the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第17节
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about them； and deposited them in a heaped rack and on the floora
beautiful scheme for the spread of vermin。 Then； two by two； we entered
the bathroom。 There were two ordinary tubs； and this I know： the two
men preceding had washed in that water； we washed in the same water；
and it was not changed for the two men that followed us。 This I know；
but I am also certain that the twenty…two of us washed in the same water。
I did no more than make a show of splashing some of this dubious
liquid at myself； while I hastily brushed it off with a towel wet from the
bodies of other men。 My equanimity was not restored by seeing the back
of one poor wretch a mass of blood from attacks of vermin and retaliatory
scratching。
A shirt was handed mewhich I could not help but wonder how many
other men had worn； and with a couple of blankets under my arm I
trudged off to the sleeping apartment。 This was a long； narrow room；
traversed by two low iron rails。 Between these rails were stretched； not
hammocks； but pieces of canvas； six feet long and less than two feet wide。
These were the beds； and they were six inches apart and about eight inches
above the floor。 The chief difficulty was that the head was somewhat
higher than the feet； which caused the body constantly to slip down。
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Being slung to the same rails； when one man moved； no matter how
slightly； the rest were set rocking； and whenever I dozed somebody was
sure to struggle back to the position from which he had slipped； and arouse
me again。
Many hours passed before I won to sleep。 It was only seven in the
evening； and the voices of children； in shrill outcry； playing in the street；
continued till nearly midnight。 The smell was frightful and sickening；
while my imagination broke loose； and my skin crept and crawled till I
was nearly frantic。 Grunting； groaning； and snoring arose like the sounds
emitted by some sea monster； and several times； afflicted by nightmare；
one or another； by his shrieks and yells； aroused the lot of us。 Toward
morning I was awakened by a rat or some similar animal on my breast。
In the quick transition from sleep to waking； before I was completely
myself； I raised a shout to wake the dead。 At any rate； I woke the living；
and they cursed me roundly for my lack of manners。
But morning came； with a six o'clock breakfast of bread and skilly；
which I gave away； and we were told off to our various tasks。 Some were
set to scrubbing and cleaning； others to picking oakum； and eight of us
were convoyed across the street to the Whitechapel Infirmary where we
were set at scavenger work。 This was the method by which we paid for
our skilly and canvas； and I； for one； know that I paid in full many times
over。
Though we had most revolting tasks to perform； our allotment was
considered the best and the other men deemed themselves lucky in being
chosen to perform it。
〃Don't touch it； mate； the nurse sez it's deadly；〃 warned my working
partner； as I held open a sack into which he was emptying a garbage can。
It came from the sick wards； and I told him that I purposed neither to
touch it； nor to allow it to touch me。 Nevertheless； I had to carry the sack；
and other sacks； down five flights of stairs and empty them in a receptacle
where the corruption was speedily sprinkled with strong disinfectant。
Perhaps there is a wise mercy in all this。 These men of the spike； the
peg； and the street； are encumbrances。 They are of no good or use to any
one； nor to themselves。 They clutter the earth with their presence； and
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are better out of the way。 Broken by hardship； ill fed； and worse
nourished； they are always the first to be struck down by disease； as they
are likewise the quickest to die。
They feel； themselves； that the forces of society tend to hurl them out
of existence。 We were sprinkling disinfectant by the mortuary； when the
dead waggon drove up and five bodies were packed into it。 The
conversation turned to the 〃white potion〃 and 〃black jack；〃 and I found
they were all agreed that the poor person； man or woman； who in the
Infirmary gave too much trouble or was in a bad way； was 〃polished off。〃
That is to say； the incurables and the obstreperous were given a dose of
〃black jack〃 or the 〃white potion；〃 and sent over the divide。 It does not
matter in the least whether this be actually so or not。 The point is； they
have the feeling that it is so； and they have created the language with
which to express that feeling〃black jack〃 〃white potion；〃 〃polishing off。〃
At eight o'clock we went down into a cellar under the infirmary； where
tea was brought to us； and the hospital scraps。 These were heaped high
on a huge platter in an indescribable messpieces of bread； chunks of
grease and fat pork； the burnt skin from the outside of roasted joints； bones；
in short； all the leavings from the fingers and mouths of the sick ones
suffering from all manner of diseases。 Into this mess the men plunged
their hands； digging； pawing； turning over； examining； rejecting； and
scrambling for。 It wasn't pretty。 Pigs couldn't have done worse。 But
the poor devils were hungry； and they ate ravenously of the swill； and
when they could eat no more they bundled what was left into their
handkerchiefs and thrust it inside their shirts。
〃Once； w'en I was 'ere before； wot did I find out there but a 'ole lot of
pork…ribs；〃 said Ginger to me。 By 〃out there〃 he meant the place where
the corruption was dumped and sprinkled with strong disinfectant。 〃They
was a prime lot； no end o' meat on 'em； an' I 'ad 'em into my arms an' was
out the gate an' down the street； a… lookin' for some 'un to gi' 'em to。
Couldn't see a soul； an' I was runnin' 'round clean crazy； the bloke runnin'
after me an' thinkin' I was 'slingin' my 'ook' ＇running away＇。 But jest
before 'e got me； I got a ole woman an' poked 'em into 'er apron。〃
O Charity； O Philanthropy； descend to the spike and take a lesson from
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Ginger。 At the bottom of the Abyss he performed as purely an altruistic
act as was ever performed outside the Abyss。 It was fine of Ginger； and
if the old woman caught some contagion from the 〃no end o' meat〃 on the
pork…ribs； it was still fine； though not so fine。 But the most salient thing
in this incident； it seems to me； is poor Ginger； 〃clean crazy〃 at sight of so
much food going to waste。
It is the rule of the casual ward that a man who enters must stay two
nights and a day； but I had seen sufficient for my purpose； had paid for my
skilly and canvas； and was preparing to run for it。
〃Come on； let's sling it；〃 I said to one of my mates； pointing toward the
open gate through which the dead waggon had come。
〃An' get fourteen days？〃
〃No； get away。〃
〃Aw； I come 'ere for a rest；〃 he said complacently。 〃An' another
night's kip won't 'urt me none。〃
They were all of this opinion； so I was forced to 〃sling it〃 alone。
〃You cawn't ever come back 'ere again for a doss；〃 they warned me。
〃No fear；〃 said I； with an enthusiasm they could not comprehend； and；
dodging out the gate； I sped down the street。
Straight to my room I hurried； changed my clothes； and less than an
hour from my escape； in a Turkish bath； I was sweating out whatever
germs and other things had penetrated my epidermis； and wishing that I
could stand a temperature of three hundred and
