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！
hour； she had died in the night of exposure。 She was sixty…two years old
and a match vendor。 She died as a wild animal dies。
Fresh in my mind is the picture of a boy in the dock of an East End
police court。 His head was barely visible above the railing。 He was
being proved guilty of stealing two shillings from a woman； which he had
spent； not for candy and cakes and a good time； but for food。
〃Why didn't you ask the woman for food？〃 the magistrate demanded；
in a hurt sort of tone。 〃She would surely have given you something to
eat。〃
〃If I 'ad arsked 'er； I'd got locked up for beggin'；〃 was the boy's reply。
The magistrate knitted his brows and accepted the rebuke。 Nobody
knew the boy； nor his father or mother。 He was without beginning or
antecedent； a waif； a stray； a young cub seeking his food in the jungle of
152
… Page 153…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
empire； preying upon the weak and being preyed upon by the strong。
The people who try to help； who gather up the Ghetto children and
send them away on a day's outing to the country； believe that not very
many children reach the age of ten without having had at least one day
there。 Of this； a writer says： 〃The mental change caused by one day so
spent must not be undervalued。 Whatever the circumstances； the children
learn the meaning of fields and woods； so that descriptions of country
scenery in the books they read； which before conveyed no impression；
become now intelligible。〃
One day in the fields and woods； if they are lucky enough to be picked
up by the people who try to help！ And they are being born faster every
day than they can be carted off to the fields and woods for the one day in
their lives。 One day！ In all their lives； one day！ And for the rest of the
days； as the boy told a certain bishop； 〃At ten we 'ops the wag； at thirteen
we nicks things； an' at sixteen we bashes the copper。〃 Which is to say； at
ten they play truant； at thirteen steal； and at sixteen are sufficiently
developed hooligans to smash the policemen。
The Rev。 J。 Cartmel Robinson tells of a boy and girl of his parish who
set out to walk to the forest。 They walked and walked through the never…
ending streets； expecting always to see it by…and…by； until they sat down at
last； faint and despairing； and were rescued by a kind woman who brought
them back。 Evidently they had been overlooked by the people who try to
help。
The same gentleman is authority for the statement that in a street in
Hoxton （a district of the vast East End）； over seven hundred children；
between five and thirteen years； live in eighty small houses。 And he adds：
〃It is because London has largely shut her children in a maze of streets and
houses and robbed them of their rightful inheritance in sky and field and
brook； that they grow up to be men and women physically unfit。〃
He tells of a member of his congregation who let a basement room to a
married couple。 〃They said they had two children； when they got
possession it turned out that they had four。 After a while a fifth appeared；
and the landlord gave them notice to quit。 They paid no attention to it。
Then the sanitary inspector who has to wink at the law so often； came in
153
… Page 154…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
and threatened my friend with legal proceedings。 He pleaded that he
could not get them out。 They pleaded that nobody would have them with
so many children at a rental within their means； which is one of the
commonest complaints of the poor； by…the…bye。 What was to be done？
The landlord was between two millstones。 Finally he applied to the
magistrate； who sent up an officer to inquire into the case。 Since that
time about twenty days have elapsed； and nothing has yet been done。 Is
this a singular case？ By no means； it is quite common。〃
Last week the police raided a disorderly house。 In one room were
found two young children。 They were arrested and charged with being
inmates the same as the women had been。 Their father appeared at the
trial。 He stated that himself and wife and two older children； besides the
two in the dock； occupied that room； he stated also that he occupied it
because he could get no other room for the half…crown a week he paid for
it。 The magistrate discharged the two juvenile offenders and warned the
father that he was bringing his children up unhealthily。
But there is no need further to multiply instances。 In London the
slaughter of the innocents goes on on a scale more stupendous than any
before in the history of the world。 And equally stupendous is the
callousness of the people who believe in Christ； acknowledge God； and go
to church regularly on Sunday。 For the rest of the week they riot about
on the rents and profits which come to them from the East End stained
with the blood of the children。 Also； at times； so peculiarly are they
made； they will take half a million of these rents and profits and send it
away to educate the black boys of the Soudan。
154
… Page 155…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XXIVA VISION OF
THE NIGHT
All these were years ago little red…coloured； pulpy infants； capable of
being kneaded； baked； into any social form you chose。CARLYLE。
Late last night I walked along Commercial Street from Spitalfields to
Whitechapel； and still continuing south； down Leman Street to the docks。
And as I walked I smiled at the East End papers； which； filled with civic
pride； boastfully proclaim that there is nothing the matter with the East
End as a living place for men and women。
It is rather hard to tell a tithe of what I saw。 Much of it is untenable。
But in a general way I may say that I saw a nightmare； a fearful slime that
quickened the pavement with life； a mess of unmentionable obscenity that
put into eclipse the 〃nightly horror〃 of Piccadilly and the Strand。 It WAS
a menagerie of garmented bipeds that looked something like humans and
more like beasts； and to complete the picture； brass…buttoned keepers kept
order among them when they snarled too fiercely。
I was glad the keepers were there； for I did not have on my 〃seafaring〃
clothes； and I was what is called a 〃mark〃 for the creatures of prey that
prowled up and down。 At times； between keepers； these males looked at
me sharply； hungrily； gutter…wolves that they were； and I was afraid of
their hands； of their naked hands； as one may be afraid of the paws of a
gorilla。 They reminded me of gorillas。 Their bodies were small； ill…
shaped； and squat。 There were no swelling muscles； no abundant thews
and wide…spreading shoulders。 They exhibited； rather； an elemental
economy of nature； such as the cave…men must have exhibited。 But there
was strength in those meagre bodies； the ferocious； primordial strength to
clutch and gripe and tear and rend。 When they spring upon their human
prey they are known even to bend the victim backward and double its
body till the back is broken。 They possess neither conscience nor
sentiment； and they will kill for a half…sovereign； without fear or favour； if
they are given but half a chance。 They are a new species； a breed of city
155
… Page 156…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
savages。 The streets and houses； alleys and courts； are their hunting
grounds。 As valley and mountain are to the natural savage； street and
building are valley and mountain to them。 The slum is their jungle； and
they live and prey in the jungle。
The dear soft people of