’WellIhowdoYOUdo？’saysMr。Superintendent，lookingabouthim。
’Prettywell，sir，andhopeyougentlemenaregoingtotreatusladies，nowyouhavecometoseeus。’
’Orderthere！’saysSharpeye。
’Noneofthat！’saysQuickear。
Trampfoot，outside，isheardtoconfidetohimself，’Meggisson’slotthisis。Andabad’un！’
’Well！’saysMr。Superintendent，layinghishandontheshoulderoftheswarthyyouth，’andwho’sthis？’
’Antonio，sir。’
’AndwhatdoesHEdohere？’
’Cometogiveusabitofmusic。Noharminthat，Isuppose？’
’Ayoungforeignsailor？’
’Yes。He’saSpaniard。You’reaSpaniard，ain’tyou，Antonio？’
’MeSpanish。’
’Andhedon’tknowawordyousay，nothe；notifyouwastotalktohimtilldoomsday。’Triumphantly，asifitredoundedtothecreditofthehouse。
’Willheplaysomething？’
’Oh，yes，ifyoulike。Playsomething，Antonio。YOUain’tashamedtoplaysomething；areyou？’
Thecrackedguitarraisesthefeeblestghostofatune，andthreeofthewomenkeeptimetoitwiththeirheads，andthefourthwiththechild。IfAntoniohasbroughtanymoneyinwithhim，Iamafraidhewillnevertakeitout，anditevenstrikesmethathisjacketandguitarmaybeinabadway。But，thelookoftheyoungmanandthetinklingoftheinstrumentsochangetheplaceinamomenttoaleafoutofDonQuixote，thatIwonderwherehismuleisstabled，untilheleavesoff。
Iamboundtoacknowledgeasittendsrathertomyuncommercialconfusion，thatIoccasionedadifficultyinthisestablishment，byhavingtakenthechildinmyarms。For，onmyofferingtorestoreittoaferociousjokernotunstimulatedbyrum，whoclaimedtobeitsmother，thatunnaturalparentputherhandsbehindher，anddeclinedtoacceptit；backingintothefireplace，andveryshrillydeclaring，regardlessofremonstrancefromherfriends，thatsheknowedittobeLaw，thatwhoevertookachildfromitsmotherofhisownwill，wasboundtosticktoit。Theuncommercialsenseofbeinginaratherridiculouspositionwiththepoorlittlechildbeginningtobefrightened，wasrelievedbymyworthyfriendandfellow-constable，Trampfoot；who，layinghandsonthearticleasifitwereaBottle，passeditontothenearestwoman，andbadeher’takeholdofthat。’AswecameouttheBottlewaspassedtotheferociousjoker，andtheyallsatdownasbefore，includingAntonioandtheguitar。Itwasclearthattherewasnosuchthingasanightcaptothisbaby’shead，andthatevenheneverwenttobed，butwasalwayskeptup-andwouldgrowup，keptup-waitingforJack。
Laterstillinthenight，wecamebythecourt’wherethemanwasmurdered，’andbytheothercourtacrossthestreet，intowhichhisbodywasdraggedtoanotherparlourinanotherEntry，whereseveralpeopleweresittingroundafireinjustthesameway。Itwasadirtyandoffensiveplace，withsomeraggedclothesdryinginit；buttherewasahighshelfovertheentrance-doortobeoutofthereachofmaraudinghands，possiblywithtwolargewhiteloavesonit，andagreatpieceofCheshirecheese。
’Well！’saysMr。Superintendent，withacomprehensivelookallround。’HowdoYOUdo？’
’Notmuchtoboastof，sir。’Fromthecurtseyingwomanofthehouse。’Thisismygoodman，sir。’
’YouarenotregisteredasacommonLodgingHouse？’
’No，sir。’
SharpeyeintheMove-ontoneputsinthepertinentinquiry，’Thenwhyain’tyou？’
’Ain’tgotnoonehere，Mr。Sharpeye，’rejointhewomanandmygoodmantogether，’butourownfamily。’
’Howmanyareyouinfamily？’
Thewomantakestimetocount，underpretenceofcoughing，andadds，asonescantofbreath，’Seven，sir。’
Butshehasmissedone，soSharpeye，whoknowsallaboutit，says:
’Here’sayoungmanheremakeseight，whoain’tofyourfamily？’
’No，Mr。Sharpeye，he’saweeklylodger。’
’Whatdoeshedoforaliving？’
Theyoungmanhere，takesthereplyuponhimself，andshortlyanswers，’Ain’tgotnothingtodo。’
Theyoungmanhere，ismodestlybroodingbehindadampapronpendentfromaclothes-line。AsIglanceathimIbecome-butI
don’tknowwhy-vaguelyremindedofWoolwich，Chatham，Portsmouth，andDover。Whenwegetout，myrespectedfellow-constableSharpeye，addressingMr。Superintendent，says:
’Younoticedthatyoungman，sir，inatDarby’s？’
’Yes。Whatishe？’
’Deserter，sir。’
Mr。Sharpeyefurtherintimatesthatwhenwehavedonewithhisservices，hewillstepbackandtakethatyoungman。Whichincourseoftimehedoes:feelingatperfecteaseaboutfindinghim，andknowingforamoralcertaintythatnobodyinthatregionwillbegonetobed。
Laterstillinthenight，wecametoanotherparlourupasteportwofromthestreet，whichwasverycleanly，neatly，eventastefully，kept，andinwhich，setforthonadrapedchestofdrawersmaskingthestaircase，wassuchaprofusionofornamentalcrockery，thatitwouldhavefurnishedforthahandsomesale-boothatafair。Itbackedupastoutoldlady-HOGARTHdrewherexactlikenessmorethanonce-andaboywhowascarefullywritingacopyinacopy-book。
’Well，ma’am，howdoYOUdo？’
Sweetly，shecanassurethedeargentlemen，sweetly。Charmingly，charmingly。Andoverjoyedtoseeus！
’Why，thisisastrangetimeforthisboytobewritinghiscopy。
Inthemiddleofthenight！’
’Soitis，deargentlemen，Heavenblessyourwelcomefacesandsendyeprosperous，buthehasbeentothePlaywithayoungfriendforhisdiversion，andhecombinateshisimprovementwithentertainment，bydoinghisschool-writingafterwards，Godbegoodtoye！’
Thecopyadmonishedhumannaturetosubjugatethefireofeveryfiercedesire。Onemighthavethoughtitrecommendedstirringthefire，theoldladysoapprovedit。Thereshesat，rosilybeamingatthecopy-bookandtheboy，andinvokingshowersofblessingsonourheads，whenweleftherinthemiddleofthenight，waitingforJack。
Laterstillinthenight，wecametoanauseousroomwithanearthfloor，intowhichtherefusescumofanalleytrickled。Thestenchofthishabitationwasabominable；theseemingpovertyofit，diseasedanddire。Yet，hereagain，wasvisitororlodger-amansittingbeforethefire，liketherestofthemelsewhere，andapparentlynotdistastefultothemistress’sniece，whowasalsobeforethefire。Themistressherselfhadthemisfortuneofbeinginjail。
Threeweirdoldwomenoftranscendentghastliness，wereatneedleworkatatableinthisroom。SaysTrampfoottoFirstWitch，’Whatareyoumaking？’Saysshe，’Money-bags。’
’WHATareyoumaking？’retortsTrampfoot，alittleoffhisbalance。
’Bagstoholdyourmoney，’saysthewitch，shakingherhead，andsettingherteeth；’youashasgotit。’
Sheholdsupacommoncash-bag，andonthetableisaheapofsuchbags。WitchTwolaughsatus。WitchThreescowlsatus。Witchsisterhoodall，stitch，stitch。FirstWitchhasacircleroundeacheye。Ifancyitlikethebeginningofthedevelopmentofaperverteddiabolicalhalo，andthatwhenitspreadsallroundherhead，shewilldieintheodourofdevilry。
TrampfootwishestobeinformedwhatFirstWitchhasgotbehindthetable，downbythesideofher，there？WitchesTwoandThreecroakangrily，’Showhimthechild！’
Shedragsoutaskinnylittlearmfromabrowndustheapontheground。Adjurednottodisturbthechild，sheletsitdropagain。
ThuswefindatlastthatthereisonechildintheworldofEntrieswhogoestobed-ifthisbebed。
Mr。Superintendentaskshowlongaretheygoingtoworkatthosebags？
Howlong？FirstWitchrepeats。Goingtohavesupperpresently。
Seethecupsandsaucers，andtheplates。
’Late？Ay！Butwehasto’arnoursupperaforeweeatsit！’BoththeotherwitchesrepeatthisafterFirstWitch，andtaketheUncommercialmeasurementwiththeireyes，asforacharmedwinding-
sheet。Somegrimdiscourseensues，referringtothemistressofthecave，whowillbereleasedfromjailto-morrow。WitchespronounceTrampfoot’rightthere，’whenhedeemsitatryingdistancefortheoldladytowalk；sheshallbefetchedbynieceinaspring-cart。
AsItookapartinglookatFirstWitchinturningaway，theredmarksroundhereyesseemedtohavealreadygrownlarger，andshehungrilyandthirstilylookedoutbeyondmeintothedarkdoorway，toseeifJackwasthere。For，Jackcameevenhere，andthemistresshadgotintojailthroughdeludingJack。
WhenIatlastendedthisnightoftravelandgottobed，IfailedtokeepmymindoncomfortablethoughtsofSeaman’sHomesnotoverdonewithstrictness，andimproveddockregulationsgivingJackgreaterbenefitoffireandcandleaboardship，throughmymind’swanderingamongtheverminIhadseen。Afterwardsthesameverminranallovermysleep。Evermore，whenonabreezydayIseePoorMercantileJackrunningintoportwithafairwindunderallsail，Ishallthinkoftheunsleepinghostofdevourerswhonevergotobed，andarealwaysintheirsettrapswaitingforhim。