the ragged trousered philanthropists-第15部分

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‘Well；　if　you　have　one　already　and　I　give　you　this；　then　you'd　have　two　cats；　and　I'd　have　none。　　That　wouldn't　be　fair；　would　it？'

‘Well；　you　can　'ave　a　lend　of　our　cat　for　a　little　while　if　you　give　us　this　kitten；'　said　the　boy；　after　a　moment's　thought。

‘Why　would　you　rather　have　the　kitten？'

‘Because　it　would　play：　our　cat　don't　want　to　play；　it's　too　old。'

‘Perhaps　you're　too　rough　with　it；'　returned　Owen。

‘No；　it　ain't　that；　it's　just　because　it's　old。'

‘You　know　cats　is　just　the　same　as　people；'　explained　the　little　girl；　wisely。　　‘When　they're　grown　up　I　suppose　they've　got　their　troubles　to　think　about。'

Owen　wondered　how　long　it　would　be　before　her　troubles　commenced。　　As　he　gazed　at　these　two　little　orphans　he　thought　of　his　own　child；　and　of　the　rough　and　thorny　way　they　would　all　three　have　to　travel　if　they　were　so　unfortunate　as　to　outlive　their　childhood。

‘Can　we　'ave　it；　mister？'　repeated　the　boy。

Owen　would　have　liked　to　grant　the　children's　request；　but　he　wanted　the　kitten　himself。　　Therefore　he　was　relieved　when　their　grandmother　exclaimed：

‘We　don't　want　no　more　cats　'ere：　we've　got　one　already；　that's　quite　enough。'

She　was　not　yet　quite　satisfied　in　her　mind　that　the　creature　was　not　an　incarnation　of　the　Devil；　but　whether　it　was　or　not　she　did　not　want　it；　or　anything　else　of　Owen's；　in　this　house。　　She　wished　he　would　go；　and　take　his　kitten　or　his　familiar　or　whatever　it　was；　with　him。　No　good　could　come　of　his　being　there。　　Was　it　not　written　in　the　Word：　‘If　any　man　love　not　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　let　him　be　Anathema　Maran…atha。'　　She　did　not　know　exactly　what　Anathema　Maran…atha　meant；　but　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　it　was　something　very　unpleasant。　　It　was　a　terrible　thing　that　this　blasphemer　who　…　as　she　had　heard　…　did　not　believe　there　was　a　Hell　and　said　that　the　Bible　was　not　the　Word　of　God；　should　be　here　in　the　house　sitting　on　one　of　their　chairs；　drinking　from　one　of　their　cups；　and　talking　to　their　children。

The　children　stood　by　wistfully　when　Owen　put　the　kitten　under　his　coat　and　rose　to　go　away。

As　Linden　prepared　to　accompany　him　to　the　front　door；　Owen；　happening　to　notice　a　timepiece　standing　on　a　small　table　in　the　recess　at　one　side　of　the　fireplace；　exclaimed：

‘That's　a　very　nice　clock。'

‘Yes；　it's　all　right；　ain't　it？'　said　old　Jack；　with　a　touch　of　pride。　‘Poor　Tom　made　that：　not　the　clock　itself；　but　just　the　case。'

It　was　the　case　that　had　attracted　Owen's　attention。　　It　stood　about　two　feet　high　and　was　made　of　fretwork　in　the　form　of　an　Indian　mosque；　with　a　pointed　dome　and　pinnacles。　　It　was　a　very　beautiful　thing　and　must　have　cost　many　hours　of　patient　labour。

‘Yes；'　said　the　old　woman；　in　a　trembling；　broken　voice；　and　looking　at　Owen　with　a　pathetic　expression。　　‘Months　and　months　he　worked　at　it；　and　no　one　ever　guessed　who　it　were　for。　　And　then；　when　my　birthday　came　round；　the　very　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　woke　up　in　the　morning　were　the　clock　standing　on　a　chair　by　the　bed　with　a　card：

　　　　　　　　　　　'To　dear　mother；　from　her　loving　son；　Tom。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Wishing　her　many　happy　birthdays。'

‘But　he　never　had　another　birthday　himself；　because　just　five　months　afterwards　he　were　sent　out　to　Africa；　and　he'd　only　been　there　five　weeks　when　he　died。　　Five　years　ago；　come　the　fifteenth　of　next　month。'

Owen；　inwardly　regretting　that　he　had　unintentionally　broached　so　painful　a　subject；　tried　to　think　of　some　suitable　reply；　but　had　to　content　himself　with　murmuring　some　words　of　admiration　of　the　work。

As　he　wished　her　good　night；　the　old　woman；　looking　at　him；　could　not　help　observing　that　he　appeared　very　frail　and　ill：　his　face　was　very　thin　and　pale；　and　his　eyes　were　unnaturally　bright。

Possibly　the　Lord　in　His　infinite　loving　kindness　and　mercy　was　chastening　this　unhappy　castaway　in　order　that　He　might　bring　him　to　Himself。　　After　all；　he　was　not　altogether　bad：　it　was　certainly　very　thoughtful　of　him　to　come　all　this　way　to　let　John　know　about　that　job。　　She　observed　that　he　had　no　overcoat；　and　the　storm　was　still　raging　fiercely　outside；　furious　gusts　of　wind　frequently　striking　the　house　and　shaking　it　to　its　very　foundations。

The　natural　kindliness　of　her　character　asserted　itself；　her　better　feelings　were　aroused；　triumphing　momentarily　over　the　bigotry　of　her　religious　opinions。

‘Why；　you　ain't　got　no　overcoat！'　she　exclaimed。　　‘You'll　be　soaked　goin'　'ome　in　this　rain。'　　Then；　turning　to　her　husband；　she　continued：　‘There's　that　old　one　of　yours；　you　might　lend　him　that；　it　would　be　better　than　nothing。'

But　Owen　would　not　hear　of　this：　he　thought；　as　he　became　very　conscious　of　the　clammy　feel　of　his　saturated　clothing；　that　he　could　not　get　much　wetter　than　he　already　was。　　Linden　accompanied　him　as　far　as　the　front　door；　and　Owen　once　more　set　out　on　his　way　homeward　through　the　storm　that　howled　around　like　a　wild　beast　hungry　for　its　prey。



Chapter　6

It　is　not　My　Crime


Owen　and　his　family　occupied　the　top　floor　of　a　house　that　had　once　been　a　large　private　dwelling　but　which　had　been　transformed　into　a　series　of　flats。　　It　was　situated　in　Lord　Street；　almost　in　the　centre　of　the　town。

At　one　time　this　had　been　a　most　aristocratic　locality；　but　most　of　the　former　residents　had　migrated　to　the　newer　suburb　at　the　west　of　the　town。　　Notwithstanding　this　fact；　Lord　Street　was　still　a　most　respectable　neighbourhood；　the　inhabitants　generally　being　of　a　very　superior　type：　shop…walkers；　shop　assistants；　barber's　clerks；　boarding　house　keepers；　a　coal　merchant；　and　even　two　retired　jerry…builders。

There　were　four　other　flats　in　the　house　in　which　Owen　lived。　　No。　1　（the　basement）　was　occupied　by　an　estate　agent's　clerk。　　No。　2　…　on　a　level　with　the　street　…　was　the　habitat　of　the　family　of　Mr　Trafaim；　a　cadaverous…looking　gentleman　who　wore　a　top　hat；　boasted　of　his　French　descent；　and　was　a　shop…walker　at　Sweater's　Emporium。　　No。　3　was　tenanted　by　an　insurance　agent；　and　in　No。　4　dwelt　a　tallyman's　traveller。

Lord　Street　…　like　most　other　similar　neighbourhoods　…　supplied　a　striking　answer　to　those　futile　theorists　who　prate　of　the　equality　of　mankind；　for　the　inhabitants　instinctively　formed　themselves　into　groups；　the　more　superior　types　drawing　together；　separating　themselves　from　the　inferior；　and　rising　naturally　to　the　top；　while　the　others　gathered　themselves　into　distinct　classes；　grading　downwards；　or　else　isolated　themselves　altogether；　being　refused　admission　to　the　circles　they　desired　to　enter；　and　in　their　turn　refusing　to　associate　with　their　inferiors。

The　most　exclusive　set　consisted　of　the　families　of　the　coal　merchant；　the　two　retired　jerry…builders　and　Mr　Trafaim；　whose　superiority　was　demonstrated　by　the　fact　that；　to　say　nothing　of　his　French　extraction；　he　wore　…　in　addition　to　the　top　hat　aforesaid　…　a　frock　coat　and　a　pair　of　lavender　trousers　every　day。　　The　coal　merchant　and　the　jerry　builders　also　wore　top　hats；　lavender　trousers　and　frock　coats；　but　only　on　Sundays　and　other　special　occasions。　　The　estate　agent's　clerk　and　the　insurance　agent；　though　excluded　from　the　higher　circle；　belonged　to　another　select　coterie　from　which　they　excluded　in　their　turn　all　persons　of　inferior　rank；　such　as　shop　assistants　or　barbers。

The　only　individual　who　was　received　with　equal　cordiality　by　all　ranks；　was　the　tallyman's　traveller。　　But　whatever　differences　existed　amongst　them　regarding　each　other's　social　standing　they　were　unanimous　on　one　point　at　least：　they　were　indignant　at　Owen's　presumption　in　coming　to　live　in　such　a　refined　locality。

This　low　fellow；　this　common　workman；　with　his　paint…bespattered　clothing；　his　broken　boots；　and　his　generally　shabby　appearance；　was　a　disgrace　to　the　street；　and　as　for　his　wife　she　was　not　much　better；　because　although　whenever　she　came　out　she　was　always　neatly　dressed；　yet　most　of　the　neighbours　knew　perfectly　well　that　she　had　been　wearing　the　same　white　straw　hat　all　the　time　she　had　been　there。　　In　fact；　the　only　tolerable　one　of　the　family　was　the　boy；　and　they　were　forced　to　admit　that　he　was　always　very　well　dressed；　so　well　indeed　as　to　occasion　some　surprise；　until　they　found　out　that　all　the　boy's　clothes　were　home…made。　　Then　their　surprise　was　changed　into　a　somewhat　grudging　admiration　of　the　skill　displayed；　mingled　with　contempt　for　the　poverty　which　made　its　exercise　necessary。

The　indignation　of　the　neighbours　was　increased　when　it　became　known　that　Owen　and　his　wife　were　not　Christians：　then　indeed　everyone　agreed　that　the　landlord　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself　for　letting　the　top　flat　to　such　people。

But　although　the　hearts　of　these　disciples　of　the　meek　and　lowly　Jewish　carpenter　were　filled　with　uncharitableness；　they　were　powerless　to　do　much　harm。　　The　landlord　regarded　their　opinion　with　indifference。　　All　he　cared　about　was　the　money：　although　he　also　was　a　sincere　Christian；　he　would　not　have　hesitated　to　let　the　top　flat　to　Satan　himself；　provided　he　was　certain　of　receiving　the　rent　regularly。

The　only　one　upon　whom　the　Christians　were　able　to　inflict　any　suffering　was　the　child。　　At　first　when　he　used　to　go　out　into　the　street　to　play；　the　other　children；　acting　on　their　parents'　instructions；　refused　to　associate　with　him；　or　taunted　him　with　his　parents'　poverty。　　Occasionally　he　came　home　heartbroken　and　in　tears　because　he　had　been　excluded　from　some　game。

At　first；　sometimes　the　mothers　of　some　of　the　better…class　children　used　to　come　out　with　a　comical　assumption　of　superiority　and　dignity　and　compel　their　children　to　leave　off　playing　with　Frankie　and　some　other　poorly　dressed　children　who　used　to　play　in　that　street。　　These　females　were　usually　overdressed　and　wore　a　lot　of　jewellery。　　Most　of　them　fancied　they　were　ladies；　and　if　they　had　only　had　the　sense　to　keep　their　mouths　shut；　other　people　might　possibly　have　shared　the　same　delusion。

But　this　was　now　a　rare　occurrence；　because　the　parents　of　the　other　children　found　it　a　matter　of　considerable　difficulty　to　prevent　their　youngsters　from　associating　with　those　of　inferior　rank；　for　when　left　to　themselves　the　children　disregarded　all　such　distinctions。　Frequently　in　that　street　was　to