the ragged trousered philanthropists-第50章

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Partaker；　one　of　her　two　lodgers　a　most　superior　young　man；　who　had　been　with　them　now　for　over　three　years　and　would　not　leave　on　any　account。　　In　fact；　he　had　been　their　lodger　in　their　old　house；　and　when　they　moved　he　came　with　them　to　North　Street；　although　it　was　farther　away　from　his　place　of　business　than　their　former　residence。　　Mrs　Crass　talked　a　lot　more　of　the　same　sort　of　stuff；　to　which　Ruth　listened　like　one　in　a　dream；　and　answered　with　an　occasional　yes　or　no。

Meantime；　Crass　and　Easton　…　the　latter　had　deposited　the　string…bag　on　the　seat　at　Ruth's　side　…　and　the　Semi…drunk　and　the　Besotted　Wretch；　arranged　to　play　a　match　of　Hooks　and　Rings；　the　losers　to　pay　for　drinks　for　all　the　party；　including　the　two　women。　　Crass　and　the　Semi…drunk　tossed　up　for　sides。　　Crass　won　and　picked　the　Besotted　Wretch；　and　the　game　began。　　It　was　a　one…sided　affair　from　the　first；　for　Easton　and　the　Semi…drunk　were　no　match　for　the　other　two。　　The　end　of　it　was　that　Easton　and　his　partner　had　to　pay　for　the　drinks。　The　four　men　had　a　pint　each　of　four　ale；　and　Mrs　Crass　had　another　threepennyworth　of　gin。　　Ruth　protested　that　she　did　not　want　any　more　to　drink；　but　the　others　ridiculed　this；　and　both　the　Besotted　Wretch　and　the　Semi…drunk　seemed　to　regard　her　unwillingness　as　a　personal　insult；　so　she　allowed　them　to　get　her　another　half…pint　of　beer；　which　she　was　compelled　to　drink；　because　she　was　conscious　that　the　others　were　watching　her　to　see　that　she　did　so。

The　Semi…drunk　now　suggested　a　return　match。　　He　wished　to　have　his　revenge。　　He　was　a　little　out　of　practice；　he　said；　and　was　only　just　getting　his　hand　in　as　they　were　finishing　the　other　game。　　Crass　and　his　partner　readily　assented；　and　in　spite　of　Ruth's　whispered　entreaty　that　they　should　return　home　without　further　delay；　Easton　insisted　on　joining　the　game。

Although　they　played　more　carefully　than　before；　and　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　the　Besotted　Wretch　was　very　drunk；　Easton　and　his　partner　were　again　beaten　and　once　more　had　to　pay　for　the　drinks。　The　men　had　a　pint　each　as　before。　　Mrs　Crass　…　upon　whom　the　liquor　so　far　seemed　to　have　no　effect　…　had　another　threepennyworth　of　gin；　and　Ruth　consented　to　take　another　glass　of　beer　on　condition　that　Easton　would　come　away　directly　their　drinks　were　finished。　　Easton　agreed　to　do　so；　but　instead　of　keeping　his　word　he　began　to　play　a　four…handed　game　of　shove…ha'penny　with　the　other　three；　the　sides　and　stakes　being　arranged　as　before。

The　liquor　was　by　this　time　beginning　to　have　some　effect　upon　Ruth：　she　felt　dizzy　and　confused。　　Whenever　it　was　necessary　to　reply　to　Mrs　Crass's　talk　she　found　some　difficulty　in　articulating　the　words　and　she　knew　she　was　not　answering　very　intelligently。　　Even　when　Mrs　Crass　introduced　her　to　the　interesting　Mr　Partaker；　who　arrived　about　this　time；　she　was　scarcely　able　to　collect　herself　sufficiently　to　decline　that　fascinating　gentleman's　invitation　to　have　another　drink　with　himself　and　Mrs　Crass。

After　a　time　a　kind　of　terror　took　possession　of　her；　and　she　resolved　that　if　Easton　would　not　come　when　he　had　finished　the　game　he　was　playing；　she　would　go　home　without　him。

Meantime　the　game　of　shove…ha'penny　proceeded　merrily；　the　majority　of　the　male　guests　crowding　round　the　board；　applauding　or　censuring　the　players　as　occasion　demanded。　　The　Semi…drunk　was　in　high　glee；　for　Crass　was　not　much　of　a　hand　at　this　game；　and　the　Besotted　Wretch；　although　playing　well；　was　not　able　to　make　up　for　his　partner's　want　of　skill。　　As　the　game　drew　near　its　end　and　it　became　more　and　more　certain　that　his　opponents　would　be　defeated；　the　joy　of　the　Semi…drunk　was　unbounded；　and　he　challenged　them　to　make　it　double　or　quits　…　a　generous　offer　which　they　wisely　declined；　and　shortly　afterwards；　seeing　that　their　position　was　hopeless；　they　capitulated　and　prepared　to　pay　the　penalty　of　the　vanquished。

Crass　ordered　the　drinks　and　the　Besotted　Wretch　…　half　the　damage　…　a　pint　of　four　ale　for　each　of　the　men　and　the　same　as　before　for　the　ladies。　　The　Old　Dear　executed　the　order；　but　by　mistake；　being　very　busy；　he　served　two　‘threes'　of　gin　instead　of　one。　　Ruth　did　not　want　any　more　at　all；　but　she　was　afraid　to　say　so；　and　she　did　not　like　to　make　any　fuss　about　it　being　the　wrong　drink；　especially　as　they　all　assured　her　that　the　spirits　would　do　her　more　good　than　beer。　　She　did　not　want　either；　she　wanted　to　get　away；　and　would　have　liked　to　empty　the　stuff　out　of　the　glass　on　the　floor；　but　she　was　afraid　that　Mrs　Crass　or　one　of　the　others　might　see　her　doing　so；　and　there　might　be　some　trouble　about　it。　　Anyway；　it　seemed　easier　to　drink　this　small　quantity　of　spirits　and　water　than　a　big　glass　of　beer；　the　very　thought　of　which　now　made　her　feel　ill。　　She　drank　the　stuff　which　Easton　handed　to　her　at　a　single　draught　and；　handing　back　the　empty　glass　with　a　shudder；　stood　up　resolutely。

‘Are　you　coming　home　now？　　You　promised　you　would；'　she　said。

‘All　right：　presently；'　replied　Easton。　　'There's　plenty　of　time；　it's　not　nine　yet。'

‘That　doesn't　matter；　it's　quite　late　enough。　　You　know　we've　left　the　child　at　home　alone　in　the　house。　　You　promised　you'd　come　as　soon　as　you'd　finished　that　other　game。'

‘All　right；　all　right；'　answered　Easton　impatiently。　　‘Just　wait　a　minute；　I　want　to　see　this；　and　then　I'll　come。'

‘This'　was　a　most　interesting　problem　propounded　by　Crass；　who　had　arranged　eleven　matches　side　by　side　on　the　shove…ha'penny　board。　　The　problem　was　to　take　none　away　and　yet　leave　only　nine。　　Nearly　all　the　men　in　the　bar　were　crowding　round　the　shove…ha'penny　board；　some　with　knitted　brows　and　drunken　gravity　trying　to　solve　the　puzzle　and　others　waiting　curiously　for　the　result。　　Easton　crossed　over　to　see　how　it　was　done；　and　as　none　of　the　crowd　were　able　to　do　the　trick；　Crass　showed　that　it　could　be　accomplished　by　simply　arranging　the　eleven　matches　so　as　to　form　the　word　NINE。　Everybody　said　it　was　very　good　indeed；　very　clever　and　interesting。　　But　the　Semi…drunk　and　the　Besotted　Wretch　were　reminded　by　this　trick　of　several　others　equally　good；　and　they　proceeded　to　do　them；　and　then　the　men　had　another　pint　each　all　round　as　a　reviver　after　the　mental　strain　of　the　last　few　minutes。

Easton　did　not　know　any　tricks　himself；　but　he　was　an　interested　spectator　of　those　done　by　several　others　until　Ruth　came　over　and　touched　his　arm。

‘Aren't　you　coming？'

‘Wait　a　minute；　can't　you？'　cried　Easton　roughly。　　‘What's　your　hurry？'

‘I　don't　want　to　stay　here　any　longer；'　said　Ruth；　hysterically。　　‘You　said　you'd　come　as　soon　as　you　saw　that　trick。　　If　you　don't　come；　I　shall　go　home　by　myself。　　I　don't　want　to　stay　in　this　place　any　longer。'

‘Well；　go　by　yourself　if　you　want　to！'　shouted　Easton　fiercely；　pushing　her　away　from　him。　　‘I　shall　stop　'ere　as　long　as　I　please；　and　if　you　don't　like　it　you　can　do　the　other　thing。'

Ruth　staggered　and　nearly　fell　from　the　force　of　the　push　he　gave　her；　and　the　man　turned　again　to　the　table　to　watch　the　Semi…drunk；　who　was　arranging　six　matches　so　as　to　form　the　numeral　XII；　and　who　said　he　could　prove　that　this　was　equal　to　a　thousand。

Ruth　waited　a　few　minutes　longer；　and　then　as　Easton　took　no　further　notice　of　her；　she　took　up　the　string…bag　and　the　other　parcels；　and　without　staying　to　say　good　night　to　Mrs　Crass　…　who　was　earnestly　conversing　with　the　interesting　Partaker　…　she　with　some　difficulty　opened　the　door　and　went　out　into　the　street。　　The　cold　night　air　felt　refreshing　and　sweet　after　the　foul　atmosphere　of　the　public　house；　but　after　a　little　while　she　began　to　feel　faint　and　dizzy；　and　was　conscious　also　that　she　was　walking　unsteadily；　and　she　fancied　that　people　stared　at　her　strangely　as　they　passed。　　The　parcels　felt　very　heavy　and　awkward　to　carry；　and　the　string…bag　seemed　as　if　it　were　filled　with　lead。

Although　under　ordinary　circumstances　it　was　only　about　ten　minutes'　walk　home　from　here；　she　resolved　to　go　by　one　of　the　trams　which　passed　by　the　end　of　North　Street。　　With　this　intention；　she　put　down　her　bag　on　the　pavement　at　the　stopping…place；　and　waited；　resting　her　hand　on　the　iron　pillar　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　where　a　little　crowd　of　people　were　standing　evidently　with　the　same　object　as　herself。　　Two　trains　passed　without　stopping；　for　they　were　already　full　of　passengers；　a　common　circumstance　on　Saturday　nights。　　The　next　one　stopped；　and　several　persons　alighted；　and　then　ensued　a　fierce　struggle　amongst　the　waiting　crowd　for　the　vacant　seats。　　Men　and　women　pushed；　pulled　and　almost　fought；　shoving　their　fists　and　elbows　into　each　other's　sides　and　breasts　and　faces。　　Ruth　was　quickly　thrust　aside　and　nearly　knocked　down；　and　the　tram；　having　taken　aboard　as　many　passengers　as　it　had　accommodation　for；　passed　on。　　She　waited　for　the　next　one；　and　the　same　scene　was　enacted　with　the　same　result　for　her；　and　then；　reflecting　that　if　she　had　not　stayed　for　these　trains　she　might　have　been　home　by　now；　she　determined　to　resume　her　walk。　　The　parcels　felt　heavier　than　ever；　and　she　had　not　proceeded　very　far　before　she　was　compelled　to　put　the　bag　down　again　upon　the　pavement；　outside　an　empty　house。

Leaning　against　the　railings；　she　felt　very　tired　and　ill。　　Everything　around　her　…　the　street；　the　houses；　the　traffic　…　seemed　vague　and　shadowy　and　unreal。　　Several　people　looked　curiously　at　her　as　they　passed；　but　by　this　time　she　was　scarcely　conscious　of　their　scrutiny。

Slyme　had　gone　that　evening　to　the　usual　‘open…air'　conducted　by　the　Shining　Light　Mission。　　The　weather　being　fine；　they　had　a　most　successful　meeting；　the　disciples；　including　Hunter；　Rushton；　Sweater；　Didlum；　and　Mrs　Starvem　…　Ruth's　former　mistress　…　assembled　in　great　force　so　as　to　be　able　to　deal　more　effectively　with　any　infidels　or　hired　critics　or　drunken　scoffers　who　might　try　to　disturb　the　proceedings；　and　…　possibly　as　an　evidence　of　how　much　real　faith　there　was　in　them　…　they　had　also　arranged　to　have　a　police　officer　in　attendance；　to　protect　them　from　what　they　called　the　‘Powers　of　Darkness'。　　One　might　be　excused　for　thinking　that　…　if　they　really　believed　…　they　would　have　relied　rather　upon　those　powers　of　Light　which　they　professed　to　represent　on　this　planet　to　protect　them　without　troubling　to　call　in　the　aid　of　such　a　‘worldly'　force　as　the　police。　　However；　it　came　to　pass　that　on　this　occasion　the　only　infidels　present　were　those　who　were　conducting　the　meeting；　but　as　these　consisted　for　the　most　part　of　members　of　the　chapel；　it　will　be　seen　that　the　infidel　fraternity　was　strongly　represented。

On　his　way　home　after　the　meeting　Slyme　had　to　pass　by　the　‘Cricketers'　and　as　he　drew　near　the　place　he　wondered　if　Easton　was　there；　but　he　did　not　like　to　go　and　look　in；　because　he　was　afraid　someone　might　see　him　coming　away　and　perhaps　think　he　had　been　in　to　drink。　　Just　as　he　arrived　opposite　the　house　another　man　opened　the　door　of　the　public　bar　and　entered；　enabling　Slyme　to　catch　a　momentary　glimpse　of　the　interior；　where　he　saw　Easton　and　Crass　with　a　number　of　others　who　were　strangers　to　him；　laughing　and　drinking　together。

Slyme　hurried　away；　it　had　turned　very　cold；　and　he　was　anxious　to　get　home。　　As　he　appro