That night was an extra scene of festivity at the lodging house; one of the inmates had been bagged, and had served his time, and had come back resolved to qualify himself as soon as possible for another term of imprisonment, at the expense of the unfortunate taxpayer. And there was a good deal of sociable enjoyment in accordance with the old saying, that when the wine is in the wit is out. ‘Anybody been in trouble, since I was here?’ asked our friend the tramp. ‘No, nothing particular—drunk and disorderly, that’s all. But we’ve had some narrow shaves, and the sergeant told the guvnor last night that ’e’s got his heye on hus.’ ‘His eye be blowed! But who is yon cove?’ ‘Oh, a poor banker’s clerk.’ ‘And the fellow he’s talking to?’ ‘Him with the red nose? Oh, we call him the Professor. He’s from Oxford University he says, and gives himself very high and mighty airs when he’s in his cups. But they’re all right.’ ‘I’ll soon let you know who I am,’ said a lad who was listening to the talk. ‘Well, who are you?’ ‘I am a thief, and not ashamed to own it.’ Here there was a general cry of ‘Bravo!’ ‘I ain’t done a day’s work in my life, and don’t mean to. Wot’s the good on it? A fellow ain’t a bit the better for it at the year’s end. He’s a deal to bear. He’s got to put up with his master’s whims; to put up with his foreman and his mates; to toil from morning to night, never to have a day’s pleasure; to be a poor slave. No, I know a trick worth two of that.’ Again there were cries of ‘Bravo!’ ‘Why should I work hard for a master to make money by me! Here I can lead a free life. If I am hill, can’t I go to the ’ospital? If I ain’t got a shot in the locker, can’t I nurse up at a soup-kitchen? At the worst I can go into the work’ouse, and get my keep out of the parish. And then when I’m in luck, what a life I can have at the music-halls and with the gals! I heard the chaplain of the gaol preach a sermon about honesty being the best policy. That’s all very fine, but somehow or other I did not seem to see it.’ Here there was more applause. The speaker continued: ‘I’ve done nothing wot’s good. I know I’m a bad un.’ ‘Yes, we all know that.’ ‘And why?’ ‘Ah, that’s the question!’ said the interested group of listeners.