"Who is that?" she cried.
"Oh, you needn't think as it's robbers—it's only me," said a voice. "You are quite safe here, ma'am. That's one good of being in the stone jug: you needn't be afraid of thieves breaking into your place."
She saw that it was the turnkey whose duty it was to keep watch in the passage outside her cell.
"What do you want here?" she said, "Cannot I have the poor privilege of being left alone?"
"Oh, yes, only it's your rations' time, and here's your boiled rice and water, and here's your loaf, mum. In course, that ain't exactly the sort of thing you have been accustomed to; but it's all the county allows—only between you and me and the post, Mrs. Lovett, as they say you have got a pretty heavy purse, you can have just what you like."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, in a moderate way you know. You have only to pay, and you can have anything."
"Then even Newgate is like the rest of the world. Money rules even here, does it?"
"Why, in a manner of speaking, a guinea is worth twenty-one shillings here, just the same as it is outside, ma'am."
"Then how much will purchase my liberty?"