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?”