The People of the Abyss

n America, but a veritable oasis in the desert of East London. It is surrounded on every side by close-packed squalor and streets jammed by a young and vile and dirty genera

, with a bit of a brick-walled yard behind, where, when it is not raining, one may look at a slate-coloured sky. But it must be understood that this is East End opulence we are now considering.

d at me. She evinced a plain desire that our conversation should be short. It was Sunday, and Johnny Upright was not at home, and that was all there was to it. But I lingered, discussi

It is too bad, said I. Was I looking for work? No, quite the contrary; in fact

tleman in question was at church, but would be home in

wn to the corner and wait in a public-house. And down to the corner I went, but, it being church time, the "pub" was

rowzy and very perplexed, to tell me that the miss

rs. Johnny Upright apologetically explained. "

nonce investing my rags with dignity. "I quite understand, I assure

ance; and thereupon ushered me into, not the kitchen, but the di

as midday) that I had to wait a space for my eyes to adjust themselves to the gloom. Dirty light filtered in through a w

, it was my intention to have a port of refuge, not too far distant, into which could run now and again to assure myself that good clothes and cle

le life of her lodgers would imply lodgings where property was unsafe. To avoid the dilemma was what had brought me to Johnny Upright. A detective of thirty-odd years' continuous service in the East End, known

s the certain weak and delicate prettiness which characterises the Cockney lasses, a prettiness which is no

trange animal, and then ignored me utterly for the rest of my wait. Then Jo

y opening words. "I've got a b

I have puzzled over the incident, I have never been quite able to make up my mind as to whether or not he had a cold, or had an assistant planted in the other room. But of one thing I am sure: though I gave Johnny Upright the facts co

iven to the flesh, and you must take

ssed at greeting me, while he did

en hand till the dishes rang. "The girls thought yesterday y

cheeks, as though it were an essential of true refinement to be

er considering it as the highest compliment to my cleverness to succeed in being so mistaken. All of which I enjoyed, and the bread, the marmalade, and the tea, till the time came