“What has he done?”

“Refractory at crank.”

“I saw him working at the crank when I came here last.”

“Hasn’t made his number good, though.”

“Humph!  You have the governor’s own orders?”

“Yes, sir.”

“How long is he to be so?”

“Till fresh orders.”

“I will see the effect of this punishment on the prisoner and note it down for my report.”  And he took out his note-book and leaned his back against the wall.

The simple action of taking out a notebook gave the operators a certain qualm of doubt.  Fry whispered Hodges to go and tell the governor.  On his return Hodges found the parties as he had left them, except Robinson—­he was paler and his lips turning bluer.

“Your victim is fainting,” said the chaplain sternly.

“Only shamming, sir,” said Fry.  “Bucket, Hodges.”

The bucket was brought and the contents were flung over Robinson.

The chaplain gave a cry of dismay.  The turnkeys both laughed at this.

“You see he was only shamming, sir,” said Hodges.  “He is come to the moment the water touched him.”

“A plain proof he was not shamming.  A bucket of water thrown over any one about to faint would always bring them to; but if a man had made up his mind to sham, he could do it in spite of water.  Of course you will take him down now?”

“Not till fresh orders.”

“On your peril be it if any harm befalls this prisoner—­you are warned.”

At this juncture Hawes came into the yard.  His cheek was flushed and his eye glittered.  He expected and rather hoped a collision with his reverence.

“Well, what is the matter?”

“Nothing, sir; only his reverence is threatening us.”

“What is he threatening you for?”

“Mr. Hawes, I told these men that I should hold them responsible if any harm came to the prisoner for their cruelty.  I now tell you that he has just fainted from bodily distress caused by this infernal engine, and I hold you, Mr. Hawes, responsible for this man’s life and well-being, which are here attacked contrary to the custom of all her majesty’s prisons, and contrary to the intention of all punishment, which is for the culprit’s good, not for his injury either in soul or body.

“And what will you do?” said Hawes, glaring contemptuously at the turnkeys, who wore rather a blank look.

“Mr. Hawes,” replied the other gravely, “I have spoken to warn you, not to threaten you.”

“What I do is done with the consent of the visiting justices.  They are my masters, and no one else.”

“They have not seen a prisoner crucified.”

“Crucified!  What d’ye mean by crucified?”

“Don’t you see that the torture before our eyes is crucifixion?”

“No!  I don’t.  No nails!”

“Nails were not always used in crucifixion; sometimes cords.  Don’t deceive yourself with a name; nothing misleads like a false name.  This punishment is falsely called the jacket—­it is jacket, collar, straps, applied with cruelty.  It is crucifixion minus nails but plus a collar.”