the ragged trousered philanthropists-第48章

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‘Amen；'　said　the　believers；　fervently；　and　then　the　man　who　was　dressed　in　the　long　garment　entreated　all　those　who　were　not　yet　true　believers　…　and　doers　…　of　the　word　to　join　earnestly　and　MEANINGLY　in　the　singing　of　the　closing　hymn；　which　he　was　about　to　read　out　to　them。

The　Semi…drunk　obligingly　conducted　as　before；　and　the　crowd　faded　away　with　the　last　notes　of　the　music。



Chapter　24

Ruth


As　has　already　been　stated；　hitherto　Slyme　had　passed　the　greater　number　of　his　evenings　at　home；　but　during　the　following　three　weeks　a　change　took　place　in　his　habits　in　this　respect。　　He　now　went　out　nearly　every　night　and　did　not　return　until　after　ten　o'clock。　　On　meeting　nights　he　always　changed　his　attire；　dressing　himself　as　on　Sundays；　but　on　the　other　occasions　he　went　out　in　his　week…day　clothes。　　Ruth　often　wondered　where　he　went　on　those　nights；　but　he　never　volunteered　the　information　and　she　never　asked　him。

Easton　had　chummed　up　with　a　lot　of　the　regular　customers　at　the　‘Cricketers'；　where　he　now　spent　most　of　his　spare　time；　drinking　beer；　telling　yarns　or　playing　shove…ha'penny　or　hooks　and　rings。　When　he　had　no　cash　the　Old　Dear　gave　him　credit　until　Saturday。　　At　first；　the　place　had　not　had　much　attraction　for　him；　and　he　really　went　there　only　for　the　purpose　of　‘keeping　in'　with　Crass：　but　after　a　time　he　found　it　a　very　congenial　way　of　passing　his　evenings　。。。

One　evening；　Ruth　saw　Slyme　meet　Crass　as　if　by　appointment　and　as　the　two　men　went　away　together　she　returned　to　her　housework　wondering　what　it　meant。

Meantime；　Crass　and　Slyme　proceeded　on　their　way　down　town。　　It　was　about　half　past　six　o'clock：　the　shops　and　streets　were　brilliantly　lighted；　and　as　they　went　along　they　saw　numerous　groups　of　men　talking　together　in　a　listless　way。　　Most　of　them　were　artisans　and　labourers　out　of　employment　and　evidently　in　no　great　hurry　to　go　home。　　Some　of　them　had　neither　tea　nor　fire　to　go　to；　and　stayed　away　from　home　as　long　as　possible　so　as　not　to　be　compelled　to　look　upon　the　misery　of　those　who　were　waiting　for　them　there。　　Others　hung　about　hoping　against　all　probability　that　they　might　even　yet　…　although　it　was　so　late　…　hear　of　some　job　to　be　started　somewhere　or　other。

As　they　passed　one　of　these　groups　they　recognized　and　nodded　to　Newman　and　old　Jack　Linden；　and　the　former　left　the　others　and　came　up　to　Crass　and　Slyme；　who　did　not　pause；　so　Newman　walked　along　with　them。

‘Anything　fresh　in；　Bob？'　he　asked。

‘No；　we　ain't　got　'ardly　anything；'　replied　Crass。　　‘I　reckon　we　shall　finish　up　at　〃The　Cave〃　next　week；　and　then　I　suppose　we　shall　all　be　stood　orf。　　We've　got　several　plumbers　on；　and　I　believe　there's　a　little　gas…fitting　work　in；　but　next　to　nothing　in　our　line。'

‘I　suppose　you　don't　know　of　any　other　firm　what's　got　anything？'

‘No；　I　don't；　mate。　　Between　you　and　me；　I　don't　think　any　of　'em　has；　they're　all　in　about　the　same　fix。'

‘I've　not　done　anything　since　I　left；　you　know；'　said　Newman；　‘and　we've　just　about　got　as　far　as　we　can　get；　at　home。'

Slyme　and　Crass　said　nothing　in　reply　to　this。　　They　wished　that　Newman　would　take　himself　off；　because　they　did　not　want　him　to　know　where　they　were　going。

However；　Newman　continued　to　accompany　them　and　an　awkward　silence　succeeded。　　He　seemed　to　wish　to　say　something　more；　and　they　both　guessed　what　it　was。　　So　they　walked　along　as　rapidly　as　possible　in　order　not　to　give　him　any　encouragement。　　At　last　Newman　blurted　out：

‘I　suppose　…　you　don't　happen　…　either　of　you　…　to　have　a　tanner　you　could　lend　me？　　I'll　let　you　have　it　back　…　when　I　get　a　job。'

‘I　ain't　mate；'　replied　Crass。　　‘I'm　sorry；　if　I　'ad　one　on　me；　you　should　'ave　it；　with　pleasure。'

Slyme　also　expressed　his　regret　that　he　had　no　money　with　him；　and　at　the　corner　of　the　next　street　Newman　…　ashamed　of　having　asked　…　wished　them　‘good　night'　and　went　away。

Slyme　and　Crass　hurried　along　and　presently　arrived　at　Rushton　&　Co。's　shop。　　The　windows　were　lit　up　with　electric　light；　displaying　an　assortment　of　wallpapers；　gas　and　electric　light　fittings；　glass　shades；　globes；　tins　of　enamel；　paint　and　varnish。　　Several　framed　show…cards　…　‘Estimates　Free'；　‘First　class　work　only；　at　moderate　charges'；　‘Only　First　Class　Workmen　Employed'　and　several　others　of　the　same　type。　　On　one　side　wall　of　the　window　was　a　large　shield…shaped　board　covered　with　black　velvet　on　which　a　number　of　brass　fittings　for　coffins　were　arranged。　　The　shield　was　on　an　oak　mount　with　the　inscription：　‘Funerals　conducted　on　modern　principles'。

Slyme　waited　outside　while　Crass　went　in。　　Mr　Budd；　the　shopman；　was　down　at　the　far　end　near　the　glazed　partition　which　separated　Mr　Rushton's　office　from　the　front　shop。　　As　Crass　entered；　Budd　…　who　was　a　pale…faced；　unhealthy…looking；　undersized　youth　about　twenty　years　of　age　…　looked　round　and；　with　a　grimace；　motioned　him　to　walk　softly　。　Crass　paused；　wondering　what　the　other　meant；　but　the　shopman　beckoned　him　to　advance；　grinning　and　winking　and　jerking　his　thumb　over　his　shoulder　in　the　direction　of　the　office。　　Crass　hesitated；　fearing　that　possibly　the　miserable　Budd　had　gone　…　or　been　driven　…　out　of　his　mind；　but　as　the　latter　continued　to　beckon　and　grin　and　point　towards　the　office　Crass　screwed　up　his　courage　and　followed　him　behind　one　of　the　showcases；　and　applying　his　eye　to　a　crack　in　the　woodwork　of　the　partition　indicated　by　Budd；　he　could　see　Mr　Rushton　in　the　act　of　kissing　and　embracing　Miss　Wade；　the　young　lady　clerk。　Crass　watched　them　for　some　time　and　then　whispered　to　Budd　to　call　Slyme；　and　when　the　latter　came　they　all　three　took　turns　at　peeping　through　the　crack　in　the　partition。

When　they　had　looked　their　fill　they　came　out　from　behind　the　showcase；　almost　bursting　with　suppressed　merriment。　　Budd　reached　down　a　key　from　where　it　was　hanging　on　a　hook　on　the　wall　and　gave　it　to　Crass　and　the　two　resumed　their　interrupted　journey。　　But　before　they　had　proceeded　a　dozen　yards　from　the　shop；　they　were　accosted　by　a　short；　elderly　man　with　grey　hair　and　a　beard。　　This　man　looked　about　sixty…five　years　of　age；　and　was　very　shabbily　dressed。　　The　ends　of　the　sleeves　of　his　coat　were　frayed　and　ragged；　and　the　elbows　were　worn　threadbare。　　His　boots　were　patched；　broken；　and　down　at　heel；　and　the　knees　and　bottoms　of　the　legs　of　his　trousers　were　in　the　same　condition　as　the　sleeves　of　his　coat。　　This　man's　name　was　Latham；　he　was　a　venetian　blind　maker　and　repairer。　　With　his　son；　he　was　supposed　to　be　‘in　business'　on　his　own　account；　but　as　most　of　their　work　was　done　for　‘the　trade'；　that　is；　for　such　firms　as　Rushton　&　Co。；　they　would　be　more　correctly　described　as　men　who　did　piecework　at　home。

He　had　been　‘in　business'　…　as　he　called　it　…　for　about　forty　years　working；　working；　always　working；　and　ever　since　his　son　became　old　enough　to　labour　he　had　helped　his　father　in　the　philanthropic　task　of　manufacturing　profits　for　the　sweaters　who　employed　them。　　They　had　been　so　busy　running　after　work；　and　working　for　the　benefit　of　others；　that　they　had　overlooked　the　fact　that　they　were　only　earning　a　bare　living　for　themselves　and　now；　after　forty　years'　hard　labour；　the　old　man　was　clothed　in　rags　and　on　the　verge　of　destitution。

‘Is　Rushton　there？'　he　asked。

‘Yes；　I　think　so；'　replied　Crass；　attempting　to　pass　on；　but　the　old　man　detained　him。

‘He　promised　to　let　us　know　about　them　blinds　for　〃The　Cave〃。　　We　gave　'im　a　price　for　'em　about　a　month　ago。　　In　fact；　we　gave　'im　two　prices；　because　he　said　the　first　was　too　high。　　Five　and　six　a　set　I　asked　'im！　　take　'em　right　through　the　'ole　'ouse！　one　with　another　…　big　and　little。　　Two　coats　of　paint；　and　new　tapes　and　cords。　　That　wasn't　too　much；　was　it？'

‘No；'　said　Crass；　walking　on；　‘that　was　cheap　enough！'

HE　said　it　was　too　much；'　continued　Latham。　　‘Said　as　'e　could　get　'em　done　cheaper！　　But　I　say　as　no　one　can't　do　it　and　make　a　living。'

As　he　walked　along；　talking；　between　Crass　and　Slyme；　the　old　man　became　very　excited。

‘But　we　'adn't　nothing　to　do　to　speak　of；　so　my　son　told　'im　we'd　do　'em　for　five　bob　a　set；　and　'e　said　'e'd　let　us　know；　but　we　ain't　'eard　nothing　from　'im　yet；　so　I　thought　I'd　try　and　see　'im　tonight。'

Well；　you'll　find　'im　in　there　now；'　said　Slyme　with　a　peculiar　look；　and　walking　faster。　　‘Good　night。'

‘I　won't　take　'em　on　for　no　less！'　cried　the　old　man　as　he　turned　back。　　I've　got　my　livin'　to　get；　and　my　son's　got　'is　wife　and　little　'uns　to　keep。　　We　can't　work　for　nothing！'

‘Certainly　not；'　said　Crass；　glad　to　get　away　at　last。　　‘Good　night；　and　good　luck　to　you。'

As　soon　as　they　were　out　of　hearing；　they　both　burst　out　laughing　at　the　old　man's　vehemence。

‘Seemed　quite　upset　about　it；'　said　Slyme；　and　they　laughed　again。

They　now　left　the　main　road　and　pursued　their　way　through　a　number　of　badly　lighted；　mean…looking　streets；　and　finally　turning　down　a　kind　of　alley；　arrived　at　their　destination。　　On　one　side　of　this　street　was　a　row　of　small　houses；　facing　these　were　a　number　of　buildings　of　a　miscellaneous　description　…　sheds　and　stables；　and　beyond　these　a　plot　of　waste　ground　on　which　could　be　seen；　looming　weirdly　through　the　dusk；　a　number　of　empty　carts　and　waggons　with　their　shafts　resting　on　the　ground　or　reared　up　into　the　air。　　Threading　their　way　carefully　through　these　and　avoiding　as　much　as　possible　the　mud；　pools　of　water；　and　rubbish　which　covered　the　ground；　they　arrived　at　a　large　gate　fastened　with　a　padlock。　　Applying　the　key；　Crass　swung　back　the　gate　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　large　yard　filled　with　building　materials　and　plant；　ladders；　huge　tressels；　planks　and　beams　of　wood；　hand…carts；　and　wheelbarrows；　heaps　of　sand　and　mortar　and　innumerable　other　things　that　assumed　strange　fantastic　shapes　in　the　semi…darkness。　　Crates　and　packing　cases；　lengths　of　iron　guttering　and　rain…pipes；　old　door…frames　and　other　woodwork　that　had　been　taken　from　buildings　where　alterations　had　been　made。　　And　over　all　these　things；　a　gloomy；　indistinct　and　shapeless　mass；　rose　the　buildings　and　sheds　that　comprised　Rushton　&　Co。's　workshop。

Crass　struck　a　match；　and　Slyme；　stooping　down；　drew　a　key　from　a　crevice　in　the　wall　near　one　of　the　doors；　which　he　unlocked；　and　they　entered。　　Crass　struck　another　match　and　lit　the　gas　at　the　jointed　bracket　fixed　to　the　wall。　　This　was　the　paint…shop。　　At　one　end　was　a　fireplace　without　a　grate　but　with　an　iron　bar　fixed　across　the　blackened　chimney　for　the　purpose　of　suspending　pails　or　pots　over　the　fire；　which　was　usually　made　of　wood　on　the　hearthstone。　　All　round　the　walls　of　the　shop　…　which　had　once　been　whitewashed；　but　were　now　covered　with　smears　of　paint　of　every　colour　where　the　men　had　‘rubbed　out'　their　brushes　…　were　rows　of　shelves　with　kegs　of　paint　upon　them。　　In　front　of　the　window　was　a　long　bench　covered　with　an　untidy　litter　of　dirty　paint…pots；　including　several　earthenware　mixing　vessels　or　mortars；　the　sides　of　these　being　thickly　coated　with　dried　paint。　　Scattered　about　the　stone　floor　were　a　number　of　dirty　pails；　either　empty　or　containing　stale　whitewash；　and　standing　on　a　sort　of　low　platform　or　shelf　at　one　end　of　the　shop　were　four　large　round　tanks　fitted　with　ta