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it； and out of his experience adjudging it to be the best he could do！ And
here was I； on the strength of the ten shillings in my pocket； able to enter
in with my rags and take up my bed with him。 The human soul is a
lonely thing； but it must be very lonely sometimes when there are three
beds to a room； and casuals with ten shillings are admitted。
〃How long have you been here？〃 I asked。
〃Thirteen years； sir； an' don't you think you'll fancy the lodgin'？〃
The while she talked she was shuffling ponderously about the small
kitchen in which she cooked the food for her lodgers who were also
boarders。 When I first entered； she had been hard at work； nor had she
let up once throughout the conversation。 Undoubtedly she was a busy
woman。 〃Up at half…past five；〃 〃to bed the last thing at night；〃 〃workin'
fit ter drop；〃 thirteen years of it； and for reward； grey hairs； frowzy clothes；
stooped shoulders； slatternly figure； unending toil in a foul and noisome
coffee…house that faced on an alley ten feet between the walls； and a
waterside environment that was ugly and sickening； to say the least。
〃You'll be hin hagain to 'ave a look？〃 she questioned wistfully； as I
went out of the door。
And as I turned and looked at her； I realized to the full the deeper truth
underlying that very wise old maxim： 〃Virtue is its own reward。〃
I went back to her。 〃Have you ever taken a vacation？〃 I asked。
〃Vycytion！〃
〃A trip to the country for a couple of days； fresh air； a day off； you
know； a rest。〃
〃Lor' lumme！〃 she laughed； for the first time stopping from her work。
〃A vycytion； eh？ for the likes o' me？ Just fancy； now！Mind yer feet！〃
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this last sharply； and to me； as I stumbled over the rotten threshold。
Down near the West India Dock I came upon a young fellow staring
disconsolately at the muddy water。 A fireman's cap was pulled down
across his eyes； and the fit and sag of his clothes whispered unmistakably
of the sea。
〃Hello； mate；〃 I greeted him； sparring for a beginning。 〃Can you tell
me the way to Wapping？〃 〃Worked yer way over on a cattle boat？〃 he
countered； fixing my nationality on the instant。
And thereupon we entered upon a talk that extended itself to a public…
house and a couple of pints of 〃arf an' arf。〃 This led to closer intimacy；
so that when I brought to light all of a shilling's worth of coppers
（ostensibly my all）； and put aside sixpence for a bed； and sixpence for
more arf an' arf； he generously proposed that we drink up the whole
shilling。
〃My mate； 'e cut up rough las' night；〃 he explained。 〃An' the bobbies
got 'm； so you can bunk in wi' me。 Wotcher say？〃
I said yes； and by the time we had soaked ourselves in a whole
shilling's worth of beer； and slept the night on a miserable bed in a
miserable den； I knew him pretty fairly for what he was。 And that in one
respect he was representative of a large body of the lower… class London
workman； my later experience substantiates。
He was London…born； his father a fireman and a drinker before him。
As a child； his home was the streets and the docks。 He had never learned
to read； and had never felt the need for ita vain and useless
accomplishment； he held； at least for a man of his station in life。
He had had a mother and numerous squalling brothers and sisters； all
crammed into a couple of rooms and living on poorer and less regular food
than he could ordinarily rustle for himself。 In fact； he never went home
except at periods when he was unfortunate in procuring his own food。
Petty pilfering and begging along the streets and docks； a trip or two to sea
as mess…boy； a few trips more as coal…trimmer； and then a full…fledged
fireman； he had reached the top of his life。
And in the course of this he had also hammered out a philosophy of
life； an ugly and repulsive philosophy； but withal a very logical and
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
sensible one from his point of view。 When I asked him what he lived for；
he immediately answered； 〃Booze。〃 A voyage to sea （for a man must
live and get the wherewithal）； and then the paying off and the big drunk at
the end。 After that； haphazard little drunks； sponged in the 〃pubs〃 from
mates with a few coppers left； like myself； and when sponging was played
out another trip to sea and a repetition of the beastly cycle。
〃But women；〃 I suggested； when he had finished proclaiming booze
the sole end of existence。
〃Wimmen！〃 He thumped his pot upon the bar and orated eloquently。
〃Wimmen is a thing my edication 'as learnt me t' let alone。 It don't pay；
matey； it don't pay。 Wot's a man like me want o' wimmen； eh？ jest you
tell me。 There was my mar； she was enough； a…bangin' the kids about an'
makin' the ole man mis'rable when 'e come 'ome； w'ich was seldom； I
grant。 An' fer w'y？ Becos o' mar！ She didn't make 'is 'ome 'appy； that
was w'y。 Then； there's the other wimmen； 'ow do they treat a pore stoker
with a few shillin's in 'is trouseys？ A good drunk is wot 'e's got in 'is
pockits； a good long drunk； an' the wimmen skin 'im out of his money so
quick 'e ain't 'ad 'ardly a glass。 I know。 I've 'ad my fling； an' I know
wot's wot。 An' I tell you； where's wimmen is troublescreechin' an'
carryin' on； fightin'； cuttin'； bobbies； magistrates； an' a month's 'ard labour
back of it all； an' no pay…day when you come out。〃
〃But a wife and children；〃 I insisted。 〃A home of your own； and all
that。 Think of it； back from a voyage； little children climbing on your
knee； and the wife happy and smiling； and a kiss for you when she lays the
table； and a kiss all round from the babies when they go to bed； and the
kettle singing and the long talk afterwards of where you've been and what
you've seen； and of her and all the little happenings at home while you've
been away； and〃
〃Garn！〃 he c