the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第33章
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two days of acute lead poisoning。
Mr。 Vaughan Nash； speaking of the unborn generation； says： 〃The
children of the white…lead worker enter the world； as a rule； only to die
from the convulsions of lead poisoningthey are either born prematurely；
or die within the first year。〃
And； finally； let me instance the case of Harriet A。 Walker； a young girl
of seventeen； killed while leading a forlorn hope on the industrial
battlefield。 She was employed as an enamelled ware brusher； wherein
lead poisoning is encountered。 Her father and brother were both out of
employment。 She concealed her illness； walked six miles a day to and
from work； earned her seven or eight shillings per week； and died； at
seventeen。
Depression in trade also plays an important part in hurling the workers
into the Abyss。 With a week's wages between a family and pauperism； a
month's enforced idleness means hardship and misery almost
indescribable； and from the ravages of which the victims do not always
recover when work is to be had again。 Just now the daily papers contain
the report of a meeting of the Carlisle branch of the Dockers' Union；
wherein it is stated that many of the men； for months past； have not
averaged a weekly income of more than from four to five shillings。 The
stagnated state of the shipping industry in the port of London is held
accountable for this condition of affairs。
To the young working…man or working…woman； or married couple；
there is no assurance of happy or healthy middle life； nor of solvent old
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age。 Work as they will； they cannot make their future secure。 It is all a
matter of chance。 Everything depends upon the thing happening； the
thing with which they have nothing to do。 Precaution cannot fend it off；
nor can wiles evade it。 If they remain on the industrial battlefield they
must face it and take their chance against heavy odds。 Of course； if they
are favourably made and are not tied by kinship duties； they may run away
from the industrial battlefield。 In which event the safest thing the man
can do is to join the army； and for the woman； possibly； to become a Red
Cross nurse or go into a nunnery。 In either case they must forego home
and children and all that makes life worth living and old age other than a
nightmare。
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CHAPTER XXIISUICIDE
With life so precarious； and opportunity for the happiness of life so
remote； it is inevitable that life shall be cheap and suicide common。 So
common is it； that one cannot pick up a daily paper without running across
it； while an attempt…at…suicide case in a police court excites no more
interest than an ordinary 〃drunk；〃 and is handled with the same rapidity
and unconcern。
I remember such a case in the Thames Police Court。 I pride myself
that I have good eyes and ears； and a fair working knowledge of men and
things； but I confess； as I stood in that court…room； that I was half
bewildered by the amazing despatch with which drunks； disorderlies；
vagrants； brawlers； wife…beaters； thieves； fences； gamblers； and women of
the street went through the machine of justice。 The dock stood in the
centre of the court （where the light is best）； and into it and out again
stepped men； women； and children； in a stream as steady as the stream of
sentences which fell from the magistrate's lips。
I was still pondering over a consumptive 〃fence〃 who had pleaded
inability to work and necessity for supporting wife and children； and who
had received a year at hard labour； when a young boy of about twenty
appeared in the dock。 〃Alfred Freeman；〃 I caught his name； but failed to
catch the charge。 A stout and motherly…looking woman bobbed up in the
witness…box and began her testimony。 Wife of the Britannia lock…keeper；
I learned she was。 Time； night； a splash； she ran to the lock and found
the prisoner in the water。
I flashed my gaze from her to him。 So that was the charge； self…
murder。 He stood there dazed and unheeding； his bonny brown hair
rumpled down his forehead； his face haggard and careworn and boyish
still。
〃Yes； sir；〃 the lock…keeper's wife was saying。 〃As fast as I pulled to
get 'im out； 'e crawled back。 Then I called for 'elp； and some workmen
'appened along； and we got 'im out and turned 'im over to the constable。〃
The magistrate complimented the woman on her muscular powers； and
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the court…room laughed； but all I could see was a boy on the threshold of
life； passionately crawling to muddy death； and there was no laughter in it。
A man was now in the witness…box； testifying to the boy's good
character and giving extenuating evidence。 He was the boy's foreman； or
had been。 Alfred was a good boy； but he had had lots of trouble at home；
money matters。 And then his mother was sick。 He was given to
worrying； and he worried over it till he laid himself out and wasn't fit for
work。 He （the foreman）； for the sake of his own reputation； the boy's
work being bad； had been forced to ask him to resign。
〃Anything to say？〃 the magistrate demanded abruptly。
The boy in the dock mumbled something indistinctly。 He was still
dazed。
〃What does he say； constable？〃 the magistrate asked impatiently。
The stalwart man in blue bent his ear to the prisoner's lips； and then
replied loudly； 〃He says he's very sorry； your Worship。〃
〃Remanded；〃 said his Worship； and the next case was under way； the
first witness already engaged in taking the oath。 The boy； dazed and
unheeding； passed out with the jailer。 That was all； five minutes from
start to finish； and two hulking brutes in the dock were trying strenuously
to shift the responsibility of the possession of a stolen fishing…pole； worth
probably ten cents。
The chief trouble with these poor folk is that they do not know how to
commit suicide； and usually have to make two or three attempts before
they succeed。 This； very naturally； is a horrid nuisance to the constables
and magistrates； and gives them no end of trouble。 Sometimes； however；
the magistrates are frankly outspoken about the matter； and censure the
prisoners for the slackness of their attempts。 For instance Mr。 R。 S…；
chairman of the S… B… magistrates； in the case the other day of Ann Wood；
who tried to make away with herself in the canal： 〃If you wanted to do it；
why didn't you do it and get it done with？〃 demanded the indignant Mr。 R。
S…。 〃Why did you not get under the water and make an end of it； instead
of giving us all this trouble and bother？〃
Poverty； misery； and fear of the workhouse； are the principal causes of
suicide among the working classes。 〃I'll drown myself before I go into
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the workhouse；〃 said Ellen Hughes Hunt； aged fifty…two。 Last Wednesday
they held an inquest on her body at Shoreditch。 Her husband came from
the Islington Workhouse to testify。 He had been a cheesemonger； but
failure in business and poverty had driven him into the workhouse；
whither his wife had refused to accompany him。
She was last seen at one in the morning。 Three hours later her hat
and jacket were found on the towing path by the Regent's Canal； and later
her body was fished from the water。 VERDICT： SUICIDE DURING
TEMPORARY INSANITY。
Such verdicts are crimes against truth。 The Law is a lie； and through
it men lie most shamelessly。 For instance； a disgraced woman； forsaken
and spat upon by kith and kin； doses herself and her baby with laudanum。
The baby dies； but she pulls through after a few weeks in hospital； is
charged with murder； convicted； and sentenced to ten years' penal
servitude。 Recovering； the Law holds her responsible for her actions； yet；
had she died； the same Law would have rendered a verdict of temporary
insanity。
Now； considering the case of Ellen Hughes Hunt； it is as fair and
logical to say that her husband was suffering from temporary insanity
when he went into the Islington Workhouse； as it is to say that she was
suffering from temporary insanity when she went into the Regent's Canal。
As to which is the preferable sojourning place is a matter of opinion； of
intellectual judgment。 I； for one； from what I know of canals and
workhouses； should choose the canal； were I in a similar position。 And I
make bold to contend that I am no more insane than Ellen Hughes Hunt；
her husband； and the rest of the human herd。
Man no longer follows instinct with the old natural fidelity。 He has
developed into a reasoning creature； and can intellectually cling to life or
discard life just as life happens to promise great pleasure or pain。 I dare
to assert that Ellen Hughes Hunt； defrauded and bilked of all the joys of
life which fifty…two years' service in the world has earned； with nothing
but the horrors of the workhouse before her； was very rational and level…
headed when she elected to jump into the canal。 And I dare to assert；
further； that the jury had done a wiser thing to bring in a verdi
