Thiswoman，likethelast，waswofullyshabby，andwasdegeneratingtotheBosjesmancomplexion。Butherfigure，andtheghostofacertainvivacityabouther，andthespectreofadimpleinhercheek，carriedmymemorystrangelybacktotheolddaysoftheAdelphiTheatre，London，whenMrs。FitzwilliamwasthefriendofVictorine。
’MayIaskyouwhatyourhusbandis？’
’He’sacoal-porter，sir，’-withaglanceandasightowardsthebed。
’Isheoutofwork？’
’Oh，yes，sir！andwork’satalltimesvery，veryscantywithhim；
andnowhe’slaidup。’
’It’smylegs，’saidthemanuponthebed。’I’llunroll’em。’Andimmediatelybegan。
’Haveyouanyolderchildren？’
’Ihaveadaughterthatdoestheneedle-work，andIhaveasonthatdoeswhathecan。She’satherworknow，andhe’stryingforwork。’
’Dotheylivehere？’
’Theysleephere。Theycan’taffordtopaymorerent，andsotheycomehereatnight。Therentisveryharduponus。It’sroseuponustoo，now，-sixpenceaweek，-onaccountofthesenewchangesinthelaw，abouttherates。Weareaweekbehind；thelandlord’sbeenshakingandrattlingatthatdoorfrightfully；hesayshe’llturnusout。Idon’tknowwhat’stocomeofit。’
Themanuponthebedruefullyinterposed，’Here’smylegs。Theskin’sbroke，besidestheswelling。Ihavehadamanykicks，working，onewayandanother。’
Helookedathislegswhichweremuchdiscolouredandmisshapen
forawhile，andthenappearingtorememberthattheywerenotpopularwithhisfamily，rolledthemupagain，asiftheyweresomethinginthenatureofmapsorplansthatwerenotwantedtobereferredto，layhopelesslydownonhisbackoncemorewithhisfantailhatoverhisface，andstirrednot。
’Doyoureldestsonanddaughtersleepinthatcupboard？’
’Yes，’repliedthewoman。
’Withthechildren？’
’Yes。Wehavetogettogetherforwarmth。Wehavelittletocoverus。’
’HaveyounothingbyyoutoeatbutthepieceofbreadIseethere？’
’Nothing。Andwehadtherestoftheloafforourbreakfast，withwater。Idon’tknowwhat’stocomeofit。’
’Haveyounoprospectofimprovement？’
’Ifmyeldestsonearnsanythingto-day，he’llbringithome。Thenweshallhavesomethingtoeatto-night，andmaybeabletodosomethingtowardstherent。Ifnot，Idon’tknowwhat’stocomeofit。’
’Thisisasadstateofthings。’
’Yes，sir；it’sahard，hardlife。Takecareofthestairsasyougo，sir，-they’rebroken，-andgoodday，sir！’
Thesepeoplehadamortaldreadofenteringtheworkhouse，andreceivednoout-of-doorrelief。
Inanotherroom，instillanothertenement，Ifoundaverydecentwomanwithfivechildren，-thelastababy，andsheherselfapatientoftheparishdoctor，-towhom，herhusbandbeinginthehospital，theUnionallowedforthesupportofherselfandfamily，fourshillingsaweekandfiveloaves。IsupposewhenThisman，M。P。，andThatman，M。P。，andthePublic-blessingParty，laytheirheadstogetherincourseoftime，andcometoanequalizationofrating，shemaygodowntothedanceofdeathtothetuneofsixpencemore。
Icouldenternootherhousesforthatonewhile，forIcouldnotbearthecontemplationofthechildren。SuchheartasIhadsummonedtosustainmeagainstthemiseriesoftheadultsfailedmewhenIlookedatthechildren。Isawhowyoungtheywere，howhungry，howseriousandstill。Ithoughtofthem，sickanddyinginthoselairs。Ithinkofthemdeadwithoutanguish；buttothinkofthemsosufferingandsodyingquiteunmannedme。
Downbytheriver’sbankinRatcliff，Iwasturningupwardbyaside-street，therefore，toregaintherailway，whenmyeyesrestedontheinscriptionacrosstheroad，’EastLondonChildren’sHospital。’Icouldscarcelyhaveseenaninscriptionbettersuitedtomyframeofmind；andIwentacrossandwentstraightin。
Ifoundthechildren’shospitalestablishedinanoldsail-loftorstorehouse，oftheroughestnature，andonthesimplestmeans。
Thereweretrap-doorsinthefloors，wheregoodshadbeenhoistedupanddown；heavyfeetandheavyweightshadstartedeveryknotinthewell-troddenplanking:inconvenientbulksandbeamsandawkwardstaircasesperplexedmypassagethroughthewards。ButI
founditairy，sweet，andclean。InitssevenandthirtybedsI
sawbutlittlebeauty；forstarvationinthesecondorthirdgenerationtakesapinchedlook:butIsawthesufferingsbothofinfancyandchildhoodtenderlyassuaged；Iheardthelittlepatientsansweringtopetplayfulnames，thelighttouchofadelicateladylaidbarethewastedsticksofarmsformetopity；
andtheclaw-likelittlehands，asshedidso，twinedthemselveslovinglyaroundherwedding-ring。
OnebabymitetherewasasprettyasanyofRaphael’sangels。Thetinyheadwasbandagedforwateronthebrain；anditwassufferingwithacutebronchitistoo，andmadefromtimetotimeaplaintive，thoughnotimpatientorcomplaining，littlesound。Thesmoothcurveofthecheeksandofthechinwasfaultlessinitscondensationofinfantinebeauty，andthelargebrighteyesweremostlovely。IthappenedasIstoppedatthefootofthebed，thattheseeyesresteduponminewiththatwistfulexpressionofwonderingthoughtfulnesswhichweallknowsometimesinverylittlechildren。Theyremainedfixedonmine，andneverturnedfrommewhileIstoodthere。Whentheutteranceofthatplaintivesoundshookthelittleform，thegazestillremainedunchanged。IfeltasthoughthechildimploredmetotellthestoryofthelittlehospitalinwhichitwasshelteredtoanygentleheartIcouldaddress。Layingmyworld-wornhanduponthelittleunmarkedclaspedhandatthechin，IgaveitasilentpromisethatIwoulddoso。
Agentlemanandlady，ayounghusbandandwife，haveboughtandfittedupthisbuildingforitspresentnobleuse，andhavequietlysettledthemselvesinitasitsmedicalofficersanddirectors。
Bothhavehadconsiderablepracticalexperienceofmedicineandsurgery；heashouse-surgeonofagreatLondonhospital；sheasaveryearneststudent，testedbysevereexamination，andalsoasanurseofthesickpoorduringtheprevalenceofcholera。
Witheveryqualificationtolurethemaway，withyouthandaccomplishmentsandtastesandhabitsthatcanhavenoresponseinanybreastnearthem，closebegirtbyeveryrepulsivecircumstanceinseparablefromsuchaneighbourhood，theretheydwell。Theyliveinthehospitalitself，andtheirroomsareonitsfirstfloor。
Sittingattheirdinner-table，theycouldhearthecryofoneofthechildreninpain。Thelady’spiano，drawing-materials，books，andothersuchevidencesofrefinementareasmuchapartoftheroughplaceastheironbedsteadsofthelittlepatients。Theyareputtoshiftsforroom，likepassengersonboardship。Thedispenserofmedicinesattractedtothemnotbyself-interest，butbytheirownmagnetismandthatoftheircausesleepsinarecessinthedining-room，andhashiswashingapparatusinthesideboard。
Theircontentedmannerofmakingthebestofthethingsaroundthem，Ifoundsopleasantlyinseparablefromtheirusefulness！
Theirprideinthispartitionthatweputupourselves，orinthatpartitionthatwetookdown，orinthatotherpartitionthatwemoved，orinthestovethatwasgivenusforthewaiting-room，orinournightlyconversionofthelittleconsulting-roomintoasmoking-room！Theiradmirationofthesituation，ifwecouldonlygetridofitsoneobjectionableincident，thecoal-yardattheback！’Ourhospitalcarriage，presentedbyafriend，andveryuseful。’Thatwasmypresentationtoaperambulator，forwhichacoach-househadbeendiscoveredinacornerdown-stairs，justlargeenoughtoholdit。Colouredprints，inallstagesofpreparationforbeingaddedtothosealreadydecoratingthewards，wereplentiful；acharmingwoodenphenomenonofabird，withanimpossibletop-knot，whoduckedhisheadwhenyousetacounterweightgoing，hadbeeninauguratedasapublicstatuethatverymorning；andtrottingaboutamongthebeds，onfamiliartermswithallthepatients，wasacomicalmongreldog，calledPoodles。Thiscomicaldogquiteatonicinhimselfwasfoundcharacteristicallystarvingatthedooroftheinstitution，andwastakeninandfed，andhaslivedhereeversince。Anadmirerofhismentalendowmentshaspresentedhimwithacollarbearingthelegend，’JudgenotPoodlesbyexternalappearances。’Hewasmerrilywagginghistailonaboy’spillowwhenhemadethismodestappealtome。
Whenthishospitalwasfirstopened，inJanuaryofthepresentyear，thepeoplecouldnotpossiblyconceivebutthatsomebodypaidfortheservicesrenderedthere；andweredisposedtoclaimthemasaright，andtofindfaultifoutoftemper。Theysooncametounderstandthecasebetter，andhavemuchincreasedingratitude。
Themothersofthepatientsavailthemselvesveryfreelyofthevisitingrules；thefathersoftenonSundays。Thereisanunreasonablebutstill，Ithink，touchingandintelligible
tendencyintheparentstotakeachildawaytoitswretchedhome，ifonthepointofdeath。Oneboywhohadbeenthuscarriedoffonarainynight，wheninaviolentstateofinflammation，andwhohadbeenafterwardsbroughtback，hadbeenrecoveredwithexceedingdifficulty；buthewasajollyboy，withaspeciallystronginterestinhisdinner，whenIsawhim。