intheconstancyoftheyoungwomanwhotoldhersea-goinglover，tosuchabeautifuloldtune，thatshehadevercontinuedthesame，sinceshegavehimthe’baccer-boxmarkedwithhisname；Iamafraidheusuallygottheworstofthosetransactions，andwasfrightfullytakenin。No，IwasgoingtoWapping，becauseanEasternpolicemagistratehadsaid，throughthemorningpapers，thattherewasnoclassificationattheWappingworkhouseforwomen，andthatitwasadisgraceandashame，anddiversotherhardnames，andbecauseIwishedtoseehowthefactreallystood。
For，thatEasternpolicemagistratesarenotalwaysthewisestmenoftheEast，maybeinferredfromtheircourseofprocedurerespectingthefancy-dressingandpantomime-posturingatSt。
George’sinthatquarter:whichisusually，todiscussthematteratissue，inastateofmindbetokeningtheweakestperplexity，withallpartiesconcernedandunconcerned，and，forafinalexpedient，toconsultthecomplainantastowhathethinksoughttobedonewiththedefendant，andtakethedefendant’sopinionastowhathewouldrecommendtobedonewithhimself。
LongbeforeIreachedWapping，Igavemyselfupashavinglostmyway，and，abandoningmyselftothenarrowstreetsinaTurkishframeofmind，reliedonpredestinationtobringmesomehoworothertotheplaceIwantedifIwereevertogetthere。WhenI
hadceasedforanhourorsototakeanytroubleaboutthematter，Ifoundmyselfonaswing-bridgelookingdownatsomedarklocksinsomedirtywater。Overagainstme，stoodacreatureremotelyinthelikenessofayoungman，withapuffedsallowface，andafigurealldirtyandshinyandslimy，whomayhavebeentheyoungestsonofhisfilthyoldfather，Thames，orthedrownedmanaboutwhomtherewasaplacardonthegranitepostlikealargethimble，thatstoodbetweenus。
Iaskedthisapparitionwhatitcalledtheplace？Untowhich，itreplied，withaghastlygrinandasoundlikegurglingwaterinitsthroat:
’Mr。Baker’strap。’
Asitisapointofgreatsensitivenesswithmeonsuchoccasionstobeequaltotheintellectualpressureoftheconversation，I
deeplyconsideredthemeaningofthisspeech，whileIeyedtheapparition-thenengagedinhuggingandsuckingahorizontalironbaratthetopofthelocks。InspirationsuggestedtomethatMr。
Bakerwastheactingcoronerofthatneighbourhood。
’Acommonplaceforsuicide，’saidI，lookingdownatthelocks。
’Sue？’returnedtheghost，withastare。’Yes！AndPoll。
LikewiseEmily。AndNancy。AndJane；’hesuckedtheironbetweeneachname；’andallthebileing。Ketchesofftheirbonnetsorshorls，takesarun，andheadersdownhere，theydoos。Alwaysaheaderin’downhere，theyis。Likeoneo’clock。’
’Andataboutthathourofthemorning，Isuppose？’
’Ah！’saidtheapparition。’THEYan’tpartickler。Two’ulldoforTHEM。Three。Alltimeso’night。On’ymindyou！’Heretheapparitionrestedhisprofileonthebar，andgurgledinasarcasticmanner。’Theremustbesomebodycomin’。Theydon’tgoaheaderin’downhere，wentherean’tnoBobbynorgen’ralCove，furtohearthesplash。’
Accordingtomyinterpretationofthesewords，IwasmyselfaGeneralCove，ormemberofthemiscellaneouspublic。InwhichmodestcharacterIremarked:
’Theyareoftentakenout，arethey，andrestored？’
’Idunnoaboutrestored，’saidtheapparition，who，forsomeoccultreason，verymuchobjectedtothatword；’they’recarriedintothewerkissandputintoa’otbath，andbroughtround。ButIdunnoaboutrestored，’saidtheapparition；’blowTHAT！’-andvanished。
Asithadshownadesiretobecomeoffensive，Iwasnotsorrytofindmyselfalone，especiallyasthe’werkiss’ithadindicatedwithatwistofitsmattedhead，wascloseathand。SoIleftMr。
Baker’sterribletrapbaitedwithascumthatwaslikethesoapyrinsingofsootychimneys，andmadeboldtoringattheworkhousegate，whereIwaswhollyunexpectedandquiteunknown。
Averybrightandnimblelittlematron，withabunchofkeysinherhand，respondedtomyrequesttoseetheHouse。Ibegantodoubtwhetherthepolicemagistratewasquiterightinhisfacts，whenI
noticedherquick，activelittlefigureandherintelligenteyes。
TheTravellerthematronintimatedshouldseetheworstfirst。
Hewaswelcometoseeeverything。Suchasitwas，thereitallwas。
Thiswastheonlypreparationforourentering’theFoulwards。’
Theywereinanoldbuildingsqueezedawayinacornerofapavedyard，quitedetachedfromthemoremodernandspaciousmainbodyoftheworkhouse。Theywereinabuildingmostmonstrouslybehindthetime-amereseriesofgarretsorlofts，witheveryinconvenientandobjectionablecircumstanceintheirconstruction，andonlyaccessiblebysteepandnarrowstaircases，infamouslyill-adaptedforthepassageup-stairsofthesickordown-stairsofthedead。
A-bedinthesemiserablerooms，hereonbedsteads，thereforachange，asIunderstooditonthefloor，werewomenineverystageofdistressanddisease。Nonebutthosewhohaveattentivelyobservedsuchscenes，canconceivetheextraordinaryvarietyofexpressionstilllatentunderthegeneralmonotonyanduniformityofcolour，attitude，andcondition。Theformalittlecoiledupandturnedaway，asthoughithadturneditsbackonthisworldforever；theuninterestedfaceatoncelead-colouredandyellow，lookingpassivelyupwardfromthepillow；thehaggardmouthalittledropped，thehandoutsidethecoverlet，sodullandindifferent，solight，andyetsoheavy；thesewereoneverypallet；butwhenIstoppedbesideabed，andsaideversoslightawordtothefigurelyingthere，theghostoftheoldcharactercameintotheface，andmadetheFoulwardasvariousasthefairworld。
Nooneappearedtocaretolive，butnoonecomplained；allwhocouldspeak，saidthatasmuchwasdoneforthemascouldbedonethere，thattheattendancewaskindandpatient，thattheirsufferingwasveryheavy，buttheyhadnothingtoaskfor。Thewretchedroomswereascleanandsweetasitispossibleforsuchroomstobe；theywouldbecomeapest-houseinasingleweek，iftheywereill-kept。
Iaccompaniedthebriskmatronupanotherbarbarousstaircase，intoabetterkindofloftdevotedtotheidioticandimbecile。TherewasatleastLightinit，whereasthewindowsintheformerwardshadbeenlikesidesofschool-boys’bird-cages。Therewasastronggratingoverthefirehere，and，holdingakindofstateoneithersideofthehearth，separatedbythebreadthofthisgrating，weretwooldladiesinaconditionoffeebledignity，whichwassurelytheverylastandlowestreductionofself-complacencytobefoundinthiswonderfulhumanityofours。Theywereevidentlyjealousofeachother，andpassedtheirwholetimeassomepeopledo，whosefiresarenotgratedinmentallydisparagingeachother，andcontemptuouslywatchingtheirneighbours。Oneoftheseparodiesonprovincialgentlewomenwasextremelytalkative，andexpressedastrongdesiretoattendtheserviceonSundays，fromwhichsherepresentedherselftohavederivedthegreatestinterestandconsolationwhenallowedthatprivilege。Shegossipedsowell，andlookedaltogethersocheeryandharmless，thatIbegantothinkthisacasefortheEasternmagistrate，untilIfoundthatonthelastoccasionofherattendingchapelshehadsecretedasmallstick，andhadcausedsomeconfusionintheresponsesbysuddenlyproducingitandbelabouringthecongregation。
So，thesetwooldladies，separatedbythebreadthofthegrating-
otherwisetheywouldflyatoneanother’scaps-satalldaylong，suspectingoneanother，andcontemplatingaworldoffits。Foreverybodyelseintheroomhadfits，exceptthewards-woman；anelderly，able-bodiedpauperess，withalargeupperlip，andanairofrepressingandsavingherstrength，asshestoodwithherhandsfoldedbeforeher，andhereyesslowlyrolling，bidinghertimeforcatchingorholdingsomebody。ThiscivilpersonageinwhomI
regrettedtoidentifyareducedmemberofmyhonourablefriendMrs。
Gamp’sfamilysaid，’Theyhas’emcontiniwal，sir。Theydropswithoutnomorenoticethaniftheywascoach-horsesdroppedfromthemoon，sir。Andwhenonedrops，anotherdrops，andsometimesthere’llbeasmanyasfourorfiveon’ematonce，dearme，arollingandatearin’，blessyou！-thisyoungwoman，now，has’emdreadfulbad。’
Sheturnedupthisyoungwoman’sfacewithherhandasshesaidit。
Thisyoungwomanwasseatedonthefloor，ponderingintheforegroundoftheafflicted。Therewasnothingrepellenteitherinherfaceorhead。Many，apparentlyworse，varietiesofepilepsyandhysteriawereabouther，butshewassaidtobetheworsthere。
WhenIhadspokentoheralittle，shestillsatwithherfaceturnedup，pondering，andagleamofthemid-daysunshoneinuponher-
Whetherthisyoungwoman，andtherestofthesesosorelytroubled，astheysitorlieponderingintheirconfuseddullway，evergetmentalglimpsesamongthemotesinthesunlight，ofhealthypeopleandhealthythings？Whetherthisyoungwoman，broodinglikethisinthesummerseason，everthinksthatsomewheretherearetreesandflowers，evenmountainsandthegreatsea？
Whether，nottogosofar，thisyoungwomaneverhasanydimrevelationofthatyoungwoman-thatyoungwomanwhoisnothereandneverwillcomehere；whoiscourted，andcaressed，andloved，andhasahusband，andbearschildren，andlivesinahome，andwhoneverknowswhatitistohavethislashingandtearingcominguponher？Andwhetherthisyoungwoman，Godhelpher，givesherselfupthenanddropslikeacoach-horsefromthemoon？
Ihardlyknewwhetherthevoicesofinfantchildren，penetratingintosohopelessaplace，madeasoundthatwaspleasantorpainfultome。Itwassomethingtoberemindedthatthewearyworldwasnotallaweary，andwaseverrenewingitself；but，thisyoungwomanwasachildnotlongago，andachildnotlonghencemightbesuchasshe。Howbeit，theactivestepandeyeofthevigilantmatronconductedmepastthetwoprovincialgentlewomenwhosedignitywasruffledbythechildren，andintotheadjacentnursery。