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street。 What with my wife； and babies； and lodgers； and the various
cubby…holes into which I had fitted them； my mind's eye had become
narrow…angled； and I could not quite take in all of my own room at once。
The immensity of it was awe…inspiring。 Could this be the room I had
rented for six shillings a week？ Impossible！ But my landlady；
knocking at the door to learn if I were comfortable； dispelled my doubts。
〃Oh yes； sir；〃 she said； in reply to a question。 〃This street is the very
last。 All the other streets were like this eight or ten years ago； and all the
people were very respectable。 But the others have driven our kind out。
Those in this street are the only ones left。 It's shocking； sir！〃
And then she explained the process of saturation； by which the rental
value of a neighbourhood went up； while its tone went down。
〃You see； sir； our kind are not used to crowding in the way the others
do。 We need more room。 The others； the foreigners and lower…class
people； can get five and six families into this house； where we only get
one。 So they can pay more rent for the house than we can afford。 It IS
shocking； sir； and just to think； only a few years ago all this
neighbourhood was just as nice as it could be。〃
I looked at her。 Here was a woman； of the finest grade of the English
working…class； with numerous evidences of refinement； being slowly
engulfed by that noisome and rotten tide of humanity which the powers
that be are pouring eastward out of London Town。 Bank； factory； hotel；
and office building must go up； and the city poor folk are a nomadic breed；
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
so they migrate eastward； wave upon wave； saturating and degrading
neighbourhood by neighbourhood； driving the better class of workers
before them to pioneer； on the rim of the city； or dragging them down； if
not in the first generation； surely in the second and third。
It is only a question of months when Johnny Upright's street must go。
He realises it himself。
〃In a couple of years；〃 he says； 〃my lease expires。 My landlord is
one of our kind。 He has not put up the rent on any of his houses here；
and this has enabled us to stay。 But any day he may sell； or any day he
may die； which is the same thing so far as we are concerned。 The house
is bought by a money breeder； who builds a sweat shop on the patch of
ground at the rear where my grapevine is； adds to the house； and rents it a
room to a family。 There you are； and Johnny Upright's gone！〃
And truly I saw Johnny Upright； and his good wife and fair daughters；
and frowzy slavey； like so many ghosts flitting eastward through the
gloom； the monster city roaring at their heels。
But Johnny Upright is not alone in his flitting。 Far； far out； on the
fringe of the city； live the small business men； little managers； and
successful clerks。 They dwell in cottages and semi… detached villas； with
bits of flower garden； and elbow room； and breathing space。 They inflate
themselves with pride； and throw out their chests when they contemplate
the Abyss from which they have escaped； and they thank God that they are
not as other men。 And lo！ down upon them comes Johnny Upright and
the monster city at his heels。 Tenements spring up like magic； gardens
are built upon； villas are divided and subdivided into many dwellings； and
the black night of London settles down in a greasy pall。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER IVA MAN AND THE
ABYSS
〃I say； can you let a lodging？〃
These words I discharged carelessly over my shoulder at a stout and
elderly woman； of whose fare I was partaking in a greasy coffee… house
down near the Pool and not very far from Limehouse。
〃Oh yus；〃 she answered shortly； my appearance possibly not
approximating the standard of affluence required by her house。
I said no more； consuming my rasher of bacon and pint of sickly tea in
silence。 Nor did she take further interest in me till I came to pay my
reckoning （fourpence）； when I pulled all of ten shillings out of my pocket。
The expected result was produced。
〃Yus； sir；〃 she at once volunteered； 〃I 'ave nice lodgin's you'd likely
tyke a fancy to。 Back from a voyage； sir？〃
〃How much for a room？〃 I inquired； ignoring her curiosity。
She looked me up and down with frank surprise。 〃I don't let rooms；
not to my reg'lar lodgers； much less casuals。〃
〃Then I'll have to look along a bit；〃 I said； with marked
disappointment。
But the sight of my ten shillings had made her keen。 〃I can let you
have a nice bed in with two hother men；〃 she urged。 〃Good； respectable
men； an' steady。〃
〃But I don't want to sleep with two other men；〃 I objected。
〃You don't 'ave to。 There's three beds in the room； an' hit's not a very
small room。〃
〃How much？〃 I demanded。
〃'Arf a crown a week； two an' six； to a regular lodger。 You'll fancy
the men； I'm sure。 One works in the ware'ouse； an' 'e's been with me two
years now。 An' the hother's bin with me sixsix years； sir； an' two
months comin' nex' Saturday。 'E's a scene…shifter；〃 she went on。 〃A
steady； respectable man； never missin' a night's work in the time 'e's bin
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
with me。 An' 'e likes the 'ouse； 'e says as it's the best 'e can do in the w'y
of lodgin's。 I board 'im； an' the hother lodgers too。〃
〃I suppose he's saving money right along；〃 I insinuated innocently。
〃Bless you； no！ Nor can 'e do as well helsewhere with 'is money。〃
And I thought of my own spacious West； with room under its sky and
unlimited air for a thousand Londons； and here was this man； a steady and
reliable man； never missing a night's work； frugal and honest； lodging in
one room with two other men； paying two dollars and a half per month for
it； and out of his experience adjudging it to be the best he could do！ And