in darkest england and the way out-第18章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Monday morning； the door opened； and a complacent detective stood before me。 Who can tell the feeling as the handcuffs closed round my wrists； and we started for town。 As again the charge was entered； and the passing of another night in the cell； then the morning of the day arrived。 The gruff； harsh 'Come on' of the gaoler roused me； and the next moment I found myself in the prison van； gazing through the crevices of the floor； watching the stones flying as it were from beneath our feet。 Soon the court…house was reached； and hustled into a common cell； I found myself amongst a crowd of boys and men； all bound for the 'dock。' One by one the names are called； and the crowd is gradually thinning down； when the announcement of my own name fell on my startled ear； and I found myself stumbling up the stairs； and finding myself in daylight and the 'dock。' What a terrible ordeal it was。 The ceremony was brief enough； 'Have you anything to say？' 'Don't interrupt his Worship； prisoner！' 'Give over talking！' 'A month's hard labour。' This is about all I heard； or at any rate realised； until a vigorous push landed me into the presence of the officer who booked the sentence； and then off I went to gaol。 I need not linger over the formalities of the reception。 A nightmare seemed to have settled upon me as I passed into the interior of the correctional。
〃I resigned my name； and I seemed to die to myself for henceforth。 332B disclosed my identity to myself and others。
〃Through all the weeks that followed I was like one in a dream。 Meal times； resting hours； as did every other thing； came with clock…like precision。 At times I thought my mind had goneso dull； so callous； so weary appeared the organs of the brain。 The harsh orders of the gaolers； the droning of the chaplain in the chapel； the enquiries of the chief warder or the governor in their periodical visits；all seemed so meaningless。
〃As the day of my liberation drew near； the horrid conviction that circumstances would perhaps compel me to return to prison haunted me； and so helpless did I feel at the prospects that awaited me outside； that I dreaded release； which seemed but the facing of an unsympathetic world。 The day arrived； and； strange as it may sound； it was with regret that I left my cell。 It had become my home； and no home waited me outside。
〃How utterly crushed I felt； feelings of companionship had gone out to my unfortunate fellow…prisoners； whom I had seen daily； but the sound of whose voices I had never heard； whilst outside friendships were dead； and companionships were for ever broken； and I felt as an outcast of society； with the mark of 'gaol bird' upon me； that I must cover my face； and stand aside and cry 'unclean。' Such were my feelings。
〃The morning of discharge came； and I am once more on the streets。 My scanty means scarcely sufficient for two days' least needs。 Could I brace myself to make another honest endeavour to start afresh？ Try； indeed； I did。 I fell back upon my antecedents； and tried to cut the dark passage out of my life； but straight came the questions to me at each application for employment； 'What have you been doing lately？' 'Where have you been living？' If I evaded the question it caused doubt； if I answered； the only answer I could give was 'in gaol；' and that settled my chances。
〃What a comedy； after all； it appeared。 I remember the last words of the chaplain before leaving the prison； cold and precise in their officialism： 'Mind you never come back here again； young man。' And now； as though in response to my earnest effort to keep from going to prison； society； by its actions； cried out； 'Go back to gaol。 There are honest men enough to do our work without such as you。' 〃Imagine； if you can； my condition。 At the end of a few days； black despair had wrapt itself around every faculty of mind and body。 Then followed several days and nights with scarcely a bit of food or a resting…place。 I prowled the streets like a dog； with this difference； that the dog has the chance of helping himself； and I had not。 I tried to forecast how long starvation's fingers would be in closing round the throat they already gripped。 So indifferent was I alike to man or God； as I waited for the end。〃
In this dire extremity the writer found his way to one of our Shelters； and there found God and friends and hope； and once more got his feet on to the ladder which leads upward from the black gulf of starvation to competence and character； and usefulness and heaven。
As he was then； however； there are hundredsnay； thousandsnow。 Who will give these men a helping hand？ What is to be done with them？ Would it not be more merciful to kill them off at once instead of sternly crushing them out of all semblance of honest manhood？ Society recoils from such a short cut。 Her virtuous scruples reminds me of the subterfuge by which English law evaded the veto on torture。 Torture was forbidden； but the custom of placing an obstinate witness under a press and slowly crushing him within a hairbreadth of death was legalised and practised。 So it is to…day。 When the criminal comes out of gaol the whole world is often but a press whose punishment is sharp and cruel indeed。 Nor can the victim escape even if he opens his mouth and speaks。
CHAPTER 8。 THE CHILDREN OF THE LOST。
Whatever may be thought of the possibility of doing anything with the adults； it is universally admitted that there is hope for the children。 〃I regard the existing generation as lost；〃 said a leading Liberal statesman。 〃Nothing can be done with men and women who have grown up under the present demoralising conditions。 My only hope is that the children may have a better chance。 Education will do much。〃 But unfortunately the demoralising circumstances of the children are not being improvedare； indeed； rather； in many respects； being made worse。 The deterioration of our population in large towns is one of the most undisputed facts of social economics。 The country is the breeding ground of healthy citizens。 But for the constant influx of Countrydom； Cockneydom would long ere this have perished。 But unfortunately the country is being depopulated。 The towns； London especially； are being gorged with undigested and indigestible masses of labour； and； as the result； the children suffer grievously。
The town…bred child is at a thousand disadvantages compared with his cousin in the country。 But every year there are more town…bred children and fewer cousins in the country。 To rear healthy children you want first a home； secondly； milk； thirdly； fresh air； and fourthly； exercise under the green trees and blue sky。 All these things every country labourer's child possesses； or used to possess。 For the shadow of the City life lies now upon the fields； and even in the remotest rural district the labourer who tends the cows is often denied the milk which his children need。 The regular demand of the great towns forestalls the claims of the labouring hind。 Tea and slops and beer take the place of milk； and the bone and sinew of the next generation are sapped from the cradle。 But the country child； if he has nothing but skim milk； and only a little of that； has at least plenty of exercise in the fresh air。 He has healthy human relations with his neighbours。 He is looked after； and in some sort of fashion brought into contact with the life of the hall； the vicarage； and the farm。 He lives a natural life amid the birds and trees and growing crops and the animals of the fields。 He is not a mere human ant； crawling on the granite pavement of a great urban ants' nest； with an unnaturally developed nervous system and a sickly constitution。
But； it will be said； the child of to…day has the inestimable advantage of Education。 No； he has not。 Educated the children are not。 They are pressed through 〃standards；〃 which exact a certain acquaintance with A B C and pothooks and figures； but educated they are not in the sense of the development of their latent capacities so as to make them capable for the discharge of their duties in life。 The new generation can read； no doubt。 Otherwise； where would be the sale of 〃Sixteen String Jack；〃 〃Dick Turpin；〃 and the like？ But take the girls。 Wh
