Vol.1 f.061 recto

18
“Supposing,” he would say, [stating that] stating the case with[the] his key on the [??????] professional gentleman’s
waistcoat; “supposing [you] a man wanted to leave [you] his property to [an unmarried] a young female, and wanted to tie it up
so that nobody else should ever be able to make a grab at it; how would you tie up that property?”

“Settle it strictly on herself,” the professional gentleman would [offer??] complacently answer.

“But look here,” quoth the turnkey. “[suppose] Supposing she had, a say a brother, [?????] say a father, say a husband,
[????] who would be likely to make a grab at that property [when] [a ?????] when she came into it—how about that?”

“It would be settled on herself, [and] [but?]and they would have no more legal [right to it??] [claim ??? it than youclaim on it than you,” would be the professional [???] answer.

“Stop a bit,” said the turnkey. “Supposing she was tender-hearted, and [w????]they came over her. Where’s your
law for tying it up then?”

[???? could stop the ??? ???] The [???????] deepest character whom the turnkey [c??????] sounded,
[could not?] was unable to produce his [???] law for tying such a knot as that. [H???] So, the turnkey thought about it all his life,
and died intestate after all.

But [his ???? ??? ???? ???? when he died ???????? ????? ???? be of ?????? use of the ???? ????] that was long afterwards, [??? the first] when his god-daughter was [???? ?????? past sixteen. The first[??? dad???????]
[life was]half of that space of her life was only just accomplished, when her [?? ???? ??????? ????] her pitiful and plaintive look saw her father a widower. From that
time the protection that [??? ????? ??] her wondering [eyes]eyes had expressed [f?? ??? ????? ?????] towards him, became embodied in action, and the Child of the Marshalsea took upon herself a new relation towards the Father.

At first, such a baby could do [no] little more than [????]sit with him, deserting her [?????] livelier
[????] place by the high fender, and quietly watching him [???? after dark]. But this [watching? ??] made her so far necessary to him
that he became accustomed to her, and [?????? her] began to miss her?] to be sensible of missing her when she was not there. Through this
[???????] little gate, she passed [????t ??????] out of [???????????????] childhood [???? ?????]
[?????? ??????? she had ??????] into the [?????? ???????] care. [?????] [??????]laden world.

What [the] her pitiful look saw at that early time in [the?] her father, [w??? ????] in her sister, [????? ??] in her brother, [was??] in
the jail; how much, [???? of]or how little of the [wicked??]wretched truth it pleased God to [???? to her] [???? ??????]make visible to her; lies
hidden with many mysteries. It is enough that [she was ????? and in fact ????] [she had ???? ???? ???]she was inspired to [????] be
[???? ???? ??? that key?] be something which was not what the rest were, and [??] to be that something, different and laborious, for the sake of the rest. Inspired? Yes. Shall we [talk to???] [????] speak of the inspiration of a poet or a priest [f????] priest, and not [f????] of the heart
[?????????]impelled by love and [?? ??? the ??y s ?????] self-devotion to the lowliest work in
[?????????] the lowliest way of life! [d????? the if ?? often ??? the work and ????]

With no earthly friend to [?? ?????? ??????] help her, or so much as [??? ????] to see [???? ???? ?????????]her, but the one so strangely assorted; with no
knowledge even of the [?????? f????? ?????? ?????? ????? of life] common daily [???? ????] tone and habits of the common members of the free community
who are not shut up in prisons; born and [??] bred in a social condition, false even with a reference
to the falsest condition outside the walls; [and ???? life is ?????] drinking from [??? ??????] infancy [?]of a well
whose waters had their own peculiar [????????] stain, [and]their own unwholesome [????????] and unnatural
taste; the Child of the Marshalsea began her womanly life.

No matter through what [????? ???? ??????] mistakes and [what] discouragements, what
[???? faith of?] ridicule (not unkindly meant, but deeply felt) of her youth and little [of ???? ???? ???] figure, what [humble] humble [felt??] consciousness of her own babyhood
and want of strength, even in the [???????][??????] matter of lifting and carrying; through [what] how much
weariness and hopelessness, and how many secret tears; she drudged [?????] on, until [????? ??? ?????? ???? ????] recognised[???? ???? ???? and ???]
[?????????] as useful, [??? ????????] even indispensable. [The] That time came. She [?????] took the place of eldest
of the three, in all things but precedence [and face??]; was the head of the [f?????] fallen family; and bore,
[????????] in her own [??? ???]heart, its anxieties and shames.

At thirteen, she could read and keep accounts, that is could put down in words and figures[?????]

[LD Proofs Vol.1 f.068]