Chapter 114

Thethreeweekswhichtheappointmentlasteddrewtoanend.Philiphadattendedsixty-twocases,andhewastiredout.Whenhecamehomeaboutteno』clockonhislastnighthehopedwithallhisheartthathewouldnotbecalledoutagain.Hehadnothadawholenight』srestfortendays.Thecasewhichhehadjustcomefromwashorrible.Hehadbeenfetchedbyahuge,burlyman,theworseforliquor,andtakentoaroominanevil-smellingcourt,whichwasfilthierthananyhehadseen:itwasatinyattic;mostofthespacewastakenupbyawoodenbed,withacanopyofdirtyredhangings,andtheceilingwassolowthatPhilipcouldtouchitwiththetipsofhisfingers;withthesolitarycandlethataffordedwhatlighttherewashewentoverit,frizzlingupthebugsthatcrawleduponit.Thewomanwasablowsycreatureofmiddleage,whohadhadalongsuccessionofstill-bornchildren.ItwasastorythatPhilipwasnotunaccustomedto:thehusbandhadbeenasoldierinIndia;thelegislationforceduponthatcountrybythepruderyoftheEnglishpublichadgivenafreeruntothemostdistressingofalldiseases;theinnocentsuffered.Yawning,Philipundressedandtookabath,thenshookhisclothesoverthewaterandwatchedtheanimalsthatfelloutwriggling.Hewasjustgoingtogetintobedwhentherewasaknockatthedoor,andthehospitalporterbroughthimacard.

「Curseyou,」saidPhilip.「You』rethelastpersonIwantedtoseetonight.Who』sbroughtit?」

「Ithinkit』sthe『usband,sir.ShallItellhimtowait?」

Philiplookedattheaddress,sawthatthestreetwasfamiliartohim,andtoldtheporterthathewouldfindhisownway.Hedressedhimselfandinfiveminutes,withhisblackbaginhishand,steppedintothestreet.Aman,whomhecouldnotseeinthedarkness,cameuptohim,andsaidhewasthehusband.

「IthoughtI』dbetterwait,sir,」hesaid.「It』saprettyroughneighbour』ood,andthemnotknowingwhoyouwas.」

Philiplaughed.

「Blessyourheart,theyallknowthedoctor,I』vebeeninsomedamnedsightrougherplacesthanWaver

Street.」

Itwasquitetrue.Theblackbagwasapassportthroughwretchedalleysanddownfoul-smellingcourtsintowhichapolicemanwasnotreadytoventurebyhimself.OnceortwicealittlegroupofmenhadlookedatPhilipcuriouslyashepassed;heheardamutterofobservationsandthenonesay:

「It』sthe『orspitaldoctor.」

Ashewentbyoneortwoofthemsaid:「Good-night,sir.」

「Weshall『avetostepoutifyoudon』tmind,sir,」saidthemanwhoaccompaniedhimnow.「Theytoldmetherewasnotimetolose.」

「Whydidyouleaveitsolate?」askedPhilip,ashequickenedhispace.

Heglancedatthefellowastheypassedalamp-post.

「Youlookawfullyyoung,」hesaid.

「I』mturnedeighteen,sir.」

Hewasfair,andhehadnotahaironhisface,helookednomorethanaboy;hewasshort,butthickset.

「You』reyoungtobemarried,」saidPhilip.

「We『adto.」

「Howmuchd』youearn?」

「Sixteen,sir.」

Sixteenshillingsaweekwasnotmuchtokeepawifeandchildon.Theroomthecouplelivedinshowedthattheirpovertywasextreme.Itwasafairsize,butitlookedquitelarge,sincetherewashardlyanyfurnitureinit;therewasnocarpetonthefloor;therewerenopicturesonthewalls;andmostroomshadsomething,photographsorsupplementsincheapframesfromtheChristmasnumbersoftheillustratedpapers.Thepatientlayonalittleironbedofthecheapestsort.ItstartledPhiliptoseehowyoungshewas.

「ByJove,shecan』tbemorethansixteen,」hesaidtothewomanwhohadcomeinto『seeherthrough.』

Shehadgivenherageaseighteenonthecard,but

whentheywereveryyoungtheyoftenputonayearortwo.Alsoshewaspretty,whichwasrareinthoseclassesinwhichtheconstitutionhasbeenunderminedbybadfood,badair,andunhealthyoccupations;shehaddelicatefeaturesandlargeblueeyes,andamassofdarkhairdoneintheelaboratefashionofthecostergirl.Sheandherhusbandwereverynervous.

「You』dbetterwaitoutside,soastobeathandifIwantyou,」Philipsaidtohim.

NowthathesawhimbetterPhilipwassurprisedagainathisboyishair:youfeltthatheshouldbelarkinginthestreetwiththeotherladsinsteadofwaitinganxiouslyforthebirthofachild.Thehourspassed,anditwasnottillnearlytwothatthebabywasborn.Everythingseemedtobegoingsatisfactorily;thehusbandwascalledin,andittouchedPhiliptoseetheawkward,shywayinwhichhekissedhiswife;Philippackeduphisthings.Beforegoinghefeltoncemorehispatient』spulse.

「Hulloa!」hesaid.

Helookedatherquickly:somethinghadhappened.IncasesofemergencytheS.O.C.—seniorobstetricclerk—hadtobesentfor;hewasaqualifiedman,andthe『district』wasinhischarge.Philipscribbledanote,andgivingittothehusband,toldhimtorunwithittothehospital;hebadehimhurry,forhiswifewasinadangerousstate.Themansetoff.Philipwaitedanxiously;heknewthewomanwasbleedingtodeath;hewasafraidshewoulddiebeforehischiefarrived;hetookwhatstepshecould.HehopedferventlythattheS.O.C.wouldnothavebeencalledelsewhere.Theminuteswereinterminable.Hecameatlast,and,whileheexaminedthepatient,inalowvoiceaskedPhilipquestions.Philipsawbyhisfacethathethoughtthecaseverygrave.HisnamewasChandler.Hewasatallmanoffewwords,withalongnoseandathinfacemuchlinedforhisage.Heshookhishead.

「Itwashopelessfromthebeginning.Where』sthe

husband?」

「Itoldhimtowaitonthestairs,」saidPhilip.

「You』dbetterbringhimin.」

Philipopenedthedoorandcalledhim.Hewassittinginthedarkonthefirststepoftheflightthatledtothenextfloor.Hecameuptothebed.

「What』sthematter?」heasked.

「Why,there』sinternalbleeding.It』simpossibletostopit.」TheS.O.C.hesitatedamoment,andbecauseitwasapainfulthingtosayheforcedhisvoicetobecomebrusque.「She』sdying.」

Themandidnotsayaword;hestoppedquitestill,lookingathiswife,wholay,paleandunconscious,onthebed.Itwasthemidwifewhospoke.

「Thegentlemen『avedonealltheycould,『Arry,」shesaid.「Isawwhatwascomin』fromthefirst.」

「Shutup,」saidChandler.

Therewerenocurtainsonthewindows,andgraduallythenightseemedtolighten;itwasnotyetthedawn,butthedawnwasathand.Chandlerwaskeepingthewomanalivebyallthemeansinhispower,butlifewasslippingawayfromher,andsuddenlyshedied.Theboywhowasherhusbandstoodattheendofthecheapironbedwithhishandsrestingontherail;hedidnotspeak;buthelookedverypaleandonceortwiceChandlergavehimanuneasyglance,thinkinghewasgoingtofaint:hislipsweregray.Themidwifesobbednoisily,buthetooknonoticeofher.Hiseyeswerefixeduponhiswife,andinthemwasanutterbewilderment.Heremindedyouofadogwhippedforsomethinghedidnotknowwaswrong.WhenChandlerandPhiliphadgatheredtogethertheirthingsChandlerturnedtothehusband.

「You』dbetterliedownforabit.Iexpectyou』reaboutdoneup.」

「There』snowhereformetoliedown,sir,」heanswered,andtherewasinhisvoiceahumblenesswhichwasverydistressing.

「Don』tyouknowanyoneinthehousewho』llgiveyouashakedown?」

「No,sir.」

「Theyonlymovedinlastweek,」saidthemidwife.「Theydon』tknownobodyyet.」

Chandlerhesitatedamomentawkwardly,thenhewentuptothemanandsaid:

「I』mverysorrythishashappened.」

Heheldouthishandandtheman,withaninstinctiveglanceathisowntoseeifitwasclean,shookit.

「Thankyou,sir.」

Philipshookhandswithhimtoo.Chandlertoldthemidwifetocomeandfetchthecertificateinthemorning.Theyleftthehouseandwalkedalongtogetherinsilence.

「Itupsetsoneabitatfirst,doesn』tit?」saidChandleratlast.

「Abit,」answeredPhilip.

「IfyoulikeI』lltelltheporternottobringyouanymorecallstonight.」

「I』moffdutyateightinthemorninginanycase.」

「Howmanycaseshaveyouhad?」

「Sixty-three.」

「Good.You』llgetyourcertificatethen.」

Theyarrivedatthehospital,andtheS.O.C.wentintoseeifanyonewantedhim.Philipwalkedon.Ithadbeenveryhotallthedaybefore,andevennowintheearlymorningtherewasabalminessintheair.Thestreetwasverystill.Philipdidnotfeelinclinedtogotobed.Itwastheendofhisworkandheneednothurry.Hestrolledalong,gladofthefreshairandthesilence;hethoughtthathewouldgoontothebridgeandlookatdaybreakontheriver.Apolicemanatthecornerbadehimgood-morning.HeknewwhoPhilipwasfromhisbag.

「Outlatetonight,sir,」hesaid.

Philipnoddedandpassed.Heleanedagainsttheparapetandlookedtowardsthemorning.Atthathourthegreatcitywaslikeacityofthedead.Theskywascloudless,butthestarsweredimattheapproachofday;therewasalightmistontheriver,andthegreatbuildingsonthenorthsidewerelikepalacesinanenchantedisland.Agroupofbargeswasmooredinmidstream.Itwasallofanunearthlyviolet,troublingsomehowandawe-inspiring;butquicklyeverythinggrewpale,andcold,andgray.Thenthesunrose,arayofyellowgoldstoleacrossthesky,andtheskywasiridescent.Philipcouldnotgetoutofhiseyesthedeadgirllyingonthebed,wanandwhite,andtheboywhostoodattheendofitlikeastrickenbeast.Thebarenessofthesqualidroommadethepainofitmorepoignant.Itwascruelthatastupidchanceshouldhavecutoffherlifewhenshewasjustenteringuponit;butintheverymomentofsayingthistohimself,Philipthoughtofthelifewhichhadbeeninstoreforher,thebearingofchildren,thedrearyfightwithpoverty,theyouthbrokenbytoilanddeprivationintoaslatternlymiddleage—hesawtheprettyfacegrowthinandwhite,thehairgrowscanty,theprettyhands,worndownbrutallybywork,becomeliketheclawsofanoldanimal—then,whenthemanwaspasthisprime,thedifficultyofgettingjobs,thesmallwageshehadtotake;andtheinevitable,abjectpenuryoftheend:shemightbeenergetic,thrifty,industrious,itwouldnothavesavedher;intheendwastheworkhouseorsubsistenceonthecharityofherchildren.Whocouldpityherbecauseshehaddiedwhenlifeofferedsolittle?

Butpitywasinane.Philipfeltitwasnotthatwhichthesepeopleneeded.Theydidnotpitythemselves.Theyacceptedtheirfate.Itwasthenaturalorderofthings.Otherwise,goodheavens!otherwisetheywouldswarmovertheriverintheirmultitudetothesidewherethosegreatbuildingswere,secureandstately,andtheywouldpillage,burn,andsack.Buttheday,tenderandpale,hadbrokennow,andthemist

wastenuous;itbathedeverythinginasoftradiance;andtheThameswasgray,rosy,andgreen;graylikemother-of-pearlandgreenliketheheartofayellowrose.Thewharfsandstore-housesoftheSurreySideweremassedindisorderlyloveliness.ThescenewassoexquisitethatPhilip』sheartbeatpassionately.Hewasoverwhelmedbythebeautyoftheworld.Besidethatnothingseemedtomatter.