the uncommercial traveller-第102章

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lead。　　This　conversion　is　brought　about　by　the　slow　and　gradual

effecting　of　certain　successive　chemical　changes　in　the　lead

itself。　　The　processes　are　picturesque　and　interesting；　…　the　most

so；　being　the　burying　of　the　lead；　at　a　certain　stage　of

preparation；　in　pots；　each　pot　containing　a　certain　quantity　of

acid　besides；　and　all　the　pots　being　buried　in　vast　numbers；　in

layers；　under　tan；　for　some　ten　weeks。



Hopping　up　ladders；　and　across　planks；　and　on　elevated　perches；

until　I　was　uncertain　whether　to　liken　myself　to　a　bird　or　a　brick…

layer；　I　became　conscious　of　standing　on　nothing　particular；

looking　down　into　one　of　a　series　of　large　cocklofts；　with　the

outer　day　peeping　in　through　the　chinks　in　the　tiled　roof　above。　　A

number　of　women　were　ascending　to；　and　descending　from；　this

cockloft；　each　carrying　on　the　upward　journey　a　pot　of　prepared

lead　and　acid；　for　deposition　under　the　smoking　tan。　　When　one

layer　of　pots　was　completely　filled；　it　was　carefully　covered　in

with　planks；　and　those　were　carefully　covered　with　tan　again；　and

then　another　layer　of　pots　was　begun　above；　sufficient　means　of

ventilation　being　preserved　through　wooden　tubes。　　Going　down　into

the　cockloft　then　filling；　I　found　the　heat　of　the　tan　to　be

surprisingly　great；　and　also　the　odour　of　the　lead　and　acid　to　be

not　absolutely　exquisite；　though　I　believe　not　noxious　at　that

stage。　　In　other　cocklofts；　where　the　pots　were　being　exhumed；　the

heat　of　the　steaming　tan　was　much　greater；　and　the　smell　was

penetrating　and　peculiar。　　There　were　cocklofts　in　all　stages；　full

and　empty；　half　filled　and　half　emptied；　strong；　active　women　were

clambering　about　them　busily；　and　the　whole　thing　had　rather　the

air　of　the　upper　part　of　the　house　of　some　immensely　rich　old　Turk；

whose　faithful　seraglio　were　hiding　his　money　because　the　sultan　or

the　pasha　was　coming。



As　is　the　case　with　most　pulps　or　pigments；　so　in　the　instance　of

this　white…lead；　processes　of　stirring；　separating；　washing；

grinding；　rolling；　and　pressing　succeed。　　Some　of　these　are

unquestionably　inimical　to　health；　the　danger　arising　from

inhalation　of　particles　of　lead；　or　from　contact　between　the　lead

and　the　touch；　or　both。　　Against　these　dangers；　I　found　good

respirators　provided　（simply　made　of　flannel　and　muslin；　so　as　to

be　inexpensively　renewed；　and　in　some　instances　washed　with　scented

soap）；　and　gauntlet　gloves；　and　loose　gowns。　　Everywhere；　there　was

as　much　fresh　air　as　windows；　well　placed　and　opened；　could

possibly　admit。　　And　it　was　explained　that　the　precaution　of

frequently　changing　the　women　employed　in　the　worst　parts　of　the

work　（a　precaution　originating　in　their　own　experience　or

apprehension　of　its　ill　effects）　was　found　salutary。　　They　had　a

mysterious　and　singular　appearance；　with　the　mouth　and　nose

covered；　and　the　loose　gown　on；　and　yet　bore　out　the　simile　of　the

old　Turk　and　the　seraglio　all　the　better　for　the　disguise。



At　last　this　vexed　white…lead；　having　been　buried　and　resuscitated；

and　heated　and　cooled　and　stirred；　and　separated　and　washed　and

ground；　and　rolled　and　pressed；　is　subjected　to　the　action　of

intense　fiery　heat。　　A　row　of　women；　dressed　as　above　described；

stood；　let　us　say；　in　a　large　stone　bakehouse；　passing　on　the

baking…dishes　as　they　were　given　out　by　the　cooks；　from　hand　to

hand；　into　the　ovens。　　The　oven；　or　stove；　cold　as　yet；　looked　as

high　as　an　ordinary　house；　and　was　full　of　men　and　women　on

temporary　footholds；　briskly　passing　up　and　stowing　away　the

dishes。　　The　door　of　another　oven；　or　stove；　about　to　be　cooled　and

emptied；　was　opened　from　above；　for　the　uncommercial　countenance　to

peer　down　into。　　The　uncommercial　countenance　withdrew　itself；　with

expedition　and　a　sense　of　suffocation；　from　the　dull…glowing　heat

and　the　overpowering　smell。　　On　the　whole；　perhaps　the　going　into

these　stoves　to　work；　when　they　are　freshly　opened；　may　be　the

worst　part　of　the　occupation。



But　I　made　it　out　to　be　indubitable　that　the　owners　of　these　lead…

mills　honestly　and　sedulously　try　to　reduce　the　dangers　of　the

occupation　to　the　lowest　point。



A　washing…place　is　provided　for　the　women　（I　thought　there　might

have　been　more　towels）；　and　a　room　in　which　they　hang　their

clothes；　and　take　their　meals；　and　where　they　have　a　good　fire…

range　and　fire；　and　a　female　attendant　to　help　them；　and　to　watch

that　they　do　not　neglect　the　cleansing　of　their　hands　before

touching　their　food。　　An　experienced　medical　attendant　is　provided

for　them；　and　any　premonitory　symptoms　of　lead…poisoning　are

carefully　treated。　　Their　teapots　and　such　things　were　set　out　on

tables　ready　for　their　afternoon　meal；　when　I　saw　their　room；　and

it　had　a　homely　look。　　It　is　found　that　they　bear　the　work　much

better　than　men：　　some　few　of　them　have　been　at　it　for　years；　and

the　great　majority　of　those　I　observed　were　strong　and　active。　　On

the　other　hand；　it　should　be　remembered　that　most　of　them　are　very

capricious　and　irregular　in　their　attendance。



American　inventiveness　would　seem　to　indicate　that　before　very　long

white…lead　may　be　made　entirely　by　machinery。　　The　sooner；　the

better。　　In　the　meantime；　I　parted　from　my　two　frank　conductors

over　the　mills；　by　telling　them　that　they　had　nothing　there　to　be

concealed；　and　nothing　to　be　blamed　for。　　As　to　the　rest；　the

philosophy　of　the　matter　of　lead…poisoning　and　workpeople　seems　to

me　to　have　been　pretty　fairly　summed　up　by　the　Irishwoman　whom　I

quoted　in　my　former　paper：　　'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。'　　Retracing　my　footsteps

over　my　beat；　I　went　off　duty。







CHAPTER　XXXVI　…　A　FLY…LEAF　IN　A　LIFE







Once　upon　a　time　（no　matter　when）；　I　was　engaged　in　a　pursuit　（no

matter　what）；　which　could　be　transacted　by　myself　alone；　in　which　I

could　have　no　help；　which　imposed　a　constant　strain　on　the

attention；　memory；　observation；　and　physical　powers；　and　which

involved　an　almost　fabulous　amount　of　change　of　place　and　rapid

railway　travelling。　　I　had　followed　this　pursuit　through　an

exceptionally　trying　winter　in　an　always　trying　climate；　and　had

resumed　it　in　England　after　but　a　brief　repose。　　Thus　it　came　to　be

prolonged　until；　at　length　…　and；　as　it　seemed；　all　of　a　sudden　…

it　so　wore　me　out　that　I　could　not　rely；　with　my　usual　cheerful

confidence；　upon　myself　to　achieve　the　constantly　recurring　task；

and　began　to　feel　（for　the　first　time　in　my　life）　giddy；　jarred；

shaken；　faint；　uncertain　of　voice　and　sight　and　tread　and　touch；

and　dull　of　spirit。　　The　medical　advice　I　sought　within　a　few

hours；　was　given　in　two　words：　　'instant　rest。'　　Being　accustomed

to　observe　myself　as　curiously　as　if　I　were　another　man；　and

knowing　the　advice　to　meet　my　only　need；　I　instantly　halted　in　the

pursuit　of　which　I　speak；　and　rested。



My　intention　was；　to　interpose；　as　it　were；　a　fly…leaf　in　the　book

of　my　life；　in　which　nothing　should　be　written　from　without　for　a

brief　season　of　a　few　weeks。　　But　some　very　singular　experiences

recorded　themselves　on　this　same　fly…leaf；　and　I　am　going　to　relate

them　literally。　　I　repeat　the　word：　　literally。



My　first　odd　experience　was　of　the　remarkable　coincidence　between

my　case；　in　the　general　mind；　and　one　Mr。　Merdle's　as　I　find　it

recorded　in　a　work　of　fiction　called　LITTLE　DORRIT。　　To　be　sure；

Mr。　Merdle　was　a　swindler；　forger；　and　thief；　and　my　calling　had

been　of　a　less　harmful　（and　less　remunerative）　nature；　but　it　was

all　one　for　that。



Here　is　Mr。　Merdle's　case：



'At　first；　he　was　dead　of　all　the　diseases　that　ever　were　known；

and　of　several　bran…new　maladies　invented　with　the　speed　of　Light

to　meet　the　demand　of　the　occasion。　　He　had　concealed　a　dropsy　from

infancy；　he　had　inherited　a　large　estate　of　water　on　the