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me？ And this honour gained excludes no one： there is work； as there
is bread in his house； enough and to spare。 It shows no faith in
God to make frantic efforts or frantic lamentations。 Besides； we
ought to teach ourselves to see； as much as we may； the good that is
in the condition of the poor。'
'Teach me to see that； then；' I said。 'Show me something。'
'The best thing is their kindness to each other。 There is an
absolute divinity in their self…denial for those who are poorer than
themselves。 I know one man and woman； married people； who pawned
their very furniture and wearing apparel to procure cod…liver oil
for a girl dying in consumption。 She was not even a relative； only
an acquaintance of former years。 They had found her destitute and
taken her to their own poor home。 There are fathers and mothers who
will work hard all the morning； and when dinner…time comes 〃don't
want any；〃 that there may be enough for their childrenor half
enough； more likely。 Children will take the bread out of their own
mouths to put in that of their sick brother； or to stick in the fist
of baby crying for a crustgiving only a queer little helpless
grin； half of hungry sympathy； half of pleasure； as they see it
disappear。 The marvel to me is that the children turn out so well
as they do； but that applies to the children in all ranks of life。
Have you ever watched a group of poor children； half…a…dozen of
them with babies in their arms？'
'I have； a little； and have seen such a strange mixture of
carelessness and devotion。'
'Yes。 I was once stopped in the street by a child of ten； with face
absolutely swollen with weeping； asking me to go and see baby who
was very ill。 She had dropped him four times that morning； but had
no idea that could have done him any harm。 The carelessness is
ignorance。 Their form of it is not half so shocking as that of the
mother who will tremble at the slightest sign of suffering in her
child； but will hear him lie against his brother without the
smallest discomfort。 Ah！ we shall all find； I fear； some day； that
we have differed from each other； where we have done best； only in
modeperhaps not even in degree。 A grinding tradesman takes
advantage of the over supply of labour to get his work done at
starvation prices： I owe him love； and have never thought of paying
my debt except in boundless indignation。'
'I wish I had your faith and courage； Mr。 Falconer；' I said。
'You are in a fair way of having far more；' he returned。 'You are
not so old as I am； by a long way。 But I fear you are getting out
of spirits。 Is to…morrow a hard day with you？'
'I have next to nothing to do to…morrow。'
'Then will you come to me in the evening？ We will go out together。'
Of course I was only too glad to accept the proposal。 But our talk
did not end here。 The morning began to shine before I rose to leave
him； and before I reached my abode it was broad daylight。 But what
a different heart I carried within me！ And what a different London
it was outside of me！ The scent of the hayfields came on the
hardly…moving air。 It was a strange morninga new day of unknown
historyin whose young light the very streets were transformed；
looking clear and clean； and wondrously transparent in perspective；
with unknown shadows lying in unexpected nooks； with projection and
recess； line and bend； as I had never seen them before。 The light
was coming as if for the first time since the city sprang into
beingas if a thousand years had rolled over it in darkness and
lamplight； and now； now； after the prayers and longings of ages； the
sun of God was ascending the awful east； and the spirit…voice had
gone forth： 'Arise； shine； for thy light is come。'
It was a well…behaved； proper London through which I walked home。
Here and there； it is true； a debauched…looking man； with pale
face； and red sleepy eyes； or a weary； withered girl； like a
half…moon in the daylight； straggled somewhither。 But they looked
strange to the London of the morning。 They were not of it。 Alas
for those who creep to their dens； like the wild beasts when the sun
arises； because the light has shaken them out of the world。 All the
horrid phantasms of the Valley of the Shadow of Death that had risen
from the pit with the vaporous night had sunk to escape the arrows
of the sun； once more into its bottomless depth。 If any horrid deed
was doing now； how much more horrid in the awful still light of this
first hour of a summer morn！ How many evil passions now lay sunk
under the holy waves of sleep！ How many heartaches were gnawing
only in dreams； to wake with the brain； and gnaw in earnest again！
And over all brooded the love of the Lord Christ； who is Lord over
all blessed for ever； and shall yet cast death and hell into the
lake of firethe holy purifying Fate。
I got through my sole engagementa very dreary one； for surely
never were there stupider young people in the whole region of rank
than those to whom duty and necessity sent me on the Wednesday
mornings of that London seasoneven with some enjoyment。 For the
lessons Falconer had been giving me clung to me and grew on me until
I said thus to myself： 'Am I to believe only for the poor； and not
for the rich？ Am I not to bear with conceit even； hard as it is to
teach？ for is not this conceit itself the measure as the consequence
of incapacity and ignorance？ They cannot help being born stupid；
any more than some of those children in St。 Giles's can help being
born preternaturally； unhealthily clever。 I am going with my friend
this evening： that hope is enough to make me strong for one day at
least。' So I set myself to my task； and that morning wiled the
first gleam of intelligent delight out of the eyes of one poor
little washed…out ladyship。 I could have kissed her from positive
thankfulness。
The day did wear over。 The evening did come。 I was with my
friendfor friend I could call him none the less and all the more
that I worshipped him。
'I have business in Westminster；' he said； 'and then on the other
side of the water。'
'I am more and more astonished at your knowledge of London； Mr。
Falconer；' I said。 'You must have a great faculty for places。'
'I think rather the contrary；' he answered。 'But there is no end to
the growth of a faculty； if one only uses itespecially when his
whole nature is interested in its efficiency； and makes demands upon
it。 The will applies to the intellect； the intellect communicates
its necessities to the brain； the brain bestirs itself； and grows
more active； the eyes lend their aid； the memory tries not to be
behind； and at length you have a man gifted in localities。'
'How is it that people generally can live in such quiet ignorance of
the regions that surround them； and the kind of humanity so near
them？' I said after a pause。
'It does seem strange。 It is as if a man should not know who were
in his own house。 Would…be civilization has for the very centre of
its citadel； for the citizens of its innermost city； for the heart
around which the gay and fashionable； the learned； the artistic； the
virtuous； the religious are gathered； a people some of whom are
barbarous； some cruel； many miserable； many unhappy； save for brief
moments not of hope； but of defiance； distilled in the alembic of
the brain from gin： what better life could steam up from such a
Phlegethon！ Look there： 〃Cream of the Valley！〃 As if the mocking
serpent must with sweet words of Paradise deepen the horrors of the
hellish compound； to which so many of our brothers and sisters made
in the image of God； fly as to their only Saviour from the misery of
feeling alive。'
'How is it that the civilized people of London do not make a
simultaneous inroad upon the haunts of the demons and drive them
out？'
'It is a mercy they do not。 They would only do infinite mischief。
The best notion civilization seems to have isnot to drive out the
demons； but to drive out the possessed； to take from them the poor
refuges they have； and crowd them into deeper and more fetid
hellsto make room for what？more and more temples in which Mammon
may be worshipped。 The good people on the other hand invade them
with foolish tracts； that lie against God； or give their money to
build churches； where there is as yet no people that will go to
them。 Why； the other day； a young clergyman bored me； and would
have been boring me till now； I think； if I would have let him； to
part with a block of my houses； where I know every man； woman； and
child； and keep them in comparative comfort and cleanliness and
decency； to say no more； that he might pull them down and build a
church upon the sitenot quite five minutes' walk from the church
where he now officiates。'
It was a blowing； moon…lit night。 The gaslights flickered and
wavered in the gusts of wind。 It was cold； very cold for the