Hedroveinapatrolwagonwithhalfadozenofthemwatchinghim;keepingasfarawayaspossible,however,onaccountofthefertilizer.
Thenhestoodbeforethesergeant’sdeskandgavehisnameandaddress,andsawachargeofassaultandbatteryenteredagainsthim.
Onhiswaytohiscellaburlypolicemancursedhimbecausehestarteddownthewrongcorridor,andthenaddedakickwhenhewasnotquickenough;nevertheless,Jurgisdidnotevenlifthiseyes—hehadlivedtwoyearsandahalfinPackingtown,andheknewwhatthepolicewere.
Itwasasmuchasaman’sverylifewasworthtoangerthem,hereintheirinmostlair;likeasnotadozenwouldpileontohimatonce,andpoundhisfaceintoapulp.
Itwouldbenothingunusualifhegothisskullcrackedinthemelee—inwhichcasetheywouldreportthathehadbeendrunkandhadfallendown,andtherewouldbenoonetoknowthedifferenceortocare.
SoabarreddoorclangeduponJurgisandhesatdownuponabenchandburiedhisfaceinhishands.Hewasalone;hehadtheafternoonandallofthenighttohimself.
Hehaddoneupthescoundrelprettywell—notaswellashewouldhaveiftheyhadgivenhimaminutemore,butprettywell,allthesame;theendsofhisfingerswerestilltinglingfromtheircontactwiththefellow’sthroat.
Butthen,littlebylittle,ashisstrengthcamebackandhissensescleared,hebegantoseebeyondhismomentarygratification;thathehadnearlykilledthebosswouldnothelpOna—notthehorrorsthatshehadborne,northememorythatwouldhauntherallherdays.
Itwouldnothelptofeedherandherchild;shewouldcertainlyloseherplace,whilehe—whatwastohappentohimGodonlyknew.
Halfthenighthepacedthefloor,wrestlingwiththisnightmare;andwhenhewasexhaustedhelaydown,tryingtosleep,butfindinginstead,forthefirsttimeinhislife,thathisbrainwastoomuchforhim.
Atmidnighttheyopenedthestationhousetothehomelesswandererswhowerecrowdedaboutthedoor,shiveringinthewinterblast,andtheythrongedintothecorridoroutsideofthecells.
Someofthemstretchedthemselvesoutonthebarestonefloorandfelltosnoring,otherssatup,laughingandtalking,cursingandquarreling.
Theairwasfetidwiththeirbreath,yetinspiteofthissomeofthemsmelledJurgisandcalleddownthetormentsofhelluponhim,whilehelayinafarcornerofhiscell,countingthethrobbingsofthebloodinhisforehead.
Theyhadbroughthimhissupper,whichwas“duffersanddope”—beinghunksofdrybreadonatinplate,andcoffee,called“dope”becauseitwasdruggedtokeeptheprisonersquiet.
Jurgishadnotknownthis,orhewouldhaveswallowedthestuffindesperation;asitwas,everynerveofhimwasaquiverwithshameandrage.
Towardmorningtheplacefellsilent,andhegotupandbegantopacehiscell;andthenwithinthesoulofhimthereroseupafiend,red-eyedandcruel,andtoreoutthestringsofhisheart.
Itwasnotforhimselfthathesuffered—whatdidamanwhoworkedinDurham’sfertilizermillcareaboutanythingthattheworldmightdotohim!
Whatwasanytyrannyofprisoncomparedwiththetyrannyofthepast,ofthethingthathadhappenedandcouldnotberecalled,ofthememorythatcouldneverbeeffaced!
Thehorrorofitdrovehimmad;hestretchedouthisarmstoheaven,cryingoutfordeliverancefromit—andtherewasnodeliverance,therewasnopowereveninheaventhatcouldundothepast.
Hesmotehishandsuponhisforehead,cursinghimselfbecausehehadeverallowedOnatoworkwhereshehad,becausehehadnotstoodbetweenherandafatewhicheveryoneknewtobesocommon.
Therewouldbenoneforher—heknewthathemightpardonher,mightpleadwithheronhisknees,butshewouldneverlookhiminthefaceagain,shewouldneverbehiswifeagain.
Thiswassimpleandclear,andyet,withcruelinconsistency,wheneverheescapedfromthisnightmareitwastosufferandcryoutatthevisionofOnastarving.
AndElzbietaandMarija,too,mightlosetheirplaces—ifthathellfiendConnorchosetosettoworktoruinthem,theywouldallbeturnedout.
Andevenifhedidnot,theycouldnotlive—eveniftheboysleftschoolagain,theycouldsurelynotpayallthebillswithouthimandOna.
Theyhadonlyafewdollarsnow—theyhadjustpaidtherentofthehouseaweekago,andthatafteritwastwoweeksoverdue.Soitwouldbedueagaininaweek!
PerhapsitwasverybaseofJurgistobethinkingaboutthehousewhenhehadtheotherunspeakablethingtofillhismind;yet,howmuchhehadsufferedforthishouse,howmuchtheyhadallofthemsuffered!
Itwastheironehopeofrespite,aslongastheylived;theyhadputalltheirmoneyintoit—andtheywereworkingpeople,poorpeople,whosemoneywastheirstrength,theverysubstanceofthem,bodyandsoul,thethingbywhichtheylivedandforlackofwhichtheydied.
Andtheywouldloseitall;theywouldbeturnedoutintothestreets,andhavetohideinsomeicygarret,andliveordieasbesttheycould!
Jurgishadallthenight—andallofmanymorenights—tothinkaboutthis,andhesawthethinginitsdetails;heliveditall,asifhewerethere.
Theywouldselltheirfurniture,andthenrunintodebtatthestores,andthenberefusedcredit;theywouldborrowalittlefromtheSzedvilases,whosedelicatessenstorewastotteringonthebrinkofruin;theneighborswouldcomeandhelpthemalittle—poor,sickJadvygawouldbringafewsparepennies,asshealwaysdidwhenpeoplewerestarving,andTamosziusKuszleikawouldbringthemtheproceedsofanight’sfiddling.
Sotheywouldstruggletohangonuntilhegotoutofjail—orwouldtheyknowthathewasinjail,wouldtheybeabletofindoutanythingabouthim?
Hismindwouldhangupontheworstpossibilities;hesawOnaillandtortured,Marijaoutofherplace,littleStanislovasunabletogettoworkforthesnow,thewholefamilyturnedoutonthestreet.GodAlmighty!
Jurgishadneverseenanydeadbodiesinthestreets,buthehadseenpeopleevictedanddisappear,nooneknewwhere;andthoughthecityhadareliefbureau,thoughtherewasacharityorganizationsocietyinthestockyardsdistrict,inallhislifetherehehadneverheardofeitherofthem.
—Soonuntilmorning.Thenhehadanotherrideinthepatrolwagon,alongwiththedrunkenwife-beaterandthemaniac,several“plaindrunks”and“saloonfighters,”aburglar,andtwomenwhohadbeenarrestedforstealingmeatfromthepackinghouses.
Infront,uponaraisedplatformbehindarail,satastout,florid-facedpersonage,withanosebrokenoutinpurpleblotches.
Yethehadpickedupgossipenoughtohaveitoccurtohimthattheloud-voicedmanuponthebenchmightbethenotoriousJusticeCallahan,aboutwhomthepeopleofPackingtownspokewithbatedbreath.
“Pat”Callahan—”Growler”Pat,ashehadbeenknownbeforeheascendedthebench—hadbegunlifeasabutcherboyandabruiseroflocalreputation;hehadgoneintopoliticsalmostassoonashehadlearnedtotalk,andhadheldtwoofficesatoncebeforehewasoldenoughtovote.
IfScullywasthethumb,PatCallahanwasthefirstfingeroftheunseenhandwherebythepackershelddownthepeopleofthedistrict.
NopoliticianinChicagorankedhigherintheirconfidence;hehadbeenatitalongtime—hadbeenthebusinessagentinthecitycouncilofoldDurham,theself-mademerchant,waybackintheearlydays,whenthewholecityofChicagohadbeenupatauction.
“Growler”Pathadgivenupholdingcityofficesveryearlyinhiscareer—caringonlyforpartypower,andgivingtherestofhistimetosuperintendinghisdivesandbrothels.
Oflateyears,however,sincehischildrenweregrowingup,hehadbeguntovaluerespectability,andhadhadhimselfmadeamagistrate;apositionforwhichhewasadmirablyfitted,becauseofhisstrongconservatismandhiscontemptfor“foreigners.”
Jurgissatgazingabouttheroomforanhourortwo;hewasinhopesthatsomeoneofthefamilywouldcome,butinthishewasdisappointed.
Connorwasunderthedoctor’scare,thelawyerexplainedbriefly,andifhisHonorwouldholdtheprisonerforaweek—”Threehundreddollars,”saidhisHonor,promptly.
Theytookhimtoaroomwhereotherprisonerswerewaitingandherehestayeduntilcourtadjourned,whenhehadanotherlongandbitterlycoldrideinapatrolwagontothecountyjail,whichisonthenorthsideofthecity,andnineortenmilesfromthestockyards.
Thentheyledhimtoaroomandtoldhimtostripforabath;afterwhichhehadtowalkdownalonggallery,pastthegratedcelldoorsoftheinmatesofthejail.
Thiswasagreateventtothelatter—thedailyreviewofthenewarrivals,allstarknaked,andmanyanddivertingwerethecomments.
Jurgiswasrequiredtostayinthebathlongerthananyone,inthevainhopeofgettingoutofhimafewofhisphosphatesandacids.
Thereweretwobunks,oneabovetheother,eachwithastrawmattressandapairofgrayblankets—thelatterstiffasboardswithfilth,andalivewithfleas,bedbugs,andlice.
WhenJurgisliftedupthemattresshediscoveredbeneathitalayerofscurryingroaches,almostasbadlyfrightenedashimself.
Hecouldnotsleepagain;therewasthesamemaddeningprocessionofthoughtsthatlashedhimlikewhipsuponhisnakedback.
Andtheyseemedtowakenthecity—allaround,farandnear,therewerebells,ringingwildmusic;forfullyaminuteJurgislaylostinwonder,before,allatonce,themeaningofitbrokeoverhim—thatthiswasChristmasEve!
InfarLithuaniatheyhadcelebratedChristmas;anditcametohimasifithadbeenyesterday—himselfalittlechild,withhislostbrotherandhisdeadfatherinthecabin—inthedeepblackforest,wherethesnowfellalldayandallnightandburiedthemfromtheworld.
ItwastoofaroffforSantaClausinLithuania,butitwasnottoofarforpeaceandgoodwilltomen,forthewonder-bearingvisionoftheChristChild.
LastChristmasEveandallChristmasDayJurgishadtoiledonthekillingbeds,andOnaatwrappinghams,andstilltheyhadfoundstrengthenoughtotakethechildrenforawalkupontheavenue,toseethestorewindowsalldecoratedwithChristmastreesandablazewithelectriclights.
Inonewindowtherewouldbelivegeese,inanothermarvelsinsugar—pinkandwhitecanesbigenoughforogres,andcakeswithcherubsuponthem;inathirdtherewouldberowsoffatyellowturkeys,decoratedwithrosettes,andrabbitsandsquirrelshanging;inafourthwouldbeafairylandoftoys—lovelydollswithpinkdresses,andwoollysheepanddrumsandsoldierhats.
ThelasttimetheyhadhadabigbasketwiththemandalltheirChristmasmarketingtodo—aroastofporkandacabbageandsomeryebread,andapairofmittensforOna,andarubberdollthatsqueaked,andalittlegreencornucopiafullofcandytobehungfromthegasjetandgazedatbyhalfadozenpairsoflongingeyes.
EvenhalfayearofthesausagemachinesandthefertilizermillhadnotbeenabletokillthethoughtofChristmasinthem;therewasachokinginJurgis’throatasherecalledthattheverynightOnahadnotcomehomeTetaElzbietahadtakenhimasideandshownhimanoldvalentinethatshehadpickedupinapaperstoreforthreecents—dingyandshopworn,butwithbrightcolors,andfiguresofangelsanddoves.
GreatsobsshookJurgisatthismemory—theywouldspendtheirChristmasinmiseryanddespair,withhiminprisonandOnaillandtheirhomeindesolation.Ah,itwastoocruel!
Whyatleasthadtheynotlefthimalone—why,aftertheyhadshuthiminjail,musttheyberingingChristmaschimesinhisears!
Butno,theirbellswerenotringingforhim—theirChristmaswasnotmeantforhim,theyweresimplynotcountinghimatall.
Hiswifemightbedying,hisbabymightbestarving,hiswholefamilymightbeperishinginthecold—andallthewhiletheywereringingtheirChristmaschimes!
Theyputhiminaplacewherethesnowcouldnotbeatin,wherethecoldcouldnoteatthroughhisbones;theybroughthimfoodanddrink—why,inthenameofheaven,iftheymustpunishhim,didtheynotputhisfamilyinjailandleavehimoutside—whycouldtheyfindnobetterwaytopunishhimthantoleavethreeweakwomenandsixhelplesschildrentostarveandfreeze?
Jurgisstoodupright;tremblingwithpassion,hishandsclenchedandhisarmsupraised,hiswholesoulablazewithhatredanddefiance.
Theirjustice—itwasalie,itwasalie,ahideous,brutallie,athingtooblackandhatefulforanyworldbutaworldofnightmares.Itwasashamandaloathsomemockery.
Therewasnojustice,therewasnoright,anywhereinit—itwasonlyforce,itwastyranny,thewillandthepower,recklessandunrestrained!
Theyhadgroundhimbeneaththeirheel,theyhaddevouredallhissubstance;theyhadmurderedhisoldfather,theyhadbrokenandwreckedhiswife,theyhadcrushedandcowedhiswholefamily;andnowtheywerethroughwithhim,theyhadnofurtheruseforhim—andbecausehehadinterferedwiththem,hadgottenintheirway,thiswaswhattheyhaddonetohim!
Theyhadputhimbehindbars,asifhehadbeenawildbeast,athingwithoutsenseorreason,withoutrights,withoutaffections,withoutfeelings.
ThesemidnighthourswerefatefulonestoJurgis;inthemwasthebeginningofhisrebellion,ofhisoutlawryandhisunbelief.
Hehadnowittotracebackthesocialcrimetoitsfarsources—hecouldnotsaythatitwasthethingmenhavecalled“thesystem”thatwascrushinghimtotheearththatitwasthepackers,hismasters,whohadboughtupthelawoftheland,andhaddealtouttheirbrutalwilltohimfromtheseatofjustice.
Heonlyknewthathewaswronged,andthattheworldhadwrongedhim;thatthelaw,thatsociety,withallitspowers,haddeclareditselfhisfoe.
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