the ragged trousered philanthropists-第15章

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Frankie　nodded。　　‘Yes；'　he　said；　‘I　remember　you　wrote　a　note　and　I　took　it　to　the　shop；　and　afterwards　old　Didlum　came　up　here　and　bought　it；　and　then　his　cart　came　and　a　man　took　it　away。'

‘And　do　you　remember　how　much　he　gave　us　for　it？'

‘Five　shillings；'　replied　Frankie；　promptly。　　He　was　well　acquainted　with　the　details　of　the　transaction；　having　often　heard　his　father　and　mother　discuss　it。

‘And　when　we　saw　it　in　his　shop　window　a　little　while　afterwards；　what　price　was　marked　on　it？'

'Fifteen　shillings。'

Well；　that's　one　way　of　getting　money　without　working。

Frankie　played　with　his　toys　in　silence　for　some　minutes。　　At　last　he　said：

‘What　other　ways？'

‘Some　people　who　have　some　money　already　get　more　in　this　way：　they　find　some　people　who　have　no　money　and　say　to　them；　〃Come　and　work　for　us。〃　　Then　the　people　who　have　the　money　pay　the　workers　just　enough　wages　to　keep　them　alive　whilst　they　are　at　work。　　Then；　when　the　things　that　the　working　people　have　been　making　are　finished；　the　workers　are　sent　away；　and　as　they　still　have　no　money；　they　are　soon　starving。　　In　the　meantime　the　people　who　had　the　money　take　all　the　things　that　the　workers　have　made　and　sell　them　for　a　great　deal　more　money　than　they　gave　to　the　workers　for　making　them。　　That's　another　way　of　getting　lots　of　money　without　doing　any　useful　work。'

‘But　is　there　no　way　to　get　rich　without　doing　such　things　as　that？'

‘It's　not　possible　for　anyone　to　become　rich　without　cheating　other　people。'

‘What　about　our　schoolmaster　then？　　He　doesn't　do　any　work。'

‘Don't　you　think　it's　useful　and　and　also　very　hard　work　teaching　all　those　boys　every　day？　　I　don't　think　I　should　like　to　have　to　do　it。'

‘Yes；　I　suppose　what　he　does　is　some　use；'　said　Frankie　thoughtfully。　‘And　it　must　be　rather　hard　too；　I　should　think。　　I've　noticed　he　looks　a　bit　worried　sometimes；　and　sometimes　he　gets　into　a　fine　old　wax　when　the　boys　don't　pay　proper　attention。'

The　child　again　went　over　to　the　window；　and　pulling　back　the　edge　of　the　blind　looked　down　the　deserted　rain　washed　street。

‘What　about　the　vicar？'　he　remarked　as　he　returned。

Although　Frankie　did　not　go　to　church　or　Sunday　School；　the　day　school　that　he　had　attended　was　that　attached　to　the　parish　church；　and　the　vicar　was　in　the　habit　of　looking　in　occasionally。

‘Ah；　he　really　is　one　of　those　who　live　without　doing　any　necessary　work；　and　of　all　the　people　who　do　nothing；　the　vicar　is　one　of　the　very　worst。'

Frankie　looked　up　at　his　mother　with　some　surprise；　not　because　he　entertained　any　very　high　opinion　of　clergymen　in　general；　for；　having　been　an　attentive　listener　to　many　conversations　between　his　parents；　he　had　of　course　assimilated　their　opinions　as　far　as　his　infant　understanding　permitted；　but　because　at　the　school　the　scholars　were　taught　to　regard　the　gentleman　in　question　with　the　most　profound　reverence　and　respect。

‘Why；　Mum？'　he　asked。

‘For　this　reason；　dearie。　　You　know　that　all　the　beautiful　things　which　the　people　who　do　nothing　have　are　made　by　the　people　who　work；　don't　you？'

‘Yes。'

‘And　you　know　that　those　who　work　have　to　eat　the　very　worst　food；　and　wear　the　very　worst　clothes；　and　live　in　the　very　worst　homes。'

‘Yes；'　said　Frankie。

‘And　sometimes　they　have　nothing　to　eat　at　all；　and　no　clothes　to　wear　except　rags；　and　even　no　homes　to　live　in。'

‘Yes；'　repeated　the　child。

‘Well；　the　vicar　goes　about　telling　the　Idlers　that　it's　quite　right　for　them　to　do　nothing；　and　that　God　meant　them　to　have　nearly　everything　that　is　made　by　those　who　work。　　In　fact；　he　tells　them　that　God　made　the　poor　for　the　use　of　the　rich。　　Then　he　goes　to　the　workers　and　tells　them　that　God　meant　them　to　work　very　hard　and　to　give　all　the　good　things　they　make　to　those　who　do　nothing；　and　that　they　should　be　very　thankful　to　God　and　to　the　idlers　for　being　allowed　to　have　even　the　very　worst　food　to　eat　and　the　rags；　and　broken　boots　to　wear。　　He　also　tells　them　that　they　mustn't　grumble；　or　be　discontented　because　they're　poor　in　this　world；　but　that　they　must　wait　till　they're　dead；　and　then　God　will　reward　them　by　letting　them　go　to　a　place　called　Heaven。'

Frankie　laughed。

‘And　what　about　the　Idlers？'　he　asked。

‘The　vicar　says　that　if　they　believe　everything　he　tells　them　and　give　him　some　of　the　money　they　make　out　of　the　workers；　then　God　will　let　them　into　heaven　also。'

‘Well；　that's　not　fair　doos；　is　it；　Mum？'　said　Frankie　with　some　indignation。

‘It　wouldn't　be　if　it　were　true；　but　then　you　see　it's　not　true；　it　can't　be　true。'

‘Why　can't　it；　Mum？'

‘Oh；　for　many　reasons：　to　begin　with；　the　vicar　doesn't　believe　it　himself：　he　only　pretends　to。　　For　instance；　he　pretends　to　believe　the　Bible；　but　if　we　read　the　Bible　we　find　that　Jesus　said　that　God　is　our　father　and　that　all　the　people　in　the　world　are　His　children；　all　brothers　and　sisters。　　But　the　vicar　says　that　although　Jesus　said　〃brothers　and　sisters〃　He　really　ought　to　have　said　〃masters　and　servants〃。　　Again；　Jesus　said　that　His　disciples　should　not　think　of　tomorrow；　or　save　up　a　lot　of　money　for　themselves；　but　they　should　be　unselfish　and　help　those　who　are　in　need。　　Jesus　said　that　His　disciples　must　not　think　about　their　own　future　needs　at　all；　because　God　will　provide　for　them　if　they　only　do　as　He　commands。　　But　the　vicar　says　that　is　all　nonsense。

‘Jesus　also　said　that　if　anyone　tried　to　do　His　disciples　harm；　they　must　never　resist；　but　forgive　those　who　injured　them　and　pray　God　to　forgive　them　also。　　But　the　vicar　says　this　is　all　nonsense　too。　　He　says　that　the　world　would　never　be　able　to　go　on　if　we　did　as　Jesus　taught。　　The　vicar　teaches　that　the　way　to　deal　with　those　that　injure　us　is　to　have　them　put　into　prison；　or　…　if　they　belong　to　some　other　country　…　to　take　guns　and　knives　and　murder　them；　and　burn　their　houses。　　So　you　see　the　vicar　doesn't　really　believe　or　do　any　of　the　things　that　Jesus　said：　he　only　pretends。'

‘But　why　does　he　pretend；　and　go　about　talking　like　that；　Mum？　　What　does　he　do　it　for？'

‘Because　he　wishes　to　live　without　working　himself；　dear。'

‘And　don't　the　people　know　he's　only　pretending？'

‘Some　of　them　do。　　Most　of　the　idlers　know　that　what　the　vicar　says　is　not　true；　but　they　pretend　to　believe　it；　and　give　him　money　for　saying　it；　because　they　want　him　to　go　on　telling　it　to　the　workers　so　that　they　will　go　on　working　and　keep　quiet　and　be　afraid　to　think　for　themselves。'

‘And　what　about　the　workers？　　Do　they　believe　it？

‘Most　of　them　do；　because　when　they　were　little　children　like　you；　their　mothers　taught　them　to　believe；　without　thinking；　whatever　the　vicar　said；　and　that　God　made　them　for　the　use　of　the　idlers。　　When　they　went　to　school；　they　were　taught　the　same　thing：　and　now　that　they're　grown　up　they　really　believe　it；　and　they　go　to　work　and　give　nearly　everything　they　make　to　the　idlers；　and　have　next　to　nothing　left　for　themselves　and　their　children。　　That's　the　reason　why　the　workers'　children　have　very　bad　clothes　to　wear　and　sometimes　no　food　to　eat；　and　that's　how　it　is　that　the　idlers　and　their　children　have　more　clothes　than　they　need　and　more　food　than　they　can　eat。　　Some　of　them　have　so　much　food　that　they　are　not　able　to　eat　it。　　They　just　waste　it　or　throw　it　away。'

‘When　I'm　grown　up　into　a　man；'　said　Frankie；　with　a　flushed　face；　‘I'm　going　to　be　one　of　the　workers；　and　when　we've　made　a　lot　of　things；　I　shall　stand　up　and　tell　the　others　what　to　do。　　If　any　of　the　idlers　come　to　take　our　things　away；　they'll　get　something　they　won't　like。'

In　a　state　of　suppressed　excitement　and　scarcely　conscious　of　what　he　was　doing；　the　boy　began　gathering　up　the　toys　and　throwing　the　violently　one　by　one　into　the　box。

‘I'll　teach　'em　to　come　taking　our　things　away；'　he　exclaimed；　relapsing　momentarily　into　his　street　style　of　speaking。

‘First　of　all　we'll　all　stand　quietly　on　one　side。　　Then　when　the　idlers　come　in　and　start　touching　our　things；　we'll　go　up　to　'em　and　say；　〃‘Ere；　watcher　doin'　of？　　Just　you　put　it　down；　will　yer？〃　　And　if　they　don't　put　it　down　at　once；　it'll　be　the　worse　for　'em；　I　can　tell　you。'

All　the　toys　being　collected；　Frankie　picked　up　the　box　and　placed　it　noisily　in　its　accustomed　corner　of　the　room。

‘I　should　think　the　workers　will　be　jolly　glad　when　they　see　me　coming　to　tell　them　what　to　do；　shouldn't　you；　Mum？'

‘I　don't　know　dear；　you　see　so　many　people　have　tried　to　tell　them；　but　they　won't　listen；　they　don't　want　to　hear。　　They　think　it's　quite　right　that　they　should　work　very　hard　all　their　lives；　and　quite　right　that　most　of　the　things　they　help　to　make　should　be　taken　away　from　them　by　the　people　who　do　nothing。　　The　workers　think　that　their　children　are　not　as　good　as　the　children　of　the　idlers；　and　they　teach　their　children　that　as　soon　as　ever　they　are　old　enough　they　must　be　satisfied　to　work　very　hard　and　to　have　only　very　bad　good　and　clothes　and　homes。'

‘Then　I　should　think　the　workers　ought　to　be　jolly　ashamed　of　themselves；　Mum；　don't　you？'

‘Well；　in　one　sense　they　ought；　but　you　must　remember　that　that's　what　they've　always　been　taught　themselves。　　First；　their　mothers　and　fathers　told　them　so；　then；　their　schoolteachers　told　them　so；　and　then；　when　they　went　to　church；　the　vicar　and　the　Sunday　School　teacher　told　them　the　same　thing。　　So　you　can't　be　surprised　that　they　now　really　believe　that　God　made　them　and　their　children　to　make　things　for　the　use　of　the　people　who　do　nothing。'

‘But　you'd　think　their　own　sense　would　tell　them！　　How　can　it　be　right　for　the　people　who　do　nothing　to　have　the　very　best　and　　most　of　everything　thats　made；　and　the　very　ones　who　make　everything　to　have　hardly　any。　　Why　even　I　know　better　than　that；　and　I'm　only　six　and　a　half　years　old。'

‘But　then　you're　different；　dearie；　you've　been　taught　to　think　about　it；　and　Dad　and　I　have　explained　it　to　you；　often。'

‘Yes；　I　know；'　replied　Frankie　confidently。　　‘But　even　if　you'd　never　taught　me；　I'm　sure　I　should　have　tumbled　to　it　all　right　by　myself；　I'm　not　such　a　juggins　as　you　think　I　am。'

‘So　you　might；　but　you　wouldn't　if　you'd　been　brought　up　in　the　same　way　as　most　of　the　workers。　　They've　been　taught　that　it's　very　wicked　to　use　their　own　judgement；　or　to　think。　　And　their　children　are　being　taught　so　now。　　Do　you　remember　what　you　told　me　the　other　day；　when　you　came　home　from　school；　about　the　Scripture　lesson？'

‘About　St　Thomas？'

‘Yes。　　What　did　the　teacher　say　St　Thomas　was？'

‘She　said　he　was　a　bad　example；　and　she　said　I　was　worse　than　him　because　I　asked　too　many　foolish　questions。　　She　always　gets　in　a　wax　if　I　talk　too　much。'

‘Well；　why　did　she　call　St　Thomas　a　bad　example？'

‘Because　he　wouldn't　believe　what　he　was　told。'

‘Exactly：　well；　when　you　told　Dad　about　it　what　did　he　say？'

‘Dad　told　me　that　really　St　Thomas　was　the　only　sensible　man　in　the　whole　crowd　of　Apostles。　　That　is；'　added　Frankie；　correcting　himself；　‘if　there　ever　was　such　a　man　at　all。'

‘But　did　Dad　say　that　there　never　was　such　a　man？'

‘No；　he　said　HE　didn't　believe　there　ever　was；　but　he　told　me　to　just　listen　to　what　the　teacher　said　about　such　things；　and　then　to　think　about　it　in　my　own　mind；　and　wait　till　I'm　grow