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upon that silence； and it was with a no less curious sensation that
I went over the side of the good Cunard ship 'Russia' （whom
prosperity attend through all her voyages！） and surveyed the outer
hull of the gracious monster that the voice had inhabited。 So；
perhaps； shall we all； in the spirit； one day survey the frame that
held the busier voice from which my vagrant fancy derived this
similitude。
CHAPTER XXXII … A SMALL STAR IN THE EAST
I had been looking； yesternight； through the famous 'Dance of
Death；' and to…day the grim old woodcuts arose in my mind with the
new significance of a ghastly monotony not to be found in the
original。 The weird skeleton rattled along the streets before me；
and struck fiercely； but it was never at the pains of assuming a
disguise。 It played on no dulcimer here； was crowned with no
flowers； waved no plume； minced in no flowing robe or train； lifted
no wine…cup； sat at no feast； cast no dice； counted no gold。 It
was simply a bare； gaunt； famished skeleton； slaying his way along。
The borders of Ratcliff and Stepney； eastward of London； and giving
on the impure river； were the scene of this uncompromising dance of
death； upon a drizzling November day。 A squalid maze of streets；
courts； and alleys of miserable houses let out in single rooms。 A
wilderness of dirt； rags； and hunger。 A mud…desert； chiefly
inhabited by a tribe from whom employment has departed； or to whom
it comes but fitfully and rarely。 They are not skilled mechanics
in any wise。 They are but labourers； … dock…labourers； water…side
labourers； coal…porters； ballast…heavers； such…like hewers of wood
and drawers of water。 But they have come into existence； and they
propagate their wretched race。
One grisly joke alone； methought； the skeleton seemed to play off
here。 It had stuck election…bills on the walls； which the wind and
rain had deteriorated into suitable rags。 It had even summed up
the state of the poll； in chalk； on the shutters of one ruined
house。 It adjured the free and independent starvers to vote for
Thisman and vote for Thatman； not to plump； as they valued the
state of parties and the national prosperity （both of great
importance to them； I think）； but； by returning Thisman and
Thatman； each naught without the other； to compound a glorious and
immortal whole。 Surely the skeleton is nowhere more cruelly
ironical in the original monkish idea！
Pondering in my mind the far…seeing schemes of Thisman and Thatman；
and of the public blessing called Party； for staying the
degeneracy； physical and moral； of many thousands （who shall say
how many？） of the English race； for devising employment useful to
the community for those who want but to work and live； for
equalising rates； cultivating waste lands； facilitating emigration；
and； above all things； saving and utilising the oncoming
generations； and thereby changing ever…growing national weakness
into strength： pondering in my mind； I say； these hopeful
exertions； I turned down a narrow street to look into a house or
two。
It was a dark street with a dead wall on one side。 Nearly all the
outer doors of the houses stood open。 I took the first entry； and
knocked at a parlour…door。 Might I come in？ I might； if I plased；
sur。
The woman of the room （Irish） had picked up some long strips of
wood； about some wharf or barge； and they had just now been thrust
into the otherwise empty grate to make two iron pots boil。 There
was some fish in one； and there were some potatoes in the other。
The flare of the burning wood enabled me to see a table； and a
broken chair or so； and some old cheap crockery ornaments about the
chimney…piece。 It was not until I had spoken with the woman a few
minutes； that I saw a horrible brown heap on the floor in a corner；
which； but for previous experience in this dismal wise； I might not
have suspected to be 'the bed。' There was something thrown upon
it； and I asked what that was。
''Tis the poor craythur that stays here； sur； and 'tis very bad she
is； and 'tis very bad she's been this long time； and 'tis better
she'll never be； and 'tis slape she does all day； and 'tis wake she
does all night； and 'tis the lead； sur。'
'The what？'
'The lead； sur。 Sure 'tis the lead…mills； where the women gets
took on at eighteen…pence a day； sur； when they makes application
early enough； and is lucky and wanted； and 'tis lead…pisoned she
is； sur； and some of them gets lead…pisoned soon； and some of them
gets lead…pisoned later； and some； but not many； niver； and 'tis
all according to the constitooshun； sur； and some constitooshuns is
strong； and some is weak； and her constitooshun is lead…pisoned；
bad as can be； sur； and her brain is coming out at her ear； and it
hurts her dreadful； and that's what it is； and niver no more； and
niver no less； sur。'
The sick young woman moaning here； the speaker bent over her； took
a bandage from her head； and threw open a back door to let in the
daylight upon it； from the smallest and most miserable backyard I
ever saw。
'That's what cooms from her； sur； being lead…pisoned； and it cooms
from her night and day； the poor； sick craythur； and the pain of it
is dreadful； and God he knows that my husband has walked the
sthreets these four days； being a labourer； and is walking them
now； and is ready to work； and no work for him； and no fire and no
food but the bit in the pot； and no more than ten shillings in a
fortnight； God be good to us！ and it is poor we are； and dark it is
and could it is indeed。'
Knowing that I could compensate myself thereafter for my self…
denial； if I saw fit； I had resolved that I would give nothing in
the course of these visits。 I did this to try the people。 I may
state at once that my closest observation could not detect any
indication whatever of an expectation that I would give money：
they were grateful to be talked to about their miserable affairs；
and sympathy was plainly a comfort to them； but they neither asked
for money in any case； nor showed the least trace of surprise or
disappointment or resentment at my giving none。
The woman's married daughter had by this time come down from her
room on the floor above； to join in the conversation。 She herself
had been to the lead…mills very early that morning to be 'took on；'
but had not succeeded。 She had four children； and her husband；
also a water…side labourer； and then out seeking work； seemed in no
better case as to finding it than her father。 She was English； and
by nature； of a buxom figure and cheerful。 Both in her poor dress
and in her mother's there was an effort to keep up some appearance
of neatness。 She knew all about the sufferings of the unfortunate
invalid； and all about the lead…poisoning； and how the symptoms
came on； and how they grew； … having often seen them。 The very
smell when you stood inside the door of the works was enough to
knock you down； she said： yet she was going back again to get
'took on。' What could she do？ Better be ulcerated and paralysed
for eighteen…pence a day； while it lasted； than see the children
starve。
A dark and squalid cupboard in this room； touching the back door
and all manner of offence； had been for some time the sleeping…
place of the sick young woman。 But the nights being now wintry；
and the blankets and coverlets 'gone to the leaving shop；' she lay
all night where she lay all day； and was lying then。 The woman of
the room； her husband； this most miserable patient； and two others；
lay on the one brown heap together for warmth。
'God bless you； sir； and thank you！' were the parting words from
these people； … gratefully spoken too； … with which I left this
place。
Some streets away； I tapped at another parlour…door on another
ground…floor。 Looking in； I found a man； his wife； and four
children； sitting at a washing…stool by way of table； at their
dinner of bread and infused tea…leaves。 There was a very scanty
cinderous fire in the grate by which they sat； and there was a tent
bedstead in the room with a bed upon it and a coverlet。 The man
did not rise when I went in； nor during my stay； but civilly
inclined his head on my pulling off my hat； and； in answer to my
inquiry whether I might ask him a question or two； said；
'Certainly。' There being a window at each end of this room； back
and front； it might have been ventilated； but it was shut up tight；
to keep the cold out； and was very sickening。
The wife； an intelligent； quick woman； rose and stood at her
husband's elbow； and he glanced up at her as if for help。 It soon
appeared that he was rather deaf。 He was a slow； simple fellow of
about thirty。
'What was he by trade？'
'Gentleman asks what are you by trade； John？'
'I am a boilermaker；' looking about him with an exceedingly
perplexed air； as if for a boiler that had unaccount