the ragged trousered philanthropists-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



All　his　life　it　had　been　the　same：　incessant　work　under　similar　more　or　less　humiliating　conditions；　and　with　no　more　result　than　being　just　able　to　avoid　starvation。

And　the　future；　as　far　as　he　could　see；　was　as　hopeless　as　the　past；　darker；　for　there　would　surely　come　a　time；　if　he　lived　long　enough；　when　he　would　be　unable　to　work　any　more。

He　thought　of　his　child。　　Was　he　to　be　a　slave　and　a　drudge　all　his　life　also？

it　would　be　better　for　the　boy　to　die　now。

As　Owen　thought　of　his　child's　future　there　sprung　up　within　him　a　feeling　of　hatred　and　fury　against　the　majority　of　his　fellow　workmen。

THEY　WERE　THE　ENEMY。　　Those　who　not　only　quietly　submitted　like　so　many　cattle　to　the　existing　state　of　things；　but　defended　it；　and　opposed　and　ridiculed　any　suggestion　to　alter　it。

THEY　WERE　THE　REAL　OPPRESSORS　…　the　men　who　spoke　of　themselves　as　‘The　likes　of　us；'　who；　having　lived　in　poverty　and　degradation　all　their　lives　considered　that　what　had　been　good　enough　for　them　was　good　enough　for　the　children　they　had　been　the　cause　of　bringing　into　existence。

He　hated　and　despised　them　because　the　calmly　saw　their　children　condemned　to　hard　labour　and　poverty　for　life；　and　deliberately　refused　to　make　any　effort　to　secure　for　them　better　conditions　than　those　they　had　themselves。

It　was　because　they　were　indifferent　to　the　fate　of　THEIR　children　that　he　would　be　unable　to　secure　a　natural　and　human　life　for　HIS。　It　was　their　apathy　or　active　opposition　that　made　it　impossible　to　establish　a　better　system　of　society　under　which　those　who　did　their　fair　share　of　the　world's　work　would　be　honoured　and　rewarded。　Instead　of　helping　to　do　this；　they　abased　themselves；　and　grovelled　before　their　oppressors；　and　compelled　and　taught　their　children　to　do　the　same。　　THEY　were　the　people　who　were　really　responsible　for　the　continuance　of　the　present　system。

Owen　laughed　bitterly　to　himself。　　What　a　very　comical　system　it　was。

Those　who　worked　were　looked　upon　with　contempt；　and　subjected　to　every　possible　indignity。　　Nearly　everything　they　produced　was　taken　away　from　them　and　enjoyed　by　the　people　who　did　nothing。　　And　then　the　workers　bowed　down　and　grovelled　before　those　who　had　robbed　them　of　the　fruits　of　their　labour　and　were　childishly　grateful　to　them　for　leaving　anything　at　all。

No　wonder　the　rich　despised　them　and　looked　upon　them　as　dirt。　　They　WERE　despicable。　　They　WERE　dirt。　　They　admitted　it　and　gloried　in　it。

While　these　thoughts　were　seething　in　Owen's　mind；　his　fellow　workmen　were　still　patiently　toiling　on　downstairs。　　Most　of　them　had　by　this　time　dismissed　Hunter　from　their　thoughts。　　They　did　not　take　things　so　seriously　as　Owen。　　They　flattered　themselves　that　they　had　more　sense　than　that。　　It　could　not　be　altered。　　Grin　and　bear　it。　　After　all；　it　was　only　for　life！　　Make　the　best　of　things；　and　get　your　own　back　whenever　you　get　a　chance。

Presently　Harlow　began　to　sing。　　He　had　a　good　voice　and　it　was　a　good　song；　but　his　mates　just　then　did　not　appreciate　either　one　of　the　other。　　His　singing　was　the　signal　for　an　outburst　of　exclamations　and　catcalls。

‘Shut　it；　for　Christ's　sake！'

‘That's　enough　of　that　bloody　row！'

And　so　on。　　Harlow　stopped。

‘How's　the　enemy？'　asked　Easton　presently；　addressing　no　one　in　particular。

‘Don't　know；'　replied　Bundy。　　‘It　must　be　about　half　past　four。　　Ask　Slyme；　he's　got　a　watch；'

It　was　a　quarter　past　four。

‘It　gets　dark　very　early　now；'　said　Easton。

‘Yes；'　replied　Bundy。　　‘It's　been　very　dull　all　day。　　I　think　it's　goin'　to　rain。　　　Listen　to　the　wind。'

‘I　'ope　not；'　replied　Easton。　　‘That　means　a　wet　shirt　goin'　'ome。'

He　called　out　to　old　Jack　Linden；　who　was　still　working　at　the　front　doors：

‘Is　it　raining；　Jack？'

Old　Jack；　his　pipe　still　in　his　mouth；　turned　to　look　at　the　weather。　It　was　raining；　but　Linden　did　not　see　the　large　drops　which　splashed　heavily　upon　the　ground。　　He　saw　only　Hunter；　who　was　standing　at　the　gate；　watching　him。　　For　a　few　seconds　the　two　men　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。　　Linden　was　paralysed　with　fear。　　Recovering　himself；　he　hastily　removed　his　pipe；　but　it　was　too　late。

Misery　strode　up。

‘I　don't　pay　you　for　smoking；'　he　said；　loudly。　　‘Make　out　your　time　sheet；　take　it　to　the　office　and　get　your　money。　　I've　had　enough　of　you！'

Jack　made　no　attempt　to　defend　himself：　he　knew　it　was　of　no　use。　　He　silently　put　aside　the　things　he　had　been　using；　went　into　the　room　where　he　had　left　his　tool…bag　and　coat；　removed　his　apron　and　white　jacket；　folded　them　up　and　put　them　into　his　tool…bag　along　with　the　tools　he　had　been　using　…　a　chisel…knife　and　a　shavehook　…　put　on　his　coat；　and；　with　the　tool…bag　slung　over　his　shoulder；　went　away　from　the　house。

Without　speaking　to　anyone　else；　Hunter　then　hastily　walked　over　the　place；　noting　what　progress　had　been　made　by　each　man　during　his　absence。　　He　then　rode　away；　as　he　wanted　to　get　to　the　office　in　time　to　give　Linden　his　money。

It　was　now　very　cold　and　dark　within　the　house；　and　as　the　gas　was　not　yet　laid　on；　Crass　distributed　a　number　of　candles　to　the　men；　who　worked　silently；　each　occupied　with　his　own　gloomy　thoughts。　　Who　would　be　the　next？

Outside；　sombre　masses　of　lead…coloured　clouds　gathered　ominously　in　the　tempestuous　sky。　　The　gale　roared　loudly　round　the　old…fashioned　house　and　the　windows　rattled　discordantly。　　Rain　fell　in　torrents。

They　said　it　meant　getting　wet　through　going　home；　but　all　the　same；　Thank　God　it　was　nearly　five　o'clock！



Chapter　3

The　Financiers


That　night　as　Easton　walked　home　through　the　rain　he　felt　very　depressed。　　It　had　been　a　very　bad　summer　for　most　people　and　he　had　not　fared　better　than　the　rest。　　A　few　weeks　with　one　firm；　a　few　days　with　another；　then　out　of　a　job；　then　on　again　for　a　month　perhaps；　and　so　on。

William　Easton　was　a　man　of　medium　height；　about　twenty…three　years　old；　with　fair　hair　and　moustache　and　blue　eyes。　　He　wore　a　stand…up　collar　with　a　coloured　tie　and　his　clothes；　though　shabby；　were　clean　and　neat。

He　was　married：　his　wife　was　a　young　woman　whose　acquaintance　he　had　made　when　he　happened　to　be　employed　with　others　painting　the　outside　of　the　house　where　she　was　a　general　servant。　　They　had　‘walked　out'　for　about　fifteen　months。　　Easton　had　been　in　no　hurry　to　marry；　for　he　knew　that；　taking　good　times　with　bad；　his　wages　did　no　average　a　pound　a　week。　　At　the　end　of　that　time；　however；　he　found　that　he　could　not　honourably　delay　longer；　so　they　were　married。

That　was　twelve　months　ago。

As　a　single　man　he　had　never　troubled　much　if　he　happened　to　be　out　of　work；　he　always　had　enough　to　live　on　and　pocket　money　besides；　but　now　that　he　was　married　it　was　different；　the　fear　of　being　‘out'　haunted　him　all　the　time。

He　had　started　for　Rushton　&　Co。　on　the　previous　Monday　after　having　been　idle　for　three　weeks；　and　as　the　house　where　he　was　working　had　to　be　done　right　through　he　had　congratulated　himself　on　having　secured　a　job　that　would　last　till　Christmas；　but　he　now　began　to　fear　that　what　had　befallen　Jack　Linden　might　also　happen　to　himself　at　any　time。　　He　would　have　to　be　very　careful　not　to　offend　Crass　in　any　way。　　He　was　afraid　the　latter　did　not　like　him　very　much　as　it　was。　Easton　knew　that　Crass　could　get　him　the　sack　at　any　time；　and　would　not　scruple　to　do　so　if　he　wanted　to　make　room　for　some　crony　of　his　own。　　Crass　was　the　‘coddy'　or　foreman　of　the　job。　　Considered　as　a　workman　he　had　no　very　unusual　abilities；　he　was　if　anything　inferior　to　the　majority　of　his　fellow　workmen。　　But　although　he　had　but　little　real　ability　he　pretended　to　know　everything；　and　the　vague　references　he　was　in　the　habit　of　making　to　‘tones'；　and　‘shades'；　and　‘harmony'；　had　so　impressed　Hunter　that　the　latter　had　a　high　opinion　of　him　as　a　workman。　　It　was　by　pushing　himself　forward　in　this　way　and　by　judicious　toadying　to　Hunter　that　Crass　managed　to　get　himself　put　in　charge　of　work。

Although　Crass　did　as　little　work　as　possible　himself　he　took　care　that　the　others　worked　hard。　　Any　man　who　failed　to　satisfy　him　in　this　respect　he　reported　to　Hunter　as　being　‘no　good'；　or　‘too　slow　for　a　funeral'。　　The　result　was　that　this　man　was　dispensed　with　at　the　end　of　the　week。　　The　men　knew　this；　and　most　of　them　feared　the　wily　Crass　accordingly；　though　there　were　a　few　whose　known　abilities　placed　them　to　a　certain　extent　above　the　reach　of　his　malice。　　Frank　Owen　was　one　of　these。

There　were　others　who　by　the　judicious　administration　of　pipefuls　of　tobacco　and　pints　of　beer；　managed　to　keep　in　Crass's　good　graces　and　often　retained　their　employment　when　better　workmen　were　‘stood　off'。

As　he　walked　home　through　the　rain　thinking　of　these　things；　Easton　realized　that　it　was　not　possible　to　foresee　what　a　day　or　even　an　hour　might　bring　forth。

By　this　time　he　had　arrived　at　his　home；　it　was　a　small　house；　one　of　a　long　row　of　similar　ones；　and　it　contained　altogether　four　rooms。

The　front　door　opened　into　a　passage　about　two　feet　six　inches　wide　and　ten　feet　in　length；　covered　with　oilcloth。　　At　the　end　of　the　passage　was　a　flight　of　stairs　leading　to　the　upper　part　of　the　house。　The　first　door　on　the　left　led　into　the　front　sitting…room；　an　apartment　about　nine　feet　square；　with　a　bay　window。　　This　room　was　very　rarely　used　and　was　always　very　tidy　and　clean。　　The　mantelpiece　was　of　wood　painted　black　and　ornamented　with　jagged　streaks　of　red　and　yellow；　which　were　supposed　to　give　it　the　appearance　of　marble。　On　the　walls　was　a　paper　with　a　pale　terra…cotta　ground　and　a　pattern　consisting　of　large　white　roses　with　chocolate　coloured　leaves　and　stalks。

There　was　a　small　iron　fender　with　fire…irons　to　match；　and　on　the　mantelshelf　stood　a　clock　in　a　polished　wood　case；　a　pair　of　blue　glass　vases；　and　some　photographs　in　frames。　　The　floor　was　covered　with　oilcloth　of　a　tile　pattern　in　yellow　and　red。　　On　the　walls　were　two　or　three　framed　coloured　prints　such　as　are　presented　with　Christmas　numbers　of　illustrated　papers。　　There　was　also　a　photograph　of　a　group　of　Sunday　School　girls　with　their　teachers　with　the　church　for　the　background。　　In　the　centre　of　the　room　was　a　round　deal　table　about　three　feet　six　inches　across；　with　the　legs　stained　red　to　look　like　mahogany。　　Against　one　wall　was　an　old　couch　covered　with　faded　cretonne；　four　chairs　to　match　standing　backs　to　wall　in　different　parts　of　the　room。　　The　table　was　covered　with　a　red　cloth　with　a　yellow　crewel　work　design　in　the　centre　and　in　each　of　the　four　corners；　the　edges　being　overcast　in　the　same　material。　　On　the　table　were　a　lamp　and　a　number　of　brightly　bound　books。

Some　of　these　things；　as　the　couch　and　the　chairs；　Easton　had　bought　second…hand　and　had　done　up　himself。　　The　table；　oilcloth；　fender；　hearthrug；　etc；　had　been　obtained　on　the　hire　system　and　were　not　yet　paid　for。　　The　windows　were　draped　with　white　lace　curtains　and　in　the　bay　was　a　small　bamboo　table　on　which　reposed　a　large　Holy　Bible；　cheaply　but　showily　bound。

If　anyone　had　ever　opened　this　book　they　would　have　found　that　its　pages　were　as　clean　as　the　other　things　in　the　room；　and　on　the　flyleaf　might　have　been　read　the　following　inscription：　‘To　dear　Ruth；　from　her　loving　fri