the uncommercial traveller-第85节

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to　my　frame　of　mind；　and　I　went　across　and　went　straight　in。



I　found　the　children's　hospital　established　in　an　old　sail…loft　or

storehouse；　of　the　roughest　nature；　and　on　the　simplest　means。

There　were　trap…doors　in　the　floors；　where　goods　had　been　hoisted

up　and　down；　heavy　feet　and　heavy　weights　had　started　every　knot　in

the　well…trodden　planking：　　inconvenient　bulks　and　beams　and

awkward　staircases　perplexed　my　passage　through　the　wards。　　But　I

found　it　airy；　sweet；　and　clean。　　In　its　seven　and　thirty　beds　I

saw　but　little　beauty；　for　starvation　in　the　second　or　third

generation　takes　a　pinched　look：　　but　I　saw　the　sufferings　both　of

infancy　and　childhood　tenderly　assuaged；　I　heard　the　little

patients　answering　to　pet　playful　names；　the　light　touch　of　a

delicate　lady　laid　bare　the　wasted　sticks　of　arms　for　me　to　pity；

and　the　claw…like　little　hands；　as　she　did　so；　twined　themselves

lovingly　around　her　wedding…ring。



One　baby　mite　there　was　as　pretty　as　any　of　Raphael's　angels。　　The

tiny　head　was　bandaged　for　water　on　the　brain；　and　it　was　suffering

with　acute　bronchitis　too；　and　made　from　time　to　time　a　plaintive；

though　not　impatient　or　complaining；　little　sound。　　The　smooth

curve　of　the　cheeks　and　of　the　chin　was　faultless　in　its

condensation　of　infantine　beauty；　and　the　large　bright　eyes　were

most　lovely。　　It　happened　as　I　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　that

these　eyes　rested　upon　mine　with　that　wistful　expression　of

wondering　thoughtfulness　which　we　all　know　sometimes　in　very　little

children。　　They　remained　fixed　on　mine；　and　never　turned　from　me

while　I　stood　there。　　When　the　utterance　of　that　plaintive　sound

shook　the　little　form；　the　gaze　still　remained　unchanged。　　I　felt

as　though　the　child　implored　me　to　tell　the　story　of　the　little

hospital　in　which　it　was　sheltered　to　any　gentle　heart　I　could

address。　　Laying　my　world…worn　hand　upon　the　little　unmarked

clasped　hand　at　the　chin；　I　gave　it　a　silent　promise　that　I　would

do　so。



A　gentleman　and　lady；　a　young　husband　and　wife；　have　bought　and

fitted　up　this　building　for　its　present　noble　use；　and　have　quietly

settled　themselves　in　it　as　its　medical　officers　and　directors。

Both　have　had　considerable　practical　experience　of　medicine　and

surgery；　he　as　house…surgeon　of　a　great　London　hospital；　she　as　a

very　earnest　student；　tested　by　severe　examination；　and　also　as　a

nurse　of　the　sick　poor　during　the　prevalence　of　cholera。



With　every　qualification　to　lure　them　away；　with　youth　and

accomplishments　and　tastes　and　habits　that　can　have　no　response　in

any　breast　near　them；　close　begirt　by　every　repulsive　circumstance

inseparable　from　such　a　neighbourhood；　there　they　dwell。　　They　live

in　the　hospital　itself；　and　their　rooms　are　on　its　first　floor。

Sitting　at　their　dinner…table；　they　could　hear　the　cry　of　one　of

the　children　in　pain。　　The　lady's　piano；　drawing…materials；　books；

and　other　such　evidences　of　refinement　are　as　much　a　part　of　the

rough　place　as　the　iron　bedsteads　of　the　little　patients。　　They　are

put　to　shifts　for　room；　like　passengers　on　board　ship。　　The

dispenser　of　medicines　（attracted　to　them　not　by　self…interest；　but

by　their　own　magnetism　and　that　of　their　cause）　sleeps　in　a　recess

in　the　dining…room；　and　has　his　washing　apparatus　in　the　sideboard。



Their　contented　manner　of　making　the　best　of　the　things　around

them；　I　found　so　pleasantly　inseparable　from　their　usefulness！

Their　pride　in　this　partition　that　we　put　up　ourselves；　or　in　that

partition　that　we　took　down；　or　in　that　other　partition　that　we

moved；　or　in　the　stove　that　was　given　us　for　the　waiting…room；　or

in　our　nightly　conversion　of　the　little　consulting…room　into　a

smoking…room！　　Their　admiration　of　the　situation；　if　we　could　only

get　rid　of　its　one　objectionable　incident；　the　coal…yard　at　the

back！　　'Our　hospital　carriage；　presented　by　a　friend；　and　very

useful。'　　That　was　my　presentation　to　a　perambulator；　for　which　a

coach…house　had　been　discovered　in　a　corner　down…stairs；　just　large

enough　to　hold　it。　　Coloured　prints；　in　all　stages　of　preparation

for　being　added　to　those　already　decorating　the　wards；　were

plentiful；　a　charming　wooden　phenomenon　of　a　bird；　with　an

impossible　top…knot；　who　ducked　his　head　when　you　set　a　counter

weight　going；　had　been　inaugurated　as　a　public　statue　that　very

morning；　and　trotting　about　among　the　beds；　on　familiar　terms　with

all　the　patients；　was　a　comical　mongrel　dog；　called　Poodles。　　This

comical　dog　（quite　a　tonic　in　himself）　was　found　characteristically

starving　at　the　door　of　the　institution；　and　was　taken　in　and　fed；

and　has　lived　here　ever　since。　　An　admirer　of　his　mental　endowments

has　presented　him　with　a　collar　bearing　the　legend；　'Judge　not

Poodles　by　external　appearances。'　　He　was　merrily　wagging　his　tail

on　a　boy's　pillow　when　he　made　this　modest　appeal　to　me。



When　this　hospital　was　first　opened；　in　January　of　the　present

year；　the　people　could　not　possibly　conceive　but　that　somebody　paid

for　the　services　rendered　there；　and　were　disposed　to　claim　them　as

a　right；　and　to　find　fault　if　out　of　temper。　　They　soon　came　to

understand　the　case　better；　and　have　much　increased　in　gratitude。

The　mothers　of　the　patients　avail　themselves　very　freely　of　the

visiting　rules；　the　fathers　often　on　Sundays。　　There　is　an

unreasonable　（but　still；　I　think；　touching　and　intelligible）

tendency　in　the　parents　to　take　a　child　away　to　its　wretched　home；

if　on　the　point　of　death。　　One　boy　who　had　been　thus　carried　off　on

a　rainy　night；　when　in　a　violent　state　of　inflammation；　and　who　had

been　afterwards　brought　back；　had　been　recovered　with　exceeding

difficulty；　but　he　was　a　jolly　boy；　with　a　specially　strong

interest　in　his　dinner；　when　I　saw　him。



Insufficient　food　and　unwholesome　living　are　the　main　causes　of

disease　among　these　small　patients。　　So　nourishment；　cleanliness；

and　ventilation　are　the　main　remedies。　　Discharged　patients　are

looked　after；　and　invited　to　come　and　dine　now　and　then；　so　are

certain　famishing　creatures　who　were　never　patients。　　Both　the　lady

and　the　gentleman　are　well　acquainted；　not　only　with　the　histories

of　the　patients　and　their　families；　but　with　the　characters　and

circumstances　of　great　numbers　of　their　neighbours　…　of　these　they

keep　a　register。　　It　is　their　common　experience；　that　people；

sinking　down　by　inches　into　deeper　and　deeper　poverty；　will　conceal

it；　even　from　them；　if　possible；　unto　the　very　last　extremity。



The　nurses　of　this　hospital　are　all　young；　…　ranging；　say；　from

nineteen　to　four　and　twenty。　　They　have　even　within　these　narrow

limits；　what　many　well…endowed　hospitals　would　not　give　them；　a

comfortable　room　of　their　own　in　which　to　take　their　meals。　　It　is

a　beautiful　truth；　that　interest　in　the　children　and　sympathy　with

their　sorrows　bind　these　young　women　to　their　places　far　more

strongly　than　any　other　consideration　could。　　The　best　skilled　of

the　nurses　came　originally　from　a　kindred　neighbourhood；　almost　as

poor；　and　she　knew　how　much　the　work　was　needed。　　She　is　a　fair

dressmaker。　　The　hospital　cannot　pay　her　as　many　pounds　in　the　year

as　there　are　months　in　it；　and　one　day　the　lady　regarded　it　as　a

duty　to　speak　to　her　about　her　improving　her　prospects　and

following　her　trade。　　'No；'　she　said：　　she　could　never　be　so　useful

or　so　happy　elsewhere　any　more；　she　must　stay　among　the　children。



And　she　stays。　　One　of　the　nurses；　as　I　passed　her；　was　washing　a

baby…boy。　　Liking　her　pleasant　face；　I　stopped　to　speak　to　her

charge；　…　a　common；　bullet…headed；　frowning　charge　enough；　laying

hold　of　his　own　nose　with　a　slippery　grasp；　and　staring　very

solemnly　out　of　a　blanket。　　The　melting　of　the　pleasant　face　into

delighted　smiles；　as　this　young　gentleman　gave　an　unexpected　kick；

and　laughed　at　me；　was　almost　worth　my　previous　pain。



An　affecting　play　was　acted　in　Paris　years　ago；　called　'The

Children's　Doctor。'　　As　I　parted　from　my　children's　doctor；　now　in

question；　I　saw　in　his　easy　black　necktie；　in　his　loose　buttoned

black　frock…coat；　in　his　pensive　face；　in　the　flow　of　his　dark

hair；　in　his　eyelashes；　in　the　very　turn　of　his　moustache；　the

exact　realisation　of　the　Paris　artist's　ideal　as　it　was　presented

on　the　stage。　　But　no　romancer　that　I　know　of　has　had　the　boldness

to　prefigure　the　life　and　home　of　this　young　husband　and　young　wife

in　the　Children's　Hospital　in　the　east　of　London。



I　came　away　from　Ratcliff　by　the　Stepney　railway　station　to　the

terminus　at　Fenchurch　Street。　　Any　one　who　will　reverse　that　route

may　retrace　my　steps。







CHAPTER　XXXIII　…　A　LITTLE　DINNER　IN　AN　HOUR







It　fell　out　on　a　day　in　this　last　autumn；　that　I　had　to　go　down

from　London　to　a　place　of　seaside　resort；　on　an　hour's　business；

accompanied　by　my　esteemed　friend　Bullfinch。　　Let　the　place　of

seaside　resort　be；　for　the　nonce；　called　Namelesston。



I　had　been　loitering　about　Paris　in