“Yes! he hates work.  About Gillies, sir—­ringing his bell and pretending it was an accident?”

“Yes! how old is he?”

“Thirteen.”

“Is this his first offense?”

“Not by a good many.  I think, gentlemen, if you were to order him a flogging it would be better for him in the end.”

“Well, give him twenty lashes.  Eh:  Palmer?”

Mr. Palmer assented by a nod.

“I beg your pardon, sir,” said Hawes, “but will you allow me to make a remark?”

“Certainly, Mr. Hawes, certainly!”

“I find twenty lashes all at once rather too much for a lad of that age.  Now, if you would allow me to divide the punishment into two so that his health might not be endangered by it, then we could give him ten or even twelve, and after a day or two as many more.”

“That speaks well for your humanity, Mr. Hawes; your zeal we have long known.”

“Augh, sir! sir!”

“I will sign the order, and we authorize you here to divide the punishment according to your own suggestion.” (Order signed.)

The justices then went round the cells accompanied by Hawes.  They went into the cells with an expression of a little curiosity but more repugnance on their faces, and asked several prisoners if they were well and contented.  The men looked with the shrewdness of their class into their visitors’ faces and measured them; saw there, first a feeble understanding, secondly an adamantine prejudice; saw that in those eyes they were wild beasts and Hawes an angel, and answered to please Hawes, whose eye was fixed on them all this time and in whose power they felt they were.

All expressed their content.  Some in tones so languid and empty of heart that none but Justice Shallow could have helped seeing through the humbug.  Others did it better; and not a few overdid it, so that any but Justice Shallow would have seen through them.  These last told Messrs. Shallow and Slender that the best thing that ever happened to them was coming to ——­ Jail.  They thanked Heaven they had been pulled up short in an evil career that must have ended in their ruin body and soul.  As for their present situation, they were never happier in their lives, and some of them doubted much whether, when they should reach the penal settlements, the access of liberty would repay them for the increased temptations and the loss of quiet meditation and self-communion and the good advice of Mr. Hawes and of his reverence, the chaplain.

The jail-birds who piped this tune were without a single exception the desperate cases of this moral hospital.  They were old offenders—­hardened scoundrels who meant to rob and kill and deceive to their dying day.  While in prison their game was to be as comfortable as they could.  Hawes could make them uncomfortable; he was always there.  Under these circumstances to lie came on the instant as natural to them as to rob would have come had some power transported them outside the prison doors with these words of penitence on their lips.