the ragged trousered philanthropists-第119章

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workmen　but　all　the　same；　whenever　Dauber　and　Botchit　wanted　some　extra　hands　they　never　had　any　difficulty　in　obtaining　them；　and　it　often　happened　that　those　who　had　been　loudest　and　bitterest　in　their　denunciations　were　amongst　the　first　to　rush　off　eagerly　to　apply　there　for　a　job　whenever　there　was　a　chance　of　getting　one。

Frequently　the　light　was　seen　burning　late　at　night　in　Rushton's　office；　where　Nimrod　and　his　master　were　figuring　out　prices　and　writing　out　estimates；　cutting　down　the　amounts　to　the　lowest　possible　point　in　the　hope　of　underbidding　their　rivals。　　Now　and　then　they　were　successful　but　whether　they　secured　the　work　or　not；　Nimrod　always　appeared　equally　miserable。　　If　they　got　the　‘job'　it　often　showed　such　a　small　margin　of　profit　that　Rushton　used　to　grumble　at　him　and　suggest　mismanagement。　　If　their　estimates　were　too　high　and　they　lost　the　work；　he　used　to　demand　of　Nimrod　why　it　was　possible　for　Dauber　and　Botchit　to　do　work　so　much　more　cheaply。

As　the　unemployed　workmen　stood　in　groups　at　the　corners　or　walked　aimlessly　about　the　streets；　they　often　saw　Hunter　pass　by　on　his　bicycle；　looking　worried　and　harassed。　　He　was　such　a　picture　of　misery；　that　it　began　to　be　rumoured　amongst　the　men；　that　he　had　never　been　the　same　since　the　time　he　had　that　fall　off　the　bike；　and　some　of　them　declared；　that　they　wouldn't　mind　betting　that　ole　Misery　would　finish　up　by　going　off　his　bloody　rocker。

At　intervals　…　whenever　a　job　came　in　…　Owen；　Crass；　Slyme；　Sawkins　and　one　or　two　others；　continued　to　be　employed　at　Rushton's；　but　they　seldom　managed　to　make　more　than　two　or　three　days　a　week；　even　when　there　was　anything　to　do。



Chapter　50

Sundered


During　the　next　few　weeks　Ruth　continued　very　ill。　　Although　the　delirium　had　left　her　and　did　not　return；　her　manner　was　still　very　strange；　and　it　was　remarkable　that　she　slept　but　little　and　at　long　intervals。　　Mrs　Owen　came　to　look　after　her　every　day；　not　going　back　to　her　own　home　till　the　evening。　　Frankie　used　to　call　for　her　as　he　came　out　of　school　and　then　they　used　to　go　home　together；　taking　little　Freddie　Easton　with　them　also；　for　his　own　mother　was　not　able　to　look　after　him　and　Mary　Linden　had　so　much　other　work　to　do。

On　Wednesday　evening；　when　the　child　was　about　five　weeks　old；　as　Mrs　Owen　was　wishing　her　good　night；　Ruth　took　hold　of　her　hand　and　after　saying　how　grateful　she　was　for　all　that　she　had　done；　she　asked　whether　…　supposing　anything　happened　to　herself　…　Nora　would　promise　to　take　charge　of　Freddie　for　Easton。　　Owen's　wife　gave　the　required　promise；　at　the　same　time　affecting　to　regard　the　supposition　as　altogether　unlikely；　and　assuring　her　that　she　would　soon　be　better；　but　she　secretly　wondered　why　Ruth　had　not　mentioned　the　other　child　as　well。

Nora　went　away　about　five　o'clock；　leaving　Ruth's　bedroom　door　open　so　that　Mrs　Linden　could　hear　her　call　if　she　needed　anything。　　About　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　Nora　and　the　two　children　had　gone；　Mary　Linden　went　upstairs　to　see　Ruth；　who　appeared　to　have　fallen　fast　asleep；　so　she　returned　to　her　needlework　downstairs。　　The　weather　had　been　very　cloudy　all　day；　there　had　been　rain　at　intervals　and　it　was　a　dark　evening；　so　dark　that　she　had　to　light　the　lamp　to　see　her　work。　　Charley　sat　on　the　hearthrug　in　front　of　the　fire　repairing　one　of　the　wheels　of　a　wooden　cart　that　he　had　made　with　the　assistance　of　another　boy；　and　Elsie　busied　herself　preparing　the　tea。

Easton　was　not　yet　home；　Rushton　&　Co。　had　a　few　jobs　to　do　and　he　had　been　at　work　since　the　previous　Thursday。　　The　place　where　he　was　working　was　some　considerable　distance　away；　so　it　was　nearly　half　past　six　when　he　came　home。　　They　heard　him　at　the　gate　and　at　her　mother's　direction　Elsie　went　quickly　to　the　front　door；　which　was　ajar；　to　ask　him　to　walk　as　quietly　as　possible　so　as　not　to　wake　Ruth。

Mary　had　prepared　the　table　for　his　tea　in　the　kitchen；　where　there　was　a　bright　fire　with　the　kettle　singing　on　the　hob。　　He　lit　the　lamp　and　after　removing　his　hat　and　overcoat；　put　the　kettle　on　the　fire　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　it　to　boil　he　went　softly　upstairs。　There　was　no　lamp　burning　in　the　bedroom　and　the　place　would　have　been　in　utter　darkness　but　for　the　red　glow　of　the　fire；　which　did　not　dispel　the　prevailing　obscurity　sufficiently　to　enable　him　to　discern　the　different　objects　in　the　room　distinctly。　　The　intense　silence　that　reigned　struck　him　with　a　sudden　terror。　　He　crossed　swiftly　over　to　the　bed　and　a　moment's　examination　sufficed　to　tell　him　that　it　was　empty。　　He　called　her　name；　but　there　was　no　answer；　and　a　hurried　search　only　made　it　certain　that　she　was　nowhere　in　the　house。

Mrs　Linden　now　remembered　what　Owen's　wife　had　told　her　of　the　strange　request　that　Ruth　had　made；　and　as　she　recounted　it　to　Easton；　his　fears　became　intensified　a　thousandfold。　　He　was　unable　to　form　any　opinion　of　the　reason　of　her　going　or　of　where　she　had　gone；　as　he　rushed　out　to　seek　for　her。　　Almost　unconsciously　he　directed　his　steps　to　Owen's　house；　and　afterwards　the　two　men　went　to　every　place　where　they　thought　it　possible　she　might　have　gone；　but　without　finding　any　trace　of　her。

Her　father　lived　a　short　distance　outside　the　town；　and　this　was　one　of　the　first　places　they　went　to；　although　Easton　did　not　think　it　likely　she　would　go　there；　for　she　had　not　been　on　friendly　terms　with　her　stepmother；　and　as　he　had　anticipated；　it　was　a　fruitless　journey。

They　sought　for　her　in　every　conceivable　place；　returning　often　to　Easton's　house　to　see　if　she　had　come　home；　but　they　found　no　trace　of　her；　nor　met　anyone　who　had　seen　her；　which　was；　perhaps；　because　the　dreary；　rain…washed　streets　were　deserted　by　all　except　those　whose　business　compelled　them　to　be　out。

About　eleven　o'clock　Nora　was　standing　at　the　front　door　waiting　for　Owen　and　Easton；　when　she　thought　she　could　discern　a　woman's　figure　in　the　shadow　of　the　piers　of　the　gate　opposite。　　It　was　an　unoccupied　house　with　a　garden　in　front；　and　the　outlines　of　the　bushes　it　contained　were　so　vague　in　the　darkness　that　it　was　impossible　to　be　certain；　but　the　longer　she　looked　the　more　convinced　she　became　that　there　was　someone　there。　　At　last　she　summoned　sufficient　courage　to　cross　over　the　road；　and　as　she　nervously　drew　near　the　gate　it　became　evident　that　she　had　not　been　mistaken。　　There　was　a　woman　standing　there　…　a　woman　with　a　child　in　her　arms；　leaning　against　one　of　the　pillars　and　holding　the　iron　bars　of　the　gate　with　her　left　hand。　　It　was　Ruth。　　Nora　recognized　her　even　in　the　semi…darkness。　　Her　attitude　was　one　of　extreme　exhaustion；　and　as　Nora　touched　her；　she　perceived　that　she　was　wet　through　and　trembling；　but　although　she　was　almost　fainting　with　fatigue　she　would　not　consent　to　go　indoors　until　repeatedly　assured　that　Easton　was　not　there；　and　that　Nora　would　not　let　him　see　her　if　he　came。　　And　when　at　length　she　yielded　and　went　into　the　house　she　would　not　sit　down　or　take　off　her　hat　or　jacket　until　…　crouching　on　the　floor　beside　Nora's　chair　with　her　face　hidden　in　the　latter's　lap　…　she　had　sobbed　out　her　pitiful　confession；　the　same　things　that　she　had　unwittingly　told　to　the　same　hearer　so　often　before　during　the　illness；　the　only　fact　that　was　new　was　the　account　of　her　wanderings　that　night。

She　cried　so　bitterly　and　looked　so　forlorn　and　heartbroken　and　ashamed　as　she　faltered　out　her　woeful　story；　so　consumed　with　self…condemnation；　making　no　excuse　for　herself　except　to　repeat　over　and　over　again　that　she　had　never　meant　to　do　wrong；　that　Nora　could　not　refrain　from　weeping　also　as　she　listened。

It　appeared　that；　unable　to　bear　the　reproach　that　Easton's　presence　seemed　to　imply；　or　to　endure　the　burden　of　her　secret　any　longer；　and　always　haunted　by　the　thought　of　the　lake　in　the　park；　Ruth　had　formed　the　dreadful　resolution　of　taking　her　own　life　and　the　child's。　　When　she　arrived　at　the　park　gates　they　were　closed　and　locked　for　the　night　but　she　remembered　that　there　was　another　means　of　entering　…　the　place　at　the　far　end　of　the　valley　where　the　park　was　not　fenced　in；　so　she　had　gone　there　…　nearly　three　miles　…　only　to　find　that　railings　had　recently　been　erected　and　therefore　it　was　no　longer　possible　to　get　into　the　park　by　that　way。　　And　then；　when　she　found　it　impossible　to　put　her　resolve　into　practice；　she　had　realized　for　the　first　time　the　folly　and　wickedness　of　the　act　she　had　meant　to　commit。　　But　although　she　had　abandoned　her　first　intention；　she　said　she　could　never　go　home　again；　she　would　take　a　room　somewhere　and　get　some　work　to　do；　or　perhaps　she　might　be　able　to　get　a　situation　where　they　would　allow　her　to　have　the　child　with　her；　or　failing　that　she　would　work　and　pay　someone　to　look　after　it；　but　she　could　never　go　home　any　more。　　If　she　only　had　somewhere　to　stay　for　a　few　days　until　she　could　get　something　to　do；　she　was　sure　she　would　be　able　to　earn　her　living；　but　she　could　not　go　back　home；　she　felt　that　she　would　rather　walk　about　the　streets　all　night　than　go　there　again。

It　was　arranged　that　Ruth　should　have　the　small　apartment　which　had　been　Frankie's　playroom；　the　necessary　furniture　being　obtained　from　a　second…hand　shop　close　by。　　Easton　did　not　learn　the　real　reason　of　her　flight　until　three　days　afterwards。　　At　first　he　attributed　it　to　a　recurrence　of　the　mental　disorder　that　she　had　suffered　from　after　the　birth　of　the　child；　and　he　had　been　glad　to　leave　her　at　Owen's　place　in　Nora's　care；　but　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day　when　he　returned　home　from　work；　he　found　a　letter　in　Ruth's　handwriting　which　told　him　all　there　was　to　tell。

When　he　recovered　from　the　stupefaction　into　which　he　was　thrown　by　the　perusal　of　this　letter；　his　first　thought　was　to　seek　out　Slyme；　but　he　found　upon　inquiring　that　the　latter　had　left　the　town　the　previous　morning。　　Slyme's　landlady　said　he　had　told　her　that　he　had　been　offered　several　months'　work　in　London；　which　he　had　accepted。　The　truth　was　that　Slyme　had　heard　of　Ruth's　flight　…　nearly　everyone　knew　about　it　as　a　result　of　the　inquiries　that　had　been　made　for　her　…　and；　guessing　the　cause；　he　had　prudently　cleared　out。

Easton　made　no　attempt　to　see　Ruth；　but　he　went　to　Owen's　and　took　Freddie　away；　saying　he　would　pay　Mrs　Linden　to　look　after　the　child　whilst　he　was　at　work。　　His　manner　was　that　of　a　deeply　injured　man　…　the　possibility　that　he　was　in　any　way　to　blame　for　what　had　happened　did　not　seem　to　occur　to　his　mind　at　all。

As　for　Ruth　she　made　no　resistance　to　his　taking　the　child　away　from　her；　although　she　cried　about　it　in　secret。　　She　got　some　work　a　few　days　afterwards　…　helping　the　servants　at　one　of　the　large　boarding…　houses　on　the　Grand　Parade。

Nora　looked　after　the　baby　for　her　while　she　was　at　work；　an　arrangement　that　pleased　Frankie　vastly；　he　said　it　was　almost　as　good　as　having　a　baby　of　their　very　own。

For　the　first　few　weeks　after　Ruth　went　away　Easton　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　he　did　not　very　much　regret　what　had　happened。　　Mrs　Linden　looked　after　Freddie；　and　Easton　tried　to　believe　that　he　would　really　be　better　off　now　that　he　had　only　himself　and　the　child　to　provide　for。

At　first；　whenever　he　happened　to　meet　Owen；　they　used　to　speak