the uncommercial traveller-第74章

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nearly　related　to　the　dock…warehouses　at　Liverpool；　…　I　turned　off

to　my　right；　and；　passing　round　the　awkward　corner　on　my　left；　came

suddenly　on　an　apparition　familiar　to　London　streets　afar　off。



What　London　peripatetic　of　these　times　has　not　seen　the　woman　who

has　fallen　forward；　double；　through　some　affection　of　the　spine；

and　whose　head　has　of　late　taken　a　turn　to　one　side；　so　that　it　now

droops　over　the　back　of　one　of　her　arms　at　about　the　wrist？　　Who

does　not　know　her　staff；　and　her　shawl；　and　her　basket；　as　she

gropes　her　way　along；　capable　of　seeing　nothing　but　the　pavement；

never　begging；　never　stopping；　for　ever　going　somewhere　on　no

business？　　How　does　she　live；　whence　does　she　come；　whither　does

she　go；　and　why？　　I　mind　the　time　when　her　yellow　arms　were　naught

but　bone　and　parchment。　　Slight　changes　steal　over　her；　for　there

is　a　shadowy　suggestion　of　human　skin　on　them　now。　　The　Strand　may

be　taken　as　the　central　point　about　which　she　revolves　in　a　half…

mile　orbit。　　How　comes　she　so　far　east　as　this？　　And　coming　back

too！　　Having　been　how　much　farther？　　She　is　a　rare　spectacle　in

this　neighbourhood。　　I　receive　intelligent　information　to　this

effect　from　a　dog　…　a　lop…sided　mongrel　with　a　foolish　tail；

plodding　along　with　his　tail　up；　and　his　ears　pricked；　and

displaying　an　amiable　interest　in　the　ways　of　his　fellow…men；　…　if

I　may　be　allowed　the　expression。　　After　pausing　at　a　pork…shop；　he

is　jogging　eastward　like　myself；　with　a　benevolent　countenance　and

a　watery　mouth；　as　though　musing　on　the　many　excellences　of　pork；

when　he　beholds　this　doubled…up　bundle　approaching。　　He　is　not　so

much　astonished　at　the　bundle　（though　amazed　by　that）；　as　the

circumstance　that　it　has　within　itself　the　means　of　locomotion。　　He

stops；　pricks　his　ears　higher；　makes　a　slight　point；　stares；　utters

a　short；　low　growl；　and　glistens　at　the　nose；　…　as　I　conceive　with

terror。　　The　bundle　continuing　to　approach；　he　barks；　turns　tail；

and　is　about　to　fly；　when；　arguing　with　himself　that　flight　is　not

becoming　in　a　dog；　he　turns；　and　once　more　faces　the　advancing　heap

of　clothes。　　After　much　hesitation；　it　occurs　to　him　that　there　may

be　a　face　in　it　somewhere。　　Desperately　resolving　to　undertake　the

adventure；　and　pursue　the　inquiry；　he　goes　slowly　up　to　the　bundle；

goes　slowly　round　it；　and　coming　at　length　upon　the　human

countenance　down　there　where　never　human　countenance　should　be；

gives　a　yelp　of　horror；　and　flies　for　the　East　India　Docks。



Being　now　in　the　Commercial　Road　district　of　my　beat；　and

bethinking　myself　that　Stepney　Station　is　near；　I　quicken　my　pace

that　I　may　turn　out　of　the　road　at　that　point；　and　see　how　my　small

eastern　star　is　shining。



The　Children's　Hospital；　to　which　I　gave　that　name；　is　in　full

force。　　All　its　beds　are　occupied。　　There　is　a　new　face　on　the　bed

where　my　pretty　baby　lay；　and　that　sweet　little　child　is　now　at

rest　for　ever。　　Much　kind　sympathy　has　been　here　since　my　former

visit；　and　it　is　good　to　see　the　walls　profusely　garnished　with

dolls。　　I　wonder　what　Poodles　may　think　of　them；　as　they　stretch

out　their　arms　above　the　beds；　and　stare；　and　display　their

splendid　dresses。　　Poodles　has　a　greater　interest　in　the　patients。

I　find　him　making　the　round　of　the　beds；　like　a　house…surgeon；

attended　by　another　dog；　…　a　friend；　…　who　appears　to　trot　about

with　him　in　the　character　of　his　pupil　dresser。　　Poodles　is　anxious

to　make　me　known　to　a　pretty　little　girl　looking　wonderfully

healthy；　who　had　had　a　leg　taken　off　for　cancer　of　the　knee。　　A

difficult　operation；　Poodles　intimates；　wagging　his　tail　on　the

counterpane；　but　perfectly　successful；　as　you　see；　dear　sir！　　The

patient；　patting　Poodles；　adds　with　a　smile；　'The　leg　was　so　much

trouble　to　me；　that　I　am　glad　it's　gone。'　　I　never　saw　anything　in

doggery　finer　than　the　deportment　of　Poodles；　when　another　little

girl　opens　her　mouth　to　show　a　peculiar　enlargement　of　the　tongue。

Poodles　（at　that　time　on　a　table；　to　be　on　a　level　with　the

occasion）　looks　at　the　tongue　（with　his　own　sympathetically　out）　so

very　gravely　and　knowingly；　that　I　feel　inclined　to　put　my　hand　in

my　waistcoat…pocket；　and　give　him　a　guinea；　wrapped　in　paper。



On　my　beat　again；　and　close　to　Limehouse　Church；　its　termination；　I

found　myself　near　to　certain　'Lead…Mills。'　　Struck　by　the　name；

which　was　fresh　in　my　memory；　and　finding；　on　inquiry；　that　these

same　lead…mills　were　identified　with　those　same　lead…mills　of　which

I　made　mention　when　I　first　visited　the　East　London　Children's

Hospital　and　its　neighbourhood　as　Uncommercial　Traveller；　I

resolved　to　have　a　look　at　them。



Received　by　two　very　intelligent　gentlemen；　brothers；　and　partners

with　their　father　in　the　concern；　and　who　testified　every　desire　to

show　their　works　to　me　freely；　I　went　over　the　lead…mills。　　The

purport　of　such　works　is　the　conversion　of　pig…lead　into　white…

lead。　　This　conversion　is　brought　about　by　the　slow　and　gradual

effecting　of　certain　successive　chemical　changes　in　the　lead

itself。　　The　processes　are　picturesque　and　interesting；　…　the　most

so；　being　the　burying　of　the　lead；　at　a　certain　stage　of

preparation；　in　pots；　each　pot　containing　a　certain　quantity　of

acid　besides；　and　all　the　pots　being　buried　in　vast　numbers；　in

layers；　under　tan；　for　some　ten　weeks。



Hopping　up　ladders；　and　across　planks；　and　on　elevated　perches；

until　I　was　uncertain　whether　to　liken　myself　to　a　bird　or　a　brick…

layer；　I　became　conscious　of　standing　on　nothing　particular；

looking　down　into　one　of　a　series　of　large　cocklofts；　with　the

outer　day　peeping　in　through　the　chinks　in　the　tiled　roof　above。　　A

number　of　women　were　ascending　to；　and　descending　from；　this

cockloft；　each　carrying　on　the　upward　journey　a　pot　of　prepared

lead　and　acid；　for　deposition　under　the　smoking　tan。　　When　one

layer　of　pots　was　completely　filled；　it　was　carefully　covered　in

with　planks；　and　those　were　carefully　covered　with　tan　again；　and

then　another　layer　of　pots　was　begun　above；　sufficient　means　of

ventilation　being　preserved　through　wooden　tubes。　　Going　down　into

the　cockloft　then　filling；　I　found　the　heat　of　the　tan　to　be

surprisingly　great；　and　also　the　odour　of　the　lead　and　acid　to　be

not　absolutely　exquisite；　though　I　believe　not　noxious　at　that

stage。　　In　other　cocklofts；　where　the　pots　were　being　exhumed；　the

heat　of　the　steaming　tan　was　much　greater；　and　the　smell　was

penetrating　and　peculiar。　　There　were　cocklofts　in　all　stages；　full

and　empty；　half　filled　and　half　emptied；　strong；　active　women　were

clambering　about　them　busily；　and　the　whole　thing　had　rather　the

air　of　the　upper　part　of　the　house　of　some　immensely　rich　old　Turk；

whose　faithful　seraglio　were　hiding　his　money　because　the　sultan　or

the　pasha　was　coming。



As　is　the　case　with　most　pulps　or　pigments；　so　in　the　instance　of

this　white…lead；　processes　of　stirring；　separating；　washing；

grinding；　rolling；　and　pressing　succeed。　　Some　of　these　are

unquestionably　inimical　to　health；　the　danger　arising　from

inhalation　of　particles　of　lead；　or　from　contact　between　the　lead

and　the　touch；　or　both。　　Against　these　dangers；　I　found　good

respirators　provided　（simply　made　of　flannel　and　muslin；　so　as　to

be　inexpensively　renewed；　and　in　some　instances　washed　with　scented

soap）；　and　gauntlet　gloves；　and　loose　gowns。　　Everywhere；　there　was

as　much　fresh　air　as　windows；　well　placed　and　opened；　could

possibly　admit。　　And　it　was　explained　that　the　precaution　of

frequently　changing　the　women　employed　in　the　worst　parts　of　the

work　（a　precaution　originating　in　their　own　experience　or

apprehension　of　its　ill　effects）　was　found　salutary。　　They　had　a

mysterious　and　singular　appearance；　with　the　mouth　and　nose

covered；　and　the　loose　gown　on；　and　yet　bore　out　the　simile　of　the

old　Turk　and　the　seraglio　all　the　better　for　the　disguise。



At　last　this　vexed　white…lead；　having　been　buried　and　resuscitated；

and　heated　and　cooled　and　stirred；　and　separated　and　washed　and

ground；　and　rolled　and　pressed；　is　subjected　to　the　action　of

intense　fiery　heat。　　A　row　of　women；　dressed　as　above　described；

stood；　let　us　say；　in　a　large　stone　bakehouse；　passing　on　the

baking…dishes　as　they　were　given　out　by　the　cooks；　from　hand　to

hand；　into　the　ovens。　　The　oven；　or　stove；　cold　as　yet；　looked　as

high　as　an　ordinary　house；　and　was　full　of　men　and　women　on

temporary　footholds；　briskly　passing　up　and　stowing　away　the

dishes。　　The　door　of　another　oven；　or　stove；　about　to　be　cooled　and

emptied；　was　opened　from　above；　for　the　uncommercial　countenance　to

peer　down　into。　　The　uncommercial　countenance　withdrew　itself；　with

expedition　and　a　sense　of　suffocation；　from　the　dull…glowing　heat

and　the　overpowering　smell。　　On　the　whole；　perhaps　the　going　into

these　stoves　to　work；　when　they　are　freshly　opened；　may　be　the

worst　part　of　the　occupation。



But　I　made　it　out　to　be　indubitable　that　the　owners　of　these　lead…

mills　honestly　and　sedulously　try　to　reduce　the　dangers　of　the

occupation　to　the　lowest　point。



A　washing…place　is　provided　for　the　women　（I　thought　there　might

have　been　more　towels）；　and　a　room　in　which　they　hang　their

clothes；　and　take　their　meals；　and　where　they　have　a　good　fire…

range　and　fire；　and　a　female　attendant　to　help　them；　and　to　watch

that　they　do　not　neglect　the　cleansing　of　their　hands　before

touching　their　food。　　An　experienced　medical　attendant　is　provided

for　them；　and　any　premonitory　symptoms　of　lead…poisoning　are

carefully　treated。　　Their　teapots　and　such　things　were　set　out　on

tables　ready　for　their　afternoon　meal；　when　I　saw　their　room；　and

it　had　a　homely　look。　　It　is　found　that　they　bear　the　work　much

better　than　men：　　some　few　of　them　have　been　at　it　for　years；　and

the　great　majority　of　those　I　observed　were　strong　and　active。　　On

the　other　hand；　it　should　be　remembered　that　most　of　them　are　very

capricious　and　irregular　in　their　attendance。



American　inventiveness　would　seem　to　indicate　that　before　very　long

white…lead　may　be　made　entirely　by　machinery。　　The　sooner；　the

better。　　In　the　meantime；　I　parted　from　my　two　frank　conductors

over　the　mills；　by　telling　them　that　they　had　nothing　there　to　be

concealed；　and　nothing　to　be　blamed　for。　　As　to　the　rest；　the

philosophy　of　the　matter　of　lead…poisoning　and　workpeople　seems　to

me　to　have　been　pretty　fairly　summed　up　by　the　Irishwoman　whom　I

quoted　in　my　former　paper：　　'Some　of　them　gets　lead…pisoned　soon；

and　some　of　them　gets　lead…pisoned　later；　and　some；　but　not　many；

niver；　and　'tis　all　according　to　the　constitooshun；　sur；　and　some

constitooshuns　is　strong　and　some　is　weak。'　　Retracing　my　footsteps

over　my　beat；　I　went　off　duty。







CHAPTER　XXXVI　…　A　FLY…LEAF　IN　A　LIFE







Once　upon　a　time　（no　matter　when）；　I　was　engaged　in　a　pursuit　（no

matter　what）；　which　could　be　transacted　by　myself　alone；　in　which　I

co