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woman got ours that way。〃 （He pointed at the bundle she held； while she
nodded proudly； beaming on me with good…nature and consciousness of
success and prosperity。） 〃This overcoat is as good as a blanket；〃 he went
on； advancing the skirt of it that I might feel its thickness。 〃An' 'oo
knows； I may find a blanket before long。〃
Again the old woman nodded and beamed； this time with the dead
certainty that he WOULD find a blanket before long。
〃I call it a 'oliday； 'oppin'；〃 he concluded rapturously。 〃A tidy way o'
gettin' two or three pounds together an' fixin' up for winter。 The only
thing I don't like〃and here was the rift within the lute〃is paddin' the 'oof
down there。〃
It was plain the years were telling on this energetic pair； and while
they enjoyed the quick work with the fingers； 〃paddin' the 'oof；〃 which is
walking； was beginning to bear heavily upon them。 And I looked at their
grey hairs； and ahead into the future ten years； and wondered how it would
be with them。
I noticed another man and his old woman join the line； both of them
past fifty。 The woman； because she was a woman； was admitted into the
spike； but he was too late； and； separated from his mate； was turned away
to tramp the streets all night。
The street on which we stood； from wall to wall； was barely twenty
feet wide。 The sidewalks were three feet wide。 It was a residence street。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
At least workmen and their families existed in some sort of fashion in the
houses across from us。 And each day and every day； from one in the
afternoon till six； our ragged spike line is the principal feature of the view
commanded by their front doors and windows。 One workman sat in his
door directly opposite us； taking his rest and a breath of air after the toil of
the day。 His wife came to chat with him。 The doorway was too small
for two； so she stood up。 Their babes sprawled before them。 And here
was the spike line； less than a score of feet awayneither privacy for the
workman； nor privacy for the pauper。 About our feet played the children
of the neighbourhood。 To them our presence was nothing unusual。 We
were not an intrusion。 We were as natural and ordinary as the brick walls
and stone curbs of their environment。 They had been born to the sight of
the spike line； and all their brief days they had seen it。
At six o'clock the line moved up； and we were admitted in groups of
three。 Name； age； occupation； place of birth； condition of destitution；
and the previous night's 〃doss；〃 were taken with lightning…like rapidity by
the superintendent； and as I turned I was startled by a man's thrusting into
my hand something that felt like a brick； and shouting into my ear； 〃any
knives； matches； or tobacco？〃 〃No； sir；〃 I lied； as lied every man who
entered。 As I passed downstairs to the cellar； I looked at the brick in my
hand； and saw that by doing violence to the language it might be called
〃bread。〃 By its weight and hardness it certainly must have been
unleavened。
The light was very dim down in the cellar； and before I knew it some
other man had thrust a pannikin into my other hand。 Then I stumbled on
to a still darker room； where were benches and tables and men。 The place
smelled vilely； and the sombre gloom； and the mumble of voices from out
of the obscurity； made it seem more like some anteroom to the infernal
regions。
Most of the men were suffering from tired feet； and they prefaced the
meal by removing their shoes and unbinding the filthy rags with which
their feet were wrapped。 This added to the general noisomeness； while it
took away from my appetite。
In fact； I found that I had made a mistake。 I had eaten a hearty dinner
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
five hours before； and to have done justice to the fare before me I should
have fasted for a couple of days。 The pannikin contained skilly； three…
quarters of a pint； a mixture of Indian corn and hot water。 The men were
dipping their bread into heaps of salt scattered over the dirty tables。 I
attempted the same； but the bread seemed to stick in my mouth； and I
remembered the words of the Carpenter； 〃You need a pint of water to eat
the bread nicely。〃
I went over into a dark corner where I had observed other men going
and found the water。 Then I returned and attacked the skilly。 It was
coarse of texture； unseasoned； gross； and bitter。 This bitterness which
lingered persistently in the mouth after the skilly had passed on； I found
especially repulsive。 I struggled manfully； but was mastered by my
qualms； and half…a…dozen mouthfuls of skilly and bread was the measure
of my success。 The man beside me ate his own share； and mine to boot；
scraped the pannikins； and looked hungrily for more。
〃I met a 'towny；' and he stood me too good a dinner；〃 I explained。
〃An' I 'aven't 'ad a bite since yesterday mornin'；〃 he replied。
〃How about tobacco？〃 I asked。 〃Will the bloke bother with a fellow
now？〃
〃Oh no；〃 he answered me。 〃No bloomin' fear。 This is the easiest
spike goin'。 Y'oughto see some of them。 Search you to the skin。〃
The pannikins scraped clean； conversation began to spring up。 〃This
super'tendent 'ere is always writin' to the papers 'bout us mugs；〃 said the
man on the other side of me。
〃What does he say？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； 'e sez we're no good； a lot o' blackguards an' scoundrels as won't
work。 Tells all the ole tricks I've bin 'earin' for twenty years an' w'ich I
never seen a mug ever do。 Las' thing of 'is I see； 'e was tellin' 'ow a mug
gets out o' the spike； wi' a crust in 'is pockit。 An' w'en 'e sees a nice ole
gentleman comin' along the street 'e chucks the crust into the drain； an'
borrows the old gent's stick to poke it out。 An' then the ole gent gi'es 'im
a tanner。〃
A roar of applause greeted the time…honoured yarn； and from
somewhere over in the deeper darkness came another v