第4章

Excitedintoastillgreaterresemblancetoacagedwildanimalbyhisanxietytoknowmore，theprisonerleapednimblydown，ranroundthechamber，leapednimblyupagain，claspedthegrateandtriedtoshakeit，leapeddownandran，leapedupandlistened，andneverresteduntilthenoise，becomingmoreandmoredistant，haddiedaway。Howmanybetterprisonershaveworntheirnobleheartsoutso；nomanthinkingofit；noteventhebelovedoftheirsoulsrealisingit；greatkingsandgovernors，whohadmadethemcaptive，careeringinthesunlightjauntily，andmencheeringthemon。Eventhesaidgreatpersonagesdyinginbed，makingexemplaryendsandsoundingspeeches；andpolitehistory，moreservilethantheirinstruments，embalmingthem!

Atlast，JohnBaptist，nowabletochoosehisownspotwithinthecompassofthosewallsfortheexerciseofhisfacultyofgoingtosleepwhenhewould，laydownuponthebench，withhisfaceturnedoveronhiscrossedarms，andslumbered。Inhissubmission，inhislightness，inhisgoodhumour，inhisshort-livedpassion，inhiseasycontentmentwithhardbreadandhardstones，inhisreadysleep，inhisfitsandstarts，altogetheratruesonofthelandthatgavehimbirth。

Thewidestarestareditselfoutforonewhile；theSunwentdowninared，green，goldenglory；thestarscameoutintheheavens，andthefire-fliesmimickedtheminthelowerair，asmenmayfeeblyimitatethegoodnessofabetterorderofbeings；thelongdustyroadsandtheinterminableplainswereinrepose——andsodeepahushwasonthesea，thatitscarcelywhisperedofthetimewhenitshallgiveupitsdead。

FellowTravellers’Nomoreofyesterday’showlingoveryonderto-day，Sir；isthere？’

’Ihaveheardnone。’

’Thenyoumaybesurethereisnone。Whenthesepeoplehowl，theyhowltobeheard。’

’Mostpeopledo，Isuppose。’

’Ah!butthesepeoplearealwayshowling。Neverhappyotherwise。’

’DoyoumeantheMarseillespeople？’

’ImeantheFrenchpeople。They’realwaysatit。AstoMarseilles，weknowwhatMarseillesis。Itsentthemostinsurrectionarytuneintotheworldthatwasevercomposed。Itcouldn’texistwithoutallongingandmarshongingtosomethingorother——victoryordeath，orblazes，orsomething。’

Thespeaker，withawhimsicalgoodhumouruponhimallthetime，lookedovertheparapet-wallwiththegreatestdisparagementofMarseilles；andtakingupadeterminedpositionbyputtinghishandsinhispocketsandrattlinghismoneyatit，apostrophiseditwithashortlaugh。

’Allongandmarshong，indeed。Itwouldbemorecreditabletoyou，Ithink，toletotherpeopleallongandmarshongabouttheirlawfulbusiness，insteadofshutting’emupinquarantine!’

’Tiresomeenough，’saidtheother。’Butweshallbeoutto-day。’

’Outto-day!’repeatedthefirst。’It’salmostanaggravationoftheenormity，thatweshallbeoutto-day。Out!Whathaveweeverbeeninfor？’

’Fornoverystrongreason，Imustsay。ButaswecomefromtheEast，andastheEastisthecountryoftheplague——’

’Theplague!’repeatedtheother。’That’smygrievance。Ihavehadtheplaguecontinually，eversinceIhavebeenhere。Iamlikeasanemanshutupinamadhouse；Ican’tstandthesuspicionofthething。IcamehereaswellaseverIwasinmylife；buttosuspectmeoftheplagueistogivemetheplague。AndIhavehadit——andIhavegotit。’

’Youbearitverywell，MrMeagles，’saidthesecondspeaker，smiling。

’No。Ifyouknewtherealstateofthecase，that’sthelastobservationyouwouldthinkofmaking。Ihavebeenwakingupnightafternight，andsaying，NOWIhavegotit，NOWithasdevelopeditself，NOWIaminforit，NOWthesefellowsaremakingouttheircasefortheirprecautions。Why，I’dassoonhaveaspitputthroughme，andbestuckuponacardinacollectionofbeetles，asleadthelifeIhavebeenleadinghere。’

’Well，MrMeagles，saynomoreaboutitnowit’sover，’urgedacheerfulfemininevoice。

’Over!’repeatedMrMeagles，whoappeared(thoughwithoutanyill-

nature)tobeinthatpeculiarstateofmindinwhichthelastwordspokenbyanybodyelseisanewinjury。’Over!andwhyshouldI

saynomoreaboutitbecauseit’sover？’

ItwasMrsMeagleswhohadspokentoMrMeagles；andMrsMeagleswas，likeMrMeagles，comelyandhealthy，withapleasantEnglishfacewhichhadbeenlookingathomelythingsforfive-and-fiftyyearsormore，andshonewithabrightreflectionofthem。

’There!Nevermind，Father，nevermind!’saidMrsMeagles。’ForgoodnesssakecontentyourselfwithPet。’

’WithPet？’repeatedMrMeaglesinhisinjuredvein。Pet，however，beingclosebehindhim，touchedhimontheshoulder，andMrMeaglesimmediatelyforgaveMarseillesfromthebottomofhisheart。

Petwasabouttwenty。Afairgirlwithrichbrownhairhangingfreeinnaturalringlets。Alovelygirl，withafrankface，andwonderfuleyes；solarge，sosoft，sobright，settosuchperfectioninherkindgoodhead。Shewasroundandfreshanddimpledandspoilt，andtherewasinPetanairoftimidityanddependencewhichwasthebestweaknessintheworld，andgavehertheonlycrowningcharmagirlsoprettyandpleasantcouldhavebeenwithout。

’Now，Iaskyou，’saidMrMeaglesintheblandestconfidence，fallingbackastephimself，andhandinghisdaughterastepforwardtoillustratehisquestion：’Iaskyousimply，asbetweenmanandman，youknow，DIDyoueverhearofsuchdamnednonsenseasputtingPetinquarantine？’

’Ithashadtheresultofmakingevenquarantineenjoyable。’

’Come!’saidMrMeagles，’that’ssomethingtobesure。Iamobligedtoyouforthatremark。Now，Pet，mydarling，youhadbettergoalongwithMotherandgetreadyfortheboat。Theofficerofhealth，andavarietyofhumbugsincockedhats，arecomingofftoletusoutofthisatlast：andallwejail-birdsaretobreakfasttogetherinsomethingapproachingtoaChristianstyleagain，beforewetakewingforourdifferentdestinations。

Tattycoram，stickyouclosetoyouryoungmistress。’

Hespoketoahandsomegirlwithlustrousdarkhairandeyes，andveryneatlydressed，whorepliedwithahalfcurtseyasshepassedoffinthetrainofMrsMeaglesandPet。Theycrossedthebarescorchedterraceallthreetogether，anddisappearedthroughastaringwhitearchway。MrMeagles’scompanion，agravedarkmanofforty，stillstoodlookingtowardsthisarchwayaftertheyweregone；untilMrMeaglestappedhimonthearm。

’Ibegyourpardon，’saidhe，starting。

’Notatall，’saidMrMeagles。

Theytookonesilentturnbackwardandforwardintheshadeofthewall，getting，attheheightonwhichthequarantinebarracksareplaced，whatcoolrefreshmentofseabreezetherewasatseveninthemorning。MrMeagles’scompanionresumedtheconversation。

’MayIaskyou，’hesaid，’whatisthenameof——’

’Tattycoram？’MrMeaglesstruckin。’Ihavenottheleastidea。’

’Ithought，’saidtheother，’that——’

’Tattycoram？’suggestedMrMeaglesagain。

’Thankyou——thatTattycoramwasaname；andIhaveseveraltimeswonderedattheoddityofit。’

’Why，thefactis，’saidMrMeagles，’MrsMeaglesandmyselfare，yousee，practicalpeople。’

’Thatyouhavefrequentlymentionedinthecourseoftheagreeableandinterestingconversationswehavehadtogether，walkingupanddownonthesestones，’saidtheother，withahalfsmilebreakingthroughthegravityofhisdarkface。

’Practicalpeople。Sooneday，fiveorsixyearsagonow，whenwetookPettochurchattheFoundling——youhaveheardoftheFoundlingHospitalinLondon？SimilartotheInstitutionfortheFoundChildreninParis？’

’Ihaveseenit。’

’Well!OnedaywhenwetookPettochurchtheretohearthemusic——because，aspracticalpeople，itisthebusinessofourlivestoshowhereverythingthatwethinkcanpleaseher——Mother(myusualnameforMrsMeagles)begantocryso，thatitwasnecessarytotakeherout。“What’sthematter，Mother？“saidI，whenwehadbroughtheralittleround：“youarefrighteningPet，mydear。““Yes，Iknowthat，Father，“saysMother，“butIthinkit’sthroughmylovinghersomuch，thatitevercameintomyhead。““Thateverwhatcameintoyourhead，Mother？““Odear，dear!“criedMother，breakingoutagain，“whenIsawallthosechildrenrangedtierabovetier，andappealingfromthefathernoneofthemhaseverknownonearth，tothegreatFatherofusallinHeaven，Ithought，doesanywretchedmotherevercomehere，andlookamongthoseyoungfaces，wonderingwhichisthepoorchildshebroughtintothisforlornworld，neverthroughallitslifetoknowherlove，herkiss，herface，hervoice，evenhername!“NowthatwaspracticalinMother，andItoldherso。Isaid，“Mother，that’swhatIcallpracticalinyou，mydear。“’

Theother，notunmoved，assented。

’SoIsaidnextday：Now，Mother，IhaveapropositiontomakethatIthinkyou’llapproveof。LetustakeoneofthosesamelittlechildrentobealittlemaidtoPet。Wearepracticalpeople。Soifweshouldfindhertemperalittledefective，oranyofherwaysalittlewideofours，weshallknowwhatwehavetotakeintoaccount。Weshallknowwhatanimmensedeductionmustbemadefromalltheinfluencesandexperiencesthathaveformedus——noparents，nochild-brotherorsister，noindividualityofhome，noGlassSlipper，orFairyGodmother。Andthat’sthewaywecamebyTattycoram。’

’Andthenameitself——’

’ByGeorge!’saidMrMeagles，’Iwasforgettingthenameitself。

Why，shewascalledintheInstitution，HarrietBeadle——anarbitraryname，ofcourse。Now，HarrietwechangedintoHattey，andthenintoTatty，because，aspracticalpeople，wethoughtevenaplayfulnamemightbeanewthingtoher，andmighthaveasofteningandaffectionatekindofeffect，don’tyousee？AstoBeadle，thatIneedn’tsaywaswhollyoutofthequestion。Ifthereisanythingthatisnottobetoleratedonanyterms，anythingthatisatypeofJack-in-officeinsolenceandabsurdity，anythingthatrepresentsincoats，waistcoats，andbigsticksourEnglishholdingonbynonsenseaftereveryonehasfounditout，itisabeadle。Youhaven’tseenabeadlelately？’