The water- way, so fair above and wide below, flows oppressed by
bricks and mortar and stone, by blackened timber and grimed glass and rusty iron, covered with black barges, whipped up by paddles and screws, overburdened with craft, overhung with chains, overshadowed by walls making a steep gorge for its bed, filled with a haze of smoke and dust.
Then came a turnpike; then fields again with trees and hay-stacks; then, a hill, and on the top of that, the traveller might stop, and--looking back at old Saint Paul's looming through the smoke, its cross peeping above the cloud (if the day were clear), and glittering in the sun; and casting his eyes upon the Babel out of which it grew until he traced it down to the furthest outposts of the invading army of
bricks and mortar whose station lay for the present nearly at his feet--might feel at last that he was clear of London.
'Except when old
bricks and mortar takes it into his head to do it himself, you should add, Tommy,' remarked Mr Lenville.
Those good old times are gone when a murderer could wipe the stain from his name and soothe his troubles to sleep simply by getting out his
bricks and mortar and building an addition to a church.
