the ragged trousered philanthropists-第5章

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ntendant　of　the　Sunday　School；　or　‘Misery'　or　‘Nimrod'；　as　he　was　named　behind　his　back　by　the　workmen　over　whom　he　tyrannized；　was　the　general　or　walking　foreman　of　‘manager'　of　the　firm　whose　card　is　herewith　presented　to　the　reader：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RUSHTON　&　CO。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MUGSBOROUGH　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　　　　　　　　　　　　　Builders；　Decorators；　and　General　Contractors　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FUNERALS　FURNISHED　　　　　　　　　Estimates　given　for　General　Repairs　to　House　Property　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　First…class　Work　only　at　Moderate　Charges


There　were　a　number　of　sub…foremen　or　‘coddies'；　but　Hunter　was　THE　foreman。

He　was　a　tall；　thin　man　whose　clothes　hung　loosely　on　the　angles　of　his　round…shouldered；　bony　form。　　His　long；　thin　legs；　about　which　the　baggy　trousers　draped　in　ungraceful　folds；　were　slightly　knock…kneed　and　terminated　in　large；　flat　feet。　　His　arms　were　very　long　even　for　such　a　tall　man；　and　the　huge；　bony　hands　were　gnarled　and　knotted。　When　he　removed　his　bowler　hat；　as　he　frequently　did　to　wipe　away　with　a　red　handkerchief　the　sweat　occasioned　by　furious　bicycle　riding；　it　was　seen　that　his　forehead　was　high；　flat　and　narrow。　　His　nose　was　a　large；　fleshy；　hawklike　beak；　and　from　the　side　of　each　nostril　a　deep　indentation　extended　downwards　until　it　disappeared　in　the　dropping　moustache　that　concealed　his　mouth；　the　vast　extent　of　which　was　perceived　only　when　he　opened　it　to　bellow　at　the　workmen　his　exhortations　to　greater　exertions。　　His　chin　was　large　and　extraordinarily　long。　　The　eyes　were　pale　blue；　very　small　and　close　together；　surmounted　by　spare；　light…coloured；　almost　invisible　eyebrows；　with　a　deep　vertical　cleft　between　them　over　the　nose。　　His　head；　covered　with　thick；　coarse　brown　hair；　was　very　large　at　the　back；　the　ears　were　small　and　laid　close　to　the　head。　　If　one　were　to　make　a　full…face　drawing　of　his　cadaverous　visage　it　would　be　found　that　the　outline　resembled　that　of　the　lid　of　a　coffin。

This　man　had　been　with　Rushton　…　no　one　had　ever　seen　the　‘Co。'　…　for　fifteen　years；　in　fact　almost　from　the　time　when　the　latter　commenced　business。　　Rushton　had　at　that　period　realized　the　necessity　of　having　a　deputy　who　could　be　used　to　do　all　the　drudgery　and　running　about　so　that　he　himself　might　be　free　to　attend　to　the　more　pleasant　or　profitable　matters。　　Hunter　was　then　a　journeyman；　but　was　on　the　point　of　starting　on　his　own　account；　when　Rushton　offered　him　a　constant　job　as　foreman；　two　pounds　a　week；　and　two　and　a　half　per　cent　of　the　profits　of　all　work　done。　　On　the　face　of　it　this　appeared　a　generous　offer。　　Hunter　closed　with　it；　gave　up　the　idea　of　starting　for　himself；　and　threw　himself　heart　and　mind　into　the　business。　　When　an　estimate　was　to　be　prepared　it　was　Hunter　who　measured　up　the　work　and　laboriously　figured　out　the　probably　cost。　　When　their　tenders　were　accepted　it　was　he　who　superintended　the　work　and　schemed　how　to　scamp　it；　where　possible；　using　mud　where　mortar　was　specified；　mortar　where　there　ought　to　have　been　cement；　sheet　zinc　where　they　were　supposed　to　put　sheet　lead；　boiled　oil　instead　of　varnish；　and　three　coats　of　paint　where　five　were　paid　for。　　In　fact；　scamping　the　work　was　with　this　man　a　kind　of　mania。　　It　grieved　him　to　see　anything　done　properly。　　Even　when　it　was　more　economical　to　do　a　thing　well；　he　insisted　from　force　of　habit　on　having　it　scamped。　　Then　he　was　almost　happy；　because　he　felt　that　he　was　doing　someone　down。　　If　there　were　an　architect　superintending　the　work；　Misery　would　square　him　or　bluff　him。　　If　it　were　not　possible　to　do　either；　at　least　he　had　a　try；　and　in　the　intervals　of　watching；　driving　and　bullying　the　hands；　his　vulture　eye　was　ever　on　the　look　out　for　fresh　jobs。　　His　long　red　nose　was　thrust　into　every　estate　agent's　office　in　the　town　in　the　endeavour　to　smell　out　what　properties　had　recently　changed　hands　or　been　let；　in　order　that　he　might　interview　the　new　owners　and　secure　the　order　for　whatever　alterations　or　repairs　might　be　required。　　He　it　was　who　entered　into　unholy　compacts　with　numerous　charwomen　and　nurses　of　the　sick；　who　in　return　for　a　small　commission　would　let　him　know　when　some　poor　sufferer　was　passing　away　and　would　recommend　Rushton　&　Co。　to　the　bereaved　and　distracted　relatives。　　By　these　means　often　…　after　first　carefully　inquiring　into　the　financial　position　of　the　stricken　family　…　Misery　would　contrive　to　wriggle　his　unsavoury　carcass　into　the　house　of　sorrow；　seeking；　even　in　the　chamber　of　death；　to　further　the　interests　of　Rushton　&　Co。　and　to　earn　his　miserable　two　and　a　half　per　cent。

It　was　to　make　possible　the　attainment　of　this　object　that　Misery　slaved　and　drove　and　schemed　and　cheated。　　It　was　for　this　that　the　workers'　wages　were　cut　down　to　the　lowest　possible　point　and　their　offspring　went　ill　clad；　ill　shod　and　ill　fed；　and　were　driven　forth　to　labour　while　they　were　yet　children；　because　their　fathers　were　unable　to　earn　enough　to　support　their　homes。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　realized　now　that　Rushton　had　had　considerably　the　best　of　the　bargain。　　In　the　first　place；　it　will　be　seen　that　the　latter　had　bought　over　one　who　might　have　proved　a　dangerous　competitor；　and　now；　after　fifteen　years；　the　business　that　had　been　so　laboriously　built　up；　mainly　by　Hunter's　energy；　industry　and　unscrupulous　cunning；　belonged　to　Rushton　&　Co。　　Hunter　was　but　an　employee；　liable　to　dismissal　like　any　other　workman；　the　only　difference　being　that　he　was　entitled　to　a　week's　notice　instead　of　an　hour's　notice；　and　was　but　little　better　off　financially　than　when　he　started　for　the　firm。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　knew　now　that　he　had　been　used；　but　he　also　knew　that　it　was　too　late　to　turn　back。　　He　had　not　saved　enough　to　make　a　successful　start　on　his　own　account　even　if　he　had　felt　mentally　and　physically　capable　of　beginning　all　over　again；　and　if　Rushton　were　to　discharge　him　right　now　he　was　too　old　to　get　a　job　as　a　journeyman。　　Further；　in　his　zeal　for　Rushton　&　Co。　and　his　anxiety　to　earn　his　commission；　he　had　often　done　things　that　had　roused　the　animosity　of　rival　firms　to　such　an　extent　that　it　was　highly　improbable　that　any　of　them　would　employ　him；　and　even　if　they　would；　Misery's　heart　failed　him　at　the　thought　of　having　to　meet　on　an　equal　footing　those　workmen　whom　he　had　tyrannized　over　and　oppressed。　　It　was　for　these　reasons　that　Hunter　was　as　terrified　of　Rushton　as　the　hands　were　of　himself。

Over　the　men　stood　Misery；　ever　threatening　them　with　dismissal　and　their　wives　and　children　with　hunger。　　Behind　Misery　was　Rushton；　ever　bullying　and　goading　him　on　to　greater　excuses　and　efforts　for　the　furtherance　of　the　good　cause　…　which　was　to　enable　the　head　of　the　firm　to　accumulate　money。

Mr　Hunter；　at　the　moment　when　the　reader　first　makes　his　acquaintance　on　the　afternoon　of　the　day　when　the　incidents　recorded　in　the　first　chapter　took　place；　was　executing　a　kind　of　strategic　movement　in　the　direction　of　the　house　where　Crass　and　his　mates　were　working。　　He　kept　to　one　side　of　the　road　because　by　so　doing　he　could　not　be　perceived　by　those　within　the　house　until　the　instant　of　his　arrival。　When　he　was　within　about　a　hundred　yards　of　the　gate　he　dismounted　from　his　bicycle；　there　being　a　sharp　rise　in　the　road　just　there；　and　as　he　toiled　up；　pushing　the　bicycle　in　front；　his　breath　showing　in　white　clouds　in　the　frosty　air；　he　observed　a　number　of　men　hanging　about。　　Some　of　them　he　knew；　they　had　worked　for　him　at　various　times；　but　where　now　out　of　a　job　。　　There　were　five　men　altogether；　three　of　them　were　standing　in　a　group；　the　other　two　stood　each　by　himself；　being　apparently　strangers　to　each　other　and　the　first　three。　The　three　men　who　stood　together　were　nearest　to　Hunter　and　as　the　latter　approached；　one　of　them　advanced　to　meet　him。

‘Good　afternoon；　sir。'

Hunter　replied　by　an　inarticulate　grunt；　without　stopping；　the　man　followed。

‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

‘Full　up；'　replied　Hunter；　still　without　stopping。　　The　man　still　followed；　like　a　beggar　soliciting　charity。

‘Be　any　use　calling　in　a　day　or　so；　sir？'

'Don't　think　so；'　Hunter　replied。　　‘Can　if　you　like；　but　we're　full　up。'

'Thank　you；　sir；'　said　the　man；　and　turned　back　to　his　friends。

By　this　time　Hunter　was　within　a　few　yards　of　one　of　the　other　two　men；　who　also　came　to　speak　to　him。　　This　man　felt　there　was　no　hope　of　getting　a　job；　still；　there　was　no　harm　in　asking。　　Besides；　he　was　getting　desperate。　　It　was　over　a　month　now　since　he　had　finished　up　for　his　last　employer。　　It　had　been　a　very　slow　summer　altogether。　Sometimes　a　fortnight　for　one　firm；　then　perhaps　a　week　doing　nothing；　then　three　weeks　or　a　month　for　another　firm；　then　out　again；　and　so　on。　　And　　now　it　was　November。　　Last　winter　they　had　got　into　debt；　that　was　nothing　unusual；　but　owing　to　the　bad　summer　they　had　not　been　able；　as　in　other　years；　to　pay　off　the　debts　accumulated　in　winter。　　It　was　doubtful；　too；　whether　they　would　be　able　to　get　credit　again　this　winter。　　In　fact　this　morning　when　his　wife　sent　their　little　girl　to　the　grocer's　for　some　butter　the　latter　had　refused　to　let　the　child　have　it　without　the　money。　　So　although　he　felt　it　to　be　useless　he　accosted　Hunter。

This　time　Hunter　stopped：　he　was　winded　by　his　climb　up　the　hill。

‘Good　afternoon。　sir。'　Hunter　did　not　return　the　salutation；　he　had　not　the　breath　to　spare；　but　the　man　was　not　hurt；　he　was　used　to　being　treated　like　that。

‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

Hunter　did　not　reply　at　once。　　He　was　short　of　breath　and　he　was　thinking　of　a　plan　that　was　ever　recurring　to　his　mind；　and　which　he　had　lately　been　hankering　to　put　into　execution。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　long　waited　for　opportunity　had　come。　　Just　now　Rushton　&　Co。　were　almost　the　only　firm　in　Mugsborough　who　had　any　work。　　There　were　dozens　of　good　workmen　out。　　Yes；　this　was　the　time。　　If　this　man　agreed　he　would　give　him　a　start。　　Hunter　knew　the　man　was　a　good　workman；　he　had　worked　for　Rushton　&　Co。　before。　　To　make　room　for　him　old　Linden　and　some　other　full…price　man　could　be　got　rid　of；　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　find　some　excuse。

‘Well；'　Hunter　said　at　last　in　a　doubtful；　hesitating　kind　of　way；　‘I'm　afraid　not；　Newman。　　We're　about　full　up。'

He　ceased　speaking　and　remained　waiting　for　the　other　to　say　something　more。　　He　did　not　look　at　the　man；　but　stooped　down；　fidgeting　with　the　mechanism　of　the　bicycle　as　if　adjusting　it。

‘Things　have　been　so　bad　this　summer；'　Newman　went　on。　　‘I've　had　rather　a　rough　time　of　it。　　I　would　be　very　glad　of　a　job　even　if　it　was　only　for　a　week　or　so。'

There　was　a　pause。　　After　a　while；　Hunter　raised　his　eyes　to　the　other's　face；　but　immediately　let　them　fall　again。　‘Well；'　said　he；　‘I　might　…　perhaps　…　be　able　to　let　you　have　a　day　or　two。　　You　can　come　here　to　this　job；'　and　he　nodded　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　house　where　the　men　were　working。　　‘Tomorrow　at　seven。　　Of　course　you　know　the　figure？'　he　added　as　Newman　was　about　to　thank　him。　　‘Six　and　a　half。'

Hunter　spoke　as　if　the　reduction　were　already　an　accomplished　fact。　The　man　was　more　likely　to　agree；　if　he　thought　that　others　were　already　working　at　the　reduced　rate。

Newman　was　taken　by　su