wasonlytoputthecaseoutatcompoundinterestandincomprehensibility。Theirresolutefingersflutteredmoreandmoreineffectuallyaboutthetremblingliponeverysuchoccasion，andthesharpestpractitionersgavehimupasahopelessjob。
’Out？’saidtheturnkey，’he’llnevergetout，unlesshiscreditorstakehimbytheshouldersandshovehimout。’
Hehadbeentherefiveorsixmonths，whenhecamerunningtothisturnkeyoneforenoontotellhim，breathlessandpale，thathiswifewasill。
’Asanybodymightaknownshewouldbe，’saidtheturnkey。
’Weintended，’hereturned，’thatsheshouldgotoacountrylodgingonlyto-morrow。WhatamItodo!Oh，goodheaven，whatamItodo!’
’Don’twasteyourtimeinclaspingyourhandsandbitingyourfingers，’respondedthepracticalturnkey，takinghimbytheelbow，’butcomealongwithme。’
Theturnkeyconductedhim——tremblingfromheadtofoot，andconstantlycryingunderhisbreath，Whatwashetodo!whilehisirresolutefingersbedabbledthetearsuponhisface——uponeofthecommonstaircasesintheprisontoadooronthegarretstory。
Uponwhichdoortheturnkeyknockedwiththehandleofhiskey。
’Comein!’criedavoiceinside。
Theturnkey，openingthedoor，disclosedinawretched，ill-
smellinglittleroom，twohoarse，puffy，red-facedpersonagesseatedataricketytable，playingatall-fours，smokingpipes，anddrinkingbrandy。
’Doctor，’saidtheturnkey，’here’sagentleman’swifeinwantofyouwithoutaminute’slossoftime!’
Thedoctor’sfriendwasinthepositivedegreeofhoarseness，puffiness，red-facedness，all-fours，tobacco，dirt，andbrandy；thedoctorinthecomparative——hoarser，puffier，morered-faced，moreall-fourey，tobaccoer，dirtier，andbrandier。Thedoctorwasamazinglyshabby，inatornanddarnedrough-weathersea-jacket，outatelbowsandeminentlyshortofbuttonshehadbeeninhistimetheexperiencedsurgeoncarriedbyapassengership，thedirtiestwhitetrousersconceivablebymortalman，carpetslippers，andnovisiblelinen。’Childbed？’saidthedoctor。’I’mtheboy!’
Withthatthedoctortookacombfromthechimney-pieceandstuckhishairupright——whichappearedtobehiswayofwashinghimself——
producedaprofessionalchestorcase，ofmostabjectappearance，fromthecupboardwherehiscupandsaucerandcoalswere，settledhischininthefrowsywrapperroundhisneck，andbecameaghastlymedicalscarecrow。
Thedoctorandthedebtorrandown-stairs，leavingtheturnkeytoreturntothelock，andmadeforthedebtor’sroom。Alltheladiesintheprisonhadgotholdofthenews，andwereintheyard。Someofthemhadalreadytakenpossessionofthetwochildren，andwerehospitablycarryingthemoff；otherswereofferingloansoflittlecomfortsfromtheirownscantystore；othersweresympathisingwiththegreatestvolubility。Thegentlemenprisoners，feelingthemselvesatadisadvantage，hadforthemostpartretired，nottosaysneaked，totheirrooms；fromtheopenwindowsofwhichsomeofthemnowcomplimentedthedoctorwithwhistlesashepassedbelow，whileothers，withseveralstoriesbetweenthem，interchangedsarcasticreferencestotheprevalentexcitement。
Itwasahotsummerday，andtheprisonroomswerebakingbetweenthehighwalls。Inthedebtor’sconfinedchamber，MrsBangham，charwomanandmessenger，whowasnotaprisonerthoughshehadbeenonce，butwasthepopularmediumofcommunicationwiththeouterworld，hadvolunteeredherservicesasfly-catcherandgeneralattendant。Thewallsandceilingwereblackenedwithflies。MrsBangham，expertinsuddendevice，withonehandfannedthepatientwithacabbageleaf，andwiththeothersettrapsofvinegarandsugaringallipots；atthesametimeenunciatingsentimentsofanencouragingandcongratulatorynature，adaptedtotheoccasion。
’Thefliestroubleyou，don’tthey，mydear？’saidMrsBangham。
’Butp’rapsthey’lltakeyourmindoffofit，anddoyougood。
Whatbetweentheburyinground，thegrocer’s，thewaggon-stables，andthepaunchtrade，theMarshalseafliesgetsverylarge。P’rapsthey’resentasaconsolation，ifweonlyknow’dit。Howareyounow，mydear？Nobetter？No，mydear，itain’ttobeexpected；
you’llbeworsebeforeyou’rebetter，andyouknowit，don’tyou？
Yes。That’sright!Andtothinkofasweetlittlecherubbeingborninsidethelock!Nowain’titpretty，ain’tTHATsomethingtocarryyouthroughitpleasant？Why，weain’thadsuchathinghappenhere，mydear，notforIcouldn’tnamethetimewhen。Andyouacryingtoo？’saidMrsBangham，torallythepatientmoreandmore。’You!Makingyourselfsofamous!Withthefliesafallingintothegallipotsbyfifties!Andeverythingagoingonsowell!
Andhereifthereain’t，’saidMrsBanghamasthedooropened，’ifthereain’tyourdeargentlemanalongwithDrHaggage!AndnowindeedweAREcomplete，ITHINK!’
Thedoctorwasscarcelythekindofapparitiontoinspireapatientwithasenseofabsolutecompleteness，butashepresentlydeliveredtheopinion，’Weareasrightaswecanbe，MrsBangham，andweshallcomeoutofthislikeahouseafire；’andasheandMrsBanghamtookpossessionofthepoorhelplesspair，aseverybodyelseandanybodyelsehadalwaysdone，themeansathandwereasgoodonthewholeasbetterwouldhavebeen。ThespecialfeatureinDrHaggage’streatmentofthecase，washisdeterminationtokeepMrsBanghamuptothemark。Asthus：
’MrsBangham，’saidthedoctor，beforehehadbeentheretwentyminutes，’gooutsideandfetchalittlebrandy，orweshallhaveyougivingin。’
’Thankyou，sir。Butnoneonmyaccounts，’saidMrsBangham。
’MrsBangham，’returnedthedoctor，’Iaminprofessionalattendanceonthislady，anddon’tchoosetoallowanydiscussiononyourpart。Gooutsideandfetchalittlebrandy，orIforeseethatyou’llbreakdown。’
’You’retobeobeyed，sir，’saidMrsBangham，rising。’Ifyouwastoputyourownlipstoit，Ithinkyouwouldn’tbetheworse，foryoulookbutpoorly，sir。’
’MrsBangham，’returnedthedoctor，’Iamnotyourbusiness，thankyou，butyouaremine。NeveryoumindME，ifyouplease。Whatyouhavegottodo，is，todoasyouaretold，andtogoandgetwhatIbidyou。’
MrsBanghamsubmitted；andthedoctor，havingadministeredherpotion，tookhisown。Herepeatedthetreatmenteveryhour，beingverydeterminedwithMrsBangham。Threeorfourhourspassed；thefliesfellintothetrapsbyhundreds；andatlengthonelittlelife，hardlystrongerthantheirs，appearedamongthemultitudeoflesserdeaths。
’Averynicelittlegirlindeed，’saidthedoctor；’little，butwell-formed。Halloa，MrsBangham!You’relookingqueer!Youbeoff，ma’am，thisminute，andfetchalittlemorebrandy，orweshallhaveyouinhysterics。’
Bythistime，theringshadbeguntofallfromthedebtor’sirresolutehands，likeleavesfromawintrytree。Notonewasleftuponthemthatnight，whenheputsomethingthatchinkedintothedoctor’sgreasypalm。InthemeantimeMrsBanghamhadbeenoutonanerrandtoaneighbouringestablishmentdecoratedwiththreegoldenballs，whereshewasverywellknown。
’Thankyou，’saidthedoctor，’thankyou。Yourgoodladyisquitecomposed。Doingcharmingly。’
’Iamveryhappyandverythankfultoknowit，’saidthedebtor，’thoughIlittlethoughtonce，that——’
’Thatachildwouldbeborntoyouinaplacelikethis？’saidthedoctor。’Bah，bah，sir，whatdoesitsignify？Alittlemoreelbow-roomisallwewanthere。Wearequiethere；wedon’tgetbadgeredhere；there’snoknockerhere，sir，tobehammeredatbycreditorsandbringaman’sheartintohismouth。Nobodycomesheretoaskifaman’sathome，andtosayhe’llstandonthedoormattillheis。Nobodywritesthreateninglettersaboutmoneytothisplace。It’sfreedom，sir，it’sfreedom!Ihavehadto-day’spracticeathomeandabroad，onamarch，andaboardship，andI’lltellyouthis：Idon’tknowthatIhaveeverpursueditundersuchquietcircumstancesasherethisday。Elsewhere，peoplearerestless，worried，hurriedabout，anxiousrespectingonething，anxiousrespectinganother。Nothingofthekindhere，sir。Wehavedoneallthat——weknowtheworstofit；wehavegottothebottom，wecan’tfall，andwhathavewefound？Peace。That’sthewordforit。Peace。’Withthisprofessionoffaith，thedoctor，whowasanoldjail-bird，andwasmoresoddenthanusual，andhadtheadditionalandunusualstimulusofmoneyinhispocket，returnedtohisassociateandchuminhoarseness，puffiness，red-
facedness，all-fours，tobacco，dirt，andbrandy。
Now，thedebtorwasaverydifferentmanfromthedoctor，buthehadalreadybeguntotravel，byhisoppositesegmentofthecircle，tothesamepoint。Crushedatfirstbyhisimprisonment，hehadsoonfoundadullreliefinit。Hewasunderlockandkey；butthelockandkeythatkepthimin，keptnumbersofhistroublesout。
Ifhehadbeenamanwithstrengthofpurposetofacethosetroublesandfightthem，hemighthavebrokenthenetthatheldhim，orbrokenhisheart；butbeingwhathewas，helanguidlyslippedintothissmoothdescent，andnevermoretookonestepupward。
Whenhewasrelievedoftheperplexedaffairsthatnothingwouldmakeplain，throughhavingthemreturneduponhishandsbyadozenagentsinsuccessionwhocouldmakeneitherbeginning，middle，norendofthemorhim，hefoundhismiserableplaceofrefugeaquieterrefugethanithadbeenbefore。Hehadunpackedtheportmanteaulongago；andhiselderchildrennowplayedregularlyabouttheyard，andeverybodyknewthebaby，andclaimedakindofproprietorshipinher。
’Why，I’mgettingproudofyou，’saidhisfriendtheturnkey，oneday。’You’llbetheoldestinhabitantsoon。TheMarshalseawouldn’tbeliketheMarshalseanow，withoutyouandyourfamily。’
Theturnkeyreallywasproudofhim。Hewouldmentionhiminlaudatorytermstonew-comers，whenhisbackwasturned。’Youtooknoticeofhim，’hewouldsay，’thatwentoutofthelodgejustnow？’
New-comerwouldprobablyanswerYes。
’Broughtupasagentleman，hewas，ifeveramanwas。Ed’catedatnoendofexpense。WentintotheMarshal’shouseoncetotryanewpianoforhim。Playedit，Iunderstand，likeoneo’clock——
beautiful!Astolanguages——speaksanything。We’vehadaFrenchmanhereinhistime，andit’smyopinionheknowedmoreFrenchthantheFrenchmandid。We’vehadanItalianhereinhistime，andheshuthimupinabouthalfaminute。You’llfindsomecharactersbehindotherlocks，Idon’tsayyouwon’t；butifyouwantthetopsawyerinsuchrespectsasI’vementioned，youmustcometotheMarshalsea。’
Whenhisyoungestchildwaseightyearsold，hiswife，whohadlongbeenlanguishingaway——ofherowninherentweakness，notthatsheretainedanygreatersensitivenessastoherplaceofabodethanhedid——wentuponavisittoapoorfriendandoldnurseinthecountry，anddiedthere。Heremainedshutupinhisroomforafortnightafterwards；andanattorney’sclerk，whowasgoingthroughtheInsolventCourt，engrossedanaddressofcondolencetohim，whichlookedlikeaLease，andwhichalltheprisonerssigned。
Whenheappearedagainhewasgreyerhehadsoonbeguntoturngrey；andtheturnkeynoticedthathishandswentoftentohistremblinglipsagain，astheyhadusedtodowhenhefirstcamein。
Buthegotprettywelloveritinamonthortwo；andinthemeantimethechildrenplayedabouttheyardasregularlyasever，butinblack。
ThenMrsBangham，longpopularmediumofcommunicationwiththeouterworld，begantobeinfirm，andtobefoundoftenerthanusualcomatoseonpavements，withherbasketofpurchasesspilt，andthechangeofherclientsninepenceshort。HissonbegantosupersedeMrsBangham，andtoexecutecommissionsinaknowingmanner，andtobeoftheprisonprisonous，ofthestreetsstreety。