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of repressing and saving her strength； as she stood with her hands
folded before her； and her eyes slowly rolling； biding her time for
catching or holding somebody。 This civil personage （in whom I
regretted to identify a reduced member of my honourable friend Mrs。
Gamp's family） said； 'They has 'em continiwal； sir。 They drops
without no more notice than if they was coach…horses dropped from
the moon； sir。 And when one drops； another drops； and sometimes
there'll be as many as four or five on 'em at once； dear me； a
rolling and a tearin'； bless you！ … this young woman； now； has 'em
dreadful bad。'
She turned up this young woman's face with her hand as she said it。
This young woman was seated on the floor； pondering in the
foreground of the afflicted。 There was nothing repellent either in
her face or head。 Many； apparently worse； varieties of epilepsy
and hysteria were about her； but she was said to be the worst here。
When I had spoken to her a little； she still sat with her face
turned up； pondering； and a gleam of the mid…day sun shone in upon
her。
… Whether this young woman； and the rest of these so sorely
troubled； as they sit or lie pondering in their confused dull way；
ever get mental glimpses among the motes in the sunlight； of
healthy people and healthy things？ Whether this young woman；
brooding like this in the summer season； ever thinks that somewhere
there are trees and flowers； even mountains and the great sea？
Whether； not to go so far； this young woman ever has any dim
revelation of that young woman … that young woman who is not here
and never will come here； who is courted； and caressed； and loved；
and has a husband； and bears children； and lives in a home； and who
never knows what it is to have this lashing and tearing coming upon
her？ And whether this young woman； God help her； gives herself up
then and drops like a coach…horse from the moon？
I hardly knew whether the voices of infant children； penetrating
into so hopeless a place； made a sound that was pleasant or painful
to me。 It was something to be reminded that the weary world was
not all aweary； and was ever renewing itself； but； this young woman
was a child not long ago； and a child not long hence might be such
as she。 Howbeit； the active step and eye of the vigilant matron
conducted me past the two provincial gentlewomen （whose dignity was
ruffled by the children）； and into the adjacent nursery。
There were many babies here； and more than one handsome young
mother。 There were ugly young mothers also； and sullen young
mothers； and callous young mothers。 But； the babies had not
appropriated to themselves any bad expression yet； and might have
been； for anything that appeared to the contrary in their soft
faces； Princes Imperial； and Princesses Royal。 I had the pleasure
of giving a poetical commission to the baker's man to make a cake
with all despatch and toss it into the oven for one red…headed
young pauper and myself； and felt much the better for it。 Without
that refreshment； I doubt if I should have been in a condition for
'the Refractories；' towards whom my quick little matron … for whose
adaptation to her office I had by this time conceived a genuine
respect … drew me next； and marshalled me the way that I was going。
The Refractories were picking oakum； in a small room giving on a
yard。 They sat in line on a form； with their backs to a window；
before them； a table； and their work。 The oldest Refractory was；
say twenty； youngest Refractory； say sixteen。 I have never yet
ascertained in the course of my uncommercial travels； why a
Refractory habit should affect the tonsils and uvula； but； I have
always observed that Refractories of both sexes and every grade；
between a Ragged School and the Old Bailey； have one voice； in
which the tonsils and uvula gain a diseased ascendency。
'Five pound indeed！ I hain't a going fur to pick five pound；' said
the Chief of the Refractories； keeping time to herself with her
head and chin。 'More than enough to pick what we picks now； in
sich a place as this； and on wot we gets here！'
（This was in acknowledgment of a delicate intimation that the
amount of work was likely to be increased。 It certainly was not
heavy then； for one Refractory had already done her day's task … it
was barely two o'clock … and was sitting behind it； with a head
exactly matching it。）
'A pretty Ouse this is； matron； ain't it？' said Refractory Two；
'where a pleeseman's called in； if a gal says a word！'
'And wen you're sent to prison for nothink or less！' said the
Chief； tugging at her oakum as if it were the matron's hair。 'But
any place is better than this； that's one thing； and be thankful！'
A laugh of Refractories led by Oakum Head with folded arms … who
originated nothing； but who was in command of the skirmishers
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 fe