the ragged trousered philanthropists-第69章

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‘Have　you　heard　that　old　Jack　Linden　and　his　wife　went　to　the　workhouse　today；'　he　said。

‘No；'　replied　Easton；　indifferently。　　‘It's　only　what　I　expected。'

Owen　then　suggested　it　would　not　be　a　bad　plan　for　Easton　to　let　his　front　room；　now　that　it　was　empty；　to　Mrs　Linden；　who　would　be　sure　to　pay　her　rent；　which　would　help　Easton　to　pay　his。　　Easton　agreed　and　said　he　would　mention　it　to　Ruth；　and　a　few　minutes　later　they　parted。

The　next　morning　Nora　found　Ruth　talking　to　Mary　Linden　about　the　room　and　as　the　Eastons　lived　only　about　five　minutes'　walk　away；　they　all　three　went　round　there　in　order　that　Mary　might　see　the　room。　　The　appearance　of　the　house　from　outside　was　unaltered：　the　white　lace　curtains　still　draped　the　windows　of　the　front　room；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　bay　was　what　appeared　to　be　a　small　round　table　covered　with　a　red　cloth；　and　upon　it　a　geranium　in　a　flowerpot　standing　in　a　saucer　with　a　frill　of　coloured　tissue　paper　round　it。　　These　things　and　the　curtains；　which　fell　close　together；　made　it　impossible　for　anyone　to　see　that　the　room　was；　otherwise；　unfurnished。　　The　‘table'　consisted　of　an　empty　wooden　box　…　procured　from　the　grocer's　…　stood　on　end；　with　the　lid　of　the　scullery　copper　placed　upside　down　upon　it　for　a　top　and　covered　with　an　old　piece　of　red　cloth。　　The　purpose　of　this　was　to　prevent　the　neighbours　from　thinking　that　they　were　hard　up；　although　they　knew　that　nearly　all　those　same　neighbours　were　in　more　or　less　similar　straits。

It　was　not　a　very　large　room；　considering　that　it　would　have　to　serve　all　purposes　for　herself　and　the　two　children；　but　Mrs　Linden　knew　that　it　was　not　likely　that　she　would　be　able　to　get　one　as　good　elsewhere　for　the　same　price；　so　she　agreed　to　take　it　from　the　following　Monday　at　two　shillings　a　week。

As　the　distance　was　so　short　they　were　able　to　carry　most　of　the　smaller　things　to　their　new　home　during　the　next　few　days；　and　on　the　Monday　evening；　when　it　was　dark。　　Owen　and　Easton　brought　the　remainder　on　a　truck　they　borrowed　for　the　purpose　from　Hunter。

During　the　last　weeks　of　February　the　severity　of　the　weather　increased。　　There　was　a　heavy　fall　of　snow　on　the　20th　followed　by　a　hard　frost　which　lasted　several　days。

About　ten　o'clock　one　night　a　policeman　found　a　man　lying　unconscious　in　the　middle　of　a　lonely　road。　　At　first　he　thought　the　man　was　drunk；　and　after　dragging　him　on　to　the　footpath　out　of　the　way　of　passing　vehicles　he　went　for　the　stretcher。　　They　took　the　man　to　the　station　and　put　him　into　a　cell；　which　was　already　occupied　by　a　man　who　had　been　caught　in　the　act　of　stealing　a　swede　turnip　from　a　barn。　When　the　police　surgeon　came　he　pronounced　the　supposed　drunken　man　to　be　dying　from　bronchitis　and　want　of　food；　and　he　further　said　that　there　was　nothing　to　indicate　that　the　man　was　addicted　to　drink。　When　the　inquest　was　held　a　few　days　afterwards；　the　coroner　remarked　that　it　was　the　third　case　of　death　from　destitution　that　had　occurred　in　the　town　within　six　weeks。

The　evidence　showed　that　the　man　was　a　plasterer　who　had　walked　from　London　with　the　hope　of　finding　work　somewhere　in　the　country。　　He　had　no　money　in　his　possession　when　he　was　found　by　the　policeman；　all　that　his　pockets　contained　being　several　pawn…tickets　and　a　letter　from　his　wife；　which　was　not　found　until　after　he　died；　because　it　was　in　an　inner　pocket　of　his　waistcoat。　　A　few　days　before　this　inquest　was　held；　the　man　who　had　been　arrested　for　stealing　the　turnip　had　been　taken　before　the　magistrates。　　The　poor　wretch　said　he　did　it　because　he　was　starving；　but　Aldermen　Sweater　and　Grinder；　after　telling　him　that　starvation　was　no　excuse　for　dishonesty；　sentenced　him　to　pay　a　fine　of　seven　shillings　and　costs；　or　go　to　prison　for　seven　days　with　hard　labour。　　As　the　convict　had　neither　money　nor　friends；　he　had　to　go　to　jail；　where　he　was；　after　all；　better　off　than　most　of　those　who　were　still　outside　because　they　lacked　either　the　courage　or　the　opportunity　to　steal　something　to　relieve　their　sufferings。

As　time　went　on　the　long…continued　privation　began　to　tell　upon　Owen　and　his　family。　　He　had　a　severe　cough：　his　eyes　became　deeply　sunken　and　of　remarkable　brilliancy；　and　his　thin　face　was　always　either　deathly　pale　or　dyed　with　a　crimson　flush。

Frankie　also　began　to　show　the　effects　of　being　obliged　to　go　so　often　without　his　porridge　and　milk；　he　became　very　pale　and　thin　and　his　long　hair　came　out　in　handfuls　when　his　mother　combed　or　brushed　it。　This　was　a　great　trouble　to　the　boy；　who；　since　hearing　the　story　of　Samson　read　out　of　the　Bible　at　school；　had　ceased　from　asking　to　have　his　hair　cut　short；　lest　he　should　lose　his　strength　in　consequence。　He　used　to　test　himself　by　going　through　a　certain　exercise　he　had　himself　invented；　with　a　flat　iron；　and　he　was　always　much　relieved　when　he　found　that；　notwithstanding　the　loss　of　the　porridge；　he　was　still　able　to　lift　the　iron　the　proper　number　of　times。　　But　after　a　while；　as　he　found　that　it　became　increasingly　difficult　to　go　through　the　exercise；　he　gave　it　up　altogether；　secretly　resolving　to　wait　until　‘Dad'　had　more　work　to　do；　so　that　he　could　have　the　porridge　and　milk　again。　　He　was　sorry　to　have　to　discontinue　the　exercise；　but　he　said　nothing　about　it　to　his　father　or　mother　because　he　did　not　want　to　‘worry'　them　。。。

Sometimes　Nora　managed　to　get　a　small　job　of　needlework。　　On　one　occasion　a　woman　with　a　small　son　brought　a　parcel　of　garments　belonging　to　herself　or　her　husband；　an　old　ulster；　several　coats；　and　so　on　…　things　that　although　they　were　too　old…fashioned　or　shabby　to　wear；　yet　might　look　all　right　if　turned　and　made　up　for　the　boy。

Nora　undertook　to　do　this；　and　after　working　several　hours　every　day　for　a　week　she　earned　four　shillings：　and　even　then　the　woman　thought　it　was　so　dear　that　she　did　not　bring　any　more。

Another　time　Mrs　Easton　got　her　some　work　at　a　boarding…house　where　she　herself　was　employed。　　The　servant　was　laid　up；　and　they　wanted　some　help　for　a　few　days。　　The　pay　was　to　be　two　shillings　a　day；　and　dinner。　　Owen　did　not　want　her　to　go　because　he　feared　she　was　not　strong　enough　to　do　the　work；　but　he　gave　way　at　last　and　Nora　went。　She　had　to　do　the　bedrooms；　and　on　the　evening　of　the　second　day；　as　a　result　of　the　constant　running　up　and　down　the　stairs　carrying　heavy　cans　and　pails　of　water；　she　was　in　such　intense　pain　that　she　was　scarcely　able　to　walk　home；　and　for　several　days　afterwards　had　to　lie　in　bed　through　a　recurrence　of　her　old　illness；　which　caused　her　to　suffer　untold　agony　whenever　she　tried　to　stand。

Owen　was　alternately　dejected　and　maddened　by　the　knowledge　of　his　own　helplessness：　when　he　was　not　doing　anything　for　Rushton　he　went　about　the　town　trying　to　find　some　other　work；　but　usually　with　scant　success。　　He　did　some　samples　of　showcard　and　window　tickets　and　endeavoured　to　get　some　orders　by　canvassing　the　shops　in　the　town；　but　this　was　also　a　failure；　for　these　people　generally　had　a　ticket…writer　to　whom　they　usually　gave　their　work。　　He　did　get　a　few　trifling　orders；　but　they　were　scarcely　worth　doing　at　the　price　he　got　for　them。　　He　used　to　feel　like　a　criminal　when　he　went　into　the　shops　to　ask　them　for　the　work；　because　he　realized　fully　that；　in　effect；　he　was　saying　to　them：　‘Take　your　work　away　from　the　other　man；　and　employ　me。'　　He　was　so　conscious　of　this　that　it　gave　him　a　shamefaced　manner；　which；　coupled　as　it　was　with　his　shabby　clothing；　did　not　create　a　very　favourable　impression　upon　those　he　addressed；　who　usually　treated　him　with　about　as　much　courtesy　as　they　would　have　extended　to　any　other　sort　of　beggar。　　Generally；　after　a　day's　canvassing；　he　returned　home　unsuccessful　and　faint　with　hunger　and　fatigue。

Once；　when　there　was　a　bitterly　cold　east　wind　blowing；　he　was　out　on　one　of　these　canvassing　expeditions　and　contracted　a　severe　cold：　his　chest　became　so　bad　that　he　found　it　almost　impossible　to　speak；　because　the　effort　to　do　so　often　brought　on　a　violent　fit　of　coughing。　　It　was　during　this　time　that　a　firm　of　drapers；　for　whom　he　had　done　some　showcards；　sent　him　an　order　for　one　they　wanted　in　a　hurry；　it　had　to　be　delivered　the　next　morning；　so　he　stayed　up　by　himself　till　nearly　midnight　to　do　it。　　As　he　worked；　he　felt　a　strange　sensation　in　his　chest：　it　was　not　exactly　a　pain；　and　he　would　have　found　it　difficult　to　describe　it　in　words　…　it　was　just　a　sensation。　　He　did　not　attach　much　importance　to　it；　thinking　it　an　effect　of　the　cold　he　had　taken；　but　whatever　it　was　he　could　not　help　feeling　conscious　of　it　all　the　time。

Frankie　had　been　put　to　bed　that　evening　at　the　customary　hour；　but　did　not　seem　to　be　sleeping　as　well　as　usual。　　Owen　could　hear　him　twisting　and　turning　about　and　uttering　little　cries　in　his　sleep。

He　left　his　work　several　times　to　go　into　the　boy's　room　and　cover　him　with　the　bedclothes　which　his　restless　movements　had　disordered。　　As　the　time　wore　on；　the　child　became　more　tranquil；　and　about　eleven　o'clock；　when　Owen　went　in　to　look　at　him；　he　found　him　in　a　deep　sleep；　lying　on　his　side　with　his　head　thrown　back　on　the　pillow；　breathing　so　softly　through　his　slightly　parted　lips　that　the　sound　was　almost　imperceptible。　　The　fair　hair　that　clustered　round　his　forehead　was　damp　with　perspiration；　and　he　was　so　still　and　pale　and　silent　that　one　might　have　thought　he　was　sleeping　the　sleep　that　knows　no　awakening。

About　an　hour　later；　when　he　had　finished　writing　the　showcard；　Owen　went　out　into　the　scullery　to　wash　his　hands　before　going　to　bed：　and　whilst　he　was　drying　them　on　the　towel；　the　strange　sensation　he　had　been　conscious　of　all　the　evening　became　more　intense；　and　a　few　seconds　afterwards　he　was　terrified　to　find　his　mouth　suddenly　filled　with　blood。

For　what　seemed　an　eternity　he　fought　for　breath　against　the　suffocating　torrent；　and　when　at　length　it　stopped；　he　sank　trembling　into　a　chair　by　the　side　of　the　table；　holding　the　towel　to　his　mouth　and　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　whilst　a　cold　sweat　streamed　from　every　pore　and　gathered　in　large　drops　upon　his　forehead。

Through　the　deathlike　silence　of　the　night　there　came　from　time　to　time　the　chimes　of　the　clock　of　a　distant　church；　but　he　continued　to　sit　there　motionless；　taking　no　heed　of　the　passing　hours；　and　possessed　with　an　awful　terror。

So　this　was　the　beginning　of　the　end！　　And　afterwards　the　other　two　would　be　left　by　themselves　at　the　mercy　of　the　world。　　In　a　few　years'　time　the　boy　would　be　like　Bert　White；　in　the　clutches　of　some　psalm…singing　devil　like　Hunter　or　Rushton；　who　would　use　him　as　if　he　were　a　beast　of　burden。　　He　imagined　he　could　see　him　now　as　he　would　be　then：　worked；　driven；　and　bullied；　carrying　loads；　dragging　carts；　and　running　here　and　there；　trying　his　best　to　satisfy　the　brutal　tyrants；　whose　only　thought　would　be　to　get　profit　out　of　him　for　themselves。　　If　he　lived；　it　would　be　to　grow　up　with　his　body　deformed　and　dwarfed　by　unnatural　labour　and　with　his　mind　stultified；　degraded　and　brutalized　by　ignorance　and　poverty。　　As　this　vision　of　the　child's　future　rose　before　him；　Owen　resolved　that　it　should　never　be！　　He　would　not　leave　them　alone　and　defenceless　in　the　midst　of　the　‘Christian'　wolves　who　wer