the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第11章
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and what vague sex promptings impelled her to pity me put her sentiment
on the lowest plane。 Pity for old men is an altruistic feeling； and besides；
the workhouse door is the accustomed place for old men。 So she showed
no pity for them； only for me； who deserved it least or not at all。 Not in
honour do grey hairs go down to the grave in London Town。
On one side the door was a bell handle； on the other side a press
button。
〃Ring the bell；〃 said the Carter to me。
And just as I ordinarily would at anybody's door； I pulled out the
handle and rang a peal。
〃Oh！ Oh！〃 they cried in one terrified voice。 〃Not so 'ard！〃
I let go； and they looked reproachfully at me； as though I had
imperilled their chance for a bed and three parts of skilly。 Nobody came。
Luckily it was the wrong bell； and I felt better。
〃Press the button；〃 I said to the Carpenter。
〃No； no； wait a bit；〃 the Carter hurriedly interposed。
From all of which I drew the conclusion that a poorhouse porter； who
commonly draws a yearly salary of from seven to nine pounds； is a very
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finicky and important personage； and cannot be treated too fastidiously
bypaupers。
So we waited； ten times a decent interval； when the Carter stealthily
advanced a timid forefinger to the button； and gave it the faintest； shortest
possible push。 I have looked at waiting men where life or death was in
the issue； but anxious suspense showed less plainly on their faces than it
showed on the faces of these two men as they waited on the coming of the
porter。
He came。 He barely looked at us。 〃Full up；〃 he said and shut the
door。
〃Another night of it；〃 groaned the Carpenter。 In the dim light the
Carter looked wan and grey。
Indiscriminate charity is vicious； say the professional philanthropists。
Well； I resolved to be vicious。
〃Come on； get your knife out and come here；〃 I said to the Carter；
drawing him into a dark alley。
He glared at me in a frightened manner； and tried to draw back。
Possibly he took me for a latter…day Jack…the…Ripper； with a penchant for
elderly male paupers。 Or he may have thought I was inveigling him into
the commission of some desperate crime。 Anyway； he was frightened。
It will be remembered； at the outset； that I sewed a pound inside my
stoker's singlet under the armpit。 This was my emergency fund； and I
was now called upon to use it for the first time。
Not until I had gone through the acts of a contortionist； and shown the
round coin sewed in； did I succeed in getting the Carter's help。 Even then
his hand was trembling so that I was afraid he would cut me instead of the
stitches； and I was forced to take the knife away and do it myself。 Out
rolled the gold piece； a fortune in their hungry eyes； and away we
stampeded for the nearest coffee…house。
Of course I had to explain to them that I was merely an investigator； a
social student； seeking to find out how the other half lived。 And at once
they shut up like clams。 I was not of their kind； my speech had changed；
the tones of my voice were different； in short； I was a superior； and they
were superbly class conscious。
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〃What will you have？〃 I asked； as the waiter came for the order。
〃Two slices an' a cup of tea；〃 meekly said the Carter。
〃Two slices an' a cup of tea；〃 meekly said the Carpenter。
Stop a moment； and consider the situation。 Here were two men；
invited by me into the coffee…house。 They had seen my gold piece； and
they could understand that I was no pauper。 One had eaten a ha'penny
roll that day； the other had eaten nothing。 And they called for 〃two slices
an' a cup of tea！〃 Each man had given a tu'penny order。 〃Two slices；〃
by the way； means two slices of bread and butter。
This was the same degraded humility that had characterised their
attitude toward the poorhouse porter。 But I wouldn't have it。 Step by
step I increased their ordereggs； rashers of bacon； more eggs； more
bacon； more tea； more slices and so forththey denying wistfully all the
while that they cared for anything more； and devouring it ravenously as
fast as it arrived。
〃First cup o' tea I've 'ad in a fortnight；〃 said the Carter。
〃Wonderful tea； that；〃 said the Carpenter。
They each drank two pints of it； and I assure you that it was slops。 It
resembled tea less than lager beer resembles champagne。 Nay； it was
〃water…bewitched；〃 and did not resemble tea at all。
It was curious； after the first shock； to notice the effect the food had on
them。 At first they were melancholy； and talked of the divers times they
had contemplated suicide。 The Carter； not a week before； had stood on
the bridge and looked at the water； and pondered the question。 Water； the
Carpenter insisted with heat； was a bad route。 He； for one； he knew；
would struggle。 A bullet was 〃'andier；〃 but how under the sun was he to
get hold of a revolver？ That was the rub。
They grew more cheerful as the hot 〃tea〃 soaked in； and talked more
about themselves。 The Carter had buried his wife and children； with the
exception of one son； who grew to manhood and helped him in his little
business。 Then the thing happened。 The son； a man of thirty…one； died
of the smallpox。 No sooner was this over than the father came down
with fever and went to the hospital for three months。 Then he was done
for。 He came out weak； debilitated； no strong young son to stand by him；
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his little business gone glimmering； and not a farthing。 The thing had
happened； and the game was up。 No chance for an old man to start again。
Friends all poor and unable to help。 He had tried for work when they
were putting up the stands for the first Coronation parade。 〃An' I got fair
sick of the answer： 'No！ no！ no！' It rang in my ears at night when I
tried to sleep； always the same； 'No！ no！ no！'〃 Only the past week he had
answered an advertisement in Hackney； and on giving his age was told；
〃Oh； too old； too old by far。〃
The Carpenter had been born in the army； where his father had served
twenty…two years。 Likewise； his two brothers had gone into the army；
one； troop sergeant…major of the Seventh Hussars； dying in India after the
Mutiny； the other； after nine years under Roberts in the East； had been lost
in Egypt。 The Carpenter had not gone into the army； so here he was； still
on the planet。
〃But 'ere； give me your 'and；〃 he said； ripping open his ragged shirt。
〃I'm fit for the anatomist； that's all。 I'm wastin' away； sir； actually wastin'
away for want of food。 Feel my ribs an' you'll see。〃
I put my hand under his shirt and felt。 The skin was stretched like
parchment over the bones； and the sensation produced was for all the
world like running one's hand over a washboard。
〃Seven years o' bliss I 'ad；〃 he said。 〃A good missus and three bonnie
lassies。 But they all died。 Scarlet fever took the girls inside a
fortnight。〃
〃After this； sir；〃 said the Carter； indicating the spread； and desiring to
turn the conversation into more cheerful channels； 〃after this； I wouldn't
be able to eat a workhouse breakfast in the morning。〃
〃Nor I；〃 agreed the Carpenter； and they fell to discussing belly delights
and the fine dishes their respective wives had cooked in the old days。
〃I've gone three days and never broke my fast；〃 said the Carter。
〃And I； five；〃 his companion added； turning gloomy with the memory
of it。 〃Five days once； with nothing on my stomach but a bit of orange
peel； an' outraged nature wouldn't stand it； sir； an' I near died。 Sometimes；
walkin' the streets at night； I've ben that desperate I've made up my mind
to win the horse or lose the saddle。 You know what I mean； sirto commit
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some big robbery。 But when mornin' come； there was I； too weak from
'unger an' cold to 'arm a mouse。〃
As their poor vitals warmed to the food； they began to expand and wax
boastful； and to talk politics。 I can only say that they talked politics as
well as the average middle…class man； and a great deal better than some of
the middle…class men I have heard。 What surprised me was the hold they
had on the world； its geography and peoples； and on recent and
contemporaneous history。 As I say； they were not fools； these two men。
They were merely old； and their children had undutifully failed to grow up
and give them a place by the fire。
One last incident； as I bade them good…bye on the corner； happy with a
couple of shillings in their pockets and the certain prospect of a bed for the
night。 Lighting a cigarette； I was about to throw away the burning match
when the Carter reached for it。 I proffered him the box； but he said；
〃Never mind； won't waste it； sir。〃 And while he lighted the cigarette I
had given him； the Carpenter hurried with the filling of his pipe in order to
have a go at the same match。
〃It's wrong to waste；〃 said he。
〃Yes；〃 I said； but I was thinking of the wash…board ribs over which I
had run my hand。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER IXTHE SPIKE
First of all； I must beg forgiveness of my body for the vileness through
which
