“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.