London's Heart

Benjamin Farjeon

Description

Immerse yourself in the midst of working-class Victorian London with Benjamin Farjeon's charming and ambitious novel London's Heart. Populated by a cast of unforgettably quirky characters and conflicts ranging from the quotidian to the existential, it's a true slice of life that will remain on your mind long after you've read the last page.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776593453
• Langue: English

Extrait

LONDON'S HEART
A NOVEL
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BENJAMIN FARJEON
 
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London's Heart A Novel First published in 1874 Epub ISBN 978-1-77659-345-3 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77659-346-0 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - In Which Mr. Podmore Declares that He is Not Accountable for Himself Chapter II - In Which Dribble Junior Discourses on Co-Operation Chapter III - Introduces the Royal White Rose Music-Hall Chapter IV - Mr. David Sheldrake Comes to a Shrewd Conclusion Chapter V - Mr. David Sheldrake Does a Good Night's Work Chapter VI - Grave News Chapter VII - The Iron Box Chapter VIII - The Reverend Emanuel Creamwell Stops the Way Chapter IX - The Reverend Emanuel Creamwell and His Son Take Different Views of Things Chapter X - Felix Goes over to the Enemy Chapter XI - Felix, Dissatisfied with the Reality, Sets up an Idol, and Worships It Chapter XII - Pollypod Wants to Know Chapter XIII - The Winner of the Northumberland Plate Chapter XIV - Traps for Gulls—How Spiders Catch the Flies Chapter XV - Suggests the Doubt Whether Every Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed Chapter XVI - The Captain Arrives Chapter XVII - A Happy Night Chapter XVIII - The Beating of the Pulse Chapter XIX - Mr. Sheldrake Suggests that it is Time for Muzzy to Turn over a New Leaf Chapter XX - An Unexpected Proposition Chapter XXI - Lizzie Tells a Very Simple Story Chapter XXII - Love Links Chapter XXIII - The Commencement of a Happy Day Chapter XXIV - Selfish Yearnings and Unselfish Love Chapter XXV - Alfred Neglects the Warning of Don't Touch Me, and Rues It Chapter XXVI - Surprises Chapter XXVII - Felix Comforts Martha Day Chapter XXVIII - Lizzie in Her New Home Chapter XXIX - Felix Finds His Oyster Difficult to Open Chapter XXX - Jim Podmore Has a "Daze" Chapter XXXI - The Swindle Which the Law Protects Known by the Title of Discretionary Investments Chapter XXXII - The Polish Jew Chapter XXXIII - Lizzie Deems it Necessary to Call Cunning to Her Aid Chapter XXXIV - Good Counsel Chapter XXXV - Mr. Podmore Wishes to Be Instructed Upon the Doctrine of Responsibility, and Declares that He Has a Presentiment Chapter XXXVI - How Felix Gained a Club Chapter XXXVII - Jim Podmore Has a Dream, and Wakes up in Time Chapter XXXVIII - Felix Becomes a Landlord Chapter XXXIX - Alfred's Last Chance Chapter XL - On Epsom Downs Chapter XLI - On the Watch Chapter XLII - The Clouds Brighten for Lily Chapter XLIII - Mr. Sheldrake Makes a Bold Move Chapter XLIV - A Crisis Chapter XLV - How Mr. Sheldrake Plays His Game Chapter XLVI - Father and Daughter Chapter XLVII - Felix Checkmates Mr. David Sheldrake Endnotes
Chapter I - In Which Mr. Podmore Declares that He is Not Accountable for Himself
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The scene opens in the locality of Soho—that labyrinth of narrowpaths which always wears a depressed and melancholy air, as if it hadjust gone into mourning. If Soho ever had bright days in the shape ofa sunny youth, it must have been very long ago. No trace of themremains; a settled sadness lies upon its queer narrow thoroughfaresnow and for evermore. The very voices of its residents are moresubdued and resigned than other voices are in other places.
No locality in London contains so strange a variety of life's phasesas may be found in Soho. And yet it is full of mystery, and its waysare dark and secret. Men and women may live there for years, and theirantecedents and present modes of life shall be as little known as ifthey lived in the most remote corner of the earth. Soho is the molehillof the Great City. You may have a thousand pounds a year and spend it inSoho, and your neighbours not only shall not notice it, but shall be asutterly indifferent to you as if you lived on tenpence a day—as hundredsof poor fellows are doing at this present moment. Hard-working mechanicslive there; weary-eyed needlewomen; libertines; ballet-girls, whosesalary is twenty shillings a week, and who wear furs and false hairand diamond rings; and man-owls, who sleep by day and prey by night. Onthe doorstep of some of the houses in which these persons dwell,children in the afternoon play with marbles and broken pieces ofcrockery. Here is a group composed of half a dozen dirty-stockingedlittle girls, who look at you shyly as you pause before them, and puttheir fingers in their mouths and giggle surreptitiously. Speak to thisone—a clear gray-eyed girl of some eight summers, with intelligentwell-formed face and beautiful light hair. Question her, and bribe herwith pence, and you may obtain from her the information that she livesin the next street, at the baker's, on the second-floor back; thatmother and father live there, of course; that seven brothers andsisters live there, making a family party of ten in all; that theyhave only one room, in which mother cooks the meals, and in whichthey all sleep; and that sometimes Uncle Bob pays them a visit, andeats and sleeps with them for a few days. Wondrous is the inner lifeof Soho. It is the abode of much seediness and much suffering. Manya poor gentleman eats his bread-and-dripping there, and, if he canafford it, cooks his herring there, and thinks sadly of times, goneby, when his life had its days of sunshine. He looks forward yearninglyto the time to come; but rich as is the harvest that grows in the fieldsof Hope, the chance of its ever being gathered is a dismal one indeed.The poor gentleman, ill-fed, ill-dressed, reads faded letters in hisgarret, kisses pictures there, and dreams hopefully of the future,which contains for him nothing but a grave.
In one of Soho's quiet streets—belonging to that peculiar family ofstreets which are invariably round the corner—is a tallow-chandler'sshop, ambitiously designated by its proprietor, J. Gribble senior, asan oil and colour warehouse. This designation glares at you from overthe blue shopfront in yellow letters—glares at you defiantly, as ifit is aware beforehand that doubt of its assertion must necessarilyrise in your mind. The window of the shop, in which the stock isdisplayed, is dusty and dirty, and everything behind it has a fadedand second-hand appearance. In a corner of the window is a sheetof note-paper, on which is written—in feeble and uncertainletters—"Down with Cooperation!" There is an exception, however, tothe generally dusty aspect of the window. In a centre pane, which iskept clean, is a square of blue cardboard, on which the followingannouncement is neatly written, in yellow round-hand:
J. GRIBBLE JUNIOR, PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY.
Broken Ribs or Bones
Carefully Re-set or Neatly Mended;
In fact
The Whole Frame speedily Recovered on Moderate Terms .
J. G. junior informs the neighbouring Gentry that he has had a most Extensive Practice, and that, although he has had
THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS
under his Treatment, he has never turned out one Incurable .
J. G. junior has had Numerous Patients brought to him Partly Deformed or Weakened through Improper Treatment, and has in a very few Hours invariably restored to them their Original Strength .
Consultations, Examination, and Operations performed Daily from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m .
Patients admitted on application, and without the vexatious delay which is occasioned by references being required .
NO CURE, NO PAY. ADVICE TO ALL GRATIS .
J. G, junior's Royal Umbrella and Parasol Hospital, Second-floor Front .
The stock has not a very inviting appearance: comprising, for the mostpart, candles, mouse-traps, balls of twine, bars of yellow soap—soarranged as to be suggestive of prison-windows—and limbs and wingsand dead bodies of flies. These latter seem to be the peculiarattribute of shop and parlour windows in Soho. One might almost bepardoned for the supposition that every discontented fly in Londonmakes it a practice to go to Soho and die.
The shop has its public entrance for customers, and its privateentrance for the residents of the house—so private indeed, socircumscribed and squeezed up, that scarcely one out of fiftypassers-by would know that it was there; and that one, seeing it bymerest chance, might well be lost in wonder at the perplexing idea ofa stout man struggling through the narrow passage into which themockery of a door must necessarily open. Three bell-handles displaythemselves on each side of the door to snare and entrap theuninitiated; a goggle-eyed knocker (with a face so hideous that babieshave gone into convulsions at the sight of it) also adds to theentanglement of ideas. For, knowing that the house contains manyinhabitants who have no connection with each other, and some of whommay indeed be at variance, the uninitiated brings confusion uponhimself by ringing the wrong bell or knocking the wrong knock. Awoman, who lodged somewhere in the vicinity of the coal-cellar, wasoften the occasion of much distress to the knockers and ringers. Thiswoman, who always made her appearance fresh from the washing-tub, andwho came up-stairs invariably wiping her wet arms upon her apron, wasafflicted with the perpetual conviction that a ring or a knock,whether single, or double, or treble, was certainly intended for her;and as her temper was none of the sweetest, unpleasant scenesoccurred. Many a box on the ears did youthful knockers and ringersreceive from the damp hands of the disappointed woman, and many anangry mother would make her appearance in the passage a few minutesafterwards and exchange shrill civilities with the bad-temperedcastigator. Sometim