Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century -- Fiction
Meeting Mr. Eden in the prison, he did not return that gentleman's
salute. This was his way of implying war; events were thickening, a
storm was brewing. This same evening there was a tap at Mr. Eden's
private door and Evans entered the room. The man's manner was peculiar.
He wore outside a dogged look, as if fighting against some inward
feeling; he entered looking down most perniciously at the floor. “Well,
Evans?”
Evans approached, his eyes still glued upon the floor. He shoved a
printed paper roughly into Mr. Eden's hand, and said in a tone of sulky
reproach, “Saw ye fret because ye could not get it, and couldn't bear to
see ye fret.”
“Thank you, Evans, thank you!”
“You are very welcome, sir,” said Evans, with momentary deference and
kindness. Then turning suddenly at the door in great wrath, with a
tendency to whimper, he roared out, “Ye'll get me turned out of my
place, that's what ye'll do!” and went off apparently in tremendous
dudgeon. The printed paper contained “the rules of the prison,” a copy
of which Mr. Eden had asked from Hawes and been refused. Evans had
watched his opportunity, got them from another warder in return for two
glasses of grog outside the jail.
Mr. Eden fell to and studied the paper carefully till bed-time. As he
read it his eye more than once flashed with satisfaction in spite of a
great despondency that had now for a day or two been creeping upon him.
This depression dated from biped Carter's crucifixion or soon after. He
struggled gallantly against it; it appeared in none of his public acts.
But when alone his heart seemed to have turned to lead. A cold, languid
hopelessness most foreign to his high, sanguine nature weighed him to
the earth, and the Dead Sea rolled over his spirit.
Earnest Mr. Hawes hated good Mr. Eden; one comfort, by means of his
influence with the justices he could get him turned out of the
prison. Meantime what could he do to spite him? Begin by punishing
a prisoner--that is the only thing that stings him. With these good
intentions earnest Hawes turned out and looked about for a prisoner to
punish; unfortunately for poor Josephs the governor's eye fell upon
him as he came out of the chapel. The next minute he was put on a stiff
crank, which led in due course to the pillory. When he had been in
about an hour and a half, Hawes winked to Fry, and said to him under his
breath, “Let the parson know.”
Fry strolled into the prison. He met Mr. Eden at a cell door. “Josephs
refractory again, sir,” said he, with mock civility.
Mr. Eden looked him in the face, but said nothing. He went to his own
room, took a paper off the table, and came into the yard. Josephs was
beginning to sham and a bucket had just been thrown over him amid the
coarse laughter of Messrs. Fry, Hodges and Hawes. Evans, who happened to
be in attendance, stood aloof with his eyes fixed on the ground.
As soon as he saw Mr. Eden coming Hawes gave a vindictive chuckle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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