The Justices were sitting in the Town Hall near at hand, and we at once went over to have me bound apprentice to Joe in the Magisterial presence. I say, we went over, but I was pushed over by Pumblechook, exactly as if I were a dangerous fugitive; indeed, it was the general impression in Court that I had been taken from the Brutal Hunters, for, as Pumblechook shoved me before him through the crowd, I heard some people say, "Howlers was out last night.” and “I bet he were bit.”
The Hall was a queer place, I thought, with higher pews in it than a church - and with people hanging over the pews looking on - and with mighty Justices (one with a powdered head) leaning back in chairs, with folded arms, or taking snuff, or going to sleep, or writing, or reading the newspapers - and with some shining black portraits on the walls. Here, in a corner, my indentures were duly signed and attested, and I was "bound."
When we had come out again, and had got rid of the boys who had been put into great spirits by the expectation of seeing me publicly chained and led to the Hulks, and who were much disappointed to find that my friends were merely rallying round me, we went back to Pumblechook's. And there my sister became so excited by the twenty-five pounds, that nothing would serve her but we must have a dinner out of that windfall, at the Blue Boar, and that Pumblechook must go over in his chaise-cart, and bring the Hubbles and Mr. Wopsle.
It was agreed to be done; and a most melancholy day I passed. For, it inscrutably appeared to stand to reason, in the minds of the whole company, that I was an excrescence on the entertainment. And to make it worse, they all asked me from time to time - in short, whenever they had nothing else to do - why I didn't enjoy myself. And what could I possibly do then, but say I was enjoying myself - when I wasn't?
I remember that when I finally got into my little bedroom, I was truly wretched, and had a strong conviction on me that I should never like Joe's trade. It was course and common, but above all, frightfully cruel – though not directly. What was once my greatest aspiration had become a vile, debased thing. I had liked it once, but once was not now.
