the uncommercial traveller-第76部分

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！



bark。　　When　I　left　the　room；　the　boiler…maker's　eyes　were　slowly

turned　towards　her；　as　if　his　last　hope　of　ever　again　seeing　that

vanished　boiler　lay　in　her　direction。



These　people　had　never　applied　for　parish　relief　but　once；　and　that

was　when　the　husband　met　with　a　disabling　accident　at　his　work。



Not　many　doors　from　here；　I　went　into　a　room　on　the　first　floor。

The　woman　apologised　for　its　being　in　'an　untidy　mess。'　　The　day

was　Saturday；　and　she　was　boiling　the　children's　clothes　in　a

saucepan　on　the　hearth。　　There　was　nothing　else　into　which　she

could　have　put　them。　　There　was　no　crockery；　or　tinware；　or　tub；　or

bucket。　　There　was　an　old　gallipot　or　two；　and　there　was　a　broken

bottle　or　so；　and　there　were　some　broken　boxes　for　seats。　　The　last

small　scraping　of　coals　left　was　raked　together　in　a　corner　of　the

floor。　　There　were　some　rags　in　an　open　cupboard；　also　on　the

floor。　　In　a　corner　of　the　room　was　a　crazy　old　French　bed…stead；

with　a　man　lying　on　his　back　upon　it　in　a　ragged　pilot　jacket；　and

rough　oil…skin　fantail　hat。　　The　room　was　perfectly　black。　　It　was

difficult　to　believe；　at　first；　that　it　was　not　purposely　coloured

black；　the　walls　were　so　begrimed。



As　I　stood　opposite　the　woman　boiling　the　children's　clothes；　…　she

had　not　even　a　piece　of　soap　to　wash　them　with；　…　and　apologising

for　her　occupation；　I　could　take　in　all　these　things　without

appearing　to　notice　them；　and　could　even　correct　my　inventory。　　I

had　missed；　at　the　first　glance；　some　half　a　pound　of　bread　in　the

otherwise　empty　safe；　an　old　red　ragged　crinoline　hanging　on　the

handle　of　the　door　by　which　I　had　entered；　and　certain　fragments　of

rusty　iron　scattered　on　the　floor；　which　looked　like　broken　tools

and　a　piece　of　stove…pipe。　　A　child　stood　looking　on。　　On　the　box

nearest　to　the　fire　sat　two　younger　children；　one　a　delicate　and

pretty　little　creature；　whom　the　other　sometimes　kissed。



This　woman；　like　the　last；　was　wofully　shabby；　and　was　degenerating

to　the　Bosjesman　complexion。　　But　her　figure；　and　the　ghost　of　a

certain　vivacity　about　her；　and　the　spectre　of　a　dimple　in　her

cheek；　carried　my　memory　strangely　back　to　the　old　days　of　the

Adelphi　Theatre；　London；　when　Mrs。　Fitzwilliam　was　the　friend　of

Victorine。



'May　I　ask　you　what　your　husband　is？'



'He's　a　coal…porter；　sir；'　…　with　a　glance　and　a　sigh　towards　the

bed。



'Is　he　out　of　work？'



'Oh；　yes；　sir！　and　work's　at　all　times　very；　very　scanty　with　him；

and　now　he's　laid　up。'



'It's　my　legs；'　said　the　man　upon　the　bed。　　'I'll　unroll　'em。'　　And

immediately　began。



'Have　you　any　older　children？'



'I　have　a　daughter　that　does　the　needle…work；　and　I　have　a　son　that

does　what　he　can。　　She's　at　her　work　now；　and　he's　trying　for

work。'



'Do　they　live　here？'



'They　sleep　here。　　They　can't　afford　to　pay　more　rent；　and　so　they

come　here　at　night。　　The　rent　is　very　hard　upon　us。　　It's　rose　upon

us　too；　now；　…　sixpence　a　week；　…　on　account　of　these　new　changes

in　the　law；　about　the　rates。　　We　are　a　week　behind；　the　landlord's

been　shaking　and　rattling　at　that　door　frightfully；　he　says　he'll

turn　us　out。　　I　don't　know　what's　to　come　of　it。'



The　man　upon　the　bed　ruefully　interposed；　'Here's　my　legs。　　The

skin's　broke；　besides　the　swelling。　　I　have　had　a　many　kicks；

working；　one　way　and　another。'



He　looked　at　his　legs　（which　were　much　discoloured　and　misshapen）

for　a　while；　and　then　appearing　to　remember　that　they　were　not

popular　with　his　family；　rolled　them　up　again；　as　if　they　were

something　in　the　nature　of　maps　or　plans　that　were　not　wanted　to　be

referred　to；　lay　hopelessly　down　on　his　back　once　more　with　his

fantail　hat　over　his　face；　and　stirred　not。



'Do　your　eldest　son　and　daughter　sleep　in　that　cupboard？'



'Yes；'　replied　the　woman。



'With　the　children？'



'Yes。　　We　have　to　get　together　for　warmth。　　We　have　little　to　cover

us。'



'Have　you　nothing　by　you　to　eat　but　the　piece　of　bread　I　see

there？'



'Nothing。　　And　we　had　the　rest　of　the　loaf　for　our　breakfast；　with

water。　　I　don't　know　what's　to　come　of　it。'



'Have　you　no　prospect　of　improvement？'



'If　my　eldest　son　earns　anything　to…day；　he'll　bring　it　home。　　Then

we　shall　have　something　to　eat　to…night；　and　may　be　able　to　do

something　towards　the　rent。　　If　not；　I　don't　know　what's　to　come　of

it。'



'This　is　a　sad　state　of　things。'



'Yes；　sir；　it's　a　hard；　hard　life。　　Take　care　of　the　stairs　as　you

go；　sir；　…　they're　broken；　…　and　good　day；　sir！'



These　people　had　a　mortal　dread　of　entering　the　workhouse；　and

received　no　out…of…door　relief。



In　another　room；　in　still　another　tenement；　I　found　a　very　decent

woman　with　five　children；　…　the　last　a　baby；　and　she　herself　a

patient　of　the　parish　doctor；　…　to　whom；　her　husband　being　in　the

hospital；　the　Union　allowed　for　the　support　of　herself　and　family；

four　shillings　a　week　and　five　loaves。　　I　suppose　when　Thisman；

M。P。；　and　Thatman；　M。P。；　and　the　Public…blessing　Party；　lay　their

heads　together　in　course　of　time；　and　come　to　an　equalization　of

rating；　she　may　go　down　to　the　dance　of　death　to　the　tune　of

sixpence　more。



I　could　enter　no　other　houses　for　that　one　while；　for　I　could　not

bear　the　contemplation　of　the　children。　　Such　heart　as　I　had

summoned　to　sustain　me　against　the　miseries　of　the　adults　failed　me

when　I　looked　at　the　children。　　I　saw　how　young　they　were；　how

hungry；　how　serious　and　still。　　I　thought　of　them；　sick　and　dying

in　those　lairs。　　I　think　of　them　dead　without　anguish；　but　to　think

of　them　so　suffering　and　so　dying　quite　unmanned　me。



Down　by　the　river's　bank　in　Ratcliff；　I　was　turning　upward　by　a

side…street；　therefore；　to　regain　the　railway；　when　my　eyes　rested

on　the　inscription　across　the　road；　'East　London　Children's

Hospital。'　　I　could　scarcely　have　seen　an　inscription　better　suited

to　my　frame　of　mind；　and　I　went　across　and　went　straight　in。



I　found　the　children's　hospital　established　in　an　old　sail…loft　or

storehouse；　of　the　roughest　nature；　and　on　the　simplest　means。

There　were　trap…doors　in　the　floors；　where　goods　had　been　hoisted

up　and　down；　heavy　feet　and　heavy　weights　had　started　every　knot　in

the　well…trodden　planking：　　inconvenient　bulks　and　beams　and

awkward　staircases　perplexed　my　passage　through　the　wards。　　But　I

found　it　airy；　sweet；　and　clean。　　In　its　seven　and　thirty　beds　I

saw　but　little　beauty；　for　starvation　in　the　second　or　third

generation　takes　a　pinched　look：　　but　I　saw　the　sufferings　both　of

infancy　and　childhood　tenderly　assuaged；　I　heard　the　little

patients　answering　to　pet　playful　names；　the　light　touch　of　a

delicate　lady　laid　bare　the　wasted　sticks　of　arms　for　me　to　pity；

and　the　claw…like　little　hands；　as　she　did　so；　twined　themselves

lovingly　around　her　wedding…ring。



One　baby　mite　there　was　as　pretty　as　any　of　Raphael's　angels。　　The

tiny　head　was　bandaged　for　water　on　the　brain；　and　it　was　suffering

with　acute　bronchitis　too；　and　made　from　time　to　time　a　plaintive；

though　not　impatient　or　complaining；　little　sound。　　The　smooth

curve　of　the　cheeks　and　of　the　chin　was　faultless　in　its

condensation　of　infantine　beauty；　and　the　large　bright　eyes　were

most　lovely。　　It　happened　as　I　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　that

these　eyes　rested　upon　mine　with　that　wistful　expression　of

wondering　thoughtfulness　which　we　all　know　sometimes　in　very　little

children。　　They　remained　fixed　on　mine；　and　never　turned　from　me

while　I　stood　there。　　When　the　utterance　of　that　plaintive　sound

shook　the　little　form；　the　gaze　still　remained　unchanged。　　I　felt

as　though　the　child　implored　me　to　tell　the　story　of　the　little

hospital　in　which　it　was　sheltered　to　any　gentle　heart　I　could

address。　　Laying　my　world…worn　hand　upon　the　little　unmarked

clasped　hand　at　the　chin；　I　gave　it　a　silent　promise　that　I　would

do　so。



A　gentleman　and　lady；　a　young　husband　and　wife；　have　bought　and

fitted　up　this　building　for　its　present　noble　use；　and　have　quietly

settled　themselves　in　it　as　its　medical　officers　and　directors。

Both　have　had　considerable　practical　experience　of　medicine　and

surgery；　he　as　house…surgeon　of　a　great　London　hospital；　she　as　a

very　earnest　student；　tested　by　severe　examination；　and　also　as　a

nurse　of　the　sick　poor　during　the　prevalence　of　cholera。



With　every　qualification　to　lure　them　away；　with　youth　and

accomplishments　and　tastes　and　habits　that　can　have　no　response　in

any　breast　near　them；　close　begirt　by　every　repulsive　circumstance

inseparable　from　such　a　neighbourhood；　there　they　dwell。　　They　live

in　the　hospital　itself；　and　their　rooms　are　on　its　first　floor。

Sitting　at　their　dinner…table；　they　could　hear　the　cry　of　one　of

the　children　in　pain。　　The　lady's　piano；　drawing…materials；　books；

and　other　such　evidences　of　refinement　are　as　much　a　part　of　the

rough　place　as　the　iron　bedsteads　of　the　little　patients。　　They　are

put　to　shifts　for　room；　like　passengers　on　board　ship。　　The

dispenser　of　medicines　（attracted　to　them　not　by　self…interest；　but

by　their　own　magnetism　and　that　of　their　cause）　sleeps　in　a　recess

in　the　dining…room；　and　has　his　washing　apparatus　in　the　sideboard。



Their　contented　manner　of　making　the　best　of　the　things　around

them；　I　found　so　pleasantly　inseparable　from　their　usefulness！

Their　pride　in　this　partition　that　we　put　up　ourselves；　or　in　that

partition　that　we　took　down；　or　in　that　other　partition　that　we

moved；　or　in　the　stove　that　was　given　us　for　the　waiting…room；　or

in　our　nightly　conversion　of　the　little　consulting…room　into　a

smoking…room！　　Their　admiration　of　the　situation；　if　we　could　only

get　rid　of　its　one　objectionable　incident；　the　coal…yard　at　the

back！　　'Our　hospital　carriage；　presented　by　a　friend；　and　very

useful。'　　That　was　my　presentation　to　a　perambulator；　for　which　a

coach…house　had　been　discovered　in　a　corner　down…stairs；　just