arge ye abune
six-pence a day for the freedom o' the court, and ye may walk in't very
near three hours a day, and play at pitch-and-toss and hand ba' and what
not.'

With this gracious promise he ushered Bertram into the house, and showed
him up a steep and narrow stone staircase, at the top of which was a
strong door, clenched with iron and studded with nails. Beyond this door
was a narrow passage or gallery, having three cells on each side,
wretched vaults, with iron bed-frames and straw mattresses. But at the
farther end was a small apartment of rather a more decent appearance,
that is, having less the air of a place of confinement, since, unless for
the large lock and chain upon the door, and the crossed and ponderous
stanchions upon the window, it rather resembled the 'worst inn's worst
room.' It was designed as a sort of infirmary for prisoners whose state
of health required some indulgence; and, in fact, Donald Laider,
Bertram's destined chum, had been just dragged out of one of the two beds
which it contained, to try whether clean straw and whisky might not have
a better chance to cure his intermitting fever. This process of ejection
had been carried into force by Mrs. Mac-Guffog while her husband parleyed
with Bertram in the courtyard, that good lady having a distinct
presentiment of the manner in which the treaty must necessarily
terminate. Apparently the expulsion had not taken place without some
application of the strong hand, for one of the bed-posts of a sort of
tent-bed was broken down, so that the tester and curtains hung forward
into the middle of the narrow chamber, like the banner of a chieftain
half-sinking amid the confusion of a combat.

'Never mind that being out o' sorts, Captain,' said Mrs. Mac-Guffog, who
now followed them into the room; then, turning her back to the prisoner,
with as much delicacy as the action admitted, she whipped from her knee
her ferret garter, and applied it to splicing and fastening the broken
bed-post; then used more pins than her apparel could well spare to fasten
up the bed-curtains in festoons; then shook the bed-clothes into
something like form; then flung over all a tattered patch-work quilt, and
pronounced that things were now 'something purpose-like.' 'And there's
your bed, Captain,' pointing to a massy four-posted hulk, which, owing to
the inequality of the floor, that had sunk considerably (the house,
though new, having been built by contract), stood on three