in darkest england and the way out- 第13部分

There　is　no　need　for　me　to　go　into　the　details　of　the　way　in　which　men　and　women；　whose　whole　livelihood　depends　upon　their　success　in　disarming　the　suspicions　of　their　victims　and　luring　them　to　their　doom；　contrive　to　overcome　the　reluctance　of　the　young　girl　without　parents；　friends；　or　helpers　to　enter　their　toils。　　What　fraud　fails　to　accomplish；　a　little　force　succeeds　in　effecting；　and　a　girl　who　has　been　guilty　of　nothing　but　imprudence　finds　herself　an　outcast　for　life。　　The　very　innocence　of　a　girl　tells　against　her。　　A　woman　of　the　world；　once　entrapped；　would　have　all　her　wits　about　her　to　extricate　herself　from　the　position　in　which　she　found　herself。　　A　perfectly　virtuous　girl　is　often　so　overcome　with　shame　and　horror　that　there　seems　nothing　in　life　worth　struggling　for。　　She　accepts　her　doom　without　further　struggle；　and　treads　the　long　and　torturing　path…way　of　〃the　streets〃　to　the　grave。

〃Judge　not；　that　ye　be　not　judged〃　is　a　saying　that　applies　most　appropriately　of　all　to　these　unfortunates。　　Many　of　them　would　have　escaped　their　evil　fate　had　they　been　less　innocent。　　They　are　where　they　are　because　they　loved　too　utterly　to　calculate　consequences；　and　trusted　too　absolutely　to　dare　to　suspect　evil。　　And　others　are　there　because　of　the　false　education　which　confounds　ignorance　with　virtue；　and　throws　our　young　people　into　the　midst　of　a　great　city；　with　all　its　excitements　and　all　its　temptations；　without　more　preparation　or　warning　than　if　they　were　going　to　live　in　the　Garden　of　Eden。

Whatever　sin　they　have　committed；　a　terrible　penalty　is　exacted。　While　the　man　who　caused　their　ruin　passes　as　a　respectable　member　of　society；　to　whom　virtuous　matrons　gladly　marryif　he　is　rich　their　maiden　daughters；　they　are　crushed　beneath　the　millstone　of　social　excommunication。　　Here　let　me　quote　from　a　report　made　to　me　by　the　head　of　our　Rescue　Homes　as　to　the　actual　life　of　these　unfortunates。

The　following　hundred　cases　are　taken　as　they　come　from　our　Rescue　Register。　　The　statements　are　those　of　the　girls　themselves。　　They　are　certainly　frank；　and　it　will　be　noticed　that　only　two　out　of　the　hundred　allege　that　they　took　to　the　life　out　of　poverty：　

　CAUSE　OF　FALL。

　Drink　　　　。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　14　　Seduction　　　　　。。　　　。。　　　33　　Wilful　choice　。。　　　。。　　　24　　Bad　company　　　。。　　　。。　　　27　　Poverty　　。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　　2　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Total　　　100


　CONDITION　WHEN　APPLYING。

　Rags。。　　　　。。　　　　。。　　　25　　Destitution　　　　　。。　　　27　　Decently　dressed　　　　　48　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Total　　　100

Out　of　these　girls　twenty…three　have　been　in　prison。　　The　girls　suffer　so　much　that　the　shortness　of　their　miserable　life　is　the　only　redeeming　feature。　　Whether　we　look　at　the　wretchedness　of　the　life　itself；　their　perpetual　intoxication；　the　cruel　treatment　to　which　they　are　subjected　by　their　task…masters　and　mistresses　or　bullies；　the　hopelessness；　suffering　and　despair　induced　by　their　circumstances　and　surroundings；　the　depths　of　misery；　degradation　and　poverty　to　which　they　eventually　descend；　or　their　treatment　in　sickness；　their　friendlessness　and　loneliness　in　death；　it　must　be　admitted　that　a　more　dismal　lot　seldom　falls　to　the　fate　of　a　human　being。　　I　will　take　each　of　these　in　turn。

HEALTH。This　life　induces　insanity；　rheumatism；　consumption；　and　all　forms　of　syphilis。　　Rheumatism　and　gout　are　the　commonest　of　these　evils。　　Some　were　quite　crippled　by　bothyoung　though　they　were。　Consumption　sows　its　seeds　broadcast。　　The　life　is　a　hot…bed　for　the　development　of　any　constitutional　and　hereditary　germs　of　the　disease。　We　have　found　girls　in　Piccadilly　at　midnight　who　are　continually　prostrated　by　haemorrhage；　yet　who　have　no　other　way　of　life　open；　so　struggle　on　in　this　awful　manner　between　whiles。

DRINK。This　is　an　inevitable　part　of　the　business。　　All　Confess　that　they　could　never　lead　their　miserable　lives　if　it　were　not　for　its　influence。

A　girl；　who　was　educated　at　college；　and　who　had　a　home　in　which　was　every　comfort；　but　who；　when　ruined；　had　fallen　even　to　the　depth　of　Woolwich　〃Dusthole；〃　exclaimed　to　us　indignantly〃Do　you　think　I　could　ever；　ever　do　this　if　it　weren't　for　the　drink？　　I　always　have　to　be　in　drink　if　I　want　to　sin。〃　　No　girl　has　ever　come　into　our　Homes　front　street…life　but　has　been　more　or　less　a　prey　to　drink。

CRUEL　TREATMENT。The　devotion　of　these　women　to　their　bullies　is　as　remarkable　as　the　brutality　of　their　bullies　is　abominable。　　Probably　the　primary　cause　of　the　fall　of　numberless　girls　of　the　lower　class；　is　their　great　aspiration　to　the　dignity　of　wifehood；they　are　never　〃somebody〃　until　they　are　married；　and　will　link　themselves　to　any　creature；　no　matter　how　debased；　in　the　hope　of　being　ultimately　married　by　him。　　This　consideration；　in　addition　to　their　helpless　condition　when　once　character　has　gone；　makes　them　suffer　cruelties　which　they　would　never　otherwise　endure　from　the　men　with　whom　large　numbers　of　them　live。

One　case　in　illustration　of　this　is　that　of　a　girl　who　was　once　a　respectable　servant；　the　daughter　of　a　police　sergeant。　　She　was　ruined；　and　shame　led　her　to　leave　home。　　At　length　she　drifted　to　Woolwich；　where　she　came　across　a　man　who　persuaded　her　to　live　with　him；　and　for　a　considerable　length　of　time　she　kept　him；　although　his　conduct　to　her　was　brutal　in　the　extreme。

The　girl　living　in　the　next　room　to　her　has　frequently　heard　him　knock　her　head　against　the　wall；　and　pound　it；　when　he　was　out　of　temper；　through　her　gains　of　prostitution　being　less　than　usual。　　He　lavished　upon　her　every　sort　of　cruelty　and　abuse；　and　at　length　she　grew　so　wretched；　and　was　reduced　to　so　dreadful　a　plight；　that　she　ceased　to　attract。　　At　this　he　became　furious；　and　pawned　all　her　clothing　but　one　thin　garment　of　rags。　　The　week　before　her　first　confinement　he　kicked　her　black　and　blue　from　neck　to　knees；　and　she　was　carried　to　the　police　station　in　a　pool　of　blood；　but；　she　was　so　loyal　to　the　wretch　that　she　refused　to　appear　against　him。

She　was　going　to　drown　herself　in　desperation；　when　our　Rescue　Officers　spoke　to　her；　wrapped　their　own　shawl　around　her　shivering　shoulders；　took　her　home　with　them；　and　cared　for　her。　　The　baby　was　born　dead　a　tiny；　shapeless　mass。　　This　state　of　things　is　all　too　common。

HOPELESSNESSSURROUNDINGS。The　state　of　hopelessness　and　despair　in　which　these　girls　live　continually；　makes　them　reckless　of　consequences；　and　large　numbers　commit　suicide　who　are　never　heard　of。　A　West　End　policeman　assured　us　that　the　number　of　prostitute…suicides　was　terribly　in　advance　of　anything　guessed　at　by　the　public。

DEPTHS　TO　WHICH　THEY　SINK。There　is　Scarcely　a　lower　class　of　girls　to　be　found　than　the　girls　of　Woolwich　〃Dusthole〃where　one　of　our　Rescue　Slum　Homes　is　established。　　The　women　living　and　following　their　dreadful　business　in　this　neighbourhood　are　so　degraded　that　even　abandoned　men　will　refuse　to　accompany　them　home。　　Soldiers　are　forbidden　to　enter　the　place；　or　to　go　down　the　street；　on　pain　of　twenty…five　days'　imprisonment；　pickets　are　stationed　at　either　end　to　prevent　this。　　The　streets　are　much　cleaner　than　many　of　the　rooms　we　have　seen。

One　public　house　there　is　shut　up　three　or　four　times　in　a　day　sometimes　for　fear　of　losing　the　licence　through　the　terrible　brawls　which　take　place　within。　　A　policeman　never　goes　down　this　street　alone　at　nightone　having　died　not　long　ago　from　injuries　received　there　but　our　two　lasses　go　unharmed　and　loved　at　all　hours；　spending　every　other　night　always　upon　the　streets。

The　girls　sink　to　the　〃Dusthole〃　after　coming　down　several　grades。　There　is　but　one　on　record　who　came　there　with　beautiful　clothes；　and　this　poor　girl；　when　last　seen　by　the　officers；　was　a　pauper　in　the　workhouse　infirmary　in　a　wretched　condition。　　The　lowest　class　of　all　is　the　girls　who　stand　at　the　pier…headthese　sell　themselves　literally　for　a　bare　crust　of　bread　and　sleep　in　the　streets。　　Filth　and　vermin　abound　to　an　extent　to　which　no　one　who　has　not　seen　it　can　have　any　idea。　　The　〃Dusthole〃　is　only　one；　alas　of　many　similar　districts　in　this　highly　civilised　land。

SICKNESS；　FRIENDLESSNESSDEATH。In　hospitals　it　is　a　known　fact　that　these　girls　are　not　treated　at　all　like　other　cases；　they　inspire　disgust；　and　are　most　frequently　discharged　before　being　really　cured。　Scorned　by　their　relations；　and　ashamed　to　make　their　case　known　even　to　those　who　would　help　them；　unable　longer　to　struggle　out　on　the　streets　to　earn　the　bread　of　shame；　there　are　girls　lying　in　many　a　dark　hole　in　this　big　city　positively　rotting　away；　and　maintained　by　their　old　companions　on　the　streets。　　Many　are　totally　friendless；　utterly　cast　out　and　left　to　perish　by　relatives　and　friends。　　One　of　this　class　came　to　us；　sickened　and　died；　and　we　buried　her；　being　her　only　followers　to　the　grave。

It　is　a　sad　story；　but　one　that　must　not　be　forgotten；　for　these　women　constitute　a　large　standing　army　whose　numbers　no　one　can　calculate。　All　estimates　that　I　have　seem　purely　imaginary。　　The　ordinary　figure　given　for　London　is　from　60；000　to　80；000。　　This　maybe　true　if　it　is　meant　to　include　all　habitually　unchaste　women。　　It　is　a　monstrous　exaggeration　if　it　is　meant　to　apply　to　those　who　make　their　living　solely　and　habitually　by　prostitution。　　These　figures；　however；　only　confuse。　　We　shall　have　to　deal　with　hundreds　every　month；　whatever　estimate　we　take。　　How　utterly　unprepared　society　is　for　any　such　systematic　reformation　may　be　seen　from　the　fact　that　even　now　at　our　Homes　we　are　unable　to　take　in　all　the　girls　who　apply。　　They　cannot　escape；　even　if　they　would；　for　want　of　funds　whereby　to　provide　them　a　way　of　release。


CHAPTER　7。　　THE　CRIMINALS。

One　very　important　section　of　the　denizens　of　Darkest　England　are　the　criminals　and　the　semi…criminals。　　They　are　more　or　less　predatory；　and　are　at　present　shepherded　by　the　police　and　punished　by　the　gaoler。　Their　numbers　cannot　be　ascertained　with　very　great　precision；　but　the　following　figures　are　taken　from　the　prison　returns　of　1889：　

The　criminal　classes　of　Great　Britain；　in　round　figures；　sum　up　a　total　of　no　less　than　90；000　persons；　made　up　as　follows：　

　Convict　prisons　contain。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　。。　　　11；660　persons