{"id":"01KG8AN330TKEZKNTQSA24WPWH","cid":"bafkreifdv5bgobxik326dlyu4wspbc74pomwcgtcpglv42xb535a2jjgi4","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":10367,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:52.921Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","start_line":10299,"text":"\"I obeys orders: the first house with a light; and 'cording to my\r\nreck'ning--though to be sure, I don't know nothing of the city where I\r\nwas born and bred all my life--no, I knows nothing at all about\r\nit--'cording to my reck'ning, the first light in this here street will\r\nbe the watch-house of the ward--yes, there it is--all right! cheap\r\nlodgings ye've engaged--nothing to pay, and wictuals in.\"\r\n\r\nTo certain temperaments, especially when previously agitated by any deep\r\nfeeling, there is perhaps nothing more exasperating, and which sooner\r\nexplodes all self-command, than the coarse, jeering insolence of a\r\nporter, cabman, or hack-driver. Fetchers and carriers of the worst city\r\ninfamy as many of them are; professionally familiar with the most\r\nabandoned haunts; in the heart of misery, they drive one of the most\r\nmercenary of all the trades of guilt. Day-dozers and sluggards on their\r\nlazy boxes in the sunlight, and felinely wakeful and cat-eyed in the\r\ndark; most habituated to midnight streets, only trod by sneaking\r\nburglars, wantons, and debauchees; often in actual pandering league with\r\nthe most abhorrent sinks; so that they are equally solicitous and\r\nsuspectful that every customer they encounter in the dark, will prove a\r\nprofligate or a knave; this hideous tribe of ogres, and Charon ferry-men\r\nto corruption and death, naturally slide into the most practically\r\nCalvinistical view of humanity, and hold every man at bottom a fit\r\nsubject for the coarsest ribaldry and jest; only fine coats and full\r\npockets can whip such mangy hounds into decency. The least impatience,\r\nany quickness of temper, a sharp remonstrating word from a customer in a\r\nseedy coat, or betraying any other evidence of poverty, however minute\r\nand indirect (for in that pecuniary respect they are the most piercing\r\nand infallible of all the judgers of men), will be almost sure to\r\nprovoke, in such cases, their least endurable disdain.\r\n\r\nPerhaps it was the unconscious transfer to the stage-driver of some such\r\nideas as these, which now prompted the highly irritated Pierre to an\r\nact, which, in a more benignant hour, his better reason would have\r\nrestrained him from.\r\n\r\nHe did not see the light to which the driver had referred; and was\r\nheedless, in his sudden wrath, that the coach was now going slower in\r\napproaching it. Ere Isabel could prevent him, he burst open the door,\r\nand leaping to the pavement, sprang ahead of the horses, and violently\r\nreined back the leaders by their heads. The driver seized his\r\nfour-in-hand whip, and with a volley of oaths was about striking out its\r\nlong, coiling lash at Pierre, when his arm was arrested by a policeman,\r\nwho suddenly leaping on the stayed coach, commanded him to keep the\r\npeace.\r\n\r\n\"Speak! what is the difficulty here? Be quiet, ladies, nothing serious\r\nhas happened. Speak you!\"\r\n\r\n\"Pierre! Pierre!\" cried the alarmed Isabel. In an instant Pierre was at\r\nher side by the window; and now turning to the officer, explained to him\r\nthat the driver had persisted in passing the house at which he was\r\nordered to stop.\r\n\r\n\"Then he shall turn to the right about with you, sir;--in double quick\r\ntime too; do ye hear? I know you rascals well enough. Turn about, you\r\nsir, and take the gentleman where he directed.\"\r\n\r\nThe cowed driver was beginning a long string of criminating\r\nexplanations, when turning to Pierre, the policeman calmly desired him\r\nto re-enter the coach; he would see him safely at his destination; and\r\nthen seating himself beside the driver on the box, commanded him to tell\r\nthe number given him by the gentleman.\r\n\r\n\"He don't know no numbers--didn't I say he didn't--that's what I got mad\r\nabout.\"\r\n\r\n\"Be still\"--said the officer. \"Sir\"--turning round and addressing Pierre\r\nwithin; \"where do you wish to go?\"\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJTDSWGP8QJ7MKTTPBN1C","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JSYKSGCE149MH9HF6A","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AN330QQ5EDBT6D41151M0","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AN330CPFW354WQEXSS94F","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:58.464Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:26.133Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}