Chapter 113

AtthebeginningofthelastweekinAugustPhilipentereduponhisdutiesinthe『district.』Theywerearduous,forhehadtoattendonanaveragethreeconfinementsaday.Thepatienthadobtaineda『card』fromthehospitalsometimebefore;andwhenhertimecameitwastakentotheporterbyamessenger,generallyalittlegirl,whowasthensentacrosstheroadtothehouseinwhichPhiliplodged.Atnighttheporter,whohadalatch-key,himselfcameoverandawokePhilip.ItwasmysteriousthentogetupinthedarknessandwalkthroughthedesertedstreetsoftheSouthSide.Atthosehoursitwasgenerallythehusbandwhobroughtthecard.Iftherehadbeenanumberofbabiesbeforehetookitforthemostpartwithsurlyindifference,butifnewlymarriedhewasnervousandthensometimesstrovetoallayhisanxietybygettingdrunk.Oftentherewasamileormoretowalk,duringwhichPhilipandthemessengerdiscussedtheconditionsoflabourandthecostofliving;Philiplearntaboutthevarioustradeswhichwerepractisedonthatsideoftheriver.Heinspiredconfidenceinthepeopleamongwhomhewasthrown,andduringthelonghoursthathewaitedinastuffyroom,thewomaninlabourlyingonalargebedthattookuphalfofit,hermotherandthemidwifetalkedtohimasnaturallyastheytalkedtooneanother.Thecircumstancesinwhichhehadlivedduringthelasttwoyearshadtaughthimseveralthingsaboutthelifeoftheverypoor,whichitamusedthemtofindheknew;andtheywereimpressedbecausehewasnotdeceivedbytheirlittlesubterfuges.Hewaskind,andhehadgentlehands,andhedidnotlosehistemper.Theywerepleasedbecausehewasnotabovedrinkingacupofteawiththem,andwhenthedawncameandtheywerestillwaitingtheyofferedhimasliceofbreadanddripping;hewasnotsqueamishandcouldeatmostthingsnowwithagoodappetite.Someofthehouseshewentto,infilthycourtsoffadingystreet,huddledagainstoneanotherwithoutlightorair,weremerelysqualid;butothers,unexpectedly,thoughdilapidated,withworm-eatenfloorsandleakingroofs,hadthegrandair:youfoundinthemoakbalustersexquisitelycarved,andthewallshadstilltheirpanelling.Thesewerethicklyinhabited.Onefamilylivedineachroom,andinthedaytimetherewastheincessantnoiseofchildrenplayinginthecourt.Theoldwallswerethebreeding-placeofvermin;theairwassofoulthatoften,feelingsick,Philiphadtolighthispipe.Thepeoplewhodweltherelivedfromhandtomouth.Babieswereunwelcome,themanreceivedthemwithsurlyanger,themotherwithdespair;itwasonemoremouthtofeed,andtherewaslittleenoughwherewithtofeedthosealreadythere.Philipoftendiscernedthewishthatthechildmightbeborndeadormightdiequickly.Hedeliveredonewomanoftwins(asourceofhumourtothefacetious)andwhenshewastoldsheburstintoalong,shrillwailofmisery.Hermothersaidoutright:

「Idon』tknowhowthey』regoingtofeed『em.」

「MaybetheLord』llseefittotake『emto『imself,」saidthemidwife.

Philipcaughtsightofthehusband』sfaceashelookedatthetinypairlyingsidebyside,andtherewasaferocioussullennessinitwhichstartledhim.Hefeltinthefamilyassembledthereahideousresentmentagainstthosepooratomswhohadcomeintotheworldunwishedfor;andhehadasuspicionthatifhedidnotspeakfirmlyan『accident』wouldoccur.Accidentsoccurredoften;mothers『overlay』theirbabies,andperhapserrorsofdietwerenotalwaystheresultofcarelessness.

「Ishallcomeeveryday,」hesaid.「Iwarnyouthatifanythinghappenstothemthere』llhavetobeaninquest.」

Thefathermadenoreply,buthegavePhilipascowl.Therewasmurderinhissoul.

「Blesstheirlittle『earts,」saidthegrandmother,「whatshould『appentothem?」

Thegreatdifficultywastokeepthemothersinbedfortendays,whichwastheminimumuponwhichthehospitalpracticeinsisted.Itwasawkwardtolookafterthefamily,noonewouldseetothechildrenwithoutpayment,andthehusbandtumbledbecausehisteawasnotrightwhenhecamehometiredfromhisworkandhungry.Philiphadheardthatthepoorhelpedoneanother,butwomanafterwomancomplainedtohimthatshecouldnotgetanyoneintocleanupandseetothechildren』sdinnerwithoutpayingfortheservice,andshecouldnotaffordtopay.Bylisteningtothewomenastheytalkedandbychanceremarksfromwhichhecoulddeducemuchthatwasleftunsaid,Philiplearnedhowlittletherewasincommonbetweenthepoorandtheclassesabovethem.Theydidnotenvytheirbetters,forthelifewastoodifferent,andtheyhadanidealofeasewhichmadetheexistenceofthemiddle-classesseemformalandstiff;moreover,theyhadacertaincontemptforthembecausetheyweresoftanddidnotworkwiththeirhands.Theproudmerelywishedtobeleftalone,butthemajoritylookeduponthewell-to-doaspeopletobeexploited;theyknewwhattosayinordertogetsuchadvantagesasthecharitableputattheirdisposal,andtheyacceptedbenefitsasarightwhichcametothemfromthefollyoftheirsuperiorsandtheirownastuteness.Theyborethecuratewithcontemptuousindifference,butthedistrictvisitorexcitedtheirbitterhatred.Shecameinandopenedyourwindowswithoutsomuchasabyyourleaveorwithyourleave,『andmewithmybronchitis,enoughtogivememydeathofcold;』shepokedhernoseintocorners,andifshedidn』tsaytheplacewasdirtyyousawwhatshethoughtrightenough,『an』it』sallverywellforthemas『asservants,butI』dliketoseewhatshe』dmakeof『erroomifshe『adfourchildren,and『adtodothecookin』,andmendtheirclothes,andwashthem.』

Philipdiscoveredthatthegreatesttragedyoflifetothesepeoplewasnotseparationordeath,thatwasnaturalandthegriefofitcouldbeassuagedwithtears,butlossofwork.Hesawamancomehomeoneafternoon,threedaysafterhiswife』sconfinement,andtellherhehadbeendismissed;hewasabuilderandatthattimeworkwasslack;hestatedthefact,andsatdowntohistea.

「Oh,Jim,」shesaid.

Themanatestolidlysomemesswhichhadbeenstewinginasauce-panagainsthiscoming;hestaredathisplate;hiswifelookedathimtwoorthreetimes,withlittlestartledglances,andthenquitesilentlybegantocry.Thebuilderwasanuncouthlittlefellowwitharough,weather-beatenfaceandalongwhitescaronhisforehead;hehadlarge,stubblyhands.Presentlyhepushedasidehisplateasifhemustgiveuptheefforttoforcehimselftoeat,andturnedafixedgazeoutofthewindow.Theroomwasatthetopofthehouse,attheback,andonesawnothingbutsullenclouds.Thesilenceseemedheavywithdespair.Philipfeltthattherewasnothingtobesaid,hecouldonlygo;andashewalkedawaywearily,forhehadbeenupmostofthenight,hisheartwasfilledwithrageagainstthecrueltyoftheworld.Heknewthehopelessnessofthesearchforworkandthedesolationwhichishardertobearthanhunger.HewasthankfulnottohavetobelieveinGod,forthensuchaconditionofthingswouldbeintolerable;onecouldreconcileoneselftoexistenceonlybecauseitwasmeaningless.

ItseemedtoPhilipthatthepeoplewhospenttheirtimeinhelpingthepoorerclasseserredbecausetheysoughttoremedythingswhichwouldharassthemifthemselveshadtoendurethemwithoutthinkingthattheydidnotintheleastdisturbthosewhowereusedtothem.Thepoordidnotwantlargeairyrooms;theysufferedfromcold,fortheirfoodwasnotnourishingandtheircirculationbad;spacegavethemafeelingofchilliness,andtheywantedtoburnaslittlecoalasneedbe;therewasnohardshipforseveraltosleepinoneroom,theypreferredit;theywereneveraloneforamoment,fromthetimetheywereborntothetimetheydied,andlonelinessoppressedthem;theyenjoyedthepromiscuityinwhichtheydwelt,andtheconstantnoiseoftheirsurroundingspressedupontheirearsunnoticed.Theydidnotfeeltheneedoftakingabathconstantly,andPhilipoftenheardthemspeakwithindignationofthenecessitytodosowithwhichtheywerefacedonenteringthehospital:itwasbothanaffrontandadiscomfort.Theywantedchieflytobeleftalone;thenifthemanwasinregularworklifewenteasilyandwasnotwithoutitspleasures:therewasplentyoftimeforgossip,aftertheday』sworkaglassofbeerwasverygoodtodrink,thestreetswereaconstantsourceofentertainment,ifyouwantedtoreadtherewasReynolds』orTheNewsoftheWorld;『butthere,youcouldn』tmakeout『owthetimedidfly,thetruthwasandthat』safact,youwasarareoneforreadingwhenyouwasagirl,butwhatwithonethingandanotheryoudidn』tgetnotimenownoteventoreadthepaper.』

Theusualpracticewastopaythreevisitsafteraconfinement,andoneSundayPhilipwenttoseeapatientatthedinnerhour.Shewasupforthefirsttime.

「Icouldn』tstayinbednolonger,Ireallycouldn』t.I』mnotoneforidling,anditgivesmethefidgetstobethereanddonothingalldaylong,soIsaidto『Erb,I』mjustgoingtogetupandcookyourdinnerforyou.」

『Erbwassittingattablewithhisknifeandforkalreadyinhishands.Hewasayoungman,withanopenfaceandblueeyes.Hewasearninggoodmoney,andasthingswentthecouplewereineasycircumstances.Theyhadonlybeenmarriedafewmonths,andwerebothdelightedwiththerosyboywholayinthecradleatthefootofthebed.TherewasasavourysmellofbeefsteakintheroomandPhilip』seyesturnedtotherange.

「Iwasjustgoingtodishupthisminute,」saidthewoman.

「Fireaway,」saidPhilip.「I』lljusthavealookatthesonandheirandthenI』lltakemyselfoff.」

HusbandandwifelaughedatPhilip』sexpression,and『ErbgettingupwentoverwithPhiliptothecradle.Helookedathisbabyproudly.

「Theredoesn』tseemmuchwrongwithhim,doesthere?」saidPhilip.

Hetookuphishat,andbythistime『Erb』swifehad

dishedupthebeefsteakandputonthetableaplateofgreenpeas.

「You』regoingtohaveanicedinner,」smiledPhilip.

「He』sonlyinofaSundayandIliketo『avesomethingspecialforhim,soasheshallmisshis『omewhenhe』soutatwork.」

「Isupposeyou』dbeabovesittin』downand『avin』abitofdinnerwithus?」said『Erb.

「Oh,『Erb,」saidhiswife,inashockedtone.

「Notifyouaskme,」answeredPhilip,withhisattractivesmile.

「Well,that』swhatIcallfriendly,Iknew『ewouldn』ttakeoffence,Polly.Justgetanotherplate,mygirl.」

Pollywasflustered,andshethought『Erbaregularcaution,youneverknewwhatideas『e』dgetin『is『eadnext;butshegotaplateandwipeditquicklywithherapron,thentookanewknifeandforkfromthechestofdrawers,whereherbestcutleryrestedamongherbestclothes.Therewasajugofstoutonthetable,and『ErbpouredPhilipoutaglass.Hewantedtogivehimthelion』sshareofthebeefsteak,butPhilipinsistedthattheyshouldsharealike.Itwasasunnyroomwithtwowindowsthatreachedtothefloor;ithadbeentheparlourofahousewhichatonetimewasifnotfashionableatleastrespectable:itmighthavebeeninhabitedfiftyyearsbeforebyawell-to-dotradesmanoranofficeronhalfpay.『Erbhadbeenafootballplayerbeforehemarried,andtherewerephotographsonthewallofvariousteamsinself-consciousattitudes,withneatlyplasteredhair,thecaptainseatedproudlyinthemiddleholdingacup.Therewereothersignsofprosperity:photographsoftherelationsof『ErbandhiswifeinSundayclothes;onthechimney-pieceanelaboratearrangementofshellsstuckonaminiaturerock;andoneachsidemugs,『ApresentfromSouthend』inGothicletters,withpicturesofapierandaparadeonthem.『Erbwassomethingofacharacter;hewasanon-unionmanandexpressedhimselfwithindignationattheeffortsoftheuniontoforcehimtojoin.Theunionwasn』tnogoodtohim,heneverfoundnodifficultyingettingwork,andtherewasgoodwagesforanyoneas『adaheadonhisshouldersandwasn』taboveputtin』『is『andtoanythingascome『isway.Pollywastimorous.Ifshewas『imshe』djointheunion,thelasttimetherewasastrikeshewasexpectin』『imtobebroughtbackinanambulanceeverytimehewentout.SheturnedtoPhilip.

「He』sthatobstinate,there』snodoinganythingwith『im.」

「Well,whatIsayis,it』safreecountry,andIwon』tbedictatedto.」

「It』snogoodsayingit』safreecountry,」saidPolly,「thatwon』tprevent『embashin』your『eadiniftheygetthechanst.」

WhentheyhadfinishedPhilippassedhispouchoverto『Erbandtheylittheirpipes;thenhegotup,fora『call』mightbewaitingforhimathisrooms,andshookhands.Hesawthatithadgiventhempleasurethathesharedtheirmeal,andtheysawthathehadthoroughlyenjoyedit.

「Well,good-bye,sir,」said『Erb,「andI『opeweshall『aveasniceadoctornexttimethemissusdisgraces『erself.」

「Goonwithyou,『Erb,」sheretorted.「『Owd』youknowthere』sgoingtobeanexttime?」