novel notes-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃They　grumbled　a　good　deal；　and　there　was　a　talk　at　one　time　of　a　sort　of　a　strike；　but　what　could　they　do？　　He　was　the　only　pauper　for　miles　round；　and　knew　it。　　He　had　the　monopoly；　and；　like　all　monopolises；　he　abused　his　position。

〃He　made　them　run　errands。　　He　sent　them　out　to　buy　his　'baccy；'　at　their　own　expense。　　On　one　occasion　he　sent　Miss　Simmonds　out　with　a　jug　to　get　his　supper　beer。　　She　indignantly　refused　at　first；　but　he　told　her　that　if　she　gave　him　any　of　her　stuck…up　airs　out　she　would　go；　and　never　come　into　his　house　again。　　If　she　wouldn't　do　it　there　were　plenty　of　others　who　would。　　She　knew　it　and　went。

〃They　had　been　in　the　habit　of　reading　to　himgood　books　with　an　elevating　tendency。　　But　now　he　put　his　foot　down　upon　that　sort　of　thing。　　He　said　he　didn't　want　Sunday…school　rubbish　at　his　time　of　life。　　What　he　liked　was　something　spicy。　　And　he　made　them　read　him　French　novels　and　sea…faring　tales；　containing　realistic　language。　And　they　didn't　have　to　skip　anything　either；　or　he'd　know　the　reason　why。

〃He　said　he　liked　music；　so　a　few　of　them　clubbed　together　and　bought　him　a　harmonium。　　Their　idea　was　that　they　would　sing　hymns　and　play　high…class　melodies；　but　it　wasn't　his。　　His　idea　was　'Keeping　up　the　old　girl's　birthday'　and　'She　winked　the　other　eye；'　with　chorus　and　skirt　dance；　and　that's　what　they　sang。

〃To　what　lengths　his　tyranny　would　have　gone　it　is　difficult　to　say；　had　not　an　event　happened　that　brought　his　power　to　a　premature　collapse。　　This　was　the　curate's　sudden　and　somewhat　unexpected　marriage　with　a　very　beautiful　burlesque　actress　who　had　lately　been　performing　in　a　neighbouring　town。　　He　gave　up　the　Church　on　his　engagement；　in　consequence　of　his　fiancee's　objection　to　becoming　a　minister's　wife。　　She　said　she　could　never　'tumble　to'　the　district　visiting。

〃With　the　curate's　wedding　the　old　pauper's　brief　career　of　prosperity　ended。　　They　packed　him　off　to　the　workhouse　after　that；　and　made　him　break　stones。〃


At　the　end　of　the　telling　of　his　tale；　MacShaughnassy　lifted　his　feet　off　the　mantelpiece；　and　set　to　work　to　wake　up　his　legs；　and　Jephson　took　a　hand；　and　began　to　spin　us　stories。

But　none　of　us　felt　inclined　to　laugh　at　Jephson's　stories；　for　they　dealt　not　with　the　goodness　of　the　rich　to　the　poor；　which　is　a　virtue　yielding　quick　and　highly　satisfactory　returns；　but　with　the　goodness　of　the　poor　to　the　poor；　a　somewhat　less　remunerative　investment　and　a　different　matter　altogether。

For　the　poor　themselvesI　do　not　mean　the　noisy　professional　poor；　but　the　silent；　fighting　poorone　is　bound　to　feel　a　genuine　respect。　　One　honours　them；　as　one　honours　a　wounded　soldier。

In　the　perpetual　warfare　between　Humanity　and　Nature；　the　poor　stand　always　in　the　van。　　They　die　in　the　ditches；　and　we　march　over　their　bodies　with　the　flags　flying　and　the　drums　playing。

One　cannot　think　of　them　without　an　uncomfortable　feeling　that　one　ought　to　be　a　little　bit　ashamed　of　living　in　security　and　ease；　leaving　them　to　take　all　the　hard　blows。　　It　is　as　if　one　were　always　skulking　in　the　tents；　while　one's　comrades　were　fighting　and　dying　in　the　front。

They　bleed　and　fall　in　silence　there。　　Nature　with　her　terrible　club；　〃Survival　of　the　Fittest〃；　and　Civilisation　with　her　cruel　sword；　〃Supply　and　Demand；〃　beat　them　back；　and　they　give　way　inch　by　inch；　fighting　to　the　end。　　But　it　is　in　a　dumb；　sullen　way；　that　is　not　sufficiently　picturesque　to　be　heroic。

I　remember　seeing　an　old　bull…dog；　one　Saturday　night；　lying　on　the　doorstep　of　a　small　shop　in　the　New　Cut。　　He　lay　there　very　quiet；　and　seemed　a　bit　sleepy；　and；　as　he　looked　savage；　nobody　disturbed　him。　　People　stepped　in　and　out　over　him；　and　occasionally　in　doing　so；　one　would　accidentally　kick　him；　and　then　he　would　breathe　a　little　harder　and　quicker。

At　last　a　passer…by；　feeling　something　wet　beneath　his　feet；　looked　down；　and　found　that　he　was　standing　in　a　pool　of　blood；　and；　looking　to　see　where　it　came　from；　found　that　it　flowed　in　a　thick；　dark　stream　from　the　step　on　which　the　dog　was　lying。

Then　he　stooped　down　and　examined　the　dog；　and　the　dog　opened　its　eyes　sleepily　and　looked　at　him；　gave　a　grin　which　may　have　implied　pleasure；　or　may　have　implied　irritation　at　being　disturbed；　and　died。

A　crowd　collected；　and　they　turned　the　dead　body　of　the　dog　over　on　its　side；　and　saw　a　fearful　gash　in　the　groin；　out　of　which　oozed　blood；　and　other　things。　　The　proprietor　of　the　shop　said　the　animal　had　been　there　for　over　an　hour。

I　have　known　the　poor　to　die　in　that　same　grim；　silent　waynot　the　poor　that　you；　my　delicately…gloved　Lady　Bountiful　and　my　very　excellent　Sir　Simon　DoGood；　know；　or　that　you　would　care　to　know；　not　the　poor　who　march　in　processions　with　banners　and　collection…　boxes；　not　the　poor　that　clamour　round　your　soup　kitchens　and　sing　hymns　at　your　tea　meetings；　but　the　poor　that　you　don't　know　are　poor　until　the　tale　is　told　at　the　coroner's　inquestthe　silent；　proud　poor　who　wake　each　morning　to　wrestle　with　Death　till　night…　time；　and　who；　when　at　last　he　overcomes　them；　and；　forcing　them　down　on　the　rotting　floor　of　the　dim　attic；　strangles　them；　still　die　with　their　teeth　tight　shut。

There　was　a　boy　I　came　to　know　when　I　was　living　in　the　East　End　of　London。　　He　was　not　a　nice　boy　by　any　means。　　He　was　not　quite　so　clean　as　are　the　good　boys　in　the　religious　magazines；　and　I　have　known　a　sailor　to　stop　him　in　the　street　and　reprove　him　for　using　indelicate　language。

He　and　his　mother　and　the　baby；　a　sickly　infant　of　about　five　months　old；　lived　in　a　cellar　down　a　turning　off　Three　Colt　Street。　　I　am　not　quite　sure　what　had　become　of　the　father。　　I　rather　think　he　had　been　〃converted；〃　and　had　gone　off　round　the　country　on　a　preaching　tour。　　The　lad　earned　six　shillings　a　week　as　an　errand…boy；　and　the　mother　stitched　trousers；　and　on　days　when　she　was　feeling　strong　and　energetic　would　often　make　as　much　as　tenpence；　or　even　a　shilling。　　Unfortunately；　there　were　days　when　the　four　bare　walls　would　chase　each　other　round　and　round；　and　the　candle　seem　a　faint　speck　of　light；　a　very　long　way　off；　and　the　frequency　of　these　caused　the　family　income　for　the　week　to　occasionally　fall　somewhat　low。

One　night　the　walls　danced　round　quicker　and　quicker　till　they　danced　away　altogether；　and　the　candle　shot　up　through　the　ceiling　and　became　a　star　and　the　woman　knew　that　it　was　time　to　put　away　her　sewing。

〃Jim；〃　she　said：　　she　spoke　very　low；　and　the　boy　had　to　bend　over　her　to　hear；　〃if　you　poke　about　in　the　middle　of　the　mattress　you'll　find　a　couple　of　pounds。　　I　saved　them　up　a　long　while　ago。　　That　will　pay　for　burying　me。　　And；　Jim；　you'll　take　care　of　the　kid。　You　won't　let　it　go　to　the　parish。〃

Jim　promised。

〃Say　'S'welp　me　Gawd；'　Jim。〃

〃S'welp　me　Gawd；　mother。〃

Then　the　woman；　having　arranged　her　worldly　affairs；　lay　back　ready；　and　Death　struck。

Jim　kept　his　oath。　　He　found　the　money；　and　buried　his　mother；　and　then；　putting　his　household　goods　on　a　barrow；　moved　into　cheaper　apartmentshalf　an　old　shed；　for　which　he　paid　two　shillings　a　week。

For　eighteen　months　he　and　the　baby　lived　there。　　He　left　the　child　at　a　nursery　every　morning；　fetching　it　away　each　evening　on　his　return　from　work；　and　for　that　he　paid　fourpence　a　day；　which　included　a　limited　supply　of　milk。　　How　he　managed　to　keep　himself　and　more　than　half　keep　the　child　on　the　remaining　two　shillings　I　cannot　say。　　I　only　know　that　he　did　it；　and　that　not　a　soul　ever　helped　him　or　knew　that　there　was　help　wanted。　　He　nursed　the　child；　often　pacing　the　room　with　it　for　hours；　washed　it；　occasionally；　and　took　it　out　for　an　airing　every　Sunday。

Notwithstanding　all　which　care；　the　little　beggar；　at　the　end　of　the　time　above　mentioned；　〃pegged　out；〃　to　use　Jimmy's　own　words。

The　coroner　was　very　severe　on　Jim。　　〃If　you　had　taken　proper　steps；〃　he　said；　〃this　child's　life　might　have　been　preserved。〃　　（He　seemed　to　think　it　would　have　been　better　if　the　child's　life　had　been　preserved。　　Coroners　have　quaint　ideas！）　　〃Why　didn't　you　apply　to　the　relieving　officer？〃

〃'Cos　I　didn't　want　no　relief；〃　replied　Jim　sullenly。　　〃I　promised　my　mother　it　should　never　go　on　the　parish；　and　it　didn't。〃

The　incident　occurred；　very　luckily；　during　the　dead　season；　and　the　evening　papers　took　the　case　up；　and　made　rather　a　good　thing　out　of　it。　　Jim　became　quite　a　hero；　I　remember。　　Kind…hearted　people　wrote；　urging　that　somebodythe　ground　landlord；　or　the　Government；　or　some　one　of　that　sortought　to　do　something　for　him。　　And　everybody　abused　the　local　vestry。　　I　really　think　some　benefit　to　Jim　might　have　come　out　of　it　all　if　only　the　excitement　had　lasted　a　little　longer。　　Unfortunately；　however；　just　at　its　height　a　spicy　divorce　case　cropped　up；　and　Jim　was　crowded　out　and　forgotten。

I　told　the　boys　this　story　of　mine；　after　Jephson　had　done　telling　his；　and；　when　I　had　finished；　we　found　it　was　nearly　one　o'clock。　So；　of　course；　it　was　too　late　to　do　any　more　work　to　the　novel　that　evening。



CHAPTER　IV



We　held　our　next　business　meeting　on　my　houseboat。　　Brown　was　opposed　at　first　to　my　going　down　to　this　houseboat　at　all。　　He　thought　that　none　of　us　sho