按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
30
… Page 31…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER VIFRYING…PAN
ALLEY AND A GLIMPSE OF
INFERNO
Three of us walked down Mile End Road； and one was a hero。 He
was a slender lad of nineteen； so slight and frail； in fact； that； like Fra
Lippo Lippi； a puff of wind might double him up and turn him over。 He
was a burning young socialist； in the first throes of enthusiasm and ripe for
martyrdom。 As platform speaker or chairman he had taken an active and
dangerous part in the many indoor and outdoor pro…Boer meetings which
have vexed the serenity of Merry England these several years back。
Little items he had been imparting to me as he walked along； of being
mobbed in parks and on tram…cars； of climbing on the platform to lead the
forlorn hope； when brother speaker after brother speaker had been dragged
down by the angry crowd and cruelly beaten； of a siege in a church； where
he and three others had taken sanctuary； and where； amid flying missiles
and the crashing of stained glass； they had fought off the mob till rescued
by platoons of constables； of pitched and giddy battles on stairways；
galleries； and balconies； of smashed windows； collapsed stairways；
wrecked lecture halls； and broken heads and bonesand then； with a
regretful sigh； he looked at me and said： 〃How I envy you big； strong men！
I'm such a little mite I can't do much when it comes to fighting。〃
And I； walking head and shoulders above my two companions；
remembered my own husky West； and the stalwart men it had been my
custom； in turn； to envy there。 Also； as I looked at the mite of a youth
with the heart of a lion； I thought； this is the type that on occasion rears
barricades and shows the world that men have not forgotten how to die。
But up spoke my other companion； a man of twenty…eight； who eked
out a precarious existence in a sweating den。
〃I'm a 'earty man； I am；' he announced。 〃Not like the other chaps at
my shop； I ain't。 They consider me a fine specimen of manhood。 W'y； d'
31
… Page 32…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
ye know； I weigh ten stone！〃
I was ashamed to tell him that I weighed one hundred and seventy
pounds； or over twelve stone； so I contented myself with taking his
measure。 Poor； misshapen little man！ His skin an unhealthy colour；
body gnarled and twisted out of all decency； contracted chest； shoulders
bent prodigiously from long hours of toil； and head hanging heavily
forward and out of place！ A 〃'earty man；' 'e was！〃
〃How tall are you？〃
〃Five foot two；〃 he answered proudly； 〃an' the chaps at the shop 。 。 。 〃
〃Let me see that shop；〃 I said。
The shop was idle just then； but I still desired to see it。 Passing
Leman Street； we cut off to the left into Spitalfields； and dived into
Frying…pan Alley。 A spawn of children cluttered the slimy pavement； for
all the world like tadpoles just turned frogs on the bottom of a dry pond。
In a narrow doorway； so narrow that perforce we stepped over her； sat a
woman with a young babe； nursing at breasts grossly naked and libelling
all the sacredness of motherhood。 In the black and narrow hall behind
her we waded through a mess of young life； and essayed an even narrower
and fouler stairway。 Up we went； three flights； each landing two feet by
three in area； and heaped with filth and refuse。
There were seven rooms in this abomination called a house。 In six of
the rooms； twenty…odd people； of both sexes and all ages； cooked； ate；
slept； and worked。 In size the rooms averaged eight feet by eight； or
possibly nine。 The seventh room we entered。 It was the den in which
five men 〃sweated。〃 It was seven feet wide by eight long； and the table
at which the work was performed took up the major portion of the space。
On this table were five lasts； and there was barely room for the men to
stand to their work； for the rest of the space was heaped with cardboard；
leather； bundles of shoe uppers； and a miscellaneous assortment of
materials used in attaching the uppers of shoes to their soles。
In the adjoining room lived a woman and six children。 In another
vile hole lived a widow； with an only son of sixteen who was dying of
consumption。 The woman hawked sweetmeats on the street； I was told；
and more often failed than not to supply her son with the three quarts of
32
… Page 33…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
milk he daily required。 Further； this son； weak and dying； did not taste
meat oftener than once a week； and the kind and quality of this meat
cannot possibly be imagined by people who have never watched human
swine eat。
〃The w'y 'e coughs is somethin' terrible；〃 volunteered my sweated
friend； referring to the dying boy。 〃We 'ear 'im 'ere； w'ile we're workin'；
an' it's terrible； I say； terrible！〃
And； what of the coughing and the sweetmeats； I found another
menace added to the hostile environment of the children of the slum。
My sweated friend； when work was to be had； toiled with four other
men in his eight…by…seven room。 In the winter a lamp burned nearly all
the day and added its fumes to the over…loaded air； which was breathed；
and breathed； and breathed again。
In good times； when there was a rush of work； this man told me that he
could earn as high as 〃thirty bob a week。〃Thirty shillings！ Seven dollars
and a half！
〃But it's only the best of us can do it；〃 he qualified。 〃An' then we
work twelve； thirteen； and fourteen hours a day； just as fast as we can。
An' you should see us sweat！ Just running from us！ If you could see us；
it'd dazzle your eyestacks flyin' out of mouth like from a machine。
Look at my mouth。〃
I looked。 The teeth were worn down by the constant friction of the
metallic brads； while they were coal…black and rotten。