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〃They grumbled a good deal； and there was a talk at one time of a sort of a strike； but what could they do？ He was the only pauper for miles round； and knew it。 He had the monopoly； and； like all monopolises； he abused his position。
〃He made them run errands。 He sent them out to buy his 'baccy；' at their own expense。 On one occasion he sent Miss Simmonds out with a jug to get his supper beer。 She indignantly refused at first； but he told her that if she gave him any of her stuck…up airs out she would go； and never come into his house again。 If she wouldn't do it there were plenty of others who would。 She knew it and went。
〃They had been in the habit of reading to himgood books with an elevating tendency。 But now he put his foot down upon that sort of thing。 He said he didn't want Sunday…school rubbish at his time of life。 What he liked was something spicy。 And he made them read him French novels and sea…faring tales； containing realistic language。 And they didn't have to skip anything either； or he'd know the reason why。
〃He said he liked music； so a few of them clubbed together and bought him a harmonium。 Their idea was that they would sing hymns and play high…class melodies； but it wasn't his。 His idea was 'Keeping up the old girl's birthday' and 'She winked the other eye；' with chorus and skirt dance； and that's what they sang。
〃To what lengths his tyranny would have gone it is difficult to say； had not an event happened that brought his power to a premature collapse。 This was the curate's sudden and somewhat unexpected marriage with a very beautiful burlesque actress who had lately been performing in a neighbouring town。 He gave up the Church on his engagement； in consequence of his fiancee's objection to becoming a minister's wife。 She said she could never 'tumble to' the district visiting。
〃With the curate's wedding the old pauper's brief career of prosperity ended。 They packed him off to the workhouse after that； and made him break stones。〃
At the end of the telling of his tale； MacShaughnassy lifted his feet off the mantelpiece； and set to work to wake up his legs； and Jephson took a hand； and began to spin us stories。
But none of us felt inclined to laugh at Jephson's stories； for they dealt not with the goodness of the rich to the poor； which is a virtue yielding quick and highly satisfactory returns； but with the goodness of the poor to the poor； a somewhat less remunerative investment and a different matter altogether。
For the poor themselvesI do not mean the noisy professional poor； but the silent； fighting poorone is bound to feel a genuine respect。 One honours them； as one honours a wounded soldier。
In the perpetual warfare between Humanity and Nature； the poor stand always in the van。 They die in the ditches； and we march over their bodies with the flags flying and the drums playing。
One cannot think of them without an uncomfortable feeling that one ought to be a little bit ashamed of living in security and ease； leaving them to take all the hard blows。 It is as if one were always skulking in the tents； while one's comrades were fighting and dying in the front。
They bleed and fall in silence there。 Nature with her terrible club； 〃Survival of the Fittest〃； and Civilisation with her cruel sword； 〃Supply and Demand；〃 beat them back； and they give way inch by inch； fighting to the end。 But it is in a dumb； sullen way； that is not sufficiently picturesque to be heroic。
I remember seeing an old bull…dog； one Saturday night； lying on the doorstep of a small shop in the New Cut。 He lay there very quiet； and seemed a bit sleepy； and； as he looked savage； nobody disturbed him。 People stepped in and out over him； and occasionally in doing so； one would accidentally kick him； and then he would breathe a little harder and quicker。
At last a passer…by； feeling something wet beneath his feet； looked down； and found that he was standing in a pool of blood； and； looking to see where it came from； found that it flowed in a thick； dark stream from the step on which the dog was lying。
Then he stooped down and examined the dog； and the dog opened its eyes sleepily and looked at him； gave a grin which may have implied pleasure； or may have implied irritation at being disturbed； and died。
A crowd collected； and they turned the dead body of the dog over on its side； and saw a fearful gash in the groin； out of which oozed blood； and other things。 The proprietor of the shop said the animal had been there for over an hour。
I have known the poor to die in that same grim； silent waynot the poor that you； my delicately…gloved Lady Bountiful and my very excellent Sir Simon DoGood； know； or that you would care to know； not the poor who march in processions with banners and collection… boxes； not the poor that clamour round your soup kitchens and sing hymns at your tea meetings； but the poor that you don't know are poor until the tale is told at the coroner's inquestthe silent； proud poor who wake each morning to wrestle with Death till night… time； and who； when at last he overcomes them； and； forcing them down on the rotting floor of the dim attic； strangles them； still die with their teeth tight shut。
There was a boy I came to know when I was living in the East End of London。 He was not a nice boy by any means。 He was not quite so clean as are the good boys in the religious magazines； and I have known a sailor to stop him in the street and reprove him for using indelicate language。
He and his mother and the baby； a sickly infant of about five months old； lived in a cellar down a turning off Three Colt Street。 I am not quite sure what had become of the father。 I rather think he had been 〃converted；〃 and had gone off round the country on a preaching tour。 The lad earned six shillings a week as an errand…boy； and the mother stitched trousers； and on days when she was feeling strong and energetic would often make as much as tenpence； or even a shilling。 Unfortunately； there were days when the four bare walls would chase each other round and round； and the candle seem a faint speck of light； a very long way off； and the frequency of these caused the family income for the week to occasionally fall somewhat low。
One night the walls danced round quicker and quicker till they danced away altogether； and the candle shot up through the ceiling and became a star and the woman knew that it was time to put away her sewing。
〃Jim；〃 she said： she spoke very low； and the boy had to bend over her to hear； 〃if you poke about in the middle of the mattress you'll find a couple of pounds。 I saved them up a long while ago。 That will pay for burying me。 And； Jim； you'll take care of the kid。 You won't let it go to the parish。〃
Jim promised。
〃Say 'S'welp me Gawd；' Jim。〃
〃S'welp me Gawd； mother。〃
Then the woman； having arranged her worldly affairs； lay back ready； and Death struck。
Jim kept his oath。 He found the money； and buried his mother； and then； putting his household goods on a barrow； moved into cheaper apartmentshalf an old shed； for which he paid two shillings a week。
For eighteen months he and the baby lived there。 He left the child at a nursery every morning； fetching it away each evening on his return from work； and for that he paid fourpence a day； which included a limited supply of milk。 How he managed to keep himself and more than half keep the child on the remaining two shillings I cannot say。 I only know that he did it； and that not a soul ever helped him or knew that there was help wanted。 He nursed the child； often pacing the room with it for hours； washed it； occasionally； and took it out for an airing every Sunday。
Notwithstanding all which care； the little beggar； at the end of the time above mentioned； 〃pegged out；〃 to use Jimmy's own words。
The coroner was very severe on Jim。 〃If you had taken proper steps；〃 he said； 〃this child's life might have been preserved。〃 （He seemed to think it would have been better if the child's life had been preserved。 Coroners have quaint ideas！） 〃Why didn't you apply to the relieving officer？〃
〃'Cos I didn't want no relief；〃 replied Jim sullenly。 〃I promised my mother it should never go on the parish； and it didn't。〃
The incident occurred； very luckily； during the dead season； and the evening papers took the case up； and made rather a good thing out of it。 Jim became quite a hero； I remember。 Kind…hearted people wrote； urging that somebodythe ground landlord； or the Government； or some one of that sortought to do something for him。 And everybody abused the local vestry。 I really think some benefit to Jim might have come out of it all if only the excitement had lasted a little longer。 Unfortunately； however； just at its height a spicy divorce case cropped up； and Jim was crowded out and forgotten。
I told the boys this story of mine； after Jephson had done telling his； and； when I had finished； we found it was nearly one o'clock。 So； of course； it was too late to do any more work to the novel that evening。
CHAPTER IV
We held our next business meeting on my houseboat。 Brown was opposed at first to my going down to this houseboat at all。 He thought that none of us sho