THE GOVERNOR. [Receiving the card-with a faint smile] What do you want to see me about, sir?
COKESON. [Suddenly seeing the prisoners at exercise] Why! what a sight!
THE GOVERNOR. Yes, we have that privilege from here; my office is being done up. [Sitting down at his table] Now, please!
COKESON. [Dragging his eyes with difficulty from the window] I wanted to say a word to you; I shan't keep you long. [Confidentially] Fact is, I oughtn't to be here by rights. His sister came to me—he's got no father and mother—and she was in some distress. "My husband won't let me go and see him," she said; "says he's disgraced the family. And his other sister," she said, "is an invalid." And she asked me to come. Well, I take an interest in him. He was our junior—I go to the same chapel—and I didn't like to refuse. And what I wanted to tell you was, he seems lonely here.
THE GOVERNOR. Not unnaturally.
COKESON. I'm afraid it'll prey on my mind. I see a lot of them about working together.
THE GOVERNOR. Those are local prisoners. The convicts serve their three months here in separate confinement, sir.
COKESON. But we don't want to be unreasonable. He's quite downhearted. I wanted to ask you to let him run about with the others.
THE GOVERNOR. [With faint amusement] Ring the bell-would you, Miller? [To COKESON] You'd like to hear what the doctor says about him, perhaps.
THE CHAPLAIN. [Ringing the bell] You are not accustomed to prisons, it would seem, sir.