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quickened the pavement with life； a mess of unmentionable obscenity that
put into eclipse the 〃nightly horror〃 of Piccadilly and the Strand。 It WAS
a menagerie of garmented bipeds that looked something like humans and
more like beasts； and to complete the picture； brass…buttoned keepers kept
order among them when they snarled too fiercely。
I was glad the keepers were there； for I did not have on my 〃seafaring〃
clothes； and I was what is called a 〃mark〃 for the creatures of prey that
prowled up and down。 At times； between keepers； these males looked at
me sharply； hungrily； gutter…wolves that they were； and I was afraid of
their hands； of their naked hands； as one may be afraid of the paws of a
gorilla。 They reminded me of gorillas。 Their bodies were small； ill…
shaped； and squat。 There were no swelling muscles； no abundant thews
and wide…spreading shoulders。 They exhibited； rather； an elemental
economy of nature； such as the cave…men must have exhibited。 But there
was strength in those meagre bodies； the ferocious； primordial strength to
clutch and gripe and tear and rend。 When they spring upon their human
prey they are known even to bend the victim backward and double its
body till the back is broken。 They possess neither conscience nor
sentiment； and they will kill for a half…sovereign； without fear or favour； if
they are given but half a chance。 They are a new species； a breed of city
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savages。 The streets and houses； alleys and courts； are their hunting
grounds。 As valley and mountain are to the natural savage； street and
building are valley and mountain to them。 The slum is their jungle； and
they live and prey in the jungle。
The dear soft people of the golden theatres and wonder…mansions of
the West End do not see these creatures； do not dream that they exist。
But they are here； alive； very much alive in their jungle。 And woe the day；
when England is fighting in her last trench； and her able…bodied men are
on the firing line！ For on that day they will crawl out of their dens and
lairs； and the people of the West End will see them； as the dear soft
aristocrats of Feudal France saw them and asked one another； 〃Whence
came they？〃 〃Are they men？〃
But they were not the only beasts that ranged the menagerie。 They
were only here and there； lurking in dark courts and passing like grey
shadows along the walls； but the women from whose rotten loins they
spring were everywhere。 They whined insolently； and in maudlin tones
begged me for pennies； and worse。 They held carouse in every boozing
ken； slatternly； unkempt； bleary…eyed； and towsled； leering and gibbering；
overspilling with foulness and corruption； and； gone in debauch； sprawling
across benches and bars； unspeakably repulsive； fearful to look upon。
And there were others； strange； weird faces and forms and twisted
monstrosities that shouldered me on every side； inconceivable types of
sodden ugliness； the wrecks of society； the perambulating carcasses； the
living deathswomen； blasted by disease and drink till their shame
brought not tuppence in the open mart； and men； in fantastic rags；
wrenched by hardship and exposure out of all semblance of men； their
faces in a perpetual writhe of pain； grinning idiotically； shambling like
apes； dying with every step they took and each breath they drew。 And
there were young girls； of eighteen and twenty； with trim bodies and faces
yet untouched with twist and bloat； who had fetched the bottom of the
Abyss plump； in one swift fall。 And I remember a lad of fourteen； and
one of six or seven； white…faced and sickly； homeless； the pair of them；
who sat upon the pavement with their backs against a railing and watched
it all。
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The unfit and the unneeded！ Industry does not clamour for them。
There are no jobs going begging through lack of men and women。 The
dockers crowd at the entrance gate； and curse and turn away when the
foreman does not give them a call。 The engineers who have work pay six
shillings a week to their brother engineers who can find nothing to do；
514；000 textile workers oppose a resolution condemning the employment
of children under fifteen。 Women； and plenty to spare； are found to toil
under the sweat…shop masters for tenpence a day of fourteen hours。
Alfred Freeman crawls to muddy death because he loses his job。 Ellen
Hughes Hunt prefers Regent's Canal to Islington Workhouse。 Frank
Cavilla cuts the throats of his wife and children because he cannot find
work enough to give them food and shelter。
The unfit and the unneeded！ The miserable and despised and
forgotten； dying in the social shambles。 The progeny of prostitutionof
the prostitution of men and women and children； of flesh and blood； and
sparkle and spirit； in brief； the prostitution of labour。 If this is the best
that civilisation can do for the human； then give us howling and naked
savagery。 Far better to be a people of the wilderness and desert； of the
cave and the squatting… place； than to be a people of the machine and the
Abyss。
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THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XXVTHE HUNGER
WAIL
〃My father has more stamina than I； for he is country…born。〃
The speaker； a bright young East Ender； was lamenting his poor
physical development。
〃Look at my scrawny arm； will you。〃 He pulled up his sleeve。 〃Not
enough to eat； that's what's the matter with it。 Oh； not now。 I have what
I want to eat these days。 But it's too late。 It can't make up for what I
didn't have