the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第8章
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metallic brads； while they were coal…black and rotten。
〃I clean my teeth；〃 he added； 〃else they'd be worse。〃
After he had told me that the workers had to furnish their own tools；
brads； 〃grindery；〃 cardboard； rent； light； and what not； it was plain that his
thirty bob was a diminishing quantity。
〃But how long does the rush season last； in which you receive this
high wage of thirty bob？〃 I asked。
〃Four months；〃 was the answer； and for the rest of the year； he
informed me； they average from 〃half a quid〃 to a 〃quid〃 a week； which is
equivalent to from two dollars and a half to five dollars。 The present week
was half gone； and he had earned four bob； or one dollar。 And yet I was
given to understand that this was one of the better grades of sweating。
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I looked out of the window； which should have commanded the back
yards of the neighbouring buildings。 But there were no back yards； or；
rather； they were covered with one…storey hovels； cowsheds； in which
people lived。 The roofs of these hovels were covered with deposits of
filth； in some places a couple of feet deepthe contributions from the back
windows of the second and third storeys。 I could make out fish and meat
bones； garbage； pestilential rags； old boots； broken earthenware； and all
the general refuse of a human sty。
〃This is the last year of this trade； they're getting machines to do away
with us；〃 said the sweated one mournfully； as we stepped over the woman
with the breasts grossly naked and waded anew through the cheap young
life。
We next visited the municipal dwellings erected by the London County
Council on the site of the slums where lived Arthur Morrison's 〃Child of
the Jago。〃 While the buildings housed more people than before； it was
much healthier。 But the dwellings were inhabited by the better…class
workmen and artisans。 The slum people had simply drifted on to crowd
other slums or to form new slums。
〃An' now；〃 said the sweated one； the 'earty man who worked so fast as
to dazzle one's eyes； 〃I'll show you one of London's lungs。 This is
Spitalfields Garden。〃 And he mouthed the word 〃garden〃 with scorn。
The shadow of Christ's Church falls across Spitalfields Garden； and in
the shadow of Christ's Church； at three o'clock in the afternoon； I saw a
sight I never wish to see again。 There are no flowers in this garden；
which is smaller than my own rose garden at home。 Grass only grows here；
and it is surrounded by a sharp…spiked iron fencing； as are all the parks of
London Town； so that homeless men and women may not come in at night
and sleep upon it。
As we entered the garden； an old woman； between fifty and sixty；
passed us； striding with sturdy intention if somewhat rickety action； with
two bulky bundles； covered with sacking； slung fore and aft upon her。
She was a woman tramp； a houseless soul； too independent to drag her
failing carcass through the workhouse door。 Like the snail； she carried her
home with her。 In the two sacking… covered bundles were her household
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goods； her wardrobe； linen； and dear feminine possessions。
We went up the narrow gravelled walk。 On the benches on either
side arrayed a mass of miserable and distorted humanity； the sight of
which would have impelled Dore to more diabolical flights of fancy than
he ever succeeded in achieving。 It was a welter of rags and filth； of all
manner of loathsome skin diseases； open sores； bruises； grossness；
indecency； leering monstrosities； and bestial faces。 A chill； raw wind was
blowing； and these creatures huddled there in their rags； sleeping for the
most part； or trying to sleep。 Here were a dozen women； ranging in age
from twenty years to seventy。 Next a babe； possibly of nine months；
lying asleep； flat on the hard bench； with neither pillow nor covering； nor
with any one looking after it。 Next half…a…dozen men； sleeping bolt
upright or leaning against one another in their sleep。 In one place a
family group； a child asleep in its sleeping mother's arms； and the husband
（or male mate） clumsily mending a dilapidated shoe。 On another bench a
woman trimming the frayed strips of her rags with a knife； and another
woman； with thread and needle； sewing up rents。 Adjoining； a man
holding a sleeping woman in his arms。 Farther on； a man； his clothing
caked with gutter mud； asleep； with head in the lap of a woman； not more
than twenty…five years old； and also asleep。
It was this sleeping that puzzled me。 Why were nine out of ten of
them asleep or trying to sleep？ But it was not till afterwards that I
learned。 IT IS A LAW OF THE POWERS THAT BE THAT THE
HOMELESS SHALL NOT SLEEP BY NIGHT。 On the pavement； by
the portico of Christ's Church； where the stone pillars rise toward the sky
in a stately row； were whole rows of men lying asleep or drowsing； and all
too deep sunk in torpor to rouse or be made curious by our intrusion。
〃A lung of London；〃 I said； 〃nay； an abscess； a great putrescent sore。〃
〃Oh； why did you bring me here？〃 demanded the burning young
socialist； his delicate face white with sickness of soul and stomach
sickness。
〃Those women there；〃 said our guide； 〃will sell themselves for
thru'pence； or tu'pence； or a loaf of stale bread。〃
He said it with a cheerful sneer。
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But what more he might have said I do not know； for the sick man
cried； 〃For heaven's sake let us get out of this。〃
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CHAPTER VIIA WINNER OF
THE VICTORIA CROSS
I have found that it is not easy to get into the casual ward of the
workhouse。 I have made two attempts now； and I shall shortly make a
third。 The first time I started out at seven o'clock in the evening with
four shillings in my pocket。 Herein I committed two errors。 In the first
place； the applicant for admission to the casual ward must be destitute； and
as he is subjected to a rigorous search； he must really be destitute； and
fourpence； much less four shillings； is sufficient affluence to disqualify
him。 In the second place； I made the mistake of tardiness。 Seven
o'clock in the evening is too late in the day for a pauper to get a pauper's
bed。
For the benefit of gently nurtured and innocent folk； let me explain
what a ward is。 It is a building where the homeless； bedless； penniless
man； if he be lucky； may CASUALLY rest his weary bones； and then work
like a navvy next day to pay for it。
My second attempt to break into the casual ward began more
auspiciously。 I started in the middle of the afternoon； accompanied by
the burning young socialist and another friend； and all I had in my pocket
was thru'pence。 They piloted me to the Whitechapel Workhouse； at
which I peered from around a friendly corner。 It was a few minutes past
five in the afternoon but already a long and melancholy line was formed；
which strung out around the corner of the building and out of sight。
It was a most woeful picture； men and women waiting in the cold grey
end of the day for a pauper's shelter from the night； and I confess it almost
unnerved me。 Like the boy before the dentist's door； I suddenly
discovered a multitude of reasons for being elsewhere。 Some hints of the
struggle going on within must have shown in my face； for one of my
companions said； 〃Don't funk； you can do it。〃
Of course I could do it； but I became aware that even thru'pence in my
pocket was too lordly a treasure for such a throng； and； in order that all
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invidious distinctions might be removed； I emptied out the coppers。
Then I bade good…bye to my friends； and with my heart going pit…a…pat；
slouched down the street and took my place at the end of the line。
Woeful it looked； this line of poor folk tottering on the steep pitch to death；
how woeful it was I did not dream。
Next to me stood a short； stout man。 Hale and hearty； though aged；
strong…featured； with the tough and leathery skin produced by long years
of sunbeat and weatherbeat； his was the unmistakable sea face and eyes；
and at once there came to me a bit of Kipling's 〃Galley Slave〃：…
〃By the brand upon my shoulder； by the gall of clinging steel； By the
welt the whips have left me； by the scars that never heal； By eyes grown
old with staring through the sun…wash on the brine； I am paid in full for
service 。 。 。 〃
How correct I was in my surmise； and how peculiarly appropriate the
verse was； you shall learn。
〃I won't stand it much longer； I won't；〃 he was complaining to the man
on the other side of him。 〃I'll smash a windy； a big 'un； an' get run in for
fourteen days。 Then I'll have a good place to sleep； never fear； an' better
grub than you get here。 Though I'd miss my bit of bacey〃this as an
after…thought； and said regretfully and resignedly。
〃I've been out two nights now；〃 he went on； 〃wet to the skin night
before last； an' I can't stand it much longer。 I'm gettin' old； an' some
mornin
