k at him. And in his
mouth was a pipe; but it was not a-light; though he was pulling at it
with all his might.

"Attention, Mr. Grimes," said the truncheon; "here is a gentleman come
to see you."

But Mr. Grimes only said bad words; and kept grumbling, "My pipe won't
draw. My pipe won't draw."

"Keep a civil tongue, and attend!" said the truncheon; and popped up
just like Punch, hitting Grimes such a crack over the head with itself,
that his brains rattled inside like a dried walnut in its shell. He
tried to get his hands out, and rub the place: but he could not, for
they were stuck fast in the chimney. Now he was forced to attend.

"Hey!" he said, "why, it's Tom! I suppose you have come here to laugh at
me, you spiteful little atomy?"

Tom assured him he had not, but only wanted to help him.

"I don't want anything except beer, and that I can't get; and a light to
this bothering pipe, and that I can't get either."

"I'll get you one," said Tom; and he took up a live coal (there were
plenty lying about) and put it to Grimes' pipe: but it went out
instantly.

"It's no use," said the truncheon, leaning itself up against the chimney
and looking on. "I tell you, it is no use. His heart is so cold that it
freezes everything that comes near him. You will see that presently,
plain enough."

"Oh, of course, it's my fault. Everything's always my fault," said
Grimes. "Now don't go to hit me again" (for the truncheon started
upright, and looked very wicked); "you know, if my arms were only free,
you daren't hit me then."

The truncheon leant back against the chimney, and took no notice of the
personal insult, like a well-trained policeman as it was, though he was
ready enough to avenge any transgression against morality or order.

"But can't I help you in any other way? Can't I help you to get out of
this chimney?" said Tom.

"No," interposed the truncheon; "he has come to the place where
everybody must help themselves; and he will find it out, I hope, before
he has done with me."

"Oh, yes," said Grimes, "of course it's me. Did I ask to be brought here
into the prison? Did I ask to be set to sweep your foul chimneys? Did I
ask to have lighted straw put under me to make me go up? Did I ask to
stick fast in the very first chimney of all, because it was so
shamefully clogged up with soot? Did I ask to stay here--I don't know
how long--a hundred years, I do believe, and never get my pipe, nor my
beer, nor nothing fi