Chapter113

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?”