the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第44节
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they live and prey in the jungle。
The dear soft people of the golden theatres and wonder…mansions of
the West End do not see these creatures； do not dream that they exist。
But they are here； alive； very much alive in their jungle。 And woe the day；
when England is fighting in her last trench； and her able…bodied men are
on the firing line！ For on that day they will crawl out of their dens and
lairs； and the people of the West End will see them； as the dear soft
aristocrats of Feudal France saw them and asked one another； 〃Whence
came they？〃 〃Are they men？〃
But they were not the only beasts that ranged the menagerie。 They
were only here and there； lurking in dark courts and passing like grey
shadows along the walls； but the women from whose rotten loins they
spring were everywhere。 They whined insolently； and in maudlin tones
begged me for pennies； and worse。 They held carouse in every boozing
ken； slatternly； unkempt； bleary…eyed； and towsled； leering and gibbering；
overspilling with foulness and corruption； and； gone in debauch； sprawling
across benches and bars； unspeakably repulsive； fearful to look upon。
And there were others； strange； weird faces and forms and twisted
monstrosities that shouldered me on every side； inconceivable types of
sodden ugliness； the wrecks of society； the perambulating carcasses； the
living deathswomen； blasted by disease and drink till their shame
brought not tuppence in the open mart； and men； in fantastic rags；
wrenched by hardship and exposure out of all semblance of men； their
faces in a perpetual writhe of pain； grinning idiotically； shambling like
apes； dying with every step they took and each breath they drew。 And
there were young girls； of eighteen and twenty； with trim bodies and faces
yet untouched with twist and bloat； who had fetched the bottom of the
Abyss plump； in one swift fall。 And I remember a lad of fourteen； and
one of six or seven； white…faced and sickly； homeless； the pair of them；
who sat upon the pavement with their backs against a railing and watched
it all。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
The unfit and the unneeded！ Industry does not clamour for them。
There are no jobs going begging through lack of men and women。 The
dockers crowd at the entrance gate； and curse and turn away when the
foreman does not give them a call。 The engineers who have work pay six
shillings a week to their brother engineers who can find nothing to do；
514；000 textile workers oppose a resolution condemning the employment
of children under fifteen。 Women； and plenty to spare； are found to toil
under the sweat…shop masters for tenpence a day of fourteen hours。
Alfred Freeman crawls to muddy death because he loses his job。 Ellen
Hughes Hunt prefers Regent's Canal to Islington Workhouse。 Frank
Cavilla cuts the throats of his wife and children because he cannot find
work enough to give them food and shelter。
The unfit and the unneeded！ The miserable and despised and
forgotten； dying in the social shambles。 The progeny of prostitutionof
the prostitution of men and women and children； of flesh and blood； and
sparkle and spirit； in brief； the prostitution of labour。 If this is the best
that civilisation can do for the human； then give us howling and naked
savagery。 Far better to be a people of the wilderness and desert； of the
cave and the squatting… place； than to be a people of the machine and the
Abyss。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XXVTHE HUNGER
WAIL
〃My father has more stamina than I； for he is country…born。〃
The speaker； a bright young East Ender； was lamenting his poor
physical development。
〃Look at my scrawny arm； will you。〃 He pulled up his sleeve。 〃Not
enough to eat； that's what's the matter with it。 Oh； not now。 I have what
I want to eat these days。 But it's too late。 It can't make up for what I
didn't have to eat when I was a kiddy。 Dad came up to London from the
Fen Country。 Mother died； and there were six of us kiddies and dad
living in two small rooms。 〃He had hard times； dad did。 He might have
chucked us； but he didn't。 He slaved all day； and at night he came home
and cooked and cared for us。 He was father and mother； both。 He did
his best； but we didn't have enough to eat。 We rarely saw meat； and then
of the worst。 And it is not good for growing kiddies to sit down to a
dinner of bread and a bit of cheese； and not enough of it。
〃And what's the result？ I am undersized； and I haven't the stamina of
my dad。 It was starved out of me。 In a couple of generations there'll be
no more of me here in London。 Yet there's my younger brother； he's
bigger and better developed。 You see； dad and we children held together；
and that accounts for it。〃
〃But I don't see；〃 I objected。 〃I should think； under such conditions；
that the vitality should decrease and the younger children be born weaker
and weaker。〃
〃Not when they hold together；〃 he replied。 〃Whenever you come
along in the East End and see a child of from eight to twelve； good…sized；
well…developed； and healthy…looking； just you ask and you will find that it
is the youngest in the family； or at least is one of the younger。 The way
of it is this： the older children starve more than the younger ones。 By
the time the younger ones come along； the older ones are starting to work；
and there is more money coming in； and more food to go around。〃
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
He pulled down his sleeve； a concrete instance of where chronic semi…
starvation kills not； but stunts。 His voice was but one among the myriads
that raise the cry of the hunger wail in the greatest empire in the world。
On any one day； over 1；000；000 people are in receipt of poor…law relief in
the United Kingdom。 One in eleven of the whole working…class receive
poor…law relief in the course of the year； 37；500；000 people receive less
than 12 pounds per month； per family； and a constant army of 8；000；000
lives on the border of starvation。
A committee of the London County school board makes this
declaration： 〃At times； WHEN THERE IS NO SPECIAL DISTRESS；
55；000 children in a state of hunger； which makes it useless to attempt to
teach them； are in the schools of London alone。〃 The italics are mine。
〃When there is no special distress〃 means good times in England； for the
people of England have come to look upon starvation and suffering； which
they call 〃distress；〃 as part of the social order。 Chronic starvation is
looked upon as a matter of course。 It is only when acute starvation
makes its appearance on a large scale that they think something is unusual
I shall never forget the bitter wail of a blind man in a little East End
shop at the close of a murky day。 He had been the eldest of five children；
with a mother and no father。 Being the eldest； he had starved and worked
as a child to put bread into the mouths of his little brothers and sisters。
Not once in three months did he ever taste meat。 He never knew what it
was to have his hunger thoroughly appeased。 And he claimed that this
chronic starvation of his childhood had robbed him of his sight。 To
support the claim； he quoted from the report of the Royal Commission on
the Blind； 〃Blindness is more prevalent in poor districts； and poverty
accelerates this drea
