the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第38节
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one place of his own on the earth of which he can say： 〃This is mine； my
castle； the world stops at the threshold； here am I lord and master。〃 He
will be a better citizen； this man； and he will do a better day's work。
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I stood on one floor of the poor man's hotel and listened。 I went from
bed to bed and looked at the sleepers。 They were young men； from
twenty to forty； most of them。 Old men cannot afford the working…man's
home。 They go to the workhouse。 But I looked at the young men；
scores of them； and they were not bad…looking fellows。 Their faces were
made for women's kisses； their necks for women's arms。 They were
lovable； as men are lovable。 They were capable of love。 A woman's
touch redeems and softens； and they needed such redemption and
softening instead of each day growing harsh and harsher。 And I
wondered where these women were； and heard a 〃harlot's ginny laugh。〃
Leman Street； Waterloo Road； Piccadilly； The Strand； answered me； and I
knew where they were。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XXITHE
PRECARIOUSNESS OF LIFE
I was talking with a very vindictive man。 In his opinion； his wife had
wronged him and the law had wronged him。 The merits and morals of
the case are immaterial。 The meat of the matter is that she had obtained a
separation； and he was compelled to pay ten shillings each week for the
support of her and the five children。 〃But look you；〃 said he to me；
〃wot'll 'appen to 'er if I don't py up the ten shillings？ S'posin'； now； just
s'posin' a accident 'appens to me； so I cawn't work。 S'posin' I get a
rupture； or the rheumatics； or the cholera。 Wot's she goin' to do； eh？
Wot's she goin' to do？〃
He shook his head sadly。 〃No 'ope for 'er。 The best she cawn do is
the work'ouse； an' that's 'ell。 An' if she don't go to the work'ouse； it'll be a
worse 'ell。 Come along 'ith me an' I'll show you women sleepin' in a
passage； a dozen of 'em。 An' I'll show you worse； wot she'll come to if
anythin' 'appens to me and the ten shillings。〃
The certitude of this man's forecast is worthy of consideration。 He
knew conditions sufficiently to know the precariousness of his wife's grasp
on food and shelter。 For her game was up when his working capacity
was impaired or destroyed。 And when this state of affairs is looked at in
its larger aspect； the same will be found true of hundreds of thousands and
even millions of men and women living amicably together and co…
operating in the pursuit of food and shelter。
The figures are appalling： 1；800；000 people in London live on the
poverty line and below it； and 1；000；000 live with one week's wages
between them and pauperism。 In all England and Wales； eighteen per
cent。 of the whole population are driven to the parish for relief； and in
London； according to the statistics of the London County Council； twenty…
one per cent。 of the whole population are driven to the parish for relief。
Between being driven to the parish for relief and being an out…and…out
pauper there is a great difference； yet London supports 123；000 paupers；
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quite a city of folk in themselves。 One in every four in London dies on
public charity； while 939 out of every 1000 in the United Kingdom die in
poverty； 8；000；000 simply struggle on the ragged edge of starvation； and
20；000；000 more are not comfortable in the simple and clean sense of the
word。
It is interesting to go more into detail concerning the London people
who die on charity。
In 1886； and up to 1893； the percentage of pauperism to population
was less in London than in all England； but since 1893； and for every
succeeding year； the percentage of pauperism to population has been
greater in London than in all England。 Yet； from the Registrar…General's
Report for 1886； the following figures are taken：…
Out of 81；951 deaths in London （1884）：…
In workhouses 9；909 In hospitals 6；559
In lunatic asylums 278 Total in public refuges 16；746
Commenting on these figures； a Fabian writer says： 〃Considering
that comparatively few of these are children； it is probable that one in
every three London adults will be driven into one of these refuges to die；
and the proportion in the case of the manual labour class must of course be
still larger。〃
These figures serve somewhat to indicate the proximity of the average
worker to pauperism。 Various things make pauperism。 An
advertisement； for instance； such as this； appearing in yesterday morning's
paper：…
〃Clerk wanted； with knowledge of shorthand； typewriting； and
invoicing： wages ten shillings （2。50） a week。 Apply by letter；〃 &c。
And in to…day's paper I read of a clerk； thirty…five years of age and an
inmate of a London workhouse； brought before a magistrate for non…
performance of task。 He claimed that he had done his various tasks since
he had been an inmate； but when the master set him to breaking stones； his
hands blistered； and he could not finish the task。 He had never been used
to an implement heavier than a pen； he said。 The magistrate sentenced
him and his blistered hands to seven days' hard labour。
Old age； of course； makes pauperism。 And then there is the accident；
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the thing happening； the death or disablement of the husband； father； and
bread…winner。 Here is a man； with a wife and three children； living on
the ticklish security of twenty shillings per weekand there are hundreds
of thousands of such families in London。 Perforce； to even half exist；
they must live up to the last penny of it； so that a week's wages （one pound）
is all that stands between this family and pauperism or starvation。 The
thing happens； the father is struck down； and what then？ A mother with
three children can do little or nothing。 Either she must hand her children
over to society as juvenile paupers； in order to be free to do something
adequate for herself； or she must go to the sweat…shops for work which she
can perform in the vile den possible to her reduced income。 But with the
sweat…shops； married women who eke out their husband's earnings； and
single women who have but themselves miserably to support； determine
the scale of wages。 And this scale of wages； so determined； is so low that
the mother and her three children can live only in positive beastliness and
semi…starvation； till decay and death end their suffering。
To show that this mother； with her three children to support； cannot
compete in the sweating industries； I instance from the current newspapers
the two following cases：…
A father indignantly writes that his daughter and a girl companion
receive 8。5d。 per gross for making boxes。 They made each day four
gross。 Their expenses were 8d。 for car fare； 2d。 for stamps； 2。5d。 for glue；
and 1d。 for string； so that all they earned between them was 1s。 9d。； or a
daily wage each of 10。5d。
In the second ewe； before the Luton Guardians a few days ago； an old
woman of seventy…two appeared； asking for relief。 〃She was a straw… hat
maker； but had been compelled to give up the work owing to the price she
obtained for themnamely； 2。25d。 each。 For that price she had to provide
plait trimmings and make and finish the hats。〃
Yet th
