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omnipresent policeman will rout you out just the same。 It is his business
to rout you out。 It is a law of the powers that be that you shall be routed
out。
But when the dawn came； the nightmare over； you would hale you
home to refresh yourself； and until you died you would tell the story of
your adventure to groups of admiring friends。 It would grow into a
mighty story。 Your little eight…hour night would become an Odyssey and
you a Homer。
Not so with these homeless ones who walked to Poplar Workhouse
with me。 And there are thirty…five thousand of them； men and women； in
London Town this night。 Please don't remember it as you go to bed； if
you are as soft as you ought to be you may not rest so well as usual。 But
for old men of sixty； seventy； and eighty； ill…fed； with neither meat nor
blood； to greet the dawn unrefreshed； and to stagger through the day in
mad search for crusts； with relentless night rushing down upon them again；
and to do this five nights and daysO dear； soft people； full of meat and
blood； how can you ever understand？
I walked up Mile End Road between the Carter and the Carpenter。
Mile End Road is a wide thoroughfare； cutting the heart of East London；
and there were tens of thousands of people abroad on it。 I tell you this so
that you may fully appreciate what I shall describe in the next paragraph。
As I say； we walked along； and when they grew bitter and cursed the land；
I cursed with them； cursed as an American waif would curse； stranded in a
strange and terrible land。 And； as I tried to lead them to believe； and
succeeded in making them believe； they took me for a 〃seafaring man；〃
who had spent his money in riotous living； lost his clothes （no unusual
occurrence with seafaring men ashore）； and was temporarily broke while
looking for a ship。 This accounted for my ignorance of English ways in
general and casual wards in particular； and my curiosity concerning the
same。
The Carter was hard put to keep the pace at which we walked （he told
me that he had eaten nothing that day）； but the Carpenter； lean and hungry；
his grey and ragged overcoat flapping mournfully in the breeze； swung on
in a long and tireless stride which reminded me strongly of the plains wolf
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
or coyote。 Both kept their eyes upon the pavement as they walked and
talked； and every now and then one or the other would stoop and pick
something up； never missing the stride the while。 I thought it was cigar
and cigarette stumps they were collecting； and for some time took no
notice。 Then I did notice。
FROM THE SLIMY； SPITTLE…DRENCHED； SIDEWALK； THEY
WERE PICKING UP BITS OF ORANGE PEEL； APPLE SKIN； AND
GRAPE STEMS； AND； THEY WERE EATING THEM。 THE PITS OF
GREENGAGE PLUMS THEY CRACKED BETWEEN THEIR TEETH
FOR THE KERNELS INSIDE。 THEY PICKED UP STRAY BITS OF
BREAD THE SIZE OF PEAS； APPLE CORES SO BLACK AND DIRTY
ONE WOULD NOT TAKE THEM TO BE APPLE CORES； AND THESE
THINGS THESE TWO MEN TOOK INTO THEIR MOUTHS； AND
CHEWED THEM； AND SWALLOWED THEM； AND THIS； BETWEEN
SIX AND SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING OF AUGUST 20；
YEAR OF OUR LORD 1902； IN THE HEART OF THE GREATEST；
WEALTHIEST； AND MOST POWERFUL EMPIRE THE WORLD HAS
EVER SEEN。
These two men talked。 They were not fools； they were merely old。
And； naturally； their guts a…reek with pavement offal； they talked of
bloody revolution。 They talked as anarchists； fanatics； and madmen
would talk。 And who shall blame them？ In spite of my three good
meals that day； and the snug bed I could occupy if I wished； and my social
philosophy； and my evolutionary belief in the slow development and
metamorphosis of thingsin spite of all this； I say； I felt impelled to talk
rot with them or hold my tongue。 Poor fools！ Not of their sort are
revolutions bred。 And when they are dead and dust； which will be
shortly； other fools will talk bloody revolution as they gather offal from
the spittle…drenched sidewalk along Mile End Road to Poplar Workhouse。
Being a foreigner； and a young man； the Carter and the Carpenter
explained things to me and advised me。 Their advice； by the way； was
brief； and to the point； it was to get out of the country。 〃As fast as God'll
let me；〃 I assured them； 〃I'll hit only the high places； till you won't be able
to see my trail for smoke。〃 They felt the force of my figures； rather than
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understood them； and they nodded their heads approvingly。
〃Actually make a man a criminal against 'is will；〃 said the Carpenter。
〃'Ere I am； old； younger men takin' my place； my clothes gettin' shabbier
an' shabbier； an' makin' it 'arder every day to get a job。 I go to the casual
ward for a bed。 Must be there by two or three in the afternoon or I won't
get in。 You saw what happened to… day。 What chance does that give me
to look for work？ S'pose I do get into the casual ward？ Keep me in all
day to…morrow； let me out mornin' o' next day。 What then？ The law sez
I can't get in another casual ward that night less'n ten miles distant。 Have
to hurry an' walk to be there in time that day。 What chance does that give
me to look for a job？ S'pose I don't walk。 S'pose I look for a job？ In
no time there's night come； an' no bed。 No sleep all night； nothin' to eat；
what shape am I in the mornin' to look for work？ Got to make up my
sleep in the park somehow〃 （the vision of Christ's Church； Spitalfield； was
strong on me） 〃an' get something to eat。 An' there I am！ Old； down； an'
no chance to get up。〃
〃Used to be a toll…gate 'ere；〃 said the Carter。 〃Many's the time I've
paid my toll 'ere in my cartin' days。〃
〃I've 'ad three 'a'penny rolls in