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in something； ma’am？” says Mr Guppy； who likes nothing better
than to model his conversation on forensic principles。
“Not exactly that； either；” replies Mrs Chadband； humouring
the joke with a hard…favoured smile。
“Not exactly that； either！” repeats Mr Guppy。 “Very good。 Pray；
ma’am； was it a lady of your acquaintance who had some
transactions （we will not at present say what transactions） with
Kenge and Carboy’s office； or was it a gentleman of your
acquaintance？ Take time； ma’am。 We shall come to it presently。
Man or woman； ma’am？”
“Neither；” says Mrs Chadband； as before。
“Oh！ A child！” says Mr Guppy； throwing on the admiring Mrs
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Snagsby the regular acute professional eye which is thrown on
British jurymen。 “Now； ma’am； perhaps you’ll have the kindness
to tell us what child。”
“You have got it at last； sir；” says Mrs Chadband； with another
hard…favoured smile。 “Well； sir； it was before your time； most
likely； judging from your appearance。 I was left in charge of a child
named Esther Summerson； who was put out in life by Messrs。
Kenge and Carboy。”
“Miss Summerson； ma’am！” cries Mr Guppy； excited。
“I call her Esther Summerson；” says Mrs Chadband； with
austerity。 “There was no Miss…ing of the girl in my time。 It was
Esther。 ‘Esther； do this！ Esther； do that！’ and she was made to do
it。”
“My dear ma’am；” returns Mr Guppy； moving across the small
apartment； “the humble individual who now addresses you
received that young lady in London； when she first came here
from the establishment to which you have alluded。 Allow me to
have the pleasure of taking you by the hand。”
Mr Chadband； at last seeing his opportunity； makes his
accustomed signal； and rises with a smoking head； which he dabs
with his pocket…handkerchief。 Mrs Snagsby whispers “Hush！”
“My friends；” says Chadband； “we have partaken； in
moderation” （which was certainly not the case so far as he was
concerned）； “of the comforts which have been provided for us。
May this house live upon the fatness of the land； may corn and
wine be plentiful therein； may it grow； may it thrive； may it
prosper； may it advance； may it proceed； may it press forward！
But； my friends； have we partaken of anything else？ We have。 My
friends； of what else have we partaken？ Of spiritual profit？ Yes。
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From whence have we derived that spiritual profit？ My young
friend； stand forth！”
Jo； thus apostrophised； gives a slouch backward； and another
slouch forward； and another slouch to each side； and confronts the
eloquent Chadband； with evident doubts of his intentions。
“My dear friend；” says Chadband； “you are to us a pearl； you
are to us a diamond； you are to us a gem； you are to us a jewel。
And why； my young friend？”
“I don’t know；” replies Jo。 “I don’t know nothink。”
“My young friend；” says Chadband； “it is because you know
nothing that you are to us a gem and jewel。 For what are you； my
young friend？ Are you a beast of the field？ No。 A bird of the air？
No。 A fish of the sea or river？ No。 You are a human boy； my young
friend。 A human boy。 O glorious to be a human boy！ And why
glorious； my young friend？ Because you are capable of receiving
the lessons of wisdom； because you are capable of profiting by this
discourse which I now deliver for your good； because you are not a
stick； or a staff； or a stock； or a stone； or a post； or a pillar。
O running stream of sparkling joy
To be a soaring human boy！
And do you cool yourself in that stream now； my young friend？
No。 Why do you not cool yourself in that stream now？ Because you
are in a state of darkness； because you are in a state of obscurity；
because you are in a state of sinfulness； because you are in a state
of bondage。 My young friend； what is bondage？ Let us； in a spirit
of love； inquire。”
At this threatening stage of the discourse； Jo； who seems to
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have been gradually going out of his mind； smears his right arm
over his face； and gives a terrible yawn。 Mrs Snagsby indignantly
expresses her belief that he is a limb of the archfiend。
“My friends；” says Mr Chadband； with his persecuted chin
folding itself into its fat smile again； as he looks round； “it is right
that I should be humbled； it is right that I should be tired； it is
right that I should be mortified； it is right that I should be
corrected。 I stumbled； on Sabbath last； when I thought with pride
of my three hours’ improving。 The account is now favourably
balanced： my creditor has accepted a composition。 O let us be
joyful； joyful！ O let us be joyful！”
Great sensation on the part of Mrs Snagsby。
“My friends；” says Chadband； looking round him in conclusion；
“I will not proceed with my young friend now。 Will you come
tomorrow； my young friend； and inquire of this good lady where I
am to be found to deliver a discourse untoe you； and will you come
like the thirsty swallow upon the next day； and upon the day after
that； and upon the day after that； and upon many pleasant days； to
hear discourses？” （This； with a cow…like lightness。）
Jo； whose immediate object seems to be to get away on any
terms； gives a shuffling nod。 Mr Guppy then throws him a penny；
and Mr Snagsby calls to Guster to see him safely out of the house。
But； before he goes downstairs； Mr Snagsby loads him with some
broken meats from the table； which he carries away； hugging in
his arms。
So； Mr Chadband—of whom the persecutors say that it is no
wonder he should go on for any length of time uttering such
abominable nonsense； but that the wonder rather is that he should
ever leave off； having once the audacity to begin—retires into
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private life until he invests a little capital of supper in the oil…trade。
Jo moves on； through the long vacation； down to Blackfriars
Bridge； where he finds a baking stony corner； wherein to settle to
his repast。
And there he sits； munching and gnawing； and looking up at
the great Cross on the summit of St。 Paul’s Cathedral； glit