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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； who was an old
jail…bird； and was more sodden than usual； and had the additional and
unusual stimulus of money in his pocket； returned to his associate and
chum in hoarseness； puffiness； red…facedness； all…fours； tobacco； dirt；
and brandy。
Now； the debtor was a very different man from the doctor； but he had
already begun to travel； by his opposite segment of the circle； to the
same point。 Crushed at first by his imprisonment； he had soon found a
dull relief in it。 He was under lock and key； but the lock and key that
kept him in； kept numbers of his troubles out。 If he had been a man with
strength of purpose to face those troubles and fight them； he might have
broken the that held him； or broken his heart； but being what he
was； he languidly slipped into this smooth descent； and never more took
one step upward。
When he was relieved of the perplexed affairs that nothing would make
plain； through having them returned upon his hands by a dozen agents in
succession who could make neither beginning； middle； nor end of them or
him； he found his miserable place of refuge a quieter refuge than it
had been before。 He had unpacked the portmanteau long ago； and his elder
children now played regularly about the yard； and everybody knew the
baby； and claimed a kind of proprietorship in her。
'Why； I'm getting proud of you；' said his friend the turnkey； one day。
'You'll be the oldest inhabitant soon。 The Marshalsea wouldn't be like
the Marshalsea now； without you and your family。'
The turnkey really was proud of him。 He would mention him in laudatory
terms to new…ers； when his back was turned。 'You took notice of him；'
he would say； 'that went out of the lodge just now？'
New…er would probably answer Yes。
'Brought up as a gentleman； he was； if ever a man was。 Ed'cated at no
end of expense。 Went into the Marshal's house once to try a new piano
for him。 Played it； I understand； like one o'clock……beautiful！ As to
languages……speaks anything。 We've had a Frenchman here in his time； and
it's my opinion he knowed more French than the Frenchman did。 We've had
an Italian here in his time； and he shut him up in about half a minute。
You'll find some characters behind other locks； I don't say you won't；
but if you want the top sawyer in such respects as I've mentioned； you
must e to the Marshalsea。'
When his youngest child was eight years old； his wife； who had long been
languishing away……of her own inherent weakness； not that she retained
any greater sensitiveness as to her place of abode than he did……went
upon a visit to a poor friend and old nurse in the country； and died
there。 He remained shut up in his room for a fortnight afterwards；
and an attorney's clerk； who was going through the Insolvent Court；
engrossed an address of condolence to him； which looked like a Lease；
and which all the prisoners signed。
When he appeared again he was greyer （he had soon begun to turn grey）；
and the turnkey noticed that his hands went often to his trembl