He had never been in prison in a legal sense, never having been convicted of anything; but he did not know the difference between detention and imprisonment.
“Prison!” she exclaimed, holding up her hands in horror. “How dare you mention prison!”
“Because I was in it, ma’am.”
“And to say it so coolly too! Are you not ashamed of yourself?”
“No, ma’am.”
“It’s a shame to have been in prison.”
“Not if I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Nobody will believe that, I’m afraid!”
“I suppose not, ma’am! I used to feel very angry when people wouldn’t believe me, but now I see they are not to blame. And now I’ve got used to it, and it don’t hurt so much.—But,” he added with a sigh, “the worst of it is, they won’t give me any work!”
“Do you always tell people you’ve come out of prison?”