Mr.Bartley was an unhappy man.

His wife had a ferocious temper, was reckless with money, and now drank steadily; the consequence was, that Jack had lost all regular employment, and only earned occasional pence in the most various ways.

Broken in spirit, he himself first made advances to his companion of former days, and Bob, flattered by the other's humility, encouraged him as a hanger-on .-- Really, we shall soon be coming to a conclusion that the differences between the nether and the upper world are purely superficial.
Whenever Jack came to spend an hour with Mr.and Mrs.Hewett, he was sure sooner or later to indulge the misery that preyed upon him and give way to sheer weeping.

He did so this evening, almost as soon as he entered.
'I ain't had a mouthful past my lips since last night, I ain't!' he sobbed.

'It's 'ard on a feller as used to have his meals regular.