the uncommercial traveller-第6部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


outside　the　conversation。



'If　any　place　is　better　than　this；'　said　my　brisk　guide；　in　the

calmest　manner；　'it　is　a　pity　you　left　a　good　place　when　you　had

one。'



'Ho；　no；　I　didn't；　matron；'　returned　the　Chief；　with　another　pull

at　her　oakum；　and　a　very　expressive　look　at　the　enemy's　forehead。

'Don't　say　that；　matron；　cos　it's　lies！'



Oakum　Head　brought　up　the　skirmishers　again；　skirmished；　and

retired。



'And　I　warn't　a　going；'　exclaimed　Refractory　Two；　'though　I　was　in

one　place　for　as　long　as　four　year　…　I　warn't　a　going　fur　to　stop

in　a　place　that　warn't　fit　for　me　…　there！　　And　where　the　family

warn't　'spectable　characters　…　there！　　And　where　I　fortunately　or

hunfort'nately；　found　that　the　people　warn't　what　they　pretended　to

make　theirselves　out　to　be　…　there！　　And　where　it　wasn't　their

faults；　by　chalks；　if　I　warn't　made　bad　and　ruinated　…　Hah！'



During　this　speech；　Oakum　Head　had　again　made　a　diversion　with　the

skirmishers；　and　had　again　withdrawn。



The　Uncommercial　Traveller　ventured　to　remark　that　he　supposed

Chief　Refractory　and　Number　One；　to　be　the　two　young　women　who　had

been　taken　before　the　magistrate？



'Yes！'　said　the　Chief；　'we　har！　and　the　wonder　is；　that　a　pleeseman

an't　'ad　in　now；　and　we　took　off　agen。　　You　can't　open　your　lips

here；　without　a　pleeseman。'



Number　Two　laughed　（very　uvularly）；　and　the　skirmishers　followed

suit。



'I'm　sure　I'd　be　thankful；'　protested　the　Chief；　looking　sideways

at　the　Uncommercial；　'if　I　could　be　got　into　a　place；　or　got

abroad。　　I'm　sick　and　tired　of　this　precious　Ouse；　I　am；　with

reason。'



So　would　be；　and　so　was；　Number　Two。　　So　would　be；　and　so　was；

Oakum　Head。　　So　would　be；　and　so　were；　Skirmishers。



The　Uncommercial　took　the　liberty　of　hinting　that　he　hardly　thought

it　probable　that　any　lady　or　gentleman　in　want　of　a　likely　young

domestic　of　retiring　manners；　would　be　tempted　into　the　engagement

of　either　of　the　two　leading　Refractories；　on　her　own　presentation

of　herself　as　per　sample。



'It　ain't　no　good　being　nothink　else　here；'　said　the　Chief。



The　Uncommercial　thought　it　might　be　worth　trying。



'Oh　no　it　ain't；'　said　the　Chief。



'Not　a　bit　of　good；'　said　Number　Two。



'And　I'm　sure　I'd　be　very　thankful　to　be　got　into　a　place；　or　got

abroad；'　said　the　Chief。



'And　so　should　I；'　said　Number　Two。　　'Truly　thankful；　I　should。'



Oakum　Head　then　rose；　and　announced　as　an　entirely　new　idea；　the

mention　of　which　profound　novelty　might　be　naturally　expected　to

startle　her　unprepared　hearers；　that　she　would　be　very　thankful　to

be　got　into　a　place；　or　got　abroad。　　And；　as　if　she　had　then　said；

'Chorus；　ladies！'　all　the　Skirmishers　struck　up　to　the　same

purpose。　　We　left　them；　thereupon；　and　began　a　long　walk　among　the

women　who　were　simply　old　and　infirm；　but　whenever；　in　the　course

of　this　same　walk；　I　looked　out　of　any　high　window　that　commanded

the　yard；　I　saw　Oakum　Head　and　all　the　other　Refractories　looking

out　at　their　low　window　for　me；　and　never　failing　to　catch　me；　the

moment　I　showed　my　head。



In　ten　minutes　I　had　ceased　to　believe　in　such　fables　of　a　golden

time　as　youth；　the　prime　of　life；　or　a　hale　old　age。　　In　ten

minutes；　all　the　lights　of　womankind　seemed　to　have　been　blown　out；

and　nothing　in　that　way　to　be　left　this　vault　to　brag　of；　but　the

flickering　and　expiring　snuffs。



And　what　was　very　curious；　was；　that　these　dim　old　women　had　one

company　notion　which　was　the　fashion　of　the　place。　　Every　old　woman

who　became　aware　of　a　visitor　and　was　not　in　bed　hobbled　over　a

form　into　her　accustomed　seat；　and　became　one　of　a　line　of　dim　old

women　confronting　another　line　of　dim　old　women　across　a　narrow

table。　　There　was　no　obligation　whatever　upon　them　to　range

themselves　in　this　way；　it　was　their　manner　of　'receiving。'　　As　a

rule；　they　made　no　attempt　to　talk　to　one　another；　or　to　look　at

the　visitor；　or　to　look　at　anything；　but　sat　silently　working　their

mouths；　like　a　sort　of　poor　old　Cows。　　In　some　of　these　wards；　it

was　good　to　see　a　few　green　plants；　in　others；　an　isolated

Refractory　acting　as　nurse；　who　did　well　enough　in　that　capacity；

when　separated　from　her　compeers；　every　one　of　these　wards；　day

room；　night　room；　or　both　combined；　was　scrupulously　clean　and

fresh。　　I　have　seen　as　many　such　places　as　most　travellers　in　my

line；　and　I　never　saw　one　such；　better　kept。



Among　the　bedridden　there　was　great　patience；　great　reliance　on　the

books　under　the　pillow；　great　faith　in　GOD。　　All　cared　for

sympathy；　but　none　much　cared　to　be　encouraged　with　hope　of

recovery；　on　the　whole；　I　should　say；　it　was　considered　rather　a

distinction　to　have　a　complication　of　disorders；　and　to　be　in　a

worse　way　than　the　rest。　　From　some　of　the　windows；　the　river　could

be　seen　with　all　its　life　and　movement；　the　day　was　bright；　but　I

came　upon　no　one　who　was　looking　out。



In　one　large　ward；　sitting　by　the　fire　in　arm…chairs　of

distinction；　like　the　President　and　Vice　of　the　good　company；　were

two　old　women；　upwards　of　ninety　years　of　age。　　The　younger　of　the

two；　just　turned　ninety；　was　deaf；　but　not　very；　and　could　easily

be　made　to　hear。　　In　her　early　time　she　had　nursed　a　child；　who　was

now　another　old　woman；　more　infirm　than　herself；　inhabiting　the

very　same　chamber。　　She　perfectly　understood　this　when　the　matron

told　it；　and；　with　sundry　nods　and　motions　of　her　forefinger；

pointed　out　the　woman　in　question。　　The　elder　of　this　pair；　ninety…

three；　seated　before　an　illustrated　newspaper　（but　not　reading　it）；

was　a　bright…eyed　old　soul；　really　not　deaf；　wonderfully　preserved；

and　amazingly　conversational。　　She　had　not　long　lost　her　husband；

and　had　been　in　that　place　little　more　than　a　year。　　At　Boston；　in

the　State　of　Massachusetts；　this　poor　creature　would　have　been

individually　addressed；　would　have　been　tended　in　her　own　room；　and

would　have　had　her　life　gently　assimilated　to　a　comfortable　life

out　of　doors。　　Would　that　be　much　to　do　in　England　for　a　woman　who

has　kept　herself　out　of　a　workhouse　more　than　ninety　rough　long

years？　　When　Britain　first；　at　Heaven's　command；　arose；　with　a

great　deal　of　allegorical　confusion；　from　out　the　azure　main；　did

her　guardian　angels　positively　forbid　it　in　the　Charter　which　has

been　so　much　besung？



The　object　of　my　journey　was　accomplished　when　the　nimble　matron

had　no　more　to　show　me。　　As　I　shook　hands　with　her　at　the　gate；　I

told　her　that　I　thought　justice　had　not　used　her　very　well；　and

that　the　wise　men　of　the　East　were　not　infallible。



Now；　I　reasoned　with　myself；　as　I　made　my　journey　home　again；

concerning　those　Foul　wards。　　They　ought　not　to　exist；　no　person　of

common　decency　and　humanity　can　see　them　and　doubt　it。　　But　what　is

this　Union　to　do？　　The　necessary　alteration　would　cost　several

thousands　of　pounds；　it　has　already　to　support　three　workhouses；

its　inhabitants　work　hard　for　their　bare　lives；　and　are　already

rated　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　to　the　utmost　extent　of　reasonable

endurance。　　One　poor　parish　in　this　very　Union　is　rated　to　the

amount　of　FIVE　AND　SIXPENCE　in　the　pound；　at　the　very　same　time

when　the　rich　parish　of　Saint　George's；　Hanover…square；　is　rated　at

about　SEVENPENCE　in　the　pound；　Paddington　at　about　FOURPENCE；　Saint

James's；　Westminster；　at　about　TENPENCE！　　It　is　only　through　the

equalisation　of　Poor　Rates　that　what　is　left　undone　in　this　wise；

can　be　done。　　Much　more　is　left　undone；　or　is　ill…done；　than　I　have

space　to　suggest　in　these　notes　of　a　single　uncommercial　journey；

but；　the　wise　men　of　the　East；　before　they　can　reasonably　hold

forth　about　it；　must　look　to　the　North　and　South　and　West；　let　them

also；　any　morning　before　taking　the　seat　of　Solomon；　look　into　the

shops　and　dwellings　all　around　the　Temple；　and　first　ask　themselves

'how　much　more　can　these　poor　people　…　many　of　whom　keep　themselves

with　difficulty　enough　out　of　the　workhouse　…　bear？'



I　had　yet　other　matter　for　reflection　as　I　journeyed　home；　inasmuch

as；　before　I　altogether　departed　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Mr。

Baker's　trap；　I　had　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　workhouse　of　St。

George's…in…the…East；　and　had　found　it　to　be　an　establishment

highly　creditable　to　those　parts；　and　thoroughly　well　administered

by　a　most　intelligent　master。　　I　remarked　in　it；　an　instance　of　the

collateral　harm　that　obstinate　vanity　and　folly　can　do。　　'This　was

the　Hall　where　those　old　paupers；　male　and　female；　whom　I　had　just

seen；　met　for　the　Church　service；　was　it？'　…　'Yes。'　…　'Did　they

sing　the　Psalms　to　any　instrument？'　…　'They　would　like　to；　very

much；　they　would　have　an　extraordinary　interest　in　doing　so。'　…

'And　could　none　be　got？'　…　'Well；　a　piano　could　even　have　been　got

for　nothing；　but　these　unfortunate　dissensions　…　'　　Ah！　better；　far

better；　my　Christian　friend　in　the　beautiful　garment；　to　have　let

the　singing　boys　alone；　and　left　the　multitude　to　sing　for

themselves！　　You　should　know　better　than　I；　but　I　think　I　have　read

that　they　did　so；　once　upon　a　time；　and　that　'when　they　had　sung　an

hymn；'　Some　one　（not　in　a　beautiful　garment）　went　up　into　the　Mount

of　Olives。



It　made　my　heart　ache　to　think　of　this　miserable　trifling；　in　the

streets　of　a　city　where　every　stone　seemed　to　call　to　me；　as　I

walked　along；　'Turn　this　way；　man；　and　see　what　waits　to　be　done！'

So　I　decoyed　myself　into　another　train　of　thought　to　ease　my　heart。

But；　I　don't　know　that　I　did　it；　for　I　was　so　full　of　paupers；　that

it　was；　after　all；　only　a　change　to　a　single　pauper；　who　took

possession　of　my　remembrance　instead　of　a　thousand。



'I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；'　he　had　said；　in　a　confidential　manner；　on

another　occasion；　taking　me　aside；　'but　I　have　seen　better　days。'



'I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it。'



'Sir；　I　have　a　complaint　to　make　against　the　master。'



'I　have　no　power　here；　I　assure　you。　　And　if　I　had　…　'



'But；　allow　me；　sir；