to him that hath-第4章

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infrequent　situation　this　was　with　Tony；　who；　while　he　seemed　to
have　inherited　from　his　mother　the　vivacity；　quick　wit　and　general
empty…headedness；　from　his　father　got　nothing　of　the　thrift　and
patient　endurance　of　grinding　toil　characteristic　of　the　French…
Canadian　habitant。　　But　he　did　get　from　his　father　a　capacity　for
the　knowing　and　handling　of　machinery；　which　amounted　almost　to
genius。　　Of　the　father's　steadiness　under　the　grind　of　daily　work
which　had　made　him　the　head　mechanic　in　the　Mill；　Tony　possessed
not　a　tittle。　　What　he　could　get　easily　he　got；　and　getting　this
fancied　himself　richly　endowed；　knowing　not　how　slight　and
superficial　is　the　equipment　for　life's　stern　fight　that　comes
without　sweat　of　brain　and　body。　　His　cleverness　deceived　first
himself　and　then　his　family；　who　united　in　believing　him　to　be
destined　for　high　place　and　great　things。　　Only　two　of　those　who
had　to　do　with　him　in　his　boyhood　weighed　him　in　the　balance　of
truth。　　One　was　his　Public　School　master；　who　labored　with
incessant　and　painful　care　to　awaken　in　him　some　glimmer　of　the
need　of　preparation　for　that　bitter　fight　to　which　every　man　is
appointed。　　The　other　was　Grant　Maitland；　whose　knowledge　of　men
and　of　life；　gained　at　cost　of　desperate　conflict；　made　the　youth's
soul　an　open　book　to　him。　　Recognising　the　boy's　aptitude；　he　had
in　holiday　seasons　set　Tony　behind　the　machines　in　his　planing
mill；　determined　for　his　father's　sake　to　make　of　him　a　mechanical
engineer。　　To　Tony　each　new　machine　was　a　toy　to　be　played　with；　in
a　week　or　two　he　had　mastered　it　and　grown　weary　of　it。　　Thenceforth
he　slacked　at　his　work　and　became　a　demoralizing　influence　in　his
department；　a　source　of　anxiety　to　his　steady…going　father；　a
plague　to　his　employer；　till　the　holiday　time　was　done。

〃Were　you　my　son；　my　lad；　I'd　soon　settle　you；〃　Grant　Maitland
would　say；　when　the　boy　was　ready　to　go　back　to　his　school。　　〃You
will　make　a　mess　of　your　life　unless　you　can　learn　to　stick　at　your
job。　　The　roads　are　full　of　clever　tramps；　remember　that；　my　boy。〃

But　Tony　only　smiled　his　brilliant　smile　at　him；　as　he　took　his　pay
envelope；　which　burned　a　hole　in　his　pocket　till　he　had　done　with
it。　　When　the　next　holiday　came　round　Tony　would　present　himself
for　a　job　with　Jack　Maitland　to　plead　for　him。　　For　to　Tony　Jack
was　as　king；　to　whom　he　gave　passionate　loyalty　without　stint　or
measure。　　And　thus　for　his　son　Jack's　sake；　Jack's　father　took　Tony
on　again；　resolved　to　make　another　effort　to　make　something　out　of
him。

The　bond　between　the　two　boys　was　hard　to　analyse。　　In　games　at
Public　and　High　School　Jack　was　always　Captain　and　Tony　his　right…
hand　man；　held　to　his　place　and　his　training　partly　by　his　admiring
devotion　to　his　Captain　but　more　by　a　wholesome　dread　of　the
inexorable　disciplinary　measures　which　slackness　or　trifling　with
the　rules　of　the　game　would　inevitably　bring　him。　　Jack　Maitland
was　the　one　being　in　Tony's　world　who　could　put　lasting　fear　into
his　soul　or　steadiness　into　his　practice。　　But　even　Jack　at　times
failed。

Then　when　both　were　eighteen　they　went　to　the　War；　Jack　as　an
Officer；　Tony　as　a　Non…Commissioned　Officer　in　the　same　Battalion；
Jack　hating　the　bloody　business　but　resolute　to　play　this　great
game　of　duty　as　he　played　all　games　for　all　that　was　in　him；　Tony
aglow　at　first　with　the　movement　and　glitter　and　later　mad　with　the
lust　for　deadly　daring　that　was　native　to　his　Keltic　Gallic　soul。
They　returned　with　their　respective　decorations　of　D。　S。　O。　and
Military　Medal　and　each　with　the　stamp　of　war　cut　deep　upon　him；　in
keeping　with　the　quality　of　his　soul。

The　return　to　peace　was　to　them；　as　to　the　thousands　of　their
comrades　to　whom　it　was　given　to　return；　a　shock　almost　as　great　as
had　been　the　adventure　of　war。　　In　a　single　day　while　still　amid
the　scenes　and　with　all　the　paraphernalia　of　war　about　them　an
unreal　and　bewildering　silence　had　fallen　on　them。　　Like　men　in　the
unearthly　realities　of　a　dream　they　moved　through　their　routine
duties；　waiting　for　the　orders　that　would　bring　that　well…known；
sickening；　savage　tightening　of　their　courage　and　send　them；　laden
like　beasts　of　burden；　up　once　more　to　that　hell　of　blood　and　mud；
of　nerve…shattering　shell；　of　blinding　glare　and　ear…bursting　roar
of　gun　fire；　and；　worse　than　all；　to　the　place　where；　crouching　in
the　farcical　deceptive　shelter　of　the　sandbagged　trench；　their
fingers　gripping　into　the　steel　of　their　rifle　hands；　they　would
wait　for　the　zero　hour。　　But　as　the　weeks　passed　and　the　orders
failed　to　come　they　passed　from　that　bewildering　and　subconscious
anxious　waiting；　to　an　experience　of　wildly　exultant；　hysterical
abandonment。　　They　were　done　with　all　that　long　horror　and　terror；
they　were　never　to　go　back　into　it　again；　they　were　going　back
home；　the　New　Day　had　dawned；　war　was　no　more；　nor　ever　would　be
again。　　Back　to　home；　to　waiting　hearts；　to　shining　eyes；　to
welcoming　arms；　to　peace；　they　were　going。

Thereafter；　when　some　weeks　of　peace　had　passed　and　the　drums　of
peace　had　fallen　quiet　and　the　rushing；　crowding；　hurrahing　people
had　melted　away；　and　the　streets　and　roads　were　filled　again　with
men　and　women　bent　on　business；　with　engagements　to　keep；　the
returned　men　found　themselves　with　dazed；　listless　mind　waiting　for
orders　from　someone；　somewhere；　or　for　the　next　movie　show　to　open。
But　they　were　unwilling　to　take　on　the　humdrum　of　making　a　living；
and　were　in　most　cases　incapable　of　initiating　a　congenial　method
of　employing　their　powers；　their　new…found；　splendid；　glorious
powers；　by　means　of　which　they　had　saved　an　empire　and　a　world。
They　had　become　common　men　again；　they　in　whose　souls　but　a　few
weeks　ago　had　flamed　the　glory　and　splendour　of　a　divine　heroism！

Small　wonder　that　some　of　these　men；　tingling　with　the　consciousness
of　powers　of　which　these　busy；　engaged　people　of　the　streets　and
shops　knew　nothing；　turned　with　disdain　from　the　petty；　paltry；　many
of　them　non…manly　tasks　that　men　pursued　solely　that　they　might
live。　　Live！　　For　these　last　terrible；　great　and　glorious　fifty
months　they　had　schooled　themselves　to　the　notion　that　the　main
business　of　life　was　not　to　live。　　There　had　been　for　them　a　thing
to　do　infinitely　more　worth　while　than　to　live。　　Indeed；　had　they
been　determined　at　all　costs　to　live；　then　they　had　become　to
themselves；　to　their　comrades；　and　indeed　to　all　the　world；　the　most
despicable　of　all　living　things；　deserving　and　winning　the　infinite
contempt　of　all　true　men。

While　the　〃gratuity　money〃　lasted　life　went　merrily　enough；　but
when　the　last　cheque　had　been　cashed；　and　the　grim　reality　that
rations　had　ceased　and　Q。　M。　Stores　were　not　longer　available
thrust　itself　vividly　into　the　face　of　the　demobilised　veteran；　and
when　after　experiencing　in　job　hunting　varying　degrees　of
humiliation　the　same　veteran　made　the　startling　and　painful
discovery　that　for　his　wares　of　heroic　self…immolation；　of　dogged
endurance　done　up　in　khaki；　there　was　no　demand　in　the　bloodless
but　none　the　less　strenuous　conflict　of　living；　and　that　other
discovery；　more　disconcerting；　that　he　was　not　the　man　he　had　been
in　pre…war　days　and　thought　himself　still　to　be；　but　quite　another；
then　he　was　ready　for　one　of　two　alternatives；　to　surrender　to　the
inevitable　dictum　that　after　all　life　was　really　not　worth　a　fight；
more　particularly　if　it　could　be　sustained　without　one；　or；　to
fling　his　hat　into　the　Bolshevist　ring；　ready　for　the　old　thing；
warwar　against　the　enemies　of　civilisation　and　his　own　enemies；
against　those　who　possessed　things　which　he　very　much　desired　but
which　for　some　inexplicable　cause　he　was　prevented　from　obtaining。

The　former　class；　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；　Jack　Maitland
represented；　the　latter；　Tony　Perrotte。　　From　their　war　experience
they　were　now　knit　together　in　bonds　that　ran　into　life　issues。
Together　they　had　faced　war's　ultimate　horror；　together　they　had
emerged　with　imperishable　memories　of　sheer　heroic　manhood　mutually
revealed　in　hours　of　desperate　need。

At　Jack's　request　Tony　had　been　given　the　position　of　a　Junior
Foreman　in　one　of　the　planing　mill　departments；　with　the　promise　of
advancement。

〃You　can　have　anything　you　are　fit　for；　Tony；　in　any　of　the　mills。
I　feel　that　I　owe　you；　that　we　both　owe　you　more　than　we　can　pay　by
any　position　we　can　offer；〃　was　Grant　Maitland's　word。

〃Mr。　Maitland；　neither　you　nor　Jack　owes　me　anything。　　Jack　has
paid；　and　more　than　once；　all　he　owed　me。　　But；〃　with　a　rueful
smile；　〃don't　expect　too　much　from　me　in　this　job。　　I　can't　see
myself　making　it　go。〃

〃Give　it　a　big　try。　　Do　your　best。　　I　ask　no　more；〃　said　Mr。
Maitland。

〃My　best？　　That's　a　hard　thing。　　Give　me　a　bayonet　and　set　some
Huns　before　me；　and　I'll　do　my　best。　　This　is　different　somehow。〃

〃Different；　yet　the　same。　　The　same　qualities　make　for　success。
You　have　the　brains　and　with　your　gift　for　machineryWell；　try　it。
You　and　Jack　here　will　make　this　go　between　you；　as　you　made　the
other　go。〃

The　door　closed　on　the　young　man。

〃Will　he　make　good；　Jack？〃　said　the　father；　anxiously。

〃Will　any　of　us　make　good？〃

〃You　will；　Jack；　I　know。　　You　can　stick。〃

〃Yes；　I　can　stick；　I　suppose；　but；　after　allwell；　we'll　have　a　go
at　it；　anyway。　　But；　like　Tony；　I　feel　like　saying；　'Don't　expect
too　much。'〃

〃Only　your　best；　Jack；　that's　all。　　Take　three　months；　six　months；
a　year；　and　get　hold　of　the　office　end　of　the　business。　　You　have
brains　enough。　　I　want　a　General　Manager　right　now；　Wickes　is
hardly　up　to　it。　　He　knows　the　books　and　he　knows　the　works　but　he
knows　nothing　else。　　He　doesn't　know　men　nor　markets。　　He　is　an
office　man　pure　and　simple；　and　he's　old；　too　old。　　The　fact　is；
Jack；　I　have　to　be　my　own　Manager　inside　and　outside。　　My　foremen
are　good；　loyal；　reliable　fellows；　but　they　only　know　their　orders。
I　want　someone　to　stand　beside　me。　　The　plant　has　been　doubled　in
capacity　during　the　war。　　We　did　a　lot　of　war　workaeroplane
parts。　　We　got　the　spruce　in　the　raw　and　worked　it　up；　good　work；
too；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。　　No　better　was　done。〃

〃I　know　something　about　that；　Dad。　　I　had　a　day　with　Badgley　in
Toronto。　　I　know　something　about　it；　and　I　know　where　the　money
went；　too；　Dad。〃

〃The　money？　　Of　course；　I　couldn't　take　the　moneyhow　could　I　with
my　boys　at　the　war；　and　other　men's　boys？〃

〃Rather　not。　　My　God；　Dad；　if　I　thought！　　But　what's　the　use
talking？　　They　know　in　London　all　about　the　Ambulance　Equipment　and
the　Machine　Gun　Battery；　and　the　Hospital。　　Do　you　know　why　Caramus
took　a　job　in　the　Permanent　Force　in　England？　　It　was　either　that
or　blowing　out　his　brains。　　He　could　not　face　his　father；　a　war
millionaire。　　My　God；　how　could　he？〃

The　boy　was　walking　about　his　room　with　face　white　and　lips
quivering。

〃Caramus　was　in　charge　of　that　Machine　Gun　Section　that　held　the
line　and　let　us　get　back。　　Every　man　wiped　out；　and　Caramus　carried
back　smashed　to　small　piecesand　his　father　making　a　million　out
of　munitions！　　My　God！　　My　God！〃

A　silence　fell　in　the　room　for　a　minute。

〃Poor　old　Caramus！　　I　saw　him　in　the　City　a　month　ago；〃　said　the
father。　　〃I　pitied　the　poor　wretch。