“Whose business is it? My belly’s my own. If we were all to make a row about it together, you’d soon see.” “Yes.” “Haven’t we been beaten enough for complaining, dolt that you are?” “True enough! What’s done in a hurry is never well done. And how would you set about making a raid over it, tell me that?” “I’ll tell you, by God! If everybody will go, I’ll go too, for I’m just dying of hunger. It’s all very well for those who eat at a better table, apart, to keep quiet; but those who eat the regulation food----” “There’s a fellow with eyes that do their work, bursting with envy _he_ is. Don’t his eyes glisten when he sees something that doesn’t belong to him?” “Well, pals, why don’t we make up our minds? Have we gone through enough? They flay us, the brigands! Let’s go at them.” “What’s the good? I tell you ye must chew what they give you, and stuff your mouth full of it. Look at the fellow, he wants people to chew his food for him. We’re in prison, and have got to stand it.” “Yes, that’s it; we’re in prison.” “That’s it always; the people die of hunger, and the Government fills its belly.” “That’s true. Our eight-eyes (_the Major_) has got finely fat over it; he’s bought a pair of gray horses.” “He don’t like his glass at all, that fellow,” said a convict ironically. “He had a bout at cards a little while ago with the vet; for two hours he played without a half-penny in his pocket. Fedka told me so.” “That’s why we get cabbage soup that’s fit for nothing.” “You’re all idiots! It doesn’t matter; _nothing_ matters.” “I tell you if we all join in complaining we shall see what he has to say for himself. Let’s make up our minds.” “_Say_ for himself? You’ll get his fist on your pate; that’s just all.” “I tell you they’ll have him up, and try him.” All the prisoners were in great agitation; the truth is, the food was execrable. The general anguish, suffering, and suspense seemed to be coming to a head. Convicts are, by disposition, or, as such, quarrelsome and rebellious; but a general revolt is rare, for they can never agree upon it; we all of us felt that since there was, as a rule, more violent talk than doing.