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of it。 〃Five days once； with nothing on my stomach but a bit of orange
peel； an' outraged nature wouldn't stand it； sir； an' I near died。 Sometimes；
walkin' the streets at night； I've ben that desperate I've made up my mind
to win the horse or lose the saddle。 You know what I mean； sirto commit
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
some big robbery。 But when mornin' come； there was I； too weak from
'unger an' cold to 'arm a mouse。〃
As their poor vitals warmed to the food； they began to expand and wax
boastful； and to talk politics。 I can only say that they talked politics as
well as the average middle…class man； and a great deal better than some of
the middle…class men I have heard。 What surprised me was the hold they
had on the world； its geography and peoples； and on recent and
contemporaneous history。 As I say； they were not fools； these two men。
They were merely old； and their children had undutifully failed to grow up
and give them a place by the fire。
One last incident； as I bade them good…bye on the corner； happy with a
couple of shillings in their pockets and the certain prospect of a bed for the
night。 Lighting a cigarette； I was about to throw away the burning match
when the Carter reached for it。 I proffered him the box； but he said；
〃Never mind； won't waste it； sir。〃 And while he lighted the cigarette I
had given him； the Carpenter hurried with the filling of his pipe in order to
have a go at the same match。
〃It's wrong to waste；〃 said he。
〃Yes；〃 I said； but I was thinking of the wash…board ribs over which I
had run my hand。
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CHAPTER IXTHE SPIKE
First of all； I must beg forgiveness of my body for the vileness through
which I have dragged it； and forgiveness of my stomach for the vileness
which I have thrust into it。 I have been to the spike； and slept in the spike；
and eaten in the spike； also； I have run away from the spike。
After my two unsuccessful attempts to penetrate the Whitechapel
casual ward； I started early； and joined the desolate line before three
o'clock in the afternoon。 They did not 〃let in〃 till six； but at that early
hour I was number twenty； while the news had gone forth that only
twenty…two were to be admitted。 By four o'clock there were thirty…four
in line； the last ten hanging on in the slender hope of getting in by some
kind of a miracle。 Many more came； looked at the line； and went away；
wise to the bitter fact that the spike would be 〃full up。〃
Conversation was slack at first； standing there； till the man on one side
of me and the man on the other side of me discovered that they had been
in the smallpox hospital at the same time； though a full house of sixteen
hundred patients had prevented their becoming acquainted。 But they
made up for it； discussing and comparing the more loathsome features of
their disease in the most cold…blooded； matter…of…fact way。 I learned that
the average mortality was one in six； that one of them had been in three
months and the other three months and a half； and that they had been
〃rotten wi' it。〃 Whereat my flesh began to creep and crawl； and I asked
them how long they had been out。 One had been out two weeks； and the
other three weeks。 Their faces were badly pitted （though each assured
the other that this was not so）； and further； they showed me in their hands
and under the nails the smallpox 〃seeds〃 still working out。 Nay； one of
them worked a seed out for my edification； and pop it went； right out of
his flesh into the air。 I tried to shrink up smaller inside my clothes； and I
registered a fervent though silent hope that it had not popped on me。
In both instances； I found that the smallpox was the cause of their
being 〃on the doss；〃 which means on the tramp。 Both had been working
when smitten by the disease； and both had emerged from the hospital
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〃broke；〃 with the gloomy task before them of hunting for work。 So far；
they had not found any； and they had come to the spike for a 〃rest up〃 after
three days and nights on the street。
It seems that not only the man who becomes old is punished for his
involuntary misfortune； but likewise the man who is struck by disease or
accident。 Later on； I talked with another man〃Ginger〃 we called him
who stood at the head of the linea sure indication that he had been
waiting since one o'clock。 A year before； one day； while in the employ of
a fish dealer； he was carrying a heavy box of fish which was too much for
him。 Result： 〃something broke；〃 and there was the box on the ground；
and he on the ground beside it。
At the first hospital； whither he was immediately carried； they said it
was a rupture； reduced the swelling； gave him some vaseline to rub on it；
kept him four hours； and told him to get along。 But he was not on the
streets more than two or three hours when he was down on his back again。
This time he went to another hospital and was patched up。 But the point
is； the employer did nothing； positively nothing； for the man injured in his
employment； and even refused him 〃a light job now and again；〃 when he
came out。 As far as Ginger is concerned； he is a broken man。 His only
chance to earn a living was by heavy work。 He is now incapable of
performing heavy work； and from now until he dies； the spike； the peg；
and the streets are all he can look forward to in the way of food and shelter。
The thing happenedthat is all。 He put his back under too great a load of
fish； and his chance for happiness in life was crossed off the books。
Several men in the line had been to the United States； and they were
wishing that they had remained there； and were cursing themselves for
their folly in ever having left。 England had become a prison to them； a
prison from which there was no hope of escape。 It was impossible for
them to get away。 They could neither scrape together the passage money；
nor get a chance to work their passage。 The country was too overrun by
po