‘Two,’ said the debtor, lifting his irresolute hand to his lip again, and turning into the prison.
The turnkey followed him with his eyes. ‘And you another,’ he observed to himself, ‘which makes three on you. And your wife another, I’ll lay a crown. Which makes four on you. And another coming, I’ll lay half-a-crown. Which’ll make five on you. And I’ll go another seven and sixpence to name which is the helplessest, the unborn baby or you!’
He was right in all his particulars. She came next day with a little boy of three years old, and a little girl of two, and he stood entirely corroborated.
‘Got a room now; haven’t you?’ the turnkey asked the debtor after a week or two.
‘Yes, I have got a very good room.’
‘Any little sticks a coming to furnish it?’ said the turnkey.
‘I expect a few necessary articles of furniture to be delivered by the carrier, this afternoon.’
‘Missis and little ‘uns a coming to keep you company?’ asked the turnkey.
‘Why, yes, we think it better that we should not be scattered, even for a few weeks.’
‘Even for a few weeks, of course,’ replied the turnkey. And he followed him again with his eyes, and nodded his head seven times when he was gone.