Chapter XLI

What Befell Mr Pickwick When He Got Into The Fleet; What

Prisoners He Saw There, And How He Passed The Night

Mr Tom Roker, the gentleman who had accompanied Mr Pickwick into

the prison, turned sharp round to the right when he got to the bottom

of the little flight of steps, and led the way, through an iron gate which

stood open, and up another short flight of steps, into a long narrow

gallery, dirty and low, paved with stone, and very dimly lighted by a

window at each remote end.

'This,' said the gentleman, thrusting his hands into his pockets, and

looking carelessly over his shoulder to Mr Pickwick - 'this here is the

hall flight.'

Oh,' replied Mr Pickwick, looking down a dark and filthy staircase,

which appeared to lead to a range of damp and gloomy stone vaults,

beneath the ground, 'and those, I suppose, are the little cellars where

the prisoners keep their small quantities of coals. Unpleasant places

to have to go down to; but very convenient, I dare say.'

'Yes, I shouldn't wonder if they was convenient,' replied the

gentleman, 'seeing that a few people live there, pretty snug. That's the

Fair, that is.'

'My friend,' said Mr Pickwick, 'you don't really mean to say that

human beings live down in those wretched dungeons?'

'Don't I?' replied Mr Roker, with indignant astonishment; 'why

shouldn't I?'

Live! - live down there!' exclaimed Mr Pickwick.

Live down there! Yes, and die down there, too, very often!' replied Mr

Roker; 'and what of that? Who's got to say anything agin it? Live down

there! Yes, and a wery good place it is to live in, ain't it?'

As Roker turned somewhat fiercely upon Mr Pickwick in saying this,

and moreover muttered in an excited fashion certain unpleasant

invocations concerning his own eyes, limbs, and circulating fluids, the

latter gentleman deemed it advisable to pursue the discourse no

further. Mr Roker then proceeded to mount another staircase, as dirty

as that which led to the place which has just been the subject of

discussion, in which ascent he was closely followed by Mr Pickwick

and Sam.

The Pickwick Papers