the ragged trousered philanthropists-第112章

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ew　himself；　at　what　time　they　would　have　to　be　in　attendance　to　act　as　bearers。　　He　had　gone　a　little　distance　on　his　way　when　he　stopped　and　turned　back　to　them。

‘It's　not　necessary　for　either　of　you　to　make　a　song　about　this　business；　you　know；'　he　said。

The　two　men　said　that　they　quite　understood　that：　he　could　depend　on　their　keeping　their　mouths　shut。

When　Hunter　had　gone；　Crass　drew　out　his　watch。　　It　was　a　quarter　to　eleven。　　A　little　way　down　the　road　the　lights　of　a　public　house　were　gleaming　through　the　mist。

‘We　shall　be　just　in　time　to　get　a　drink　before　closing　time　if　we　buck　up；'　he　said。　　And　with　this　object　they　hurried　on　as　fast　as　they　could。

When　they　reached　the　tavern　they　left　the　cart　standing　by　the　kerb；　and　went　inside；　where　Crass　ordered　two　pints　of　four…ale；　which　he　permitted　Sawkins　to　pay　for。

‘How　are　we　going　on　about　this　job？'　inquired　the　latter　after　they　had　each　taken　a　long　drink；　for　they　were　thirsty　after　their　exertions。　‘I　reckon　we　ought　to　'ave　more　than　a　bob　for　it；　don't　you？　　It's　not　like　a　ordinary　〃lift　in〃。'

‘Of　course　it　ain't；'　replied　Crass。　　‘We　ought　to　'ave　about；　say'　…　reflecting　…　‘say　arf　a　dollar　each　at　the　very　least。'

‘Little　enough　too；'　said　Sawkins。　　‘I　was　going　to　say　arf　a　crown；　myself。'

Crass　agreed　that　even　half　a　crown　would　not　be　too　much。

‘'Ow　are　we　going'　on　about　chargin'　it　on　our　time　sheets？'　asked　Sawkins；　after　a　pause。　　‘If　we　just　put　a　〃lift　in〃；　they　might　only　pay　us　a　bob　as　usual。'

As　a　rule　when　they　had　taken　a　coffin　home；　they　wrote　on　their　time　sheets；　‘One　lift　in'；　for　which　they　were　usually　paid　one　shilling；　unless　it　happened　to　be　a　very　high…class　funeral；　when　they　sometimes　got　one　and　sixpence。　　They　were　never　paid　by　the　hour　for　these　jobs。

Crass　smoked　reflectively。

‘I　think　the　best　way　will　be　to　put　it　like　this；'　he　said　at　length。　‘〃Philpot's　funeral。　　One　lift　out　and　one　lift　in。　　Also　takin'　corpse　to　carpenter's　shop。〃　　'Ow　would　that　do？'

Sawkins　said　that　would　be　a　very　good　way　to　put　it；　and　they　finished　their　beer　just　as　the　landlord　intimated　that　it　was　closing　time。　　The　cart　was　standing　where　they　left　it；　the　black　cloth　saturated　with　the　rain；　which　dripped　mournfully　from　its　sable　folds。

When　they　reached　the　plot　of　waste　ground　over　which　they　had　to　pass　in　order　to　reach　the　gates　of　the　yard；　they　had　to　proceed　very　cautiously；　for　it　was　very　dark；　and　the　lantern　did　not　give　much　light。　　A　number　of　carts　and　lorries　were　standing　there；　and　the　path　wound　through　pools　of　water　and　heaps　of　refuse。　　After　much　difficulty　and　jolting；　they　reached　the　gate；　which　Crass　unlocked　with　the　key　he　had　obtained　from　the　office　earlier　in　the　evening。　They　soon　opened　the　door　of　the　carpenter's　shop　and；　after　lighting　the　gas；　they　arranged　the　tressels　and　then　brought　in　the　coffin　and　placed　it　upon　them。　　Then　they　locked　the　door　and　placed　the　key　in　its　usual　hiding…place；　but　the　key　of　the　outer　gate　they　took　with　them　and　dropped　into　the　letter…box　at　the　office；　which　they　had　to　pass　on　their　way　home。

As　they　turned　away　from　the　door；　they　were　suddenly　confronted　by　a　policeman　who　flashed　his　lantern　in　their　faces　and　demanded　to　know　why　they　had　tried　the　lock。。。

The　next　morning　was　a　very　busy　one　for　Hunter；　who　had　to　see　several　new　jobs　commenced。　　They　were　all　small　affairs。　　Most　of　them　would　only　take　two　or　three　days　from　start　to　finish。

Attending　to　this　work　occupied　most　of　his　morning；　but　all　the　same　he　managed　to　do　the　necessary　business　connected　with　the　funeral；　which　he　arranged　to　take　place　at　two　o'clock　on　Wednesday　afternoon　from　the　mortuary；　where　the　coffin　had　been　removed　during　the　day；　Hunter　deciding　that　it　would　not　look　well　to　have　the　funeral　start　from　the　workshop。

Although　Hunter　had　kept　it　as　quiet　as　possible；　there　was　a　small　crowd；　including　several　old　workmates　of　Philpot's　who　happened　to　be　out　of　work；　waiting　outside　the　mortuary　to　see　the　funeral　start；　and　amongst　them　were　Bill　Bates　and　the　Semi…drunk；　who　were　both　sober。　　Barrington　and　Owen　were　also　there；　having　left　work　for　the　day　in　order　to　go　to　the　funeral。　　They　were　there　too　in　a　sense　as　the　representatives　of　the　other　workmen；　for　Barrington　carried　a　large　wreath　which　had　been　subscribed　for　voluntarily　by　Rushton's　men。　　They　could　not　all　afford　to　lose　the　time　to　attend　the　funeral；　although　most　of　them　would　have　liked　to　pay　that　tribute　of　regard　to　their　old　mate；　so　they　had　done　this　as　the　next　best　thing。　　Attached　to　the　wreath　was　a　strip　of　white　satin　ribbon；　upon　which　Owen　had　painted　a　suitable　inscription。

Promptly　at　two　o'clock　the　hearse　and　the　mourning　coach　drove　up　with　Hunter　and　the　four　bearers　…　Crass；　Slyme；　Payne　and　Sawkins；　all　dressed　in　black　with　frock　coats　and　silk　hats。　　Although　they　were　nominally　attired　in　the　same　way；　there　was　a　remarkable　dissimilarity　in　their　appearance。　　Crass's　coat　was　of　smooth；　intensely　black　cloth；　having　been　recently　dyed；　and　his　hat　was　rather　low　in　the　crown；　being　of　that　shape　that　curved　outwards　towards　the　top。　　Hunter's　coat　was　a　kind　of　serge　with　a　rather　rusty　cast　of　colour　and　his　hat　was　very　tall　and　straight；　slightly　narrower　at　the　crown　than　at　the　brim。　　As　for　the　others；　each　of　them　had　a　hat　of　a　different　fashion　and　date；　and　their　‘black'　clothes　ranged　from　rusty　brown　to　dark　blue。

These　differences　were　due　to　the　fact　that　most　of　the　garments　had　been　purchased　at　different　times　from　different　second…hand　clothes　shops；　and　never　being　used　except　on　such　occasions　as　the　present；　they　lasted　for　an　indefinite　time。

When　the　coffin　was　brought　out　and　placed　in　the　hearse；　Hunter　laid　upon　it　the　wreath　that　Barrington　gave　him；　together　with　the　another　he　had　brought　himself；　which　had　a　similar　ribbon　with　the　words：　‘From　Rushton　&　Co。　With　deep　sympathy。'

Seeing　that　Barrington　and　Owen　were　the　only　occupants　of　the　carriage；　Bill　Bates　and　the　Semi…drunk　came　up　to　the　door　and　asked　if　there　was　any　objection　to　their　coming　and　as　neither　Owen　nor　Barrington　objected；　they　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　ask　anyone　else's　permission；　so　they　got　in。

Meanwhile；　Hunter　had　taken　his　position　a　few　yards　in　front　of　the　hearse　and　the　bearers　each　his　proper　position；　two　on　each　side。　　As　the　procession　turned　into　the　main　road；　they　saw　Snatchum　standing　at　the　corner　looking　very　gloomy。　　Hunter　kept　his　eyes　fixed　straight　ahead　and　affected　not　to　see　him；　but　Crass　could　not　resist　the　temptation　to　indulge　in　a　jeering　smile；　which　so　enraged　Snatchum　that　he　shouted　out：

‘It　don't　matter！　　I　shan't　lose　much！　　I　can　use　it　for　someone　else！'

The　distance　to　the　cemetery　was　about　three　miles；　so　as　soon　as　they　got　out　of　the　busy　streets　of　the　town；　Hunter　called　a　halt；　and　got　up　on　the　hearse　beside　the　driver；　Crass　sat　on　the　other　side；　and　two　of　the　other　bearers　stood　in　the　space　behind　the　driver's　seat；　the　fourth　getting　up　beside　the　driver　of　the　coach；　and　then　they　proceeded　at　a　rapid　pace。

As　they　drew　near　to　the　cemetery　they　slowed　down；　and　finally　stopped　when　about　fifty　yards　from　the　gate。　　Then　Hunter　and　the　bearers　resumed　their　former　position；　mid　they　passed　through　the　open　gate　and　up　to　the　door　of　the　church；　where　they　were　received　by　the　clerk　…　a　man　in　a　rusty　black　cassock；　who　stood　by　while　they　carried　the　coffin　in　and　placed　it　on　a　kind　of　elevated　table　which　revolved　on　a　pivot。　　They　brought　it　in　footfirst；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　placed　it　upon　the　table；　the　clerk　swung　it　round　so　as　to　bring　the　foot　of　the　coffin　towards　the　door　ready　to　be　carried　out　again。

There　was　a　special　pew　set　apart　for　the　undertakers；　and　in　this　Hunter　and　the　bearers　took　their　seats　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　clergyman。　　Barrington　and　the　three　others　sat　on　the　opposite　side。　There　was　no　altar　or　pulpit　in　this　church；　but　a　kind　of　reading　desk　stood　on　a　slightly　raised　platform　at　the　other　end　of　the　aisle。

After　a　wait　of　about　ten　minutes；　the　clergyman　entered　and；　at　once　proceeding　to　the　desk；　began　to　recite　in　a　rapid　and　wholly　unintelligible　manner　the　usual　office。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　the　fact　that　each　of　his　hearers　had　a　copy　of　the　words　…　for　there　was　a　little　book　in　each　pew　…　none　of　them　would　have　been　able　to　gather　the　sense　of　what　the　man　was　gabbling。　　Under　any　other　circumstances；　the　spectacle　of　a　human　being　mouthing　in　this　absurd　way　would　have　compelled　laughter；　and　so　would　the　suggestion　that　this　individual　really　believed　that　he　was　addressing　the　Supreme　Being。　　His　attitude　and　manner　were　contemptuously　indifferent。　While　he　recited；　intoned；　or　gabbled；　the　words　of　the　office；　he　was　reading　the　certificate　and　some　other　paper　the　clerk　had　placed　upon　the　desk；　and　when　he　had　finished　reading　these；　his　gaze　wandered　abstractedly　round　the　chapel；　resting　for　a　long　time　with　an　expression　of　curiosity　upon　Bill　Bates　and　the　Semi…drunk；　who　were　doing　their　best　to　follow　in　their　books　the　words　he　was　repeating。　He　next　turned　his　attention　to　his　fingers；　holding　his　hand　away　from　him　nearly　at　arm's　length　and　critically　examining　the　nails。

From　time　to　time　as　this　miserable　mockery　proceeded　the　clerk　in　the　rusty　black　cassock　mechanically　droned　out　a　sonorous　‘Ah…men'；　and　after　the　conclusion　of　the　lesson　the　clergyman　went　out　of　the　church；　taking　a　short　cut　through　the　grave…stones　and　monuments；　while　the　bearers　again　shouldered　the　coffin　and　followed　the　clerk　to　the　grave。　　When　they　arrived　within　a　few　yards　of　their　destination；　they　were　rejoined　by　the　clergyman；　who　was　waiting　for　them　at　the　corner　of　one　of　the　paths。　　He　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　procession　with　an　open　book　in　his　hand；　and　as　they　walked　slowly　along；　he　resumed　his　reading　or　repetition　of　the　words　of　the　service。

He　had　on　an　old　black　cassock　and　a　much　soiled　and　slightly　torn　surplice。　　The　unseemly　appearance　of　this　dirty　garment　was　heightened　by　the　circumstance　that　he　had　not　taken　the　trouble　to　adjust　it　properly。　　It　hung　all　lop…sided；　showing　about　six　inches　more　of　the　black　cassock　underneath　one　side　than　the　other。　However；　perhaps　it　is　not　right　to　criticize　this　person's　appearance　so　severely；　because　the　poor　fellow　was　paid　only　seven…and…six　for　each　burial；　and　as　this　was　only　the　fourth　funeral　he　had　officiated　at　that　day；　probably　he　could　not　afford　to　wear　clean　linen　…　at　any　rate；　not　for　the　funerals　of　the　lower　classes。

He　continued　his　unintelligible　jargon　while　they　were　lowering　the　coffin　into　the　grave；　and　those　who　happened　to　know　the　words　of　the　office　by　heart　were；　with　some　difficulty；　able　to　understand　what　he　was　saying：

‘Forasmuch　as　it　hath　pleased　Almighty　God　of　His　great　mercy　to　take　unto　Himself　the　soul　of　our　Dear　Brother　here　departed；　we　therefore　commit　his　body　to　the　ground；　earth　to　earth；　ashes　to　ashes；　dust　to　dust　…'

The　earth　fell　from　the　clerk's　hand　and　rattled　on　the　lid　of　the　coffin　with　a　mournful　sound；　and　when　the　clergym