‘the Refractories,’ towards whom my quick little matron – for whose
adaptation to her office I had by this time conceived a genuine
respect – drew me next, and marshalled me the way that I was going.
The Refractories were picking oakum, in a small room giving on a
yard. They sat in line on a form, with their backs to a window;
before them, a table, and their work. The oldest Refractory was,
say twenty; youngest Refractory, say sixteen. I have never yet
ascertained in the course of my uncommercial travels, why a
Refractory habit should affect the tonsils and uvula; but, I have
always observed that Refractories of both sexes and every grade,
between a Ragged School and the Old Bailey, have one voice, in
which the tonsils and uvula gain a diseased ascendency.
‘Five pound indeed! I hain’t a going fur to pick five pound,’ said
the Chief of the Refractories, keeping time to herself with her
head and chin. ‘More than enough to pick what we picks now, in
sich a place as this, and on wot we gets here!’
(This was in acknowledgment of a delicate intimation that the
amount of work was likely to be increased. It certainly was not
heavy then, for one Refractory had already done her day’s task – it
was barely two o’clock – and was sitting behind it, with a head
exactly matching it.)
‘A pretty Ouse this is, matron, ain’t it?’ said Refractory Two,
‘where a pleeseman’s called in, if a gal says a word!’
‘And wen you’re sent to prison for nothink or less!’ said the
Chief, tugging at her oakum as if it were the matron’s hair. ‘But
any place is better than this; that’s one thing, and be thankful!’
A laugh of Refractories led by Oakum Head with folded arms – who
originated nothing, but who was in command of the skirmishers
outside the conversation.
‘If any place is better than this,’ said my brisk guide, in the
calmest manner, ‘it is a pity you left a good place when you had
one.’
‘Ho, no, I didn’t, matron,’ returned the Chief, with another pull
at her oakum, and a very expressive look at the enemy’s forehead.
‘Don’t say that, matron, cos it’s lies!’
Oakum Head brought up the skirmishers again, skirmished, and
retired.
‘And I warn’t a going,’ exclaimed Refractory Two, ‘though I was in
one place for as long as four year – I warn’t a going fur to stop
in a place that warn’t fit for me – there! And where the family
warn’t ‘spectable characters – there! And where I fortunately or
hunfort’nately, found that the people warn’t what they pretended to
make theirselves out to be – there! And where it wasn’t their
faults, by chalks, if I warn’t made bad and ruinated – Hah!’
During this speech, Oakum Head had again made a diversion with the
skirmishers, and had again withdrawn.
Page 15
Dickens, Charles – The Uncommercial Traveller
The Uncommercial Traveller ventured to remark that he supposed
Chief Refractory and Number One, to be the two young women who had
been taken before the magistrate?
‘Yes!’ said the Chief, ‘we har! and the wonder is, that a pleeseman
an’t ‘ad in now, and we took off agen. You can’t open your lips
here, without a pleeseman.’
Number Two laughed (very uvularly), and the skirmishers followed
suit.
‘I’m sure I’d be thankful,’ protested the Chief, looking sideways
at the Uncommercial, ‘if I could be got into a place, or got
abroad. I’m sick and tired of this precious Ouse, I am, with
reason.’
So would be, and so was, Number Two. So would be, and so was,
Oakum Head. So would be, and so were, Skirmishers.
The Uncommercial took the liberty of hinting that he hardly thought
it probable that any lady or gentleman in want of a likely young
domestic of retiring manners, would be tempted into the engagement
of either of the two leading Refractories, on her own presentation
of herself as per sample.
‘It ain’t no good being nothink else here,’ said the Chief.
The Uncommercial thought it might be worth trying.
‘Oh no it ain’t,’ said the Chief.