the ragged trousered philanthropists-第118章

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be　much　of　a　man　even　at　that。　　Those　in　the　middle　were　encouraged　by　shouts　from　others　in　the　crowd；　who　urged　them　to　‘Go　for　him'　and　at　last　…　almost　at　the　instant　of　Barrington's　arrival　…　one　of　the　heroes；　unable　to　contain　himself　any　longer；　lifted　a　heavy　stick　and　struck　Owen　savagely　across　the　face。　　The　sight　of　the　blood　maddened　the　others；　and　in　an　instant　everyone　who　could　get　within　striking　distance　joined　furiously　in　the　onslaught；　reaching　eagerly　over　each　other's　shoulders；　showering　blows　upon　him　with　sticks　and　fists；　and　before　Barrington　could　reach　his　side；　they　had　Owen　down　on　the　ground；　and　had　begun　to　use　their　boots　upon　him。

Barrington　felt　like　a　wild　beast　himself；　as　he　fiercely　fought　his　way　through　the　crowd；　spuming　them　to　right　and　left　with　fists　and　elbows。　　He　reached　the　centre　in　time　to　seize　the　uplifted　arm　of　the　man　who　had　led　the　attack　and　wrenching　the　stick　from　his　hand；　he　felled　him　to　the　ground　with　a　single　blow。　　The　remainder　shrank　back；　and　meantime　the　crowd　was　augmented　by　others　who　came　running　up。

Some　of　these　newcomers　were　Liberals　and　some　Tories；　and　as　these　did　not　know　what　the　row　was　about　they　attacked　each　other。　　The　Liberals　went　for　those　who　wore　Tory　colours　and　vice　versa；　and　in　a　few　seconds　there　was　a　general　free　fight；　though　most　of　the　original　crowd　ran　away；　and　in　the　confusion　that　ended；　Barrington　and　Owen　got　out　of　the　crowd　without　further　molestation。

Monday　was　the　last　day　of　the　election　…　polling　day　…　and　in　consequence　of　the　number　of　motor　cars　that　were　flying　about；　the　streets　were　hardly　safe　for　ordinary　traffic。　　The　wealthy　persons　who　owned　these　carriages。。。

The　result　of　the　poll　was　to　be　shown　on　an　illuminated　sign　at　the　Town　Hall；　at　eleven　o'clock　that　night；　and　long　before　that　hour　a　vast　crowd　gathered　in　the　adjacent　streets。　　About　ten　o'clock　it　began　to　rain；　but　the　crowd　stood　its　ground　and　increased　in　numbers　as　the　time　went　by。　　At　a　quarter　to　eleven　the　rain　increased　to　a　terrible　downpour；　but　the　people　remained　waiting　to　know　which　hero　had　conquered。　　Eleven　o'clock　came　and　an　intense　silence　fell　upon　the　crowd；　whose　eyes　were　fixed　eagerly　upon　the　window　where　the　sign　was　to　be　exhibited。　　To　judge　by　the　extraordinary　interest　displayed　by　these　people；　one　might　have　thought　that　they　expected　to　reap　some　great　benefit　or　to　sustain　some　great　loss　from　the　result；　but　of　course　that　was　not　the　case；　for　most　of　them　knew　perfectly　well　that　the　result　of　this　election　would　make　no　more　real　difference　to　them　than　all　the　other　elections　that　had　gone　before。

They　wondered　what　the　figures　would　be。　　There　were　ten　thousand　voters　on　the　register。　　At　a　quarter　past　eleven　the　sign　was　illuminated；　but　the　figures　were　not　yet　shown。　　Next；　the　names　of　the　two　candidates　were　slid　into　sight；　the　figures　were　still　missing；　but　D'Encloseland's　name　was　on　top；　and　a　hoarse　roar　of　triumph　came　from　the　throats　of　his　admirers。　　Then　the　two　slides　with　the　names　were　withdrawn；　and　the　sign　was　again　left　blank。　After　a　time　the　people　began　to　murmur　at　all　this　delay　and　messing　about；　and　presently　some　of　them　began　to　groan　and　hoot。

After　a　few　minutes　the　names　were　again　slid　into　view；　this　time　with　Sweater's　name　on　top；　and　the　figures　appeared　immediately　afterwards：

　　　　　　　　Sweater　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　4；221　　　　　　　　　D'Encloseland　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　4；200

It　was　several　seconds　before　the　Liberals　could　believe　their　eyes；　it　was　too　good　to　be　true。　　It　is　impossible　to　say　what　was　the　reason　of　the　wild　outburst　of　delighted　enthusiasm　that　followed；　but　whatever　the　reason；　whatever　the　benefit　was　that　they　expected　to　reap　…　there　was　the　fact。　　They　were　all　cheering　and　dancing　and　shaking　hands　with　each　other；　and　some　of　them　were　so　overcome　with　inexplicable　joy　that　they　were　scarcely　able　to　speak。　　It　was　altogether　extraordinary　and　unaccountable。

A　few　minutes　after　the　declaration；　Sweater　appeared　at　the　window　and　made　a　sort　of　a　speech；　but　only　fragments　of　it　were　audible　to　the　cheering　crowd　who　at　intervals　caught　such　phrases　as　‘Slashing　Blow'；　‘Sweep　the　Country'；　‘Grand　Old　Liberal　Flag'；　and　so　on。　　Next　D'Encloseland　appeared　and　he　was　seen　to　shake　hands　with　Mr　Sweater；　whom　he　referred　to　as　‘My　friend'。

When　the　two　‘friends'　disappeared　from　the　window；　the　part　of　the　Liberal　crowd　that　was　not　engaged　in　hand…to…hand　fights　with　their　enemies　…　the　Tories　…　made　a　rush　to　the　front　entrance　of　the　Town　Hall；　where　Sweater's　carriage　was　waiting；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　placed　his　plump　rotundity　inside；　they　took　the　horses　out　and　amid　frantic　cheers　harnessed　themselves　to　it　instead　and　dragged　it　through　the　mud　and　the　pouring　rain　all　the　way　to　‘The　Cave'　…　most　of　them　were　accustomed　to　acting　as　beasts　of　burden　…　where　he　again　addressed　a　few　words　to　them　from　the　porch。

Afterwards　as　they　walked　home　saturated　with　rain　and　covered　from　head　to　foot　with　mud；　they　said　it　was　a　great　victory　for　the　cause　of　progress！

Truly　the　wolves　have　an　easy　prey。



Chapter　49

The　Undesired


That　evening　about　seven　o'clock；　whilst　Easton　was　down…town　seeing　the　last　of　the　election；　Ruth's　child　was　born。

After　the　doctor　was　gone；　Mary　Linden　stayed　with　her　during　the　hours　that　elapsed　before　Easton　came　home；　and　downstairs　Elsie　and　Charley　…　who　were　allowed　to　stay　up　late　to　help　their　mother　because　Mrs　Easton　was　ill　…　crept　about　very　quietly；　and　conversed　in　hushed　tones　as　they　washed　up　the　tea　things　and　swept　the　floor　and　tidied　the　kitchen。

Easton　did　not　return　until　after　midnight；　and　all　through　the　intervening　hours；　Ruth；　weak　and　tired；　but　unable　to　sleep；　was　lying　in　bed　with　the　child　by　her　side。　　Her　wide…open　eyes　appeared　unnaturally　large　and　brilliant；　in　contrast　with　the　almost　death…like　paleness　of　her　face；　and　there　was　a　look　of　fear　in　them；　as　she　waited　and　listened　for　the　sound　of　Easton's　footsteps。

Outside；　the　silence　of　the　night　was　disturbed　by　many　unusual　noises：　a　far…off　roar；　as　of　the　breaking　of　waves　on　a　seashore；　arose　from　the　direction　of　the　town；　where　the　last　scenes　of　the　election　were　being　enacted。　　Every　few　minutes　motor　cars　rushed　past　the　house　at　a　furious　rate；　and　the　air　was　full　of　the　sounds　of　distant　shouts　and　singing。

Ruth　listened　and　started　nervously　at　every　passing　footstep。　　Those　who　can　imagine　the　kind　of　expression　there　would　be　upon　the　face　of　a　hunted　thief；　who；　finding　himself　encompassed　and　brought　to　bay　by　his　pursuers；　looks　wildly　around　in　a　vain　search　for　some　way　of　escape；　may　be　able　to　form　some　conception　of　the　terror…stricken　way　in　which　she　listened　to　every　sound　that　penetrated　into　the　stillness　of　the　dimly　lighted　room。　　And　ever　and　again；　when　her　wandering　glance　reverted　to　the　frail　atom　of　humanity　nestling　by　her　side；　her　brows　contracted　and　her　eyes　filled　with　bitter　tears；　as　she　weakly　reached　out　her　trembling　hand　to　adjust　its　coverings；　faintly　murmuring；　with　quivering　lips　and　a　bursting　heart；　some　words　of　endearment　and　pity。　　And　then　…　alarmed　by　the　footsteps　of　some　chance　passerby；　or　by　the　closing　of　the　door　of　a　neighbouring　house；　and　fearing　that　it　was　the　sound　she　had　been　waiting　for　and　dreading　through　all　those　weary　hours；　she　would　turn　in　terror　to　Mary　Linden；　sitting　in　the　chair　at　the　bedside；　sewing　by　the　light　of　the　shaded　lamp；　and　take　hold　of　her　arm　as　if　seeking　protection　from　some　impending　danger。

It　was　after　twelve　o'clock　when　Easton　came　home。　　Ruth　recognized　his　footsteps　before　he　reached　the　house；　and　her　heart　seemed　to　stop　beating　when　she　heard　the　clang　of　the　gate；　as　it　closed　after　he　had　passed　through。

It　had　been　Mary's　intention　to　withdraw　before　he　came　into　the　room；　but　the　sick　woman　clung　to　her　in　such　evident　fear；　and　entreated　her　so　earnestly　not　to　go　away；　that　she　remained。

It　was　with　a　feeling　of　keen　disappointment　that　Easton　noticed　how　Ruth　shrank　away　from　him；　for　he　had　expected　and　hoped；　that　after　this；　they　would　be　good　friends　once　more；　but　he　tried　to　think　that　it　was　because　she　was　ill；　and　when　she　would　not　let　him　touch　the　child　lest　he　should　awaken　it；　he　agreed　without　question。

The　next　day；　and　for　the　greater　part　of　the　time　during　the　next　fortnight；　Ruth　was　in　a　raging　fever。　　There　were　intervals　when　although　weak　and　exhausted；　she　was　in　her　right　mind；　but　most　of　the　time　she　was　quite　unconscious　of　her　surroundings　and　often　delirious。　　Mrs　Owen　came　every　day　to　help　to　look　after　her；　because　Mary　just　then　had　a　lot　of　needlework　to　do；　and　consequently　could　only　give　part　of　her　time　to　Ruth；　who；　in　her　delirium；　lived　and　told　over　and　over　again　all　the　sorrow　and　suffering　of　the　last　few　months。　　And　so　the　two　friends；　watching　by　her　bedside；　learned　her　dreadful　secret。

Sometimes　…　in　her　delirium　…　she　seemed　possessed　of　an　intense　and　terrible　loathing　for　the　poor　little　creature　she　had　brought　into　the　world；　and　was　with　difficulty　prevented　from　doing　it　violence。　Once　she　seized　it　cruelly　and　threw　it　fiercely　from　her　to　the　foot　of　the　bed；　as　if　it　had　been　some　poisonous　or　loathsome　thing。　　And　so　it　often　became　necessary　to　take　the　child　away　out　of　the　room；　so　that　she　could　not　see　or　hear　it；　but　when　her　senses　came　back　to　her；　her　first　thought　was　for　the　child；　and　there　must　have　been　in　her　mind　some　faint　recollection　of　what　she　had　said　and　done　in　her　madness；　for　when　she　saw　that　the　baby　was　not　in　its　accustomed　place　her　distress　and　alarm　were　painful　to　see；　as　she　entreated　them　with　tears　to　give　it　back　to　her。　　And　then　she　would　kiss　and　fondle　it　with　all　manner　of　endearing　words；　and　cry　bitterly。

Easton　did　not　see　or　hear　most　of　this；　he　only　knew　that　she　was　very　ill；　for　he　went　out　every　day　on　the　almost　hopeless　quest　for　work。　　Rushton's　had　next　to　nothing　to　do；　and　most　of　the　other　shops　were　in　a　similar　plight。　　Dauber　and　Botchit　had　one　or　two　jobs　going　on；　and　Easton　tried　several　times　to　get　a　start　for　them；　but　was　always　told　they　were　full　up。　　The　sweating　methods　of　this　firm　continued　to　form　a　favourite　topic　of　conversation　with　the　unemployed　workmen；　who　railed　at　and　cursed　them　horribly。　　It　had　leaked　out　that　they　were　paying　only　sixpence　an　hour　to　most　of　the　skilled　workmen　in　their　employment；　and　even　then　the　conditions　under　which　they　worked　were；　if　possible；　worse　than　those　obtaining　at　most　other　firms。　　The　men　were　treated　like　so　many　convicts；　and　every　job　was　a　hell　where　driving　and　bullying　reigned　supreme；　and　obscene　curses　and　blasphemy　polluted　the　air　from　morning　till　night。　The　resentment　of　those　who　were　out　of　work　was　directed；　not　only　against　the　heads　of　the　firm；　but　also　against　the　miserable；　half…starved　drudges　in　their　employment。　　These　poor　wretches　were　denounced　as　‘scabs'　and　‘wastrels'　by　the　unemployed　workmen　but　all　the　same；　whenever　Dauber　and　Botchit　wanted　some　extra　hands　they　never　had　any　dif