the ragged trousered philanthropists-第81章

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brought　her　the　money　the　next　Saturday　afternoon　and　went　off　chuckling　to　himself　over　the　success　of　the　scheme。　　It　did　not　occur　to　him　until　the　next　day　that　he　might　just　as　well　have　got　her　to　make　him　an　apron　or　two：　and　when　he　did　think　of　this　he　said　that　after　all　it　didn't　matter；　because　if　he　had　done　that　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　buy　new　calico；　and　anyhow；　it　could　be　done　some　other　time。

Newman　did　not　make　his　fortune　out　of　the　bananas　…　seldom　more　than　two　shillings　a　day　…　and　consequently　he　was　very　glad　when　Philpot　called　at　his　house　one　evening　and　told　him　there　was　a　chance　of　a　job　at　Rushton's。　　Newman　accordingly　went　to　the　yard　the　next　morning；　taking　his　apron　and　blouse　and　his　bag　of　tools　with　him；　ready　to　start　work。　　He　got　there　at　about　quarter　to　six　and　was　waiting　outside　when　Hunter　arrived。　　The　latter　was　secretly　very　glad　to　see　him；　for　there　was　a　rush　of　work　in　and　they　were　short　of　men。　　He　did　not　let　this　appear；　of　course；　but　hesitated　for　a　few　minutes　when　Newman　repeated　the　usual　formula：　‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

‘We　wasn't　at　all　satisfied　with　you　last　time　you　was　on；　you　know；'　said　Misery。　　‘Still；　I　don't　mind　giving　you　another　chance。　　But　if　you　want　to　hold　your　job　you'll　have　to　move　yourself　a　bit　quicker　than　you　did　before。'

Towards　the　end　of　the　month　things　began　to　improve　all　round。　　The　weather　became　finer　and　more　settled。　　As　time　went　on　the　improvement　was　maintained　and　nearly　everyone　was　employed。　Rushton's　were　so　busy　that　they　took　on　several　other　old　hands　who　had　been　sacked　the　previous　year　for　being　too　slow。

Thanks　to　the　influence　of　Crass；　Easton　was　now　regarded　as　one　of　the　regular　hands。　　He　had　recently　resumed　the　practice　of　spending　some　of　his　evenings　at　the　Cricketers。　　It　is　probable　that　even　if　it　had　not　been　for　his　friendship　with　Crass；　he　would　still　have　continued　to　frequent　the　public　house；　for　things　were　not　very　comfortable　at　home。　　Somehow　or　other；　Ruth　and　he　seemed　to　be　always　quarrelling；　and　he　was　satisfied　that　it　was　not　always　his　fault。　　Sometimes；　after　the　day's　work　was　over　he　would　go　home　resolved　to　be　good　friends　with　her：　he　would　plan　on　his　way　homewards　to　suggest　to　her　that　they　should　have　their　tea　and　then　go　out　for　a　walk　with　the　child。　　Once　or　twice　she　agreed；　but　on　each　occasion；　they　quarrelled　before　they　got　home　again。　　So　after　a　time　he　gave　up　trying　to　be　friends　with　her　and　went　out　by　himself　every　evening　as　soon　as　he　had　had　his　tea。

Mary　Linden；　who　was　still　lodging　with　them；　could　not　help　perceiving　their　unhappiness：　she　frequently　noticed　that　Ruth's　eyes　were　red　and　swollen　as　if　with　crying；　and　she　gently　sought　to　gain　her　confidence；　but　without　success。　　On　one　occasion　when　Mary　was　trying　to　advise　her；　Ruth　burst　out　into　a　terrible　fit　of　weeping；　but　she　would　not　say　what　was　the　cause　…　except　that　her　head　was　aching　…　she　was　not　well；　that　was　all。

Sometimes　Easton　passed　the　evening　at　the　Cricketers　but　frequently　he　went　over　to　the　allotments；　where　Harlow　had　a　plot　of　ground。　Harlow　used　to　get　up　about　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　put　in　an　hour　or　so　at　his　garden　before　going　to　work；　and　every　evening　as　soon　as　he　had　finished　tea　he　used　to　go　there　again　and　work　till　it　was　dark。　　Sometimes　he　did　not　go　home　to　tea　at　all；　but　went　straight　from　work　to　the　garden；　and　his　children　used　to　bring　his　tea　to　him　there　in　a　glass　bottle；　with　something　to　eat　in　a　little　basket。　　He　had　four　children；　none　of　whom　were　yet　old　enough　to　go　to　work；　and　as　may　be　imagined；　he　found　it　a　pretty　hard　struggle　to　live。　　He　was　not　a　teetotaller；　but　as　he　often　remarked；　‘what　the　publicans　got　from　him　wouldn't　make　them　very　fat'；　for　he　often　went　for　weeks　together　without　tasting　the　stuff；　except　a　glass　or　two　with　the　Sunday　dinner；　which　he　did　not　regard　as　an　unnecessary　expense；　because　it　was　almost　as　cheap　as　tea　or　coffee。

Fortunately　his　wife　was　a　good　needlewoman；　and　as　sober　and　industrious　as　himself；　by　dint　of　slaving　incessantly　from　morning　till　night　she　managed　to　keep　her　home　fairly　comfortable　and　the　children　clean　and　decently　dressed；　they　always　looked　respectable；　although　they　did　not　always　have　enough　proper　food　to　eat。　　They　looked　so　respectable　that　none　of　the　‘visiting　ladies'　ever　regarded　them　as　deserving　cases。

Harlow　paid　fifteen　shillings　a　year　for　his　plot　of　ground；　and　although　it　meant　a　lot　of　hard　work　it　was　also　a　source　of　pleasure　and　some　profit。　　He　generally　made　a　few　shillings　out　of　the　flowers；　besides　having　enough　potatoes　and　other　vegetables　to　last　them　nearly　all　the　year。

Sometimes　Easton　went　over　to　the　allotments　and　lent　Harlow　a　hand　with　this　gardening　work；　but　whether　he　went　there　or　to　the　Cricketers；　he　usually　returned　home　about　half　past　nine；　and　then　went　straight　to　bed；　often　without　speaking　a　single　word　to　Ruth；　who　for　her　part　seldom　spoke　to　him　except　to　answer　something　he　said；　or　to　ask　some　necessary　question。　　At　first；　Easton　used　to　think　that　it　was　all　because　of　the　way　he　had　behaved　to　her　in　the　public　house；　but　when　he　apologized　…　as　he　did　several　times　…　and　begged　her　to　forgive　him　and　forget　about　it；　she　always　said　it　was　all　right；　there　was　nothing　to　forgive。　　Then；　after　a　time；　he　began　to　think　it　was　on　account　of　their　poverty　and　the　loss　of　their　home；　for　nearly　all　their　furniture　had　been　sold　during　the　last　winter。　　But　whenever　he　talked　of　trying　to　buy　some　more　things　to　make　the　place　comfortable　again；　she　did　not　appear　to　take　any　interest：　the　house　was　neat　enough　as　it　was：　they　could　manage　very　well；　she　said；　indifferently。

One　evening；　about　the　middle　of　June；　when　he　had　been　over　to　the　allotments；　Easton　brought　her　home　a　bunch　of　flowers　that　Harlow　had　given　him　…　some　red　and　white　roses　and　some　pansies。　　When　he　came　in；　Ruth　was　packing　his　food　basket　for　the　next　day。　　The　baby　was　asleep　in　its　cot　on　the　floor　near　the　window。　　Although　it　was　nearly　nine　o'clock　the　lamp　had　not　yet　been　lighted　and　the　mournful　twilight　that　entered　the　room　through　the　open　window　increased　the　desolation　of　its　appearance。　　The　fire　had　burnt　itself　out　and　the　grate　was　filled　with　ashes。　　On　the　hearth　was　an　old　rug　made　of　jute　that　had　once　been　printed　in　bright　colours　which　had　faded　away　till　the　whole　surface　had　become　almost　uniformly　drab；　showing　scarcely　any　trace　of　the　original　pattern。　　The　rest　of　the　floor　was　bare　except　for　two　or　three　small　pieces　of　old　carpet　that　Ruth　had　bought　for　a　few　pence　at　different　times　at　some　inferior　second…hand　shop。　　The　chairs　and　the　table　were　almost　the　only　things　that　were　left　of　the　original　furniture　of　the　room；　and　except　for　three　or　four　plates　of　different　patterns　and　sizes　and　a　few　cups　and　saucers；　the　shelves　of　the　dresser　were　bare。

The　stillness　of　the　atmosphere　was　disturbed　only　by　the　occasional　sound　of　the　wheels　of　a　passing　vehicle　and　the　strangely　distinct　voices　of　some　children　who　were　playing　in　the　street。

‘I've　brought　you　these；'　said　Easton；　offering　her　the　flowers。　　‘I　thought　you'd　like　them。　　I　got　them　from　Harlow。　　You　know　I've　been　helping　him　a　little　with　his　garden。'

At　first　he　thought　she　did　not　want　to　take　them。　　She　was　standing　at　the　table　with　her　back　to　the　window；　so　that　he　was　unable　to　see　the　expression　of　her　face；　and　she　hesitated　for　a　moment　before　she　faltered　out　some　words　of　thanks　and　took　the　flowers；　which　she　put　down　on　the　table　almost　as　soon　as　she　touched　them。

Offended　at　what　he　considered　her　contemptuous　indifference；　Easton　made　no　further　attempt　at　conversation　but　went　into　the　scullery　to　wash　his　hands；　and　then　went　up　to　bed。

Downstairs；　for　a　long　time　after　he　was　gone；　Ruth　sat　alone　by　the　fireless　grate；　in　the　silence　and　the　gathering　shadows；　holding　the　bunch　of　flowers　in　her　hand；　living　over　again　the　events　of　the　last　year；　and　consumed　with　an　agony　of　remorse。

The　presence　of　Mary　Linden　and　the　two　children　in　the　house　probably　saved　Ruth　from　being　more　unhappy　than　she　was。　　Little　Elsie　had　made　an　arrangement　with　her　to　be　allowed　to　take　the　baby　out　for　walks；　and　in　return　Ruth　did　Elsie's　housework。　　As　for　Mary；　she　had　not　much　time　to　do　anything　but　sew；　almost　the　only　relaxation　she　knew　being　when　she　took　the　work　home；　and　on　Sunday；　which　she　usually　devoted　to　a　general　clean…up　of　the　room；　and　to　mending　the　children's　clothes。　　Sometimes　on　Sunday　evening　she　used　to　go　with　Ruth　and　the　children　to　see　Mrs　Owen；　who；　although　she　was　not　ill　enough　to　stay　in　bed；　seldom　went　out　of　the　house。　　She　had　never　really　recovered　from　the　attack　of　illness　which　was　brought　on　by　her　work　at　the　boarding　house。　　The　doctor　had　been　to　see　her　once　or　twice　and　had　prescribed　…　rest。　　She　was　to　lie　down　as　much　as　possible；　not　to　do　any　heavy　work　…　not　to　carry　or　lift　any　heavy　articles；　scrub　floors；　make　beds；　or　anything　of　that　sort：　and　she　was　to　take　plenty　of　nourishing　food；　beef　tea；　chicken；　a　little　wine　and　so　on。　　He　did　not　suggest　a　trip　round　the　world　in　a　steam　yacht　or　a　visit　to　Switzerland　…　perhaps　he　thought　they　might　not　be　able　to　afford　it。　　Sometimes　she　was　so　ill　that　she　had　to　observe　one　at　least　of　the　doctor's　instructions　…　to　lie　down：　and　then　she　would　worry　and　fret　because　she　was　not　able　to　do　the　housework　and　because　Owen　had　to　prepare　his　own　tea　when　he　came　home　at　night。　On　one　of　these　occasions　it　would　have　been　necessary　for　Owen　to　stay　at　home　from　work　if　it　had　not　been　for　Mrs　Easton；　who　came　for　several　days　in　succession　to　look　after　her　and　attend　to　the　house。

Fortunately；　Owen's　health　was　better　since　the　weather　had　become　warmer。　　For　a　long　time　after　the　attack　of　haemorrhage　he　had　while　writing　the　show…card　he　used　to　dread　going　to　sleep　at　night　for　fear　it　should　recur。　　He　had　heard　of　people　dying　in　their　sleep　from　that　cause。　　But　this　terror　gradually　left　him。　　Nora　knew　nothing　of　what　occurred　that　night：　to　have　told　her　would　have　done　no　good；　but　on　the　contrary　would　have　caused　her　a　lot　of　useless　anxiety。　　Sometimes　he　doubted　whether　it　was　right　not　to　tell　her；　but　as　time　went　by　and　his　health　continued　to　improve　he　was　glad　he　had　said　nothing　about　it。

Frankie　had　lately　resumed　his　athletic　exercises　with　the　flat　iron：　his　strength　was　returning　since　Owen　had　been　working　regularly；　because　he　had　been　having　his　porridge　and　milk　again　and　also　some　Parrish's　Food　which　a　chemist　at　Windley　was　selling　large　bottles　of　for　a　shilling。　　He　used　to　have　what　he　called　a　‘party'　two　or　three　times　a　week　with　Elsie；　Charley　and　Easton's　baby　as　the　guests。　Sometimes；　if　Mrs　Owen　were　not　well；　Elsie　used　to　stay　in　with　her　after　tea　and　do　some　housework　while　the　boys　went　out　to　play；　but　more　frequently　the　four　children　used　to　go　together　to　the　park　to　play　or　sail　boats　on　the　lake。　　Once　one　of　the　boats　was　becalmed　about　a　couple　of　yards　from　shore　and　while　trying　to　reach　it　with　a　stick　Frankie　fe