； and
possibly for worse。 You would buy all that man's glue…lizards； and
that man's three…foot rules； and that man's dog…collars and chains；
at three times their value； that they might get more drink than
usual； and do nothing at all for their living to…morrow。What a
happy London you would make if you were Sultan Haroun！' he added；
laughing。 'You would put an end to poverty altogether； would you
not？'
I did not reply at once。
'But I beg your pardon；' he resumed； 'I am very rude。'
'Not at all；' I returned。 'I was only thinking how to answer you。
They would be no worse after all than those w