the uncommercial traveller-第75章

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if　it　were　something　of　a　ghostly　nature。　　The　decision　of　the　boys

was　as　rapid　as　their　execution；　and　always　included　pudding。



There　were　several　women　among　the　diners；　and　several　clerks　and

shopmen。　　There　were　carpenters　and　painters　from　the　neighbouring

buildings　under　repair；　and　there　were　nautical　men；　and　there

were；　as　one　diner　observed　to　me；　'some　of　most　sorts。'　　Some　were

solitary；　some　came　two　together；　some　dined　in　parties　of　three　or

four；　or　six。　　The　latter　talked　together；　but　assuredly　no　one　was

louder　than　at　my　club　in　Pall…Mall。　　One　young　fellow　whistled　in

rather　a　shrill　manner　while　he　waited　for　his　dinner；　but　I　was

gratified　to　observe　that　he　did　so　in　evident　defiance　of　my

Uncommercial　individuality。　　Quite　agreeing　with　him；　on

consideration；　that　I　had　no　business　to　be　there；　unless　I　dined

like　the　rest；　'I　went　in；'　as　the　phrase　is；　for　fourpence…

halfpenny。



The　room　of　the　fourpence…halfpenny　banquet　had；　like　the　lower

room；　a　counter　in　it；　on　which　were　ranged　a　great　number　of　cold

portions　ready　for　distribution。　　Behind　this　counter；　the　fragrant

soup　was　steaming　in　deep　cans；　and　the　best…cooked　of　potatoes

were　fished　out　of　similar　receptacles。　　Nothing　to　eat　was　touched

with　his　hand。　　Every　waitress　had　her　own　tables　to　attend　to。　　As

soon　as　she　saw　a　new　customer　seat　himself　at　one　of　her　tables；

she　took　from　the　counter　all　his　dinner　…　his　soup；　potatoes；

meat；　and　pudding　…　piled　it　up　dexterously　in　her　two　hands；　set

it　before　him；　and　took　his　ticket。　　This　serving　of　the　whole

dinner　at　once；　had　been　found　greatly　to　simplify　the　business　of

attendance；　and　was　also　popular　with　the　customers：　　who　were　thus

enabled　to　vary　the　meal　by　varying　the　routine　of　dishes：

beginning　with　soup…to…day；　putting　soup　in　the　middle　to…morrow；

putting　soup　at　the　end　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　ringing

similar　changes　on　meat　and　pudding。　　The　rapidity　with　which　every

new…comer　got　served；　was　remarkable；　and　the　dexterity　with　which

the　waitresses　（quite　new　to　the　art　a　month　before）　discharged

their　duty；　was　as　agreeable　to　see；　as　the　neat　smartness　with

which　they　wore　their　dress　and　had　dressed　their　hair。



If　I　seldom　saw　better　waiting；　so　I　certainly　never　ate　better

meat；　potatoes；　or　pudding。　　And　the　soup　was　an　honest　and　stout

soup；　with　rice　and　barley　in　it；　and　'little　matters　for　the　teeth

to　touch；'　as　had　been　observed　to　me　by　my　friend　below　stairs

already　quoted。　　The　dinner…service；　too；　was　neither　conspicuously

hideous　for　High　Art　nor　for　Low　Art；　but　was　of　a　pleasant　and

pure　appearance。　　Concerning　the　viands　and　their　cookery；　one　last

remark。　　I　dined　at　my　club　in　Pall…Mall　aforesaid；　a　few　days

afterwards；　for　exactly　twelve　times　the　money；　and　not　half　as

well。



The　company　thickened　after　one　o'clock　struck；　and　changed　pretty

quickly。　　Although　experience　of　the　place　had　been　so　recently

attainable；　and　although　there　was　still　considerable　curiosity　out

in　the　street　and　about　the　entrance；　the　general　tone　was　as　good

as　could　be；　and　the　customers　fell　easily　into　the　ways　of　the

place。　　It　was　clear　to　me；　however；　that　they　were　there　to　have

what　they　paid　for；　and　to　be　on　an　independent　footing。　　To　the

best　of　my　judgment；　they　might　be　patronised　out　of　the　building

in　a　month。　　With　judicious　visiting；　and　by　dint　of　being

questioned；　read　to；　and　talked　at；　they　might　even　be　got　rid　of

（for　the　next　quarter　of　a　century）　in　half　the　time。



This　disinterested　and　wise　movement　is　fraught　with　so　many

wholesome　changes　in　the　lives　of　the　working　people；　and　with　so

much　good　in　the　way　of　overcoming　that　suspicion　which　our　own

unconscious　impertinence　has　engendered；　that　it　is　scarcely

gracious　to　criticise　details　as　yet；　the　rather；　because　it　is

indisputable　that　the　managers　of　the　Whitechapel　establishment

most　thoroughly　feel　that　they　are　upon　their　honour　with　the

customers；　as　to　the　minutest　points　of　administration。　　But；

although　the　American　stoves　cannot　roast；　they　can　surely　boil　one

kind　of　meat　as　well　as　another；　and　need　not　always　circumscribe

their　boiling　talents　within　the　limits　of　ham　and　beef。　　The　most

enthusiastic　admirer　of　those　substantials；　would　probably　not

object　to　occasional　inconstancy　in　respect　of　pork　and　mutton：

or；　especially　in　cold　weather；　to　a　little　innocent　trifling　with

Irish　stews；　meat　pies；　and　toads　in　holes。　　Another　drawback　on

the　Whitechapel　establishment；　is　the　absence　of　beer。　　Regarded

merely　as　a　question　of　policy；　it　is　very　impolitic；　as　having　a

tendency　to　send　the　working　men　to　the　public…house；　where　gin　is

reported　to　be　sold。　　But；　there　is　a　much　higher　ground　on　which

this　absence　of　beer　is　objectionable。　　It　expresses　distrust　of

the　working　man。　　It　is　a　fragment　of　that　old　mantle　of　patronage

in　which　so　many　estimable　Thugs；　so　darkly　wandering　up　and　down

the　moral　world；　are　sworn　to　muffle　him。　　Good　beer　is　a　good

thing　for　him；　he　says；　and　he　likes　it；　the　Depot　could　give　it

him　good；　and　he　now　gets　it　bad。　　Why　does　the　Depot　not　give　it

him　good？　　Because　he　would　get　drunk。　　Why　does　the　Depot　not　let

him　have　a　pint　with　his　dinner；　which　would　not　make　him　drunk？

Because　he　might　have　had　another　pint；　or　another　two　pints；

before　he　came。　　Now；　this　distrust　is　an　affront；　is　exceedingly

inconsistent　with　the　confidence　the　managers　express　in　their

hand…bills；　and　is　a　timid　stopping…short　upon　the　straight

highway。　　It　is　unjust　and　unreasonable；　also。　　It　is　unjust；

because　it　punishes　the　sober　man　for　the　vice　of　the　drunken　man。

It　is　unreasonable；　because　any　one　at　all　experienced　in　such

things　knows　that　the　drunken　workman　does　not　get　drunk　where　he

goes　to　eat　and　drink；　but　where　he　goes　to　drink　…　expressly　to

drink。　　To　suppose　that　the　working　man　cannot　state　this　question

to　himself　quite　as　plainly　as　I　state　it　here；　is　to　suppose　that

he　is　a　baby；　and　is　again　to　tell　him　in　the　old　wearisome；

condescending；　patronising　way　that　he　must　be　goody…poody；　and　do

as　he　is　toldy…poldy；　and　not　be　a　manny…panny　or　a　voter…poter；

but　fold　his　handy…pandys；　and　be　a　childy…pildy。



I　found　from　the　accounts　of　the　Whitechapel　Self…Supporting

Cooking　Depot；　that　every　article　sold　in　it；　even　at　the　prices　I

have　quoted；　yields　a　certain　small　profit！　　Individual　speculators

are　of　course　already　in　the　field；　and　are　of　course　already

appropriating　the　name。　　The　classes　for　whose　benefit　the　real

depots　are　designed；　will　distinguish　between　the　two　kinds　of

enterprise。







CHAPTER　XXVI　…　CHATHAM　DOCKYARD







There　are　some　small　out…of…the…way　landing　places　on　the　Thames

and　the　Medway；　where　I　do　much　of　my　summer　idling。　　Running　water

is　favourable　to　day…dreams；　and　a　strong　tidal　river　is　the　best

of　running　water　for　mine。　　I　like　to　watch　the　great　ships

standing　out　to　sea　or　coming　home　richly　laden；　the　active　little

steam…tugs　confidently　puffing　with　them　to　and　from　the　sea…

horizon；　the　fleet　of　barges　that　seem　to　have　plucked　their　brown

and　russet　sails　from　the　ripe　trees　in　the　landscape；　the　heavy

old　colliers；　light　in　ballast；　floundering　down　before　the　tide；

the　light　screw　barks　and　schooners　imperiously　holding　a　straight

course　while　the　others　patiently　tack　and　go　about；　the　yachts

with　their　tiny　hulls　and　great　white　sheets　of　canvas；　the　little

sailing…boats　bobbing　to　and　fro　on　their　errands　of　pleasure　or

business；　and　…　as　it　is　the　nature　of　little　people　to　do　…　making

a　prodigious　fuss　about　their　small　affairs。　　Watching　these

objects；　I　still　am　under　no　obligation　to　think　about　them；　or

even　so　much　as　to　see　them；　unless　it　perfectly　suits　my　humour。

As　little　am　I　obliged　to　hear　the　plash　and　flop　of　the　tide；　the

ripple　at　my　feet；　the　clinking　windlass　afar