Notes　Scene 53: The Beginning of the Story

"You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a schoolmaster in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the metropolis, and I volunteered to supply them. There was the point from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying begging as an amateur that I could get the facts upon which to base my articles. When an actor I had, of course, learned all the secrets of making up, and had been famous in the green-room for my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned home in the evening I found to my surprise that I had received no less than 26s. 4d.

「私の話を聞くのは、皆さんが初めてです。父はチェスターフィールドの学校の教師で、私はそこでよい教育を受けました。若い頃は旅をし、舞台に立ち、最後にはロンドンの夕刊紙の記者になりました。ある日、編集長が大都会の物乞いについて連載を載せたいと言い、私が自分から引き受けました。すべての出来事は、そこから始まったのです。記事の根拠となる事実を得るには、素人ながら自分で物乞いを試すしかありませんでした。役者をしていた頃、当然ながら化粧の秘訣はすべて学んでおり、楽屋でも腕のよさで知られていました。そこで、その技量を生かしました。顔に色を塗り、できるだけ哀れに見せるために傷跡をうまく作り、小さな肌色の絆創膏で唇の片側をねじれた形に留めました。それから赤毛とふさわしい服を着け、シティの商業地区に場所を取り、表向きはマッチ売り、実際は物乞いとして座りました。七時間その商売をして夕方帰ると、驚いたことに、二十六シリング四ペンスも得ていたのです。