En
quid
agis
?
duplici
in
diversum
scinderis
hamo
Hunccine
an
hunc
sequeris
?
Nam
et
luctata
canis
nodum
abripit
,
attamen
illi
Quum
fugit
a
collo
trabitur
pars
longa
catenæ
!
GINX
'S
BABY
His
Birth
and
other
Misfortunes
Strahan
+
co.
,
publishers
56
Ludgate
Hill
,
London
1870
Preface
.
CRITIC
.
—
I
never
read
a
more
improbable
story
in
my
life
.
AUTHOR
.
—
Notwithstanding
,
it
may
be
true
.
PART
I
.
WHAT
GINX
DID
WITH
HIM
.
I
.
—
Ab
initio
.
The
name
of
the
father
of
Ginx
's
Baby
was
Ginx
.
By
a
not
unexceptional
coincidence
,
its
mother
was
Mrs.
Ginx
.
The
gender
of
Ginx
's
Baby
was
masculine
.
On
the
day
when
our
hero
was
born
,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Ginx
were
living
at
Number
Five
,
Rosemary
Street
,
in
the
City
of
Westminster
.
The
being
then
and
there
brought
into
the
world
was
not
the
only
human
entity
to
which
the
title
of
“
Ginx
's
Baby
”
was
or
had
been
appropriate
.
Ginx
had
been
married
to
Betsy
Hicks
at
St.
John
's
,
Westminster
,
on
the
twenty-fifth
day
of
October
,
18
—
,
as
appears
from
the
“
marriage
lines
”
retained
by
Betsy
Ginx
,
and
carefully
collated
by
me
with
the
original
register
.
Our
hero
was
their
thirteenth
child
.
Patient
inquiry
has
enabled
me
to
verify
the
following
history
of
their
propagations
.
On
July
the
twenty-fifth
,
the
year
after
their
marriage
,
Mrs.
Ginx
was
safely
delivered
of
a
girl
.
No
announcement
of
this
appeared
in
the
newspapers
.
On
the
tenth
of
April
following
,
the
whole
neighborhood
,
including
Great
Smith
Street
,
Marsham
Street
,
Great
and
Little
Peter
Streets
,
Regent
Street
,
Horseferry
Road
,
and
Strutton
Ground
,
was
convulsed
by
the
report
that
a
woman
named
Ginx
had
given
birth
to
“
a
triplet
,
”
consisting
of
two
girls
and
a
boy
.
The
news
penetrated
to
Dean
's
Yard
and
the
ancient
school
of
Westminster
.
The
Dean
,
who
accepted
nothing
on
trust
,
sent
to
verify
the
report
,
his
messenger
bearing
a
bundle
of
baby-clothes
from
the
Dean
's
wife
,
who
thought
that
the
mother
could
scarcely
have
provided
for
so
large
an
addition
to
her
family
.
The
schoolboys
,
on
their
way
to
the
play-ground
at
Vincent
Square
,
slyly
diverged
to
have
a
look
at
the
curiosity
,
paying
sixpence
a
head
to
Mrs.
Ginx
's
friend
and
crony
,
Mrs.
Spittal
,
who
pocketed
the
money
,
and
said
nothing
about
it
to
the
sick
woman
.
THIS
birth
was
announced
in
all
the
newspapers
throughout
the
kingdom
,
with
the
further
news
that
Her
Majesty
the
Queen
had
been
graciously
pleased
to
forward
to
Mrs.
Ginx
the
sum
of
three
pounds
.
What
could
have
possessed
the
woman
I
ca
n't
say
,
but
about
a
twelvemonth
after
,
Mrs.
Ginx
,
with
the
assistance
of
two
doctors
hastily
fetched
from
the
hospital
by
her
frightened
husband
,
nearly
perished
in
a
fresh
effort
of
maternity
.
This
time
two
sons
and
two
daughters
fell
to
the
lot
of
the
happy
pair
.
Her
Majesty
sent
four
pounds
.
But
whatever
peace
there
was
at
home
,
broils
disturbed
the
street
.
The
neighbors
,
who
had
sent
for
the
police
on
the
occasion
,
were
angered
by
a
notoriety
which
was
becoming
uncomfortable
to
them
,
and
began
to
testify
their
feelings
in
various
rough
ways
.
Ginx
removed
his
family
to
Rosemary
Street
,
where
,
up
to
a
year
before
the
time
when
Ginx
's
Baby
was
born
,
his
wife
had
continued
to
add
to
her
offspring
until
the
tale
reached
one
dozen
.
It
was
then
that
Ginx
affectionately
but
firmly
begged
that
his
wife
would
consider
her
family
ways
,
since
,
in
all
conscience
,
he
had
fairly
earned
the
blessedness
of
the
man
who
hath
his
quiver
full
of
them
;
and
frankly
gave
her
notice
that
,
as
his
utmost
efforts
could
scarcely
maintain
their
existing
family
,
if
she
ventured
to
present
him
with
any
more
,
either
single
,
or
twins
,
or
triplets
,
or
otherwise
,
he
would
most
assuredly
drown
him
,
or
her
,
or
them
in
the
water-butt
,
and
take
the
consequences
.
II
.
—
Home
,
sweet
Home
!
The
day
on
which
Ginx
uttered
his
awful
threat
was
that
next
to
the
one
wherein
number
twelve
had
drawn
his
first
breath
.
His
wife
lay
on
the
bed
which
,
at
the
outset
of
wedded
life
,
they
had
purchased
secondhand
in
Strutton
Ground
for
the
sum
of
nine
shillings
and
sixpence
.
SECOND-HAND
!
It
had
passed
through
,
at
least
,
as
many
hands
as
there
were
afterwards
babies
born
upon
it
.
Twelfth
or
thirteenth
hand
,
a
vagabond
,
botched
bedstead
,
type
of
all
the
furniture
in
Ginx
's
rooms
,
and
in
numberless
houses
through
the
vast
city
.
Its
dimensions
were
4
feet
6
inches
by
6
feet
.
When
Ginx
,
who
was
a
stout
navvy
,
and
Mrs.
Ginx
,
who
was
,
you
may
conceive
,
a
matronly
woman
,
were
in
it
,
there
was
little
vacant
space
about
them
.
Yet
,
as
they
were
forced
to
find
resting-places
for
all
the
children
,
it
not
seldom
happened
that
at
least
one
infant
was
perilously
wedged
between
the
parental
bodies
;
and
latterly
they
had
been
so
pressed
for
room
in
the
household
that
two
younglings
were
nestled
at
the
foot
of
the
bed
.
Without
foot-board
or
pillows
,
the
lodgment
of
these
infants
was
precarious
,
since
any
fatuous
movement
of
Ginx
's
legs
was
likely
to
expel
them
head-first
.
However
they
were
safe
,
for
they
were
sure
to
fall
on
one
or
other
of
their
brothers
or
sisters
.
I
shall
be
as
particular
as
a
valuer
,
and
describe
what
I
have
seen
.
The
family
sleeping-room
measured
13
feet
6
inches
by
14
feet
.
Opening
out
of
this
,
and
again
on
the
landing
of
the
third-floor
,
was
their
kitchen
and
sitting-room
;
it
was
not
quite
so
large
as
the
other
.
This
room
contained
a
press
,
an
old
chest
of
drawers
,
a
wooden
box
once
used
for
navvy
's
tools
,
three
chairs
,
a
stool
,
and
some
cooking
utensils
.
When
,
therefore
,
one
little
Ginx
had
curled
himself
up
under
a
blanket
on
the
box
,
and
three
more
had
slipped
beneath
a
tattered
piece
of
carpet
under
the
table
,
there
still
remained
five
little
bodies
to
be
bedded
.
For
them
an
old
straw
mattress
,
limp
enough
to
be
rolled
up
and
thrust
under
the
bed
,
was
at
night
extended
on
the
floor
.
With
this
,
and
a
patchwork
quilt
,
the
five
were
left
to
pack
themselves
together
as
best
they
could
.
So
that
,
if
Ginx
,
in
some
vision
of
the
night
,
happened
to
be
angered
,
and
struck
out
his
legs
in
navvy
fashion
,
it
sometimes
came
to
pass
that
a
couple
of
children
tumbled
upon
the
mass
of
infantile
humanity
below
.
Not
to
be
described
are
the
dinginess
of
the
walls
,
the
smokiness
of
the
ceilings
,
the
grimy
windows
,
the
heavy
,
ever-murky
atmosphere
of
these
rooms
.
They
were
8
feet
6
inches
in
height
,
and
any
curious
statist
can
calculate
the
number
of
cubic
feet
of
air
which
they
afforded
to
each
person
.
The
other
side
of
the
street
was
14
feet
distant
.
Behind
,
the
backs
of
similar
tenements
came
up
black
and
cowering
over
the
little
yard
of
Number
Five
.
As
rare
,
in
the
well
thus
formed
,
was
the
circulation
of
air
as
that
of
coin
in
the
pockets
of
the
inhabitants
.
I
have
seen
the
yard
;
let
me
warn
you
,
if
you
are
fastidious
,
not
to
enter
it
.
Such
of
the
filth
of
the
house
as
could
not
,
at
night
,
be
thrown
out
of
the
front
windows
,
was
there
collected
,
and
seldom
,
if
ever
,
removed
.
What
became
of
it
?
What
becomes
of
countless
such
accretions
in
like
places
?
Are
a
large
proportion
of
these
filthy
atoms
absorbed
by
human
creatures
living
and
dying
,
instead
of
being
carried
away
by
scavengers
and
inspectors
?
The
forty-five
big
and
little
lodgers
in
the
house
were
provided
with
a
single
office
in
the
corner
of
the
yard
.
It
had
once
been
capped
by
a
cistern
,
long
since
rotted
away
—
The
street
was
at
one
time
the
prey
of
the
gas
company
;
at
another
,
of
the
drainage
contractors
.
They
seemed
to
delight
in
turning
up
the
fetid
soil
,
cutting
deep
trenches
through
various
strata
of
filth
,
and
piling
up
for
days
or
weeks
matter
that
reeked
with
vegetable
and
animal
decay
.
One
needs
not
affirm
that
Rosemary
Street
was
not
so
called
from
its
fragrance
.
If
the
Ginxes
and
their
neighbors
preserved
any
semblance
of
health
in
this
place
,
the
most
popular
guardian
on
the
board
must
own
it
a
miracle
.
They
,
poor
people
,
knew
nothing
of
“
sanitary
reform
,
”
“
sanitary
precautions
,
”
“
zymotics
,
”
“
endemics
,
”
“
epidemics
,
”
“
deodorizers
,
”
or
“
disinfectants
.
”
They
regarded
disease
with
the
apathy
of
creatures
who
felt
it
to
be
inseparable
from
humanity
,
and
with
the
fatalism
of
despair
.
Gin
was
their
cardinal
prescription
,
not
for
cure
,
but
for
oblivion
:
“
Sold
everywhere
.
”
A
score
of
palaces
flourished
within
call
of
each
other
in
that
dismal
district
—
garish
,
rich-looking
dens
,
drawing
to
the
support
of
their
vulgar
glory
the
means
,
the
lives
,
the
eternal
destinies
of
the
wrecked
masses
about
them
.
Veritable
wreckers
they
who
construct
these
haunts
,
viler
than
the
wretches
who
place
false
beacons
and
plunder
bodies
on
the
beach
.
Bring
down
the
real
owners
of
these
places
,
and
show
them
their
deadly
work
!
Some
of
them
leading
Philanthropists
,
eloquent
at
Missionary
meetings
and
Bible
Societies
,
paying
tribute
to
the
Lord
out
of
the
pockets
of
dying
drunkards
,
fighting
glorious
battles
for
slaves
,
and
manfully
upholding
popular
rights
.
My
rich
publican
—
forgive
the
pun
—
before
you
pay
tithes
of
mint
and
cummin
,
much
more
before
you
claim
to
be
a
disciple
of
a
certain
Nazarene
,
take
a
lesson
from
one
who
restored
fourfold
the
money
he
had
wrung
from
honest
toil
,
or
reflect
on
the
case
of
the
man
to
whom
it
was
said
,
“
Go
sell
all
thou
hast
,
and
give
to
the
poor
.
”
The
lips
from
which
that
counsel
dropped
offered
some
unpleasant
alternatives
,
leaving
out
one
,
however
,
which
nowadays
may
yet
reach
you
—
the
contempt
of
your
kind
.
III
.
—
Work
and
Ideas
.
I
return
again
to
Ginx
's
menace
to
his
wife
,
who
was
suckling
her
infant
at
the
time
on
the
bed
.
For
her
he
had
an
animal
affection
that
preserved
her
from
unkindness
,
even
in
his
cups
.
His
hand
had
never
unmanned
itself
by
striking
her
,
and
rarely
indeed
did
it
injure
any
one
else
.
He
wrestled
not
against
flesh
and
blood
,
or
powers
,
or
principalities
,
or
wicked
spirits
in
high
places
.
He
struggled
with
clods
and
stones
,
and
primeval
chaos
.
His
hands
were
horny
with
the
fight
,
and
his
nature
had
perhaps
caught
some
of
the
dull
ruggedness
of
the
things
wherewith
he
battled
.
Hard
and
with
a
will
had
he
worked
through
the
years
of
wedded
life
,
and
,
to
speak
him
fair
,
he
had
acted
honestly
,
within
the
limits
of
his
knowledge
and
means
,
for
the
good
of
his
family
.
How
narrow
were
those
limits
!
Every
week
he
threw
into
the
lap
of
Mrs.
Ginx
the
eighteen
or
twenty
shillings
which
his
strength
and
temperance
enabled
him
continuously
to
earn
,
less
sixpence
reserved
for
the
public-house
,
whither
he
retreated
on
Sundays
after
the
family
dinner
.
A
dozen
children
overrunning
the
space
in
his
rooms
was
then
a
strain
beyond
the
endurance
of
Ginx
.
Nor
had
he
the
heart
to
try
the
common
plan
,
and
turn
his
children
out
of
doors
on
the
chance
of
their
being
picked
up
in
a
raid
of
Sunday
School
teachers
.
So
he
turned
out
himself
to
talk
with
the
humbler
spirits
of
the
“
Dragon
,
”
or
listen
sleepily
while
alehouse
demagogues
prescribed
remedies
for
State
abuses
.
Our
friend
was
nearly
as
guiltless
of
knowledge
as
if
Eve
had
never
rifled
the
tree
whereon
it
grew
.
Vacant
of
policies
were
his
thoughts
;
innocent
he
of
ideas
of
state-craft
.
He
knew
there
was
a
Queen
;
he
had
seen
her
.
Lords
and
Commons
were
to
him
vague
deities
possessing
strange
powers
.
Indeed
,
he
had
been
present
when
some
of
his
better-informed
companions
had
recognized
with
cheers
certain
gentlemen
,
—
of
whom
Ginx
's
estimate
was
expressed
by
a
reference
to
his
test
of
superiority
to
himself
in
that
which
he
felt
to
be
greatest
within
him
—
“
I
could
lick
'
em
with
my
little
finger
”
—
as
the
Chancellor
of
the
Exchequer
and
the
Prime
Minister
.
Little
recked
he
of
their
uses
or
abuses
.
The
functions
of
Government
were
to
him
Asian
mysteries
.
He
only
felt
that
it
ought
to
have
a
strong
arm
,
like
the
brawny
member
wherewith
he
preserved
order
in
his
domestic
kingdom
,
and
therefore
generally
associated
Government
with
the
Police
.
In
his
view
these
were
to
clear
away
evil-doers
and
leave
every
one
else
alone
.
The
higher
objects
of
Government
were
,
if
at
all
,
outlined
in
the
shadowiest
form
in
his
imagination
.
Government
imposed
taxes
—
that
he
was
obliged
to
know
.
Government
maintained
the
parks
;
for
that
he
thanked
it
.
Government
made
laws
,
but
what
they
were
,
or
with
what
aim
or
effects
made
,
he
knew
not
,
save
only
that
by
them
something
was
done
to
raise
or
depress
the
prices
of
bread
,
tea
,
sugar
,
and
other
necessaries
.
Why
they
should
do
so
he
never
conceived
—
I
am
not
sure
that
he
cared
.
Legislation
sometimes
pinched
him
,
but
darkness
so
hid
from
him
the
persons
and
objects
of
the
legislators
that
he
could
not
criticise
the
theories
which
those
powerful
beings
were
subjecting
to
experiment
at
his
cost
.
I
must
,
at
any
risk
,
say
something
about
this
in
a
separate
chapter
.
IV
.
—
Digressive
,
and
may
be
skipped
without
mutilating
the
History
.
I
stop
here
to
address
any
of
the
following
characters
,
should
he
perchance
read
these
memoirs
:
You
,
Mr.
Statesman
—
if
there
be
such
;
Mr.
Pseudo-Statesman
,
Placeman
,
Party
Leader
,
Wirepuller
;
Mr.
Amateur
Statesman
,
Dilettante
Lord
,
Civil
Servant
;
Mr.
Clubman
,
Litterateur
,
Newspaper
Scribe
;
Mr.
People
's
Candidate
,
Demagogue
,
Fenian
Spouter
;
or
whoever
you
may
be
,
professing
to
know
aught
or
do
anything
in
matters
of
policy
,
consider
,
what
I
am
sure
you
have
never
fairly
weighed
,
the
condition
of
a
man
whose
clearest
notion
of
Government
is
derived
from
the
Police
!
Imagine
one
who
had
never
seen
a
polyp
trying
to
construct
an
ideal
of
the
animal
,
from
a
single
tentacle
swinging
out
from
the
tangle
of
weed
in
which
the
rest
was
wrapped
!
How
then
any
more
can
you
fancy
that
a
man
to
whose
sight
and
knowledge
the
only
part
of
government
practically
exposed
is
the
strong
process
of
police
,
shall
form
a
proper
conception
of
the
functions
,
reasons
,
operations
,
and
relations
of
Government
;
or
even
build
up
an
ideal
of
anything
but
a
haughty
,
unreasonable
,
antagonistic
,
tax-imposing
FORCE
!
And
how
can
you
rule
such
a
being
except
as
you
rule
a
dog
,
by
that
which
alone
he
understands
—
the
dog-whip
of
the
constable
!
Given
in
a
country
a
majority
of
creatures
like
these
,
and
surely
despotism
is
its
properest
complement
.
But
when
they
exist
,
as
they
exist
in
England
to-day
,
in
hundreds
of
thousands
,
in
town
and
country
,
think
what
a
complication
they
introduce
into
your
theoretic
free
system
of
government
.
Acts
of
Parliament
passed
by
a
“
freely-elected
”
House
of
Commons
,
and
an
hereditary
House
of
Lords
under
the
threats
of
freely-electing
citizens
,
however
pure
in
intention
and
correct
in
principle
,
will
not
seem
to
him
to
be
the
resultants
of
every
wish
in
the
community
so
much
as
dictations
by
superior
strength
.
To
these
the
obedience
he
will
render
will
not
be
the
loving
assent
of
his
heart
,
but
a
begrudged
concession
to
circumstance
.
Your
awe-invested
legislature
is
not
viewed
as
his
friend
and
brother-helper
,
but
his
tyrant
.
Therefore
the
most
natural
bent
of
his
workman-statesmanship
—
a
rough
,
bungling
affair
—
will
be
to
tame
you
—
you
who
ought
to
be
his
Counsellor
and
Friend
.
When
he
finds
that
your
legislative
action
exerts
upon
him
a
repressive
and
restraining
force
he
will
curse
you
as
its
author
,
because
he
sees
not
the
springs
you
are
working
.
Should
he
even
be
a
little
more
advanced
in
knowledge
than
our
friend
Ginx
,
and
learn
that
he
helps
to
elect
the
Parliament
to
make
laws
on
behalf
of
himself
and
his
fellow-citizens
,
he
will
scarce
trust
the
assembly
which
is
supposed
to
represent
him
.
Will
he
,
like
a
good
citizen
and
a
politic
,
accept
with
dignity
and
self-control
the
decision
of
a
majority
against
his
prejudices
:
or
will
he
not
regard
the
whole
Wittenagemote
with
suspicion
,
contempt
,
or
even
hatred
?
See
him
rush
madly
to
Trafalgar
Square
meetings
,
Hyde
Park
demonstrations
,
perhaps
to
Lord
George
Gordon
Riots
,
as
if
there
were
no
less
perilous
means
of
publishing
his
opinions
!
There
wily
men
may
lead
his
unconscious
intellect
,
and
stir
his
passions
,
and
direct
his
forces
against
his
own
—
and
his
children
's
good
.
Did
it
ever
occur
to
you
,
or
any
of
you
,
how
many
voters
cannot
read
,
and
how
many
more
,
though
they
can
read
,
are
unable
to
apprehend
reasons
of
statesmanship
?
—
that
even
newspapers
cannot
inform
them
,
since
they
have
not
the
elementary
knowledge
needed
for
the
comprehension
of
those
things
which
are
discussed
in
them
;
nay
,
that
for
want
of
understanding
the
same
they
may
terribly
distort
political
aims
and
consequences
?
Might
it
not
be
worth
while
for
you
,
gentlemen
—
may
it
not
be
your
duty
to
devise
ways
and
means
for
conveying
such
elementary
instruction
by
good
street-preachers
on
politics
and
economy
,
or
even
political
bible-women
or
colporteurs
,
and
so
to
make
clear
to
the
understanding
of
every
voter
what
are
the
reasons
and
aims
of
every
act
of
Legislation
,
Home
Administration
,
and
Foreign
Policy
?
If
you
do
not
find
out
some
way
to
do
this
he
may
turn
round
upon
you
—
I
hope
he
may
—
and
insist
on
annually-elected
parliaments
,
and
thus
oblige
ambitious
state-mongers
,
in
the
rivalry
of
place
,
to
come
to
him
and
declare
more
often
their
wishes
and
objects
.
Other
attractions
may
be
found
in
that
solution
:
such
as
the
untying
of
some
knots
of
electoral
difficulty
,
and
removing
incitements
to
corruption
.
Ten
thousand
pounds
for
one
year
's
power
were
a
high
price
even
to
a
contractor
.
Think
then
whether
at
any
cost
some
general
political
education
must
not
be
attempted
,
since
there
is
a
spirit
breathing
on
the
waters
,
and
how
it
shall
convulse
them
is
no
indifferent
matter
to
you
or
to
me
.
Everywhere
around
us
are
unhewn
rocks
stirred
with
a
strange
motion
.
Leave
these
chaotic
fragments
of
humanity
to
be
hewn
into
rough
shape
by
coarse
artists
seeking
only
a
petty
profit
,
unhandy
,
immeasurably
impudent
;
or
dress
them
by
your
teaching
—
teaching
which
is
the
highest
,
noblest
,
purest
,
most
efficient
function
of
Government
,
which
ought
to
be
the
most
lofty
ambition
of
statesmanship
—
to
be
civic
corner-stones
polished
after
the
similitude
of
a
palace
.
V.
—
Reasons
and
Resolves
.
Ginx
has
been
waiting
through
three
chapters
to
explain
his
truculence
upon
the
birth
of
his
twelfth
child
.
Much
explanation
is
not
necessary
.
When
he
looked
round
his
nest
and
saw
the
many
open
mouths
about
him
,
he
might
well
be
appalled
to
have
another
added
to
them
.
His
children
were
not
chameleons
,
yet
they
were
already
forced
to
be
content
with
a
proportion
of
air
for
their
food
.
And
even
the
air
was
bad
.
They
were
pallid
and
pinched
.
How
they
were
clad
will
ever
be
a
mystery
,
save
to
the
poor
woman
who
strung
the
limp
rags
together
and
Him
who
watched
the
noble
patience
and
sacrifice
of
a
daily
heroism
.
Of
her
own
unsatisfied
cravings
,
and
the
dense
motherly
horrors
that
sometimes
brooded
over
her
while
she
nursed
these
infants
,
let
me
refrain
from
speaking
,
since
if
as
vividly
depicted
as
they
were
real
,
you
,
Madam
,
could
not
endure
to
read
of
them
.
Her
poor
,
unintelligent
mind
clung
tenaciously
to
the
controverted
aphorism
,
“
Where
God
sends
mouths
he
sends
food
to
fill
them
.
”
Believing
that
there
was
a
God
,
and
that
He
must
be
kind
,
she
trusted
in
this
as
a
truth
,
and
perhaps
an
all-seeing
eye
reading
some
quaint
characters
on
her
simple
heart
,
viewed
them
not
too
nearly
,
but
had
regard
to
their
general
import
,
for
,
as
she
expressed
it
,
“
Thank
God
!
they
had
always
been
able
to
get
along
.
”
In
the
rush
and
tumult
of
the
world
it
is
likely
that
the
summum
bonum
of
nine-tenths
of
mankind
is
embraced
in
that
purely
negative
happiness
—
to
get
along
.
Not
to
perish
:
to
open
eyes
,
however
wearily
,
on
a
new
morning
:
to
satisfy
with
something
,
no
matter
what
,
a
craving
appetite
:
to
close
eyes
at
night
under
some
shadow
or
shelter
:
or
,
it
may
be
,
in
certain
ranks
to
walk
another
day
free
from
bankruptcy
or
arrest
:
Thank
Heaven
,
they
are
just
able
to
get
along
!
Convinced
that
another
infant
straw
would
break
his
back
,
Ginx
calmly
proposed
to
disconcert
physical
,
moral
,
and
legal
relations
by
drowning
the
straw
Mrs.
Ginx
clinging
to
Number
Twelve
listened
aghast
.
If
a
mother
can
forget
her
sucking
child
she
was
not
that
mother
.
The
stream
of
her
affections
,
though
divided
into
twelve
rills
,
would
not
have
been
exhausted
in
twenty-four
,
and
her
soul
,
forecasting
its
sorrow
,
yearned
after
that
nonentity
Number
Thirteen
.
She
pictured
to
herself
the
hapless
strangeling
borne
away
from
her
bosom
by
those
strong
arms
,
and
—
in
fact
she
sobbed
so
that
Ginx
grew
ashamed
,
and
sought
to
comfort
her
by
the
suggestion
that
she
could
not
have
any
more
.
But
she
knew
better
.
VI
.
—
The
Antagonism
of
Law
and
Necessity
.
In
eighteen
months
,
notwithstanding
resolves
,
menaces
,
and
prophecies
,
GINX
'S
BABY
was
born
.
The
mother
hid
the
impending
event
long
,
from
the
father
.
When
he
came
to
know
it
,
he
fixed
his
determination
by
much
thought
and
a
little
extra
drinking
.
He
argued
thus
:
“
He
would
n't
go
on
the
parish
.
He
could
n't
keep
another
youngster
to
save
his
life
.
He
had
never
taken
charity
and
never
would
.
There
was
nothink
to
do
with
it
but
drown
it
!
”
Female
friends
of
Mrs.
Ginx
bruited
his
intentions
about
the
neighborhood
,
so
that
her
“
time
”
was
watched
for
with
interest
.
At
last
it
came
.
One
afternoon
Ginx
,
lounging
home
,
saw
signs
of
excitement
around
his
door
in
Rosemary
Street
.
A
knot
of
women
and
children
awaited
his
coming
.
Passing
through
them
he
soon
learned
what
had
happened
.
Poor
Mrs.
Ginx
!
Without
staying
to
think
or
argue
,
he
took
up
the
little
stranger
and
bore
it
from
the
room
—
—
“
O
,
O
,
O
,
Ginx
!
Ginx
!
!
”
She
would
have
risen
,
but
a
strong
power
called
weakness
pulled
her
back
.
The
man
meanwhile
had
reached
the
street
.
“
Here
he
comes
!
There
's
the
baby
!
He
's
going
to
do
it
,
sure
enough
!
”
shrieked
the
women
.
The
children
stood
agape
.
He
stopped
to
consider
.
It
is
very
well
to
talk
about
drowning
your
baby
,
but
to
do
it
you
need
two
things
,
water
and
opportunity
.
Vauxhall
Bridge
was
the
nearest
way
to
the
former
,
and
towards
it
Ginx
turned
.
“
Stop
him
!
”
“
Murder
!
”
“
Take
the
child
from
him
!
”
The
crowd
grew
larger
,
and
impeded
the
man
's
progress
.
Some
of
his
fellow-workmen
stood
by
regarding
the
fun
.
“
Leave
us
aloan
,
naabors
,
”
shouted
Ginx
;
“
this
is
my
own
baby
,
and
I
'll
do
wot
I
likes
with
it
.
I
kent
keep
it
;
an
'
if
I
've
got
anythin
'
I
kent
keep
,
it
's
best
to
get
rid
of
it
,
ai
n't
it
?
This
child
's
goin
'
over
Wauxhall
Bridge
.
”
But
the
women
clung
to
his
arms
and
coattails
.
“
Hallo
!
What
's
all
this
about
?
”
said
a
sharp
,
strong
man
,
well-dressed
,
and
in
good
condition
,
coming
up
to
the
crowd
;
“
another
foundling
!
Confound
the
place
,
the
very
stones
produce
babies
.
Where
was
it
found
?
”
CHORUS
(
recognizing
a
deputy-relieving
officer
)
.
It
war
n't
found
at
all
;
it
's
Ginx
's
baby
.
OFFICER
.
Ginx
's
baby
?
Who
's
Ginx
?
GINX
.
I
am
.
OFFICER
.
Well
?
GINX
.
Well
!
CHORUS
.
He
's
goin
'
to
drown
it
.
OFFICER
.
Going
to
drown
it
?
Nonsense
.
GINX
.
I
am
.
OFFICER
.
But
,
bless
my
heart
,
that
's
murder
!
GINX
.
No
'
tai
n't
.
I
've
twelve
already
at
home
.
Starvashon
's
sure
to
kill
this
'
un
.
Best
save
it
the
trouble
.
CHORUS
.
Take
it
away
,
Mr.
Smug
,
he
'll
kill
it
if
you
do
n't
.
OFFICER
.
Stuff
and
nonsense
!
Quite
contrary
to
law
!
Why
,
man
,
you
're
bound
to
support
your
child
.
You
ca
n't
throw
it
off
in
that
way
;
—
nor
on
the
parish
neither
.
Give
me
your
name
.
I
must
get
a
magistrate
's
order
.
The
act
of
parliament
is
as
clear
as
daylight
.
I
had
a
man
up
under
it
last
week
.
“
Whosoever
shall
unlawfully
abandon
or
expose
any
child
,
being
under
the
age
of
two
years
whereby
the
life
of
such
child
shall
be
endangered
or
the
health
of
such
child
shall
have
been
or
shall
be
likely
to
be
permanently
injured
(
drowning
comes
under
that
I
think
)
shall
be
GUILTY
OF
a
MISDEMEANOR
and
being
convicted
thereof
shall
be
liable
at
the
discretion
of
the
court
to
be
KEPT
IN
PENAL
SERVITUDE
for
the
term
of
three
years
or
to
be
imprisoned
for
any
term
not
exceeding
two
years
with
or
without
hard
labor
.
”
Mr.
Smug
,
the
officer
,
rolled
out
this
section
in
a
sonorous
monotone
,
without
stops
,
like
a
clerk
of
the
court
.
It
was
his
pride
to
know
by
heart
all
the
acts
relating
to
his
department
,
and
to
bring
them
down
upon
any
obstinate
head
that
he
wished
to
crush
.
Ginx
's
head
,
however
,
was
impervious
to
an
act
of
parliament
.
In
his
then
temper
,
the
Commination
Service
or
St.
Ernulphus
's
curse
would
have
been
feathers
to
him
.
The
only
feeling
aroused
in
his
mind
by
the
words
of
the
legislature
was
one
of
resentment
.
To
him
they
seemed
unjust
,
because
they
were
hard
and
fast
,
and
made
no
allowance
for
circumstances
.
So
he
said
:
GINX
.
D
—
—
the
act
of
parliament
!
What
's
the
use
of
saying
I
sha
n't
abandon
the
child
,
when
I
ca
n't
keep
it
alive
?
OFFICER
.
But
you
're
bound
by
law
to
keep
it
alive
.
GINX
.
Bound
to
keep
it
alive
?
How
am
I
to
do
it
?
There
's
the
rest
on
'
em
there
(
nodding
towards
his
house
)
little
better
nor
alive
now
.
If
that
's
an
act
of
Parleyment
,
why
do
n't
the
act
of
Parleyment
provide
for
'
em
?
You
know
what
wages
is
,
and
I
ca
n't
get
more
than
is
going
.
CHORUS
.
Yes
.
Why
do
n't
Parleyment
provide
for
'
em
?
You
take
the
child
,
Mr.
Smug
.
OFFICER
(
regardless
of
grammar
)
.
ME
take
the
child
!
The
parish
has
enough
to
do
to
take
care
of
foundlings
and
children
whose
parents
ca
n't
or
do
n't
work
.
You
do
n't
suppose
we
will
look
after
the
children
of
those
who
can
?
GINX
.
Jest
so
.
You
'll
bring
up
bastards
and
beggars
'
pups
,
but
you
wo
n't
help
an
honest
man
to
keep
his
head
above
water
.
This
child
's
head
is
goin
'
under
water
anyhow
!
—
and
he
prepared
to
bolt
,
amid
fresh
screams
from
the
Chorus
.
VII
.
—
Malthus
and
Man
.
Two
gentlemen
,
who
had
been
observing
the
excitement
,
here
came
forward
.
FIRST
GENTLEMAN
.
This
is
our
problem
again
,
Mr.
Philosopher
.
Mr.
PHILOSOPHER
(
to
Ginx
)
.
You
do
n't
know
what
to
do
with
your
infant
,
my
friend
,
and
you
think
the
State
ought
to
provide
for
it
?
I
understand
you
to
say
this
is
your
thirteenth
child
.
How
came
you
to
have
so
many
?
This
question
,
though
put
with
profound
and
even
melancholy
gravity
,
disconcerted
Ginx
,
Officer
,
and
Chorus
,
who
united
in
a
hearty
outburst
of
laughter
.
GINX
.
Haw
,
Haw
,
Haw
!
How
came
I
to
have
so
many
?
Why
my
old
woman
's
a
good
un
and
—
—
In
fact
,
after
searching
his
mind
for
some
clever
way
of
putting
a
comical
rejoinder
,
Ginx
laughed
boisterously
.
There
are
two
aspects
of
a
question
.
PHILOSOPHER
.
I
am
serious
,
my
friend
.
Did
it
never
occur
to
you
that
you
had
no
right
to
bring
children
into
the
world
unless
you
could
feed
and
clothe
and
educate
them
?
CHORUS
.
Laws
a
'
mercy
!
GINX
.
I
'd
like
to
know
how
I
could
help
it
,
naabor
.
I
'm
a
married
man
.
PHILOSOPHER
.
Well
,
I
will
go
further
and
say
you
ought
not
to
have
married
without
a
fair
prospect
of
being
able
to
provide
for
any
contingent
increase
of
family
.
CHORUS
.
Laws
a
'
mercy
!
PHILOSOPHER
(
waxing
warm
)
.
What
right
had
you
to
marry
a
poor
woman
,
and
then
both
of
you
,
with
as
little
forethought
as
two
—
a
—
dogs
,
or
other
brutes
—
to
produce
between
you
such
a
multitudinous
progeny
—
GINX
.
Civil
words
,
naabor
;
do
n't
call
my
family
hard
names
.
PHILOSOPHER
.
Then
let
me
say
,
such
a
monstrous
number
of
children
as
thirteen
?
You
knew
,
as
you
said
just
now
,
that
wages
were
wages
and
did
not
vary
much
.
And
yet
you
have
gone
on
subdividing
your
resources
by
the
increase
of
what
must
become
a
degenerate
offspring
.
(
To
the
Chorus
)
All
you
workpeople
are
doing
it
.
Is
it
not
time
to
think
about
these
things
and
stop
the
indiscriminate
production
of
human
beings
,
whose
lives
you
cannot
properly
maintain
?
Ought
you
not
to
act
more
like
reflective
creatures
and
less
like
brutes
?
As
if
breeding
were
the
whole
object
of
life
!
How
much
better
for
you
,
my
friend
,
if
you
had
never
married
at
all
,
than
to
have
had
the
worry
of
a
wife
and
children
all
these
years
.
The
philosopher
had
gone
too
far
.
There
were
some
angry
murmurs
among
the
women
and
Ginx
's
face
grew
dark
.
He
was
thinking
of
“
all
those
years
”
and
the
poor
creature
that
from
morning
to
night
and
Sunday
to
Sunday
,
in
calm
and
storm
,
had
clung
to
his
rough
affections
:
and
the
bright
eyes
,
and
the
winding
arms
so
often
trellised
over
his
tremendous
form
,
and
the
coy
tricks
and
laughter
that
had
cheered
so
many
tired
hours
.
He
may
have
been
much
of
a
brute
,
but
he
felt
that
,
after
all
,
that
sort
of
thing
was
denied
to
dogs
and
pigs
.
Before
he
could
translate
his
thoughts
into
words
or
acts
a
shrewd-looking
,
curly-haired
stonemason
,
who
stood
by
with
his
tin
on
his
arm
,
cut
into
the
discussion
.
STONEMASON
.
Your
doctrines
wo
n't
go
down
here
,
Mr.
Philosopher
.
I
've
'
eard
of
them
before
.
I
'd
just
like
to
ask
you
what
a
man
's
to
do
and
what
a
woman
's
to
do
if
they
do
n't
marry
:
and
if
they
do
,
how
can
you
honestly
hinder
them
from
having
any
children
?
The
stonemason
had
rudely
struck
out
the
cardinal
issues
of
the
question
.
PHILOSOPHER
.
Well
,
to
take
the
last
point
first
,
there
are
physical
and
ethical
questions
involved
in
it
,
which
it
is
hard
to
discuss
before
such
an
audience
as
this
.
STONEMASON
.
But
you
must
discuss
'
em
,
if
you
wish
us
to
change
our
ways
,
and
stop
breeding
.
PHILOSOPHER
.
Very
well
:
perhaps
you
are
right
.
But
,
again
,
I
should
first
have
to
establish
a
basis
for
my
arguments
,
by
showing
that
the
conception
of
marriage
entertained
by
you
all
is
a
low
one
.
It
is
not
simply
a
breeding
matter
.
The
beauty
and
value
of
the
relation
lies
in
its
educational
effects
—
the
cultivation
of
mutual
sentiments
and
refinements
of
great
importance
to
a
community
.
STONEMASON
.
Ay
!
Very
beautiful
and
refining
to
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Philosopher
,
but
I
'd
like
to
know
where
the
country
would
have
been
if
our
fathers
had
held
to
that
view
of
matrimony
?
Why
,
ai
n't
it
in
natur
'
for
all
beings
to
pair
,
and
have
young
?
an
'
you
say
we
ai
n't
to
do
it
!
I
think
a
statesman
ought
to
make
something
out
of
what
's
nateral
to
human
beings
,
and
not
try
to
change
their
naturs
.
Besides
,
ai
n't
there
good
of
another
kind
to
be
got
out
of
the
relation
of
parents
and
children
?
Did
you
ever
have
a
child
yourself
?
GINX
(
contemplating
the
Philosopher
's
physique
)
.
HE
have
a
youngster
!
He
could
n't
.
CHORUS
.
Ha
!
Ha
!
Ha
!
STONEMASON
.
I
do
n't
believe
in
yer
humbuggin
'
notions
.
They
lead
to
lust
and
crime
;
—
I
'm
told
they
do
in
France
.
If
you
yourself
have
n't
the
human
natur
in
you
to
know
it
,
I
'll
tell
you
,
and
we
can
all
tell
you
that
as
a
rule
if
the
healthy
desires
of
natur
ai
n't
satisfied
in
a
honest
way
,
they
will
be
in
another
.
You
ca
n't
stop
eating
by
passin
'
an
act
of
Parleyment
to
stop
it
.
And
as
for
yer
eddication
and
cultivation
,
that
makes
no
difference
.
We
know
something
here
about
yer
eddicated
men
;
—
more
than
they
think
.
Who
is
it
we
meet
about
the
streets
late
at
night
,
goin
'
to
the
gay
houses
?
Some
of
'
em
stand
near
as
high
as
you
,
but
that
do
n't
alter
their
natur
.
They
have
their
passions
like
other
men
;
and
eddication
do
n't
keep
'
em
down
.
Well
,
if
that
's
the
case
,
how
can
you
ask
people
of
our
sort
to
put
on
the
curb
,
or
make
us
do
it
?
Are
we
to
live
more
like
beasts
than
we
are
now
,
or
do
what
's
worse
than
murder
?
I
do
n't
see
no
other
way
.
Among
us
I
tell
you
,
sir
,
three-fourths
of
our
eddication
,
is
eddication
of
the
heart
.
We
have
to
learn
to
be
human
,
kind
,
self-denyin
'
,
and
I
think
this
makes
better
men
,
as
a
rule
,
than
head-larnin
'
;
tho
'
I
do
n't
despise
that
,
neither
.
But
you
do
n't
suppose
head-citizens
would
fight
for
their
country
like
men
with
wives
and
children
behind
'
em
;
why
they
do
n't
even
at
home
work
for
daily
food
like
a
man
with
wife
and
babies
to
provide
for
!
The
stonemason
was
above
his
class
—
one
of
those
shrewd
men
that
“
the
people
called
Methodists
”
get
hold
of
,
and
use
among
the
lower
orders
,
under
the
name
of
“
local
preachers
;
”
men
who
learn
to
think
and
speak
better
than
their
fellows
.
The
Philosopher
testified
some
admiration
by
listening
attentively
,
and
was
about
to
reply
,
but
the
Chorus
was
tired
,
and
the
women
would
not
hear
him
.
CHORUS
.
Best
get
out
o
'
this
.
We
do
n't
want
any
o
'
yer
filhosophy
.
Go
and
get
childer
'
of
yer
own
,
etc.
,
etc.
The
Philosopher
and
his
friend
departed
,
carrying
with
them
unsolved
the
problem
they
had
brought
.
VIII
.
—
The
Baby
's
First
Translation
.
The
stonemason
had
been
the
hero
of
the
moment
;
now
attention
centred
on
our
own
hero
.
Ginx
hurried
off
again
,
but
as
the
crowd
opened
before
him
,
he
was
met
,
and
his
mad
career
stayed
,
by
a
slight
figure
,
feminine
,
draped
in
black
to
the
feet
,
wearing
a
curiously
framed
white-winged
hood
above
her
pale
face
,
and
a
large
cross
suspended
from
her
girdle
.
He
could
not
run
her
down
.
NUN
.
Stop
,
MAN
!
Are
you
mad
?
Give
me
the
child
.
He
placed
the
little
bundle
in
her
arms
.
She
uncovered
the
queer
,
ruby
face
,
and
kissed
it
.
Ginx
had
not
looked
at
the
face
before
,
but
after
seeing
it
,
and
the
act
of
this
woman
,
he
could
not
have
touched
a
hair
of
his
child
's
head
.
His
purpose
died
from
that
moment
,
though
his
perplexity
was
still
alive
.
NUN
.
Let
me
have
it
.
I
will
take
it
to
the
Sisters
'
Home
,
and
it
shall
live
there
.
Your
wife
may
come
and
nurse
it
.
We
will
take
charge
of
it
.
GINX
.
And
you
wo
n't
send
it
back
again
?
You
'll
take
it
for
good
and
all
?
NUN
.
O
,
yes
.
GINX
.
Good
.
Give
us
yer
hand
.
A
little
white
hand
came
out
from
under
her
burthen
,
and
was
at
once
half-crushed
in
Ginx
's
elephantine
grasp
.
GINX
.
Done
.
Thank'ee
,
missus
.
Come
,
mates
,
I
'll
stand
a
drink
.
A
few
minutes
after
,
the
woman
of
the
cross
,
who
had
been
up
to
comfort
the
poor
mother
,
fluttered
with
her
white
wings
down
Rosemary
Street
,
carrying
in
her
arms
Ginx
's
Baby
.
PART
II
.
WHAT
CHARITY
AND
THE
CHURCHES
DID
WITH
HIM
.
I
.
—
The
Milk
of
Human
Kindness
,
Mother
's
Milk
,
and
the
Milk
of
the
Word
.
The
early
days
of
his
residence
at
the
Home
of
the
Sisters
of
Misery
,
in
Winkle
Street
,
was
the
Eden
of
Ginx
's
Baby
's
existence
.
Themselves
innocent
of
a
mother
's
experiences
,
the
sisters
were
free
to
give
play
to
their
affections
in
a
novel
direction
,
and
to
assume
a
sort
of
spiritual
maternity
that
was
lucky
for
the
changeling
.
He
was
nestled
in
kind
serge-covered
arms
:
kisses
rained
upon
him
from
chaste
lips
.
A
slight
scandal
thrilled
the
convent
upon
the
discovery
of
his
sex
,
which
had
of
course
been
a
pure
matter
of
conjecture
to
Sister
Pudicitia
when
she
rescued
him
;
but
enthusiasm
can
overcome
anything
.
The
awkward
questions
foreshadowed
in
the
discovery
were
left
to
be
considered
when
their
growing
importance
should
demand
upon
them
the
judgment
of
the
archbishop
.
Visions
of
an
unusual
sanctity
to
be
fostered
in
the
pure
regions
of
the
convent
,
and
to
be
sent
on
a
mission
into
the
world
to
attest
the
power
of
their
spiritual
discipline
,
began
to
haunt
the
brains
of
the
sequestered
nuns
.
Might
not
this
infant
be
an
embryo
saint
,
destined
for
a
great
work
in
the
heretical
wilderness
out
of
which
he
had
come
?
How
little
healthy
food
the
brains
must
have
had
wherein
these
insane
dreams
were
excited
by
our
innocent
baby
!
Hardly
did
the
sacred
spinsters
forecast
what
was
in
store
for
them
when
he
should
be
teething
.
But
Ginx
's
Baby
was
in
a
religious
atmosphere
,
and
that
is
always
surcharged
with
electricity
.
His
lot
must
have
been
above
that
of
any
other
human
being
if
he
could
long
have
remained
in
such
a
climate
unvisited
by
thunder
.
The
mother
had
been
permitted
to
attend
at
the
Home
with
the
same
regularity
as
the
milkman
,
to
discharge
her
maternal
duties
.
Then
with
the
rise
of
the
visionary
projects
just
mentioned
the
gravest
doubts
began
to
agitate
the
fertile
and
casuistic
mind
of
the
Lady
Superior
.
The
holier
her
ideal
St.
Ginx
of
the
future
,
the
more
to
be
deplored
was
any
heretical
taint
in
the
present
.
Holy
mother
!
Was
it
not
perhaps
eminently
perilous
to
his
spiritual
purity
that
an
unbeliever
like
Mrs.
Ginx
should
bring
unconsecrated
milk
into
the
convent
to
be
administered
to
this
suckling
of
the
Church
!
In
her
uneasiness
she
appealed
to
Father
Certificatus
,
the
conventual
confessor
.
He
gave
his
opinion
in
the
following
letter
:
—
“
DEAR
SISTER
SUSPICIOSA
,
“
The
very
grave
question
you
have
put
to
me
has
given
me
much
anxiety
.
It
could
not
but
do
so
since
it
occupied
,
I
knew
,
so
fully
your
own
holy
reflections
.
I
pondered
it
during
the
night
while
I
repeated
one
hundred
Aves
on
my
knees
,
and
I
think
the
Blessed
Virgin
has
vouchsafed
her
assistance
.
“
I
understood
you
to
say
you
thought
that
the
physical
health
of
the
infant
,
so
singularly
and
miraculously
thrown
upon
your
care
,
required
the
offices
of
his
heretic
mother
,
and
yet
that
you
felt
how
inconsistent
it
was
with
the
noble
future
we
contemplate
for
him
,
that
he
should
receive
unorthodox
lacteal
sustentation
.
In
this
you
are
but
following
the
usage
of
the
Church
in
all
ages
,
for
She
has
ever
enjoined
the
advantage
of
infusing
Her
doctrines
into
Her
children
with
the
mother
's
milk
.
“
Three
courses
only
appear
to
me
to
be
open
to
us
.
First
,
we
may
try
to
work
upon
the
mother
's
feelings
,
and
on
behalf
of
her
child
induce
her
to
avail
herself
of
the
inestimable
privileges
of
the
Church
in
which
he
is
fostered
.
Secondly
,
should
she
repel
us
—
and
these
lower
class
heretics
are
even
brutally
refractory
—
we
might
at
least
allure
her
to
allow
us
to
make
with
holy
water
the
sign
of
the
Cross
upon
the
natural
reservoirs
of
infant
nourishment
each
time
before
she
approaches
the
infant
.
This
,
besides
overcoming
the
immediate
difficulty
and
securing
for
the
child
a
supply
of
sanctified
food
,
might
open
the
way
for
the
entrance
into
her
own
bosom
of
the
milk
of
the
word
.
Thirdly
,
should
she
reject
these
proposals
,
I
see
nothing
for
it
but
to
forbid
her
to
have
access
to
her
infant
,
and
,
commending
him
to
the
care
of
the
Holy
Mother
,
to
feed
him
with
pap
or
other
suitable
nourishment
,
previously
consecrated
by
me
in
its
crude
state
,
and
prepared
by
the
most
holy
hands
of
your
community
.
Thus
we
may
hope
to
shield
the
young
soul
in
its
present
freshness
from
contact
with
carnal
elements
.
“
Your
loving
Father
in
,
etc.
,
“
CERTIFICATUS
.
”
On
receiving
this
letter
the
Superioress
conferred
not
with
flesh
and
blood
,
but
sent
for
Mrs.
Ginx
.
That
worthy
woman
was
not
enchanted
with
her
child
's
position
.
I
have
hinted
that
her
faith
was
simple
,
but
in
proportion
to
its
simplicity
it
was
strongly-rooted
in
her
nature
.
'
Tis
not
infrequent
to
find
it
so
.
Lengthy
creeds
and
confessions
of
faith
are
apt
to
extend
the
strength
and
fervor
of
belief
over
too
wide
a
surface
.
In
the
close
frame
of
some
single
article
will
be
concentrated
the
whole
energy
of
the
soul
.
The
first
formula
,
“
Repent
and
believe
in
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
,
”
was
maintained
with
a
heat
that
became
less
intense
,
though
more
distributed
,
in
the
insertion
of
an
Athanasian
creed
.
Mrs.
Ginx
's
creed
was
succinct
.
Mrs.
GINX
'S
PRIMARY
CREED
.
I
believe
in
God
,
giver
of
bread
,
meat
,
money
,
and
health
.
This
she
maintained
,
with
indifferent
ritual
and
devotional
observances
.
But
there
was
to
Mrs.
Ginx
's
faith
a
corollary
or
secondary
creed
,
only
needed
to
meet
special
emergencies
.
Mrs.
GINX
'S
SECONDARY
CREED
.
1.
I
believe
in
the
Church
of
England
.
2.
I
believe
in
Heaven
and
Hell
.
3.
(
A
negative
article
)
I
hate
Popery
,
priests
,
and
the
Devil
.
When
her
husband
made
his
fatal
gift
to
the
nun
,
this
third
article
of
his
wife
's
belief
,
or
unbelief
,
stirred
up
and
waxed
aggressive
.
Said
the
Lady
Superior
,
“
My
good
woman
,
your
child
thrives
under
the
care
of
Holy
Mother
Church
.
”
“
Yes
'm
,
he
thrives
well
,
”
replies
Mrs.
Ginx
,
repeating
no
more
of
Sister
Suspiciosa
's
sentence
,
“
an
'
I
've
'
ad
more
milk
than
ever
for
the
darlin
'
this
time
,
thank
God
.
”
“
And
the
Holy
Virgin
.
”
“
I
dunno
about
her
,
”
cries
Mrs.
Ginx
emphatically
,
perhaps
not
seeing
congruity
between
a
virgin
and
the
subject
of
thankfulness
.
“
And
the
Holy
Virgin
,
”
repeated
the
nun
,
“
who
interests
herself
in
all
mothers
.
She
has
thus
blessed
you
that
your
child
may
be
made
strong
for
the
work
of
the
Church
.
Do
you
not
see
a
miracle
is
worked
within
you
to
prove
Her
goodness
?
This
,
no
doubt
,
is
an
evidence
to
you
of
Her
wish
to
bless
you
and
take
you
for
Her
own
.
I
beseech
you
listen
to
Her
voice
,
and
come
and
enter
Her
fold
.
”
“
If
you
mean
the
Virgin
Mary
,
mum
,
I
ai
n't
a
idolater
,
beggin
'
yer
parding
,
”
says
Mrs.
Ginx
;
“
an
'
tho
'
I
would
n't
for
the
world
offend
them
as
has
been
so
kind
to
my
child
,
an
'
saved
it
from
that
deer
little
creetur
bein
'
thrown
over
Wauxhall
Bridge
—
an
'
Ginx
ought
to
be
ashamed
of
hisself
,
so
he
ought
—
I
ai
n't
Papish
,
mum
,
and
I
ai
n't
dispoged
,
with
twelve
on
'
em
there
at
home
all
Protestant
to
the
back
bone
,
to
turn
Papish
now
,
an
'
so
I
'
ope
an
'
pray
,
mum
,
”
says
Mrs.
Ginx
,
roaring
and
crying
,
“
you
ai
n't
agoin
'
to
make
Papish
of
my
flesh
an
'
blood
.
O
dear
!
O
dear
!
”
The
Lady
Superior
shut
her
ears
;
she
had
raised
a
familiar
spirit
and
could
not
lay
it
.
She
temporized
.
“
You
know
your
husband
has
given
the
child
to
us
.
It
will
be
called
the
infant
Ambrosius
.
”
“
Dear
,
dear
!
”
sighed
Mrs.
Ginx
,
“
what
a
name
!
”
“
We
wish
him
to
be
kept
from
any
worldly
taint
,
and
by-and-by
his
saintliness
may
gain
you
forgiveness
in
spite
of
your
heretical
perversity
.
I
cannot
permit
you
to
give
him
unconsecrated
milk
,
and
as
we
wish
to
treat
you
kindly
,
the
holy
Father
Certificatus
has
allowed
me
to
make
an
arrangement
with
you
,
to
which
you
can
have
no
objection
—
I
mean
,
that
you
should
let
me
make
the
sign
of
the
cross
upon
your
breasts
morning
and
evening
before
you
suckle
your
infant
.
You
will
permit
me
to
do
that
,
wo
n't
you
?
”
Conceive
of
Mrs.
Ginx
's
reply
,
clothed
in
choice
Westminster
English
:
it
asserted
her
readiness
to
cut
off
her
right
hand
,
her
feet
,
to
be
hanged
,
drowned
,
burned
,
torn
to
pieces
,
in
fact
to
withstand
all
the
torments
ascribed
by
vulgar
tradition
to
Roman
Catholic
ingenuity
,
and
to
see
her
baby
“
a
dead
corpse
”
into
the
bargain
,
before
she
would
submit
her
Protestant
bosom
to
such
an
indignity
.
“
No
,
mum
!
”
she
said
;
“
I
could
n't
sleep
with
that
on
my
breast
;
”
and
cried
hysterically
.
This
lower
class
heretic
WAS
“
brutally
refractory
.
”
So
thought
the
Superioress
,
and
so
gave
Mrs.
Ginx
notice
to
come
no
more
.
She
went
home
rather
jubilant
—
she
was
a
martyr
.
II
.
—
The
Protestant
Detectoral
Association
.
Ginx
's
baby
was
now
fed
on
consecrated
pap
.
But
his
mother
was
not
a
woman
to
be
silent
under
her
wrongs
.
From
her
husband
she
hid
them
,
because
the
subject
was
forbidden
.
She
poured
out
her
complaint
to
Mrs.
Spittal
and
other
Protestant
matrons
.
Thus
it
came
to
pass
that
one
day
,
in
Ginx
's
absence
,
the
good
woman
was
surprised
by
a
visit
from
a
“
gentleman
.
”
He
was
small
,
sharp
,
rapid
,
dressed
in
black
.
He
opened
his
business
at
once
.
“
Mrs.
Ginx
?
Ah
!
I
am
the
agent
of
the
Protestant
Detectoral
Association
.
”
Mrs.
Ginx
wiped
her
best
chair
and
set
it
for
him
.
“
By
great
good
fortune
the
secretary
received
only
half
an
hour
ago
intelligence
of
the
shocking
instance
of
Papal
aggression
of
which
you
have
been
the
victim
.
”
To
hear
her
case
put
so
grandly
was
honey
to
Mrs.
Ginx
.
“
Well
now
,
”
continued
the
little
man
,
“
we
are
ready
to
render
you
every
assistance
to
save
your
child
from
the
claws
of
the
Great
Dragon
.
I
wish
to
know
the
exact
circumstances
—
let
me
see
—
(
opening
a
large
pocket
book
)
I
have
this
memorandum
:
the
child
was
carried
off
from
his
mother
's
bedside
in
broad
daylight
by
a
nun
accompanied
by
two
priests
and
a
large
body
of
Irish
:
is
that
a
correct
version
?
”
“
Law
,
no
,
sir
,
it
war
n't
quite
like
that
,
”
said
Mrs.
Ginx
.
“
We
've
'
ad
so
many
on
'
em
that
Ginx
was
for
drownin
'
the
thirteenth
”
—
—
The
little
man
opened
his
eyes
—
—
“
An
'
he
went
and
gave
it
away
,
sir
,
”
said
she
crying
,
“
to
a
nun
,
sir
—
ah
!
ah
!
ah
!
—
they
wo
n't
let
me
see
the
darlin
'
now
,
sir
—
ah
!
ah
!
ah
!
because
I
wo
n't
let
Missis
Spishyosir
mark
me
with
the
cross
,
sir
,
an
'
me
with
as
fine
a
breast
o
'
milk
as
ever
was
for
'
im
,
sir
—
ah
!
ah
!
ah
!
”
“
Hem
!
”
said
the
little
man
,
“
that
's
different
from
what
I
understood
.
”
He
was
quite
honest
,
but
who
does
not
know
how
disappointing
it
is
to
find
a
wrong
you
wish
to
redress
is
not
so
bad
as
you
had
hoped
?
However
,
it
looked
bad
enough
,
and
might
be
made
worse
.
It
was
the
very
case
for
the
Protestant
Detectoral
Association
.
“
Would
Mr.
Ginx
not
join
in
an
effort
to
recover
his
child
?
”
“
No
,
sir
;
I
should
think
not
:
he
went
an
'
gave
it
away
.
”
“
I
know
;
but
he
is
a
Protestant
?
”
“
I
do
n't
think
he
be
much
o
'
anything
,
sir
.
I
know
he
hate
priests
like
pison
,
but
he
do
n't
care
about
these
things
as
I
do
.
”
“
Oh
!
I
see
.
”
Writes
in
his
memorandum
book
—
husband
indifferent
.
“
But
do
n't
you
think
he
would
help
you
to
get
the
child
back
again
?
”
“
No
,
sir
.
I
would
n't
speak
of
it
to
him
for
the
world
.
He
'd
knock
any
one
down
if
they
was
to
mention
the
child
to
him
.
”
The
little
man
mentally
determined
not
to
see
Ginx
.
“
Well
;
would
you
like
to
have
your
child
back
?
”
“
You
see
,
I
could
n't
bring
it
'
ere
,
sir
.
Ginx
wo
n't
'
ave
it
;
but
I
'd
like
to
see
it
took
away
from
them
nunnerys
.
”
“
Ha
!
very
well
then
.
We
can
perhaps
manage
it
for
you
.
You
would
be
content
to
hand
it
over
to
some
Protestant
Home
,
where
it
would
be
taken
care
of
and
you
could
see
it
when
you
liked
?
”
“
O
yes
,
sir
,
”
cries
Mrs.
Ginx
,
brightening
.
“
Then
we
'll
have
an
affidavit
and
apply
for
a
Habeas
Corpus
.
”
It
was
impossible
not
to
be
satisfied
with
such
words
as
these
,
whatever
they
meant
and
Mrs.
Ginx
was
cheered
,
while
the
little
man
went
on
his
way
.
III
.
—
The
Sacrament
of
Baptism
.
Mother
,
or
“
Mrs.
”
Suspiciosa
,
fed
Ginx
's
Baby
with
holy
pap
.
It
seemed
proper
now
that
he
should
be
christened
and
formally
received
into
the
Church
.
No
small
stir
was
made
by
this
ceremony
,
for
which
all
the
resources
of
the
convent
were
called
into
action
.
The
day
selected
was
that
sacred
to
St.
Ambrosius
.
The
chapel
was
decorated
with
flowers
.
Mass
was
celebrated
,
candles
flamed
upon
the
altar
surrounding
a
figure
of
the
Infant
Jesus
,
incense
was
burning
around
the
baby
,
sisters
and
novices
knelt
in
serried
rows
of
virginity
“
like
doves
Sunning
their
milky
bosoms
on
the
thatch
.
”
Mother
Suspiciosa
carried
the
infant
,
clothed
in
a
pure
white
robe
,
with
a
red
cross
embroidered
on
its
front
.
In
the
absence
of
the
natural
parent
a
wax
figure
of
St.
Ambrosius
did
duty
for
him
,
and
another
wax
figure
stood
godfather
:
but
I
dare
not
enter
into
details
of
matters
that
may
be
looked
at
as
awfully
profane
,
or
awfully
solemn
,
by
different
spectators
.
These
things
are
a
mystery
.
I
have
no
hesitation
about
describing
the
impious
behavior
of
little
Ginx
.
Whatever
swaddled
infant
could
do
in
the
way
of
opposition
,
with
hands
,
and
legs
,
and
voice
,
was
done
by
that
embryo
saint
.
The
incense
made
him
cough
and
sputter
;
the
lights
and
singing
raised
the
very
devil
within
him
.
His
cries
drowned
the
prayers
.
He
frightened
his
conductress
by
the
redness
of
his
face
.
He
ruined
the
red
cross
with
ejected
matter
.
You
would
have
taken
him
for
an
infant
demoniac
.
Mother
Suspiciosa
,
though
annoyed
,
was
encouraged
.
She
looked
upon
this
as
an
evident
testimony
to
little
Ginx
's
value
.
The
devil
and
St.
Michael
were
contending
for
his
body
.
At
length
he
was
baptized
,
and
carried
out
.
Credat
Judaeus
.
He
instantly
sank
into
a
deep
sleep
.
It
was
a
miracle
:
Satan
had
yielded
to
the
sign
of
the
cross
!
IV
.
—
Law
on
Behalf
of
Gospel
.
In
the
moment
of
Sister
Suspiciosa
's
triumph
,
the
enemy
was
laying
his
train
against
her
.
The
little
man
made
his
report
to
the
secretary
of
the
Protestant
Detectoral
Association
.
This
gentleman
was
well-born
and
well-bred
;
moved
to
work
in
this
“
cause
”
by
an
honest
hatred
of
superstition
,
priestcraft
,
and
lies
;
now
giving
all
his
energies
to
the
ambitious
design
