第10章

’WellIhowdoYOUdo？’saysMr。Superintendent，lookingabouthim。

’Prettywell，sir，andhopeyougentlemenaregoingtotreatusladies，nowyouhavecometoseeus。’

’Orderthere！’saysSharpeye。

’Noneofthat！’saysQuickear。

Trampfoot，outside，isheardtoconfidetohimself，’Meggisson’slotthisis。Andabad’un！’

’Well！’saysMr。Superintendent，layinghishandontheshoulderoftheswarthyyouth，’andwho’sthis？’

’Antonio，sir。’

’AndwhatdoesHEdohere？’

’Cometogiveusabitofmusic。Noharminthat，Isuppose？’

’Ayoungforeignsailor？’

’Yes。He’saSpaniard。You’reaSpaniard，ain’tyou，Antonio？’

’MeSpanish。’

’Andhedon’tknowawordyousay，nothe；notifyouwastotalktohimtilldoomsday。’(Triumphantly，asifitredoundedtothecreditofthehouse。)

’Willheplaysomething？’

’Oh，yes，ifyoulike。Playsomething，Antonio。YOUain’tashamedtoplaysomething；areyou？’

Thecrackedguitarraisesthefeeblestghostofatune，andthreeofthewomenkeeptimetoitwiththeirheads，andthefourthwiththechild。IfAntoniohasbroughtanymoneyinwithhim，Iamafraidhewillnevertakeitout，anditevenstrikesmethathisjacketandguitarmaybeinabadway。But，thelookoftheyoungmanandthetinklingoftheinstrumentsochangetheplaceinamomenttoaleafoutofDonQuixote，thatIwonderwherehismuleisstabled，untilheleavesoff。

Iamboundtoacknowledge(asittendsrathertomyuncommercialconfusion)，thatIoccasionedadifficultyinthisestablishment，byhavingtakenthechildinmyarms。For，onmyofferingtorestoreittoaferociousjokernotunstimulatedbyrum，whoclaimedtobeitsmother，thatunnaturalparentputherhandsbehindher，anddeclinedtoacceptit；backingintothefireplace，andveryshrillydeclaring，regardlessofremonstrancefromherfriends，thatsheknowedittobeLaw，thatwhoevertookachildfromitsmotherofhisownwill，wasboundtosticktoit。Theuncommercialsenseofbeinginaratherridiculouspositionwiththepoorlittlechildbeginningtobefrightened，wasrelievedbymyworthyfriendandfellow-constable，Trampfoot；who，layinghandsonthearticleasifitwereaBottle，passeditontothenearestwoman，andbadeher’takeholdofthat。’AswecameouttheBottlewaspassedtotheferociousjoker，andtheyallsatdownasbefore，includingAntonioandtheguitar。Itwasclearthattherewasnosuchthingasanightcaptothisbaby’shead，andthatevenheneverwenttobed，butwasalwayskeptup-andwouldgrowup，keptup-waitingforJack。

Laterstillinthenight，wecame(bythecourt’wherethemanwasmurdered，’andbytheothercourtacrossthestreet，intowhichhisbodywasdragged)toanotherparlourinanotherEntry，whereseveralpeopleweresittingroundafireinjustthesameway。Itwasadirtyandoffensiveplace，withsomeraggedclothesdryinginit；buttherewasahighshelfovertheentrance-door(tobeoutofthereachofmaraudinghands，possibly)withtwolargewhiteloavesonit，andagreatpieceofCheshirecheese。

’Well！’saysMr。Superintendent，withacomprehensivelookallround。’HowdoYOUdo？’

’Notmuchtoboastof，sir。’Fromthecurtseyingwomanofthehouse。’Thisismygoodman，sir。’

’YouarenotregisteredasacommonLodgingHouse？’

’No，sir。’

Sharpeye(intheMove-ontone)putsinthepertinentinquiry，’Thenwhyain’tyou？’

’Ain’tgotnoonehere，Mr。Sharpeye，’rejointhewomanandmygoodmantogether，’butourownfamily。’

’Howmanyareyouinfamily？’

Thewomantakestimetocount，underpretenceofcoughing，andadds，asonescantofbreath，’Seven，sir。’

Butshehasmissedone，soSharpeye，whoknowsallaboutit，says:

’Here’sayoungmanheremakeseight，whoain’tofyourfamily？’

’No，Mr。Sharpeye，he’saweeklylodger。’

’Whatdoeshedoforaliving？’

Theyoungmanhere，takesthereplyuponhimself，andshortlyanswers，’Ain’tgotnothingtodo。’

Theyoungmanhere，ismodestlybroodingbehindadampapronpendentfromaclothes-line。AsIglanceathimIbecome-butI

don’tknowwhy-vaguelyremindedofWoolwich，Chatham，Portsmouth，andDover。Whenwegetout，myrespectedfellow-constableSharpeye，addressingMr。Superintendent，says:

’Younoticedthatyoungman，sir，inatDarby’s？’

’Yes。Whatishe？’

’Deserter，sir。’

Mr。Sharpeyefurtherintimatesthatwhenwehavedonewithhisservices，hewillstepbackandtakethatyoungman。Whichincourseoftimehedoes:feelingatperfecteaseaboutfindinghim，andknowingforamoralcertaintythatnobodyinthatregionwillbegonetobed。

Laterstillinthenight，wecametoanotherparlourupasteportwofromthestreet，whichwasverycleanly，neatly，eventastefully，kept，andinwhich，setforthonadrapedchestofdrawersmaskingthestaircase，wassuchaprofusionofornamentalcrockery，thatitwouldhavefurnishedforthahandsomesale-boothatafair。Itbackedupastoutoldlady-HOGARTHdrewherexactlikenessmorethanonce-andaboywhowascarefullywritingacopyinacopy-book。

’Well，ma’am，howdoYOUdo？’

Sweetly，shecanassurethedeargentlemen，sweetly。Charmingly，charmingly。Andoverjoyedtoseeus！

’Why，thisisastrangetimeforthisboytobewritinghiscopy。

Inthemiddleofthenight！’

’Soitis，deargentlemen，Heavenblessyourwelcomefacesandsendyeprosperous，buthehasbeentothePlaywithayoungfriendforhisdiversion，andhecombinateshisimprovementwithentertainment，bydoinghisschool-writingafterwards，Godbegoodtoye！’

Thecopyadmonishedhumannaturetosubjugatethefireofeveryfiercedesire。Onemighthavethoughtitrecommendedstirringthefire，theoldladysoapprovedit。Thereshesat，rosilybeamingatthecopy-bookandtheboy，andinvokingshowersofblessingsonourheads，whenweleftherinthemiddleofthenight，waitingforJack。

Laterstillinthenight，wecametoanauseousroomwithanearthfloor，intowhichtherefusescumofanalleytrickled。Thestenchofthishabitationwasabominable；theseemingpovertyofit，diseasedanddire。Yet，hereagain，wasvisitororlodger-amansittingbeforethefire，liketherestofthemelsewhere，andapparentlynotdistastefultothemistress’sniece，whowasalsobeforethefire。Themistressherselfhadthemisfortuneofbeinginjail。

Threeweirdoldwomenoftranscendentghastliness，wereatneedleworkatatableinthisroom。SaysTrampfoottoFirstWitch，’Whatareyoumaking？’Saysshe，’Money-bags。’

’WHATareyoumaking？’retortsTrampfoot，alittleoffhisbalance。

’Bagstoholdyourmoney，’saysthewitch，shakingherhead，andsettingherteeth；’youashasgotit。’

Sheholdsupacommoncash-bag，andonthetableisaheapofsuchbags。WitchTwolaughsatus。WitchThreescowlsatus。Witchsisterhoodall，stitch，stitch。FirstWitchhasacircleroundeacheye。Ifancyitlikethebeginningofthedevelopmentofaperverteddiabolicalhalo，andthatwhenitspreadsallroundherhead，shewilldieintheodourofdevilry。

TrampfootwishestobeinformedwhatFirstWitchhasgotbehindthetable，downbythesideofher，there？WitchesTwoandThreecroakangrily，’Showhimthechild！’

Shedragsoutaskinnylittlearmfromabrowndustheapontheground。Adjurednottodisturbthechild，sheletsitdropagain。

ThuswefindatlastthatthereisonechildintheworldofEntrieswhogoestobed-ifthisbebed。

Mr。Superintendentaskshowlongaretheygoingtoworkatthosebags？

Howlong？FirstWitchrepeats。Goingtohavesupperpresently。

Seethecupsandsaucers，andtheplates。

’Late？Ay！Butwehasto’arnoursupperaforeweeatsit！’BoththeotherwitchesrepeatthisafterFirstWitch，andtaketheUncommercialmeasurementwiththeireyes，asforacharmedwinding-

sheet。Somegrimdiscourseensues，referringtothemistressofthecave，whowillbereleasedfromjailto-morrow。WitchespronounceTrampfoot’rightthere，’whenhedeemsitatryingdistancefortheoldladytowalk；sheshallbefetchedbynieceinaspring-cart。

AsItookapartinglookatFirstWitchinturningaway，theredmarksroundhereyesseemedtohavealreadygrownlarger，andshehungrilyandthirstilylookedoutbeyondmeintothedarkdoorway，toseeifJackwasthere。For，Jackcameevenhere，andthemistresshadgotintojailthroughdeludingJack。

WhenIatlastendedthisnightoftravelandgottobed，IfailedtokeepmymindoncomfortablethoughtsofSeaman’sHomes(notoverdonewithstrictness)，andimproveddockregulationsgivingJackgreaterbenefitoffireandcandleaboardship，throughmymind’swanderingamongtheverminIhadseen。Afterwardsthesameverminranallovermysleep。Evermore，whenonabreezydayIseePoorMercantileJackrunningintoportwithafairwindunderallsail，Ishallthinkoftheunsleepinghostofdevourerswhonevergotobed，andarealwaysintheirsettrapswaitingforhim。