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thing in the mornin' when you get up, and afterward you'll get sumpin' to eat, about six-thirty.
You're supposed to get up at five-thirty."
"Yes, Mr. Chapin," Cowperwood said, politely. "You can depend on me to do all those things
promptly."
"There hain't so much more," added Chapin. "You're supposed to wash yourself all over once a
week an' I'll give you a clean towel for that. Next you gotta wash this floor up every Friday
mornin'." Cowperwood winced at that. "You kin have hot water for that if you want it. I'll have
one of the runners bring it to you. An' as for your friends and relations"--he got up and shook
himself like a big Newfoundland dog. "You gotta wife, hain't you?"
"Yes," replied Cowperwood.
"Well, the rules here are that your wife or your friends kin come to see you once in three
months, and your lawyer--you gotta lawyer hain't yuh?"
"Yes, sir," replied Cowperwood, amused.
"Well, he kin come every week or so if he likes--every day, I guess--there hain't no rules about
lawyers. But you kin only write one letter once in three months yourself, an' if you want anything
like tobaccer or the like o' that, from the store-room, you gotta sign an order for it, if you got any
money with the warden, an' then I can git it for you."
The old man was really above taking small tips in the shape of money. He was a hold-over from
a much more severe and honest regime, but subsequent presents or constant flattery were not
amiss in making him kindly and generous. Cowperwood read him accurately.
"Very well, Mr. Chapin; I understand," he said, getting up as the old man did.
"Then when you have been here two weeks," added Chapin, rather ruminatively (he had forgot
to state this to Cowperwood before), "the warden 'll come and git yuh and give yuh yer regular
cell summers down-stairs. Yuh kin make up yer mind by that time what y'u'd like tuh do, what
y'u'd like to work at. If you behave yourself proper, more'n like they'll give yuh a cell with a yard.
Yuh never can tell."
He went out, locking the door with a solemn click; and Cowperwood stood there, a little more
depressed than he had been, because of this latest intelligence. Only two weeks, and then he
would be transferred from this kindly old man's care to another's, whom he did not know and
with whom he might not fare so well.
"If ever you want me for anything--if ye're sick or sumpin' like that," Chapin now returned to say,
after he had walked a few paces away, "we have a signal here of our own. Just hang your towel
out through these here bars. I'll see it, and I'll stop and find out what yuh want, when I'm
passin'."
Cowperwood, whose spirits had sunk, revived for the moment.
"Yes, sir," he replied; "thank you, Mr. Chapin."
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