Vol.1 f.058 recto

By this time the collegian would be up with him, and he would paternally add, “What have you forgotten? What can I do for you?”

“I forgot to leave this, if you please” the collegian would usually return, “for the Father of the Marshalsea.”

“My good My good sir,” he would rejoin, taking the bit of paper with “he is infinitely obliged to you.” But to the last the irresolute
hand of old would remain in the pocket into which he had slipped the money [???], during two or three turns
[???] about the yard, [???] lest its action the transaction should be too conspicuous to the general body of collegians.

One afternoon he had been taking leave of doing the honours of the place [at parting ?], to a rather large
party of collegians, who happened to be going out, [?? ???? afternoon] when, as he was coming back, he encountered one [??]
plasterer [????] from the poor side who had "settled" [????] execution been taken in execution for a small sum a week before, had “settled” in
the course of that afternoon, and was going out too. The man was a plasterer only a plasterer in his working
dress; carrying a bundle, and [???????????] had his wife with him and a bundle; had his wife with him, and a bundle and was in high spirits.

“God bless you, sir,” he said in passing.

“And you,” benignantly returned the Father of the Marshalsea.

They were stood yards pretty far divided [???], going their several ways, when the Plasterer called
out, “I say!—sir!” and came back to him.

“It ain’t much,” said the Plasterer, putting some putting a little pile of halfpence in his hand, “but it’s well
meant.”

The Father of the Marshalsea had never been offered tribute in copper yet. His children often had,
and with his perfect acquiescence it had gone into the common purse, [?????] to buy meat that he had eaten, and drink that he
had drunk; but fustian splashed with white lime, bestowing halfpence on him, front to front, was [??? he had ???] new.

“How dare you!” he said to the man, and feebly burst into tears.

The mere plasterer plasterer turned him turned him round and [????????] towards the wall that his face might
not be seen; and the action was so delicate, and the man was so penetrated with repentance, and asked pardon so honestly, that
[????] he could [?????????????] make him no less acknowledgment than, “I know you meant it kindly.
Say no more.”

“Bless your soul, sir,” cried said urged the plasterer, “I did indeed. I’d do more by you than the rest of
‘em do, I fancy.”

“What would you do?” he asked the Father of the Marshalsea.

“I’d come I'd come back to see you, after I was I was let out.”

[Pray do it!] said “Give me back the money again,” said the other, eagerly “and I’ll keep it, and
never spend it. Thank you for it, [??? ??? ???] you with all my heart thank you! I shall see you again?”

“If I live a week you shall.”

They shook hands and parted. The collegians, assembled in Symposium that night assembled in Symposium in the Snuggery that night, marvelled what had happened to their
Father that night; he walked so late in the shadows of the yard, and seemed so out of spirits downcast.