{"id":"01KG6YHA8HKC2KY2XJAEKAG0QF","cid":"bafkreia7o6xj5j4htzqh5dp6e524sqdme3kzubkkvocelzjh5tevhmeavu","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2085,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 12","source_file":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","start_line":1996,"text":"As I afterwards learned, the poor scrivener, when told that he must be\r\nconducted to the Tombs, offered not the slightest obstacle, but, in his\r\npale, unmoving way, silently acquiesced.\r\n\r\nSome of the compassionate and curious bystanders joined the party; and\r\nheaded by one of the constables arm in arm with Bartleby, the silent\r\nprocession filed its way through all the noise, and heat, and joy of\r\nthe roaring thoroughfares at noon.\r\n\r\nThe same day I received the note, I went to the Tombs, or, to speak\r\nmore properly, the Halls of Justice. Seeking the right officer, I\r\nstated the purpose of my call, and was informed that the individual I\r\ndescribed was, indeed, within. I then assured the functionary that\r\nBartleby was a perfectly honest man, and greatly to be compassionated,\r\nhowever unaccountably eccentric. I narrated all I knew and closed by\r\nsuggesting the idea of letting him remain in as indulgent confinement\r\nas possible, till something less harsh might be done—though, indeed, I\r\nhardly knew what. At all events, if nothing else could be decided upon,\r\nthe alms-house must receive him. I then begged to have an interview.\r\n\r\nBeing under no disgraceful charge, and quite serene and harmless in all\r\nhis ways, they had permitted him freely to wander about the prison,\r\nand, especially, in the inclosed grass-platted yards thereof. And so I\r\nfound him there, standing all alone in the quietest of the yards, his\r\nface towards a high wall, while all around, from the narrow slits of\r\nthe jail windows, I thought I saw peering out upon him the eyes of\r\nmurderers and thieves.\r\n\r\n“Bartleby!”\r\n\r\n“I know you,” he said, without looking round—“and I want nothing to say\r\nto you.”\r\n\r\n“It was not I that brought you here, Bartleby,” said I, keenly pained\r\nat his implied suspicion. “And to you, this should not be so vile a\r\nplace. Nothing reproachful attaches to you by being here. And see, it\r\nis not so sad a place as one might think. Look, there is the sky, and\r\nhere is the grass.”\r\n\r\n“I know where I am,” he replied, but would say nothing more, and so I\r\nleft him.\r\n\r\nAs I entered the corridor again, a broad meat-like man, in an apron,\r\naccosted me, and, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, said—“Is that\r\nyour friend?”\r\n\r\n“Yes.”\r\n\r\n“Does he want to starve? If he does, let him live on the prison fare,\r\nthat’s all.”\r\n\r\n“Who are you?” asked I, not knowing what to make of such an\r\nunofficially speaking person in such a place.\r\n\r\n“I am the grub-man. Such gentlemen as have friends here, hire me to\r\nprovide them with something good to eat.”\r\n\r\n“Is this so?” said I, turning to the turnkey.\r\n\r\nHe said it was.\r\n\r\n“Well, then,” said I, slipping some silver into the grub-man’s hands\r\n(for so they called him), “I want you to give particular attention to\r\nmy friend there; let him have the best dinner you can get. And you must\r\nbe as polite to him as possible.”\r\n\r\n“Introduce me, will you?” said the grub-man, looking at me with an\r\nexpression which seem to say he was all impatience for an opportunity\r\nto give a specimen of his breeding.\r\n\r\nThinking it would prove of benefit to the scrivener, I acquiesced; and,\r\nasking the grub-man his name, went up with him to Bartleby.\r\n\r\n“Bartleby, this is a friend; you will find him very useful to you.”\r\n\r\n“Your sarvant, sir, your sarvant,” said the grub-man, making a low\r\nsalutation behind his apron. “Hope you find it pleasant here, sir; nice\r\ngrounds—cool apartments—hope you’ll stay with us some time—try to make\r\nit agreeable. What will you have for dinner to-day?”\r\n\r\n“I prefer not to dine to-day,” said Bartleby, turning away. “It would\r\ndisagree with me; I am unused to dinners.” So saying, he slowly moved\r\nto the other side of the inclosure, and took up a position fronting the\r\ndead-wall.\r\n\r\n“How’s this?” said the grub-man, addressing me with a stare of\r\nastonishment. “He’s odd, ain’t he?”\r\n\r\n“I think he is a little deranged,” said I, sadly.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 12"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG6YGB7ZZ4F251SWKNDDK547","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG6YDDF6PTWG4P7JTS5THSTD","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG6YCG626JN4FCG8QK17CQCF","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG6YHA8H456AVVTC5903SMX9","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG6YHA8E4HE9E8R847HY66XF","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T07:57:57.393Z","ts":"2026-01-30T07:58:03.354Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}