the ragged trousered philanthropists-第40章

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Small　wonder　that　when　this　good　and　public…spirited　man　offered　his　services　to　the　town　…　free　of　charge　…　the　intelligent　working　men　of　Mugsborough　accepted　his　offer　with　enthusiastic　applause。　　The　fact　that　he　had　made　money　in　business　was　a　proof　of　his　intellectual　capacity。　　His　much…advertised　benevolence　was　a　guarantee　that　his　abilities　would　be　used　to　further　not　his　own　private　interests；　but　the　interests　of　every　section　of　the　community；　especially　those　of　the　working　classes；　of　whom　the　majority　of　his　constituents　was　composed。

As　for　the　shopkeepers；　they　were　all　so　absorbed　in　their　own　business　…　so　busily　engaged　chasing　their　employees；　adding　up　their　accounts；　and　dressing　themselves　up　in　feeble　imitation　of　the　‘Haristocracy'　…　that　they　were　incapable　of　taking　a　really　intelligent　interest　in　anything　else。　　They　thought　of　the　Town　Council　as　a　kind　of　Paradise　reserved　exclusively　for　jerry…builders　and　successful　tradesmen。　　Possibly；　some　day；　if　they　succeeded　in　making　money；　they　might　become　town　councillors　themselves！　but　in　the　meantime　public　affairs　were　no　particular　concern　of　theirs。　　So　some　of　them　voted　for　Adam　Sweater　because　he　was　a　Liberal　and　some　of　them　voted　against　him　for　the　same　‘reason'。

Now　and　then；　when　details　of　some　unusually　scandalous　proceeding　of　the　Council's　leaked　out；　the　townspeople　…　roused　for　a　brief　space　from　their　customary　indifference　…　would　discuss　the　matter　in　a　casual；　half…indignant；　half…amused；　helpless　sort　of　way；　but　always　as　if　it　were　something　that　did　not　directly　concern　them。　　It　was　during　some　such　nine　days'　wonder　that　the　title　of　‘The　Forty　Thieves'　was　bestowed　on　the　members　of　the　Council　by　their　semi…imbecile　constituents；　who；　not　possessing　sufficient　intelligence　to　devise　means　of　punishing　the　culprits；　affected　to　regard　the　manoeuvres　of　the　Brigands　as　a　huge　joke。

There　was　only　one　member　of　the　Council　who　did　not　belong　to　the　Band　…　Councillor　Weakling；　a　retired　physician；　but　unfortunately　he　also　was　a　respectable　man。　　When　he　saw　something　going　forwards　that　he　did　not　think　was　right；　he　protested　and　voted　against　it　and　then　…　he　collapsed！　　There　was　nothing　of　the　low　agitator　about　HIM。　　As　for　the　Brigands；　they　laughed　at　his　protests　and　his　vote　did　not　matter。

With　this　one　exception；　the　other　members　of　the　band　were　very　similar　in　character　to　Sweater；　Rushton；　Didlum　and　Grinder。　　They　had　all　joined　the　Band　with　the　same　objects；　self…glorification　and　the　advancement　of　their　private　interests。　　These　were　the　real　reasons　why　they　besought　the　ratepayers　to　elect　them　to　the　Council；　but　of　course　none　of　them　ever　admitted　that　such　was　the　case。　　No！　When　these　noble…minded　altruists　offered　their　services　to　the　town　they　asked　the　people　to　believe　that　they　were　actuated　by　a　desire　to　give　their　time　and　abilities　for　the　purpose　of　furthering　the　interests　of　Others；　which　was　much　the　same　as　asking　them　to　believe　that　it　is　possible　for　the　leopard　to　change　his　spots。



Owing　to　the　extraordinary　apathy　of　the　other　inhabitants；　the　Brigands　were　able　to　carry　out　their　depredations　undisturbed。　Daylight　robberies　were　of　frequent　occurrence。

For　many　years　these　Brigands　had　looked　with　greedy　eyes　upon　the　huge　profits　of　the　Gas　Company。　　They　thought　it　was　a　beastly　shame　that　those　other　bandits　should　be　always　raiding　the　town　and　getting　clear　away　with　such　rich　spoils。

At　length　…　about　two　years　ago　…　after　much　study　and　many　private　consultations；　a　plan　of　campaign　was　evolved；　a　secret　council　of　war　was　held；　presided　over　by　Mr　Sweater；　and　the　Brigands　formed　themselves　into　an　association　called　‘The　Mugsborough　Electric　Light　Supply　and　Installation　Coy。　Ltd。'；　and　bound　themselves　by　a　solemn　oath　to　do　their　best　to　drive　the　Gas　Works　Bandits　out　of　the　town　and　to　capture　the　spoils　at　present　enjoyed　by　the　latter　for　themselves。

There　was　a　large　piece　of　ground；　the　property　of　the　town；　that　was　a　suitable　site　for　the　works；　so　in　their　character　of　directors　of　the　Electric　Light　Coy。　they　offered　to　buy　this　land　from　the　Municipality　…　or；　in　other　words；　from　themselves　…　for　about　half　its　value。

At　the　meeting　of　the　Town　Council　when　this　offer　was　considered；　all　the　members　present；　with　the　solitary　exception　of　Dr　Weakling；　being　shareholders　in　the　newly　formed　company；　Councillor　Rushton　moved　a　resolution　in　favour　of　accepting　it。　　He　said　that　every　encouragement　should　be　given　to　the　promoters　of　the　Electric　Light　Coy。；　those　public…spirited　citizens　who　had　come　forward　and　were　willing　to　risk　their　capital　in　an　undertaking　that　would　be　a　benefit　to　every　class　of　residents　in　the　town　that　they　all　loved　so　well。　　（Applause。）　　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　the　introduction　of　the　electric　light　would　be　a　great　addition　to　the　attractions　of　Mugsborough；　but　there　was　another　and　more　urgent　reason　that　disposed　him　to　do　whatever　he　could　to　encourage　the　Company　to　proceed　with　this　work。　　Unfortunately；　as　was　usual　at　that　time　of　the　year　（Mr　Rushton's　voice　trembled　with　emotion）　the　town　was　full　of　unemployed。　　（The　Mayor；　Alderman　Sweater；　and　all　the　other　Councillors　shook　their　heads　sadly；　they　were　visibly　affected。）　There　was　no　doubt　that　the　starting　of　that　work　at　that　time　would　be　an　inestimable　boon　to　the　working…classes。　　As　the　representative　of　a　working…class　ward　he　was　in　favour　of　accepting　the　offer　of　the　Company。　　（Hear。　Hear。）

Councillor　Didlum　seconded。　In　his　opinion；　it　would　be　nothing　short　of　a　crime　to　oppose　anything　that　would　provide　work　for　the　unemployed。

Councillor　Weakling　moved　that　the　offer　be　refused。　　（Shame。）　　He　admitted　that　the　electric　light　would　be　an　improvement　to　the　town；　and　in　view　of　the　existing　distress　he　would　be　glad　to　see　the　work　started；　but　the　price　mentioned　was　altogether　too　low。　　It　was　not　more　than　half　the　value　of　the　land。　　（Derisive　laughter。）

Councillor　Grinder　said　he　was　astonished　at　the　attitude　taken　up　by　Councillor　Weakling。　　In　his　（Grinder's）　opinion　it　was　disgraceful　that　a　member　of　the　council　should　deliberately　try　to　wreck　a　project　which　would　do　so　much　towards　relieving　the　unemployed。

The　Mayor；　Alderman　Sweater；　said　that　he　could　not　allow　the　amendment　to　be　discussed　until　it　was　seconded：　if　there　were　no　seconder　he　would　put　the　original　motion。

There　was　no　seconder；　because　everyone　except　Weakling　was　in　favour　of　the　resolution；　which　was　carried　amid　loud　cheers；　and　the　representatives　of　the　ratepayers　proceeded　to　the　consideration　of　the　next　business。

Councillor　Didlum　proposed　that　the　duty　on　all　coal　brought　into　the　borough　be　raised　from　two　shillings　to　three　shillings　per　ton。

Councillor　Rushton　seconded。　　The　largest　consumer　of　coal　was　the　Gas　Coy。；　and；　considering　the　great　profits　made　by　that　company；　they　were　quite　justified　in　increasing　the　duty　to　the　highest　figure　the　Act　permitted。

After　a　feeble　protest　from　Weakling；　who　said　it　would　only　increase　the　price　of　gas　and　coal　without　interfering　with　the　profits　of　the　Gas　Coy。；　this　was　also　carried；　and　after　some　other　business　had　been　transacted；　the　Band　dispersed。

That　meeting　was　held　two　years　ago；　and　since　that　time　the　Electric　Light　Works　had　been　built　and　the　war　against　the　gasworks　carried　on　vigorously。　　After　several　encounters；　in　which　they　lost　a　few　customers　and　a　portion　of　the　public　lighting；　the　Gasworks　Bandits　retreated　out　of　the　town　and　entrenched　themselves　in　a　strong　position　beyond　the　borough　boundary；　where　they　erected　a　number　of　gasometers。　　They　were　thus　enabled　to　pour　gas　into　the　town　at　long　range　without　having　to　pay　the　coal　dues。

This　masterly　stratagem　created　something　like　a　panic　in　the　ranks　of　the　Forty　Thieves。　　At　the　end　of　two　years　they　found　themselves　exhausted　with　the　protracted　campaign；　their　movements　hampered　by　a　lot　of　worn…out　plant　and　antiquated　machinery；　and　harassed　on　every　side　by　the　lower　charges　of　the　Gas　Coy。　　They　were　reluctantly　constrained　to　admit　that　the　attempt　to　undermine　the　Gasworks　was　a　melancholy　failure；　and　that　the　Mugsborough　Electric　Light　and　Installation　Coy。　was　a　veritable　white　elephant。　　They　began　to　ask　themselves　what　they　should　do　with　it；　and　some　of　them　even　urged　unconditional　surrender；　or　an　appeal　to　the　arbitration　of　the　Bankruptcy　Court。

In　the　midst　of　all　the　confusion　and　demoralization　there　was；　however；　one　man　who　did　not　lose　his　presence　of　mind；　who　in　this　dark　hour　of　disaster　remained　calm　and　immovable；　and　like　a　vast　mountain　of　flesh　reared　his　head　above　the　storm；　whose　mighty　intellect　perceived　a　way　to　turn　this　apparently　hopeless　defeat　into　a　glorious　victory。　　That　man　was　Adam　Sweater；　the　Chief　of　the　Band。



Chapter　21

The　Reign　of　Terror。　　The　Great　Money　Trick


During　the　next　four　weeks　the　usual　reign　of　terror　continued　at　‘The　Cave'。　　The　men　slaved　like　so　many　convicts　under　the　vigilant　surveillance　of　Crass；　Misery　and　Rushton。　　No　one　felt　free　from　observation　for　a　single　moment。　　It　happened　frequently　that　a　man　who　was　working　alone　…　as　he　thought　…　on　turning　round　would　find　Hunter　or　Rushton　standing　behind　him：　or　one　would　look　up　from　his　work　to　catch　sight　of　a　face　watching　him　through　a　door　or　a　window　or　over　the　banisters。　　If　they　happened　to　be　working　in　a　room　on　the　ground　floor；　or　at　a　window　on　any　floor；　they　knew　that　both　Rushton　and　Hunter　were　in　the　habit　of　hiding　among　the　trees　that　surrounded　the　house；　and　spying　upon　them　thus。

There　was　a　plumber　working　outside　repairing　the　guttering　that　ran　round　the　bottom　edge　of　the　roof。　　This　poor　wretch's　life　was　a　perfect　misery：　he　fancied　he　saw　Hunter　or　Rushton　in　every　bush。　　He　had　two　ladders　to　work　from；　and　since　these　ladders　had　been　in　use　Misery　had　thought　of　a　new　way　of　spying　on　the　men。　　Finding　that　he　never　succeeded　in　catching　anyone　doing　anything　wrong　when　he　entered　the　house　by　one　of　the　doors；　Misery　adopted　the　plan　of　crawling　up　one　of　the　ladders；　getting　in　through　one　of　the　upper　windows　and　creeping　softly　downstairs　and　in　and　out　of　the　rooms。　Even　then　he　never　caught　anyone；　but　that　did　not　matter；　for　he　accomplished　his　principal　purpose　…　every　man　seemed　afraid　to　cease　working　for　even　an　instant。

The　result　of　all　this　was；　of　course；　that　the　work　progressed　rapidly　towards　completion。　　The　hands　grumbled　and　cursed；　but　all　the　same　every　man　tore　into　it　for　all　he　was　worth。　　Although　he　did　next　to　nothing　himself；　Crass　watched　and　urged　on　the　others。　　He　was　‘in　charge　of　the　job'：　he　knew　that　unless　he　succeeded　in　making　this　work　pay　he　would　not　be　put　in　charge　of　another　job。　　On　the　other　hand；　if　he　did　make　it　pay　he　would　be　given　the　preference　over　others　and　be　kept　on　as　long　as　the　firm　had　any　work。　　The　firm　would　give　him　the　preference　only　as　long　as　it　paid　them　to　do　so。

As　for　the　hands；　each　man　knew　that　there　was　no　chance　of　obtaining　work　anywhere　else　at　present；　there　were　dozens　of　men　out　of　employment　already