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e was no chance for any clear； purifying sunlight here。 Cleanliness depended entirely on whitewash； soap and water and sweeping； which in turn depended on the prisoners themselves。
He also took in Chapin； the homely； good…natured； cell overseer whom he now saw for the first timea large； heavy； lumbering man； rather dusty and misshapen…looking； whose uniform did not fit him well； and whose manner of standing made him look as though he would much prefer to sit down。 He was obviously bulky； but not strong； and his kindly face was covered with a short growth of grayish…brown whiskers。 His hair was cut badly and stuck out in odd strings or wisps from underneath his big cap。 Nevertheless； Cowperwood was not at all unfavorably impressedquite the contraryand he felt at once that this man might be more considerate of him than the others had been。 He hoped so； anyhow。 He did not know that he was in the presence of the overseer of the 〃manners squad；〃 who would have him in charge for two weeks only； instructing him in the rules of the prison； and that he was only one of twenty…six； all told； who were in Chapin's care。
That worthy； by way of easy introduction； now went over to the bed and seated himself on it。 He pointed to the hard wooden chair； which Cowperwood drew out and sat on。
〃Well； now you're here； hain't yuh？〃 he asked； and answered himself quite genially； for he was an unlettered man； generously disposed； of long experience with criminals； and inclined to deal kindly with kindly temperament and a form of religious beliefQuakerismhad inclined him to be merciful； and yet his official duties； as Cowperwood later found out； seemed to have led him to the conclusion that most criminals were innately bad。 Like Kendall； he regarded them as weaklings and ne'er…do…wells with evil streaks in them； and in the main he was not mistaken。 Yet he could not help being what he was； a fatherly； kindly old man； having faith in those shibboleths of the weak and inexperienced mentallyhuman justice and human decency。
〃Yes； I'm here； Mr。 Chapin；〃 Cowperwood replied； simply； remembering his name from the attendant； and flattering the keeper by the use of it。
To old Chapin the situation was more or less puzzling。 This was the famous Frank A。 Cowperwood whom he had read about； the noted banker and treasury…looter。 He and his co…partner in crime； Stener； were destined to serve； as he had read； comparatively long terms here。 Five hundred thousand dollars was a large sum of money in those days； much more than five million would have been forty years later。 He was awed by the thought of what had become of ithow Cowperwood managed to do all the things the papers had said he had done。 He had a little formula of questions which he usually went through with each new prisonerasking him if he was sorry now for the crime he had committed； if he meant to do better with a new chance； if his father and mother were alive； etc。； and by the manner in which they answered these questionssimply； regretfully； defiantly； or otherwisehe judged whether they were being adequately punished or not。 Yet he could not talk to Cowperwood as he now saw or as he would to the average second…story burglar； store…looter； pickpocket； and plain cheap thief and swindler。 And yet he scarcely knew how else to talk。
〃Well； now；〃 he went on； 〃I don't suppose you ever thought you'd get to a place like this； did you； Mr。 Cowperwood？〃
〃I never did；〃 replied Frank； simply。 〃I wouldn't have believed it a few months ago； Mr。 Chapin。 I don't think I deserve to be here now； though of course there is no use of my telling you that。〃
He saw that old Chapin wanted to moralize a little； and he was only too glad to fall in with his mood。 He would soon be alone with no one to talk to perhaps； and if a sympathetic understanding could be reached with this man now； so much the better。 Any port in a storm； any straw to a drowning man。
〃Well； no doubt all of us makes mistakes；〃 continued Mr。 Chapin； superiorly； with an amusing faith in his own value as a moral guide and reformer。 〃We can't just always tell how the plans we think so fine are coming out； can we？ You're here now； an' I suppose you're sorry certain things didn't come out just as you thought； but if you had a chance I don't suppose you'd try to do just as you did before； now would yuh？〃
〃No； Mr。 Chapin； I wouldn't； exactly；〃 said Cowperwood； truly enough； 〃though I believed I was right in everything I did。 I don't think legal justice has really been done me。〃
〃Well； that's the way；〃 continued Chapin； meditatively； scratching his grizzled head and looking genially about。 〃Sometimes； as I allers says to some of these here young fellers that comes in here； we don't know as much as we thinks we does。 We forget that others are just as smart as we are； and that there are allers people that are watchin' us all the time。 These here courts and jails and detectivesthey're here all the time； and they get us。 I gad〃 Chapin's moral version of 〃by God〃〃they do； if we don't behave。〃
〃Yes；〃 Cowperwood replied； 〃that's true enough； Mr。 Chapin。〃
〃Well；〃 continued the old man after a time； after he had made a few more solemn； owl…like； and yet well…intentioned remarks； 〃now here's your bed； and there's your chair； and there's your wash…stand； and there's your water…closet。 Now keep 'em all clean and use 'em right。〃 （You would have thought he was making Cowperwood a present of a fortune。） 〃You're the one's got to make up your bed every mornin' and keep your floor swept and your toilet flushed and your cell clean。 There hain't anybody here'll do that for yuh。 You want to do all them things the first thing in the mornin' when you get up； and afterward you'll get sumpin' to eat； about six…thirty。 You're supposed to get up at five…thirty。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Chapin；〃 Cowperwood said； politely。 〃You can depend on me to do all those things promptly。〃
〃There hain't so much more；〃 added Chapin。 〃You're supposed to wash yourself all over once a week an' I'll give you a clean towel for that。 Next you gotta wash this floor up every Friday mornin'。〃 Cowperwood winced at that。 〃You kin have hot water for that if you want it。 I'll have one of the runners bring it to you。 An' as for your friends and relations〃he got up and shook himself like a big Newfoundland dog。 〃You gotta wife； hain't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Cowperwood。
〃Well； the rules here are that your wife or your friends kin come to see you once in three months； and your lawyeryou gotta lawyer hain't yuh？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied Cowperwood； amused。
〃Well； he kin come every week or so if he likesevery day； I guessthere hain't no rules about lawyers。 But you kin only write one letter once in three months yourself； an' if you want anything like tobaccer or the like o' that； from the store…room； you gotta sign an order for it； if you got any money with the warden； an' then I can git it for you。〃
The old man was really above taking small tips in the shape of money。 He was a hold…over from a much more severe and honest regime； but subsequent presents or constant flattery were not amiss in making him kindly and generous。 Cowperwood read him accurately。
〃Very well； Mr。 Chapin； I understand；〃 he said； getting up as the old man did。
〃Then when you have been here two weeks；〃 added Chapin； rather ruminatively （he had forgot to state this to Cowperwood before）； 〃the warden 'll come and git yuh and give yuh yer regular cell summers down…stairs。 Yuh kin make up yer mind by that time what y'u'd like tuh do； what y'u'd like to work at。 If you behave yourself proper； more'n like they'll give yuh a cell with a yard。 Yuh never can tell。〃
He went out； locking the door with a solemn click； and Cowperwood stood there； a little more depressed than he had been； because of this latest intelligence。 Only two weeks； and then he would be transferred from this kindly old man's care to another's； whom he did not know and with whom he might not fare so well。
〃If ever you want me for anythingif ye're sick or sumpin' like that；〃 Chapin now returned to say； after he had walked a few paces away； 〃we have a signal here of our own。 Just hang your towel out through these here bars。 I'll see it； and I'll stop and find out what yuh want； when I'm passin'。〃
Cowperwood； whose spirits had sunk； revived for the moment。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he replied； 〃thank you； Mr。 Chapin。〃
The old man walked away； and Cowperwood heard his steps dying down the cement…paved hall。 He stood and listened； his ears being greeted occasionally by a distant cough； a faint scraping of some one's feet； the hum or whir of a machine； or the iron scratch of a key in a lock。 None of the noises was loud。 Rather they were all faint and far away。 He went over and looked at the bed； which was not very clean and without linen； and anything but wide or soft； and felt it curiously。 So here was where he was to sleep from now onhe who so craved and appreciated luxury and refinement。 If Aileen or some of his rich friends should see him here。 Worse； he was sickened by the thought of possible vermin。 How could he tell？ How would he do？ The one chair was abominable。 The skylight was weak。 He tried to think of himself a