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gone。
The affairs of this debtor were perplexed by a partnership； of which he
knew no more than that he had invested money in it； by legal matters
of assignment and settlement； conveyance here and conveyance there；
suspicion of unlawful preference of creditors in this direction； and of
mysterious spiriting away of property in that； and as nobody on the face
of the earth could be more incapable of explaining any single item in
the heap of confusion than the debtor himself； nothing prehensible
could be made of his case。 To question him in detail； and endeavour
to reconcile his answers； to closet him with accountants and sharp
practitioners； learned in the wiles of insolvency and bankruptcy； was
only to put the case out at pound interest and inprehensibility。
The irresolute fingers fluttered more and more ineffectually about the
trembling lip on every such occasion； and the sharpest practitioners
gave him up as a hopeless job。
'Out？' said the turnkey； 'he'll never get out； unless his creditors take
him by the shoulders and shove him out。'
He had been there five or six months； when he came running to this
turnkey one forenoon to tell him； breathless and pale； that his wife was
ill。
'As anybody might a known she would be；' said the turnkey。
'We intended；' he returned； 'that she should go to a country lodging
only to…morrow。 What am I to do！ Oh； good heaven； what am I to do！'
'Don't waste your time in clasping your hands and biting your fingers；'
responded the practical turnkey； taking him by the elbow； 'but e
along with me。'
The turnkey conducted him……trembling from head to foot； and constantly
crying under his breath； What was he to do！ while his irresolute fingers
bedabbled the tears upon his face……up one of the mon staircases in
the prison to a door on the garret story。 Upon which door the turnkey
knocked with the handle of his key。
'e in！' cried a voice inside。
The turnkey； opening the door； disclosed in a wretched； ill…smelling
little room； two hoarse； puffy； red…faced personages seated at a
rickety table； playing at all…fours； smoking pipes； and drinking brandy。
'Doctor；' said the turnkey； 'here's a gentleman's wife in want of you
without a minute's loss of time！'
The doctor's friend was in the positive degree of hoarseness； puffiness；
red…facedness； all…fours； tobacco； dirt； and brandy； the doctor in
the parative……hoarser； puffier； more red…faced； more all…fourey；
tobaccoer； dirtier； and brandier。 The doctor was amazingly shabby； in
a torn and darned rough…weather sea…jacket； out at elbows and eminently
short of buttons （he had been in his time the experienced surgeon
carried by a passenger ship）； the dirtiest white trousers conceivable by
mortal man； carpet slippers； and no visible linen。 'Childbed？' said
the doctor。 'I'm the boy！' With that the doctor took a b from the
chimney…piece and stuck his hair upright……which appeared to be his
way of washing himself……produced a professional chest or case； of most
abject appearance； from the cupboard where his cup and saucer and coals
were； settled his chin in the frowsy wrapper round his neck； and became
a ghastly medical scarecrow。
The doctor and the debtor ran down…stairs； leaving the turnkey to return
to the lock； and made for the debtor's room。 All the ladies in the
prison had got hold of the news； and were in the yard。 Some of them
had already taken possession of the two children； and were hospitably
carrying them off； others were offering loans of little forts from
their own scanty store； others were sympathising with the greatest
volubility。 The gentlemen prisoners； feeling themselves at a
disadvantage； had for the most part retired； not to say sneaked；
to their rooms； from the open windows of which some of them now
plimented the doctor with whistles as he passed below； while others；
with several stories between them； interchanged sarcastic references to
the prevalent excitement。
It was a hot summer day； and the prison rooms were baking between the
high walls。 In the debtor's confined chamber； Mrs Bangham； charwoman and
messenger； who was not a prisoner （though she had been once）； but
was the popular medium of munication with the outer world； had
volunteered her services as fly…catcher and general attendant。 The walls
and ceiling were blackened with flies。 Mrs Bangham； expert in sudden
device； with one hand fanned the patient with a cabbage leaf； and with
the other set traps of vinegar and sugar in gallipots； at the same time
enunciating sentiments of an encouraging and congratulatory nature；
adapted to the occasion。
'The flies trouble you； don't they； my dear？' said Mrs Bangham。 'But
p'raps they'll take your mind off of it； and do you good。 What between
the buryin ground； the grocer's； the waggon…stables； and the paunch
trade； the Marshalsea flies gets very large。 P'raps they're sent as a
consolation； if we only know'd it。 How are you now； my dear？ No better？
No； my dear； it ain't to be expected； you'll be worse before you're
better； and you know it； don't you？ Yes。 That's right！ And to think of
a sweet little cherub being born inside the lock！ Now ain't it pretty；
ain't THAT something to carry you through it pleasant？ Why； we ain't
had such a thing happen here； my dear； not for I couldn't name the time
when。 And you a crying too？' said Mrs Bangham； to rally the patient more
and more。 'You！ Making yourself so famous！ With the flies a falling into
the gallipots by fifties！ And everything a going on so well！ And here if
there ain't；' said Mrs Bangham as the door opened； 'if there ain't your
dear gentleman along with Dr Haggage！ And now indeed we ARE plete； I
THINK！'
The doctor was scarcely the kind of apparition to inspire a patient
with a sense of absolute pleteness； but as he presently delivered the
opinion； 'We are as right as we can be； Mrs Bangham； and we shall
e out of this like a house afire；' and as he and Mrs Bangham took
possession of the poor helpless pair； as everybody else and anybody else
had always done； the means at hand were as good on the whole as better
would have been。 The special feature in Dr Haggage's treatment of the
case； was his determination to keep Mrs Bangham up to the mark。 As thus：
'Mrs Bangham；' said the doctor； before he had been there twenty minutes；
'go outside and fetch a little brandy； or we shall have you giving in。'
'Thank you； sir。 But none on my accounts；' said Mrs Bangham。
'Mrs Bangham；' returned the doctor； 'I am in professional attendance
on this lady； and don't choose to allow any discussion on your part。 Go
outside and fetch a little brandy； or I foresee that you'll break down。'
'You're to be obeyed； sir；' said Mrs Bangham； rising。 'If you was to put
your own lips to it； I think you wouldn't be the worse； for you look but
poorly； sir。'
'Mrs Bangham；' returned the doctor； 'I am not your business； thank you；
but you are mine。 Never you mind ME； if you please。 What you have got to
do； is； to do as you are told； and to go and get what I bid you。'
Mrs Bangham submitted； and the doctor； having administered her
potion； took his own。 He repeated the treatment every hour； being very
determined with Mrs Bangham。 Three or four hours passed； the flies
fell into the traps by hundreds； and at length one little life； hardly
stronger than theirs； appeared among the multitude of lesser deaths。
'A very nice little girl indeed；' said the doctor； 'little； but
well…formed。 Halloa； Mrs Bangham！ You're looking queer！ You be off；
ma'am； this minute； and fetch a little more brandy； or we shall have you
in hysterics。'
By this time； the rings had begun to fall from the debtor's irresolute
hands； like leaves from a wintry tree。 Not one was left upon them that
night； when he put something that chinked into the doctor's greasy palm。
In the meantime Mrs Bangham had been out on an errand to a neighbouring
establishment decorated with three golden balls； where she was very well
known。
'Thank you；' said the doctor； 'thank you。 Your good lady is quite
posed。 Doing charmingly。'
'I am very happy and very thankful to know it；' said the debtor； 'though
I little thought once； that……'
'That a child would be born to you in a place like this？' said the
doctor。 'Bah； bah； sir； what does it signify？ A little more elbow…room
is all we want here。 We are quiet here； we don't get badgered here；
there's no knocker here； sir； to be hammered at by creditors and bring a
man's heart into his mouth。 Nobody es here to ask if a man's at
home； and to say he'll stand on the door mat till he is。 Nobody writes
threatening letters about money to this place。 It's freedom； sir； it's
freedom！ I have had to…day's practice at home and abroad； on a march；
and aboard ship； and I'll tell you this： I don't know that I have ever
pursued it under such quiet circumstances as here this day。 Elsewhere；
people are restless； worried； hurried about； anxious respecting one
thing； anxious respecting another。 Nothing of the kind here； sir。 We
have done all that……we know the worst of it； we have got to the bottom；
we can't fall； and what have we found？ Peace。 That's the word for
it。 Peace。' With this profession of faith； the doctor； wh