the ragged trousered philanthropists-第29部分

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！



‘Yes；'　replied　Elsie　and　added：　‘Do　they　give　prizes　at　your　Sunday　School；　Frankie？'

‘I　don't　go　to　Sunday　School。'

‘Ain't　you　never　been？'　said　Charley　in　a　tone　of　surprise。

‘No；'　replied　Frankie。　　‘Dad　says　I　have　quite　enough　of　school　all　the　week。'

‘You　ought　to　come　to　ours；　man！'　urged　Charley。　　‘It's　not　like　being　in　school　at　all！　　And　we　'as　a　treat　in　the　summer；　and　prizes　and　sometimes　a　magic　lantern　'tainment。　　It　ain't　'arf　all　right；　I　can　tell　you。'

Frankie　looked　inquiringly　at　his　mother。

‘Might　I　go；　Mum？'

‘Yes；　if　you　like；　dear。'

‘But　I　don't　know　the　way。'

‘Oh；　it's　not　far　from　'ere；'　cried　Charley。　　‘We　'as　to　pass　by　your　'ouse　when　we're　goin'；　so　I'll　call　for　you　on　Sunday　if　you　like。'

‘It's　only　just　round　in　Duke　Street；　you　know；　the　〃Shining　Light　Chapel〃；'　said　Elsie。　　‘It　commences　at　three　o'clock。'

‘All　right；'　said　Nora。　　‘I'll　have　Frankie　ready　at　a　quarter　to　three。　　But　now　you　must　run　home　as　fast　as　you　can。　　Did　you　like　those　cakes？'

‘Yes；　thank　you　very　much；'　answered　Elsie。

‘Not　'arf！'　said　Charley。

‘Does　your　mother　make　cakes　for　you　sometimes？'

‘She　used　to；　but　she's　too　busy　now；　making　blouses　and　one　thing　and　another；'　Elsie　answered。

‘I　suppose　she　hasn't　much　time　for　cooking；'　said　Nora；　‘so　I've　wrapped　up　some　more　of　those　cakes　in　this　parcel　for　you　to　take　home　for　tomorrow。　　I　think　you　can　manage　to　carry　it　all　right；　can't　you；　Charley？'

‘I　think　I'd　better　carry　it　myself；'　said　Elsie。　　‘Charley's　SO　careless；　he's　sure　to　lose　some　of　them。'

‘I　ain't　no　more　careless　than　you　are；'　cried　Charley；　indignantly。　‘What　about　the　time　you　dropped　the　quarter　of　butter　you　was　sent　for　in　the　mud？'

‘That　wasn't　carelessness：　that　was　an　accident；　and　it　wasn't　butter　at　all：　it　was　margarine；　so　there！'

Eventually　it　was　arranged　that　they　were　to　carry　the　parcel　in　turns；　Elsie　to　have　first　innings。　　Frankie　went　downstairs　to　the　front　door　with　them　to　see　them　off；　and　as　they　went　down　the　street　he　shouted　after　them：

‘Mind　you　remember；　next　Sunday！'

‘All　right；'　Charley　shouted　back。　　‘We　shan't　forget。'



On　Thursday　Owen　stayed　at　home　until　after　breakfast　to　finish　the　designs　which　he　had　promised　to　have　ready　that　morning。

When　he　took　them　to　the　office　at　nine　o'clock；　the　hour　at　which　he　had　arranged　to　meet　Rushton；　the　latter　had　not　yet　arrived；　and　he　did　not　put　in　an　appearance　until　half　an　hour　later。　　Like　the　majority　of　people　who　do　brain　work；　he　needed　a　great　deal　more　rest　than　those　who　do　only　mere　physical　labour。

‘Oh；　you've　brought　them　sketches；　I　suppose；'　he　remarked　in　a　surly　tone　as　he　came　in。　　‘You　know；　there　was　no　need　for　you　to　wait：　you　could　'ave　left　'em　'ere　and　gone　on　to　your　job。'

He　sat　down　at　his　desk　and　looked　carelessly　at　the　drawing　that　Owen　handed　to　him。　　It　was　on　a　sheet　of　paper　about　twenty…four　by　eighteen　inches。　　The　design　was　drawn　with　pencil　and　one　half　of　it　was　coloured。

‘That's　for　the　ceiling；'　said　Owen。　　‘I　hadn't　time　to　colour　all　of　it。'

With　an　affectation　of　indifference；　Rushton　laid　the　drawing　down　and　took　the　other　which　Owen　handed　to　him。

‘This　is　for　the　large　wall。　　The　same　design　would　be　adapted　for　the　other　walls；　and　this　one　shows　the　door　and　the　panels　under　the　window。'

Rushton　expressed　no　opinion　about　the　merits　of　the　drawings。　　He　examined　them　carelessly　one　after　the　other；　and　then；　laying　them　down；　he　inquired：

‘How　long　would　it　take　you　to　do　this　work　…　if　we　get　the　job？'

‘About　three　weeks：　say　150　hours。　　That　is　…　the　decorative　work　only。　　Of　course；　the　walls　and　ceiling　would　have　to　be　painted　first：　they　will　need　three　coats　of　white。'

Rushton　scribbled　a　note　on　a　piece　of　paper。

‘Well；'　he　said；　after　a　pause；　‘you　can　leave　these　'ere　and　I'll　see　Mr　Sweater　about　it　and　tell　'im　what　it　will　cost；　and　if　he　decides　to　have　it　done　I'll　let　you　know。'

He　put　the　drawings　aside　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　other　matters　to　attend　to；　and　began　to　open　one　of　the　several　letters　that　were　on　his　desk。　　He　meant　this　as　an　intimation　that　the　audience　was　at　an　end　and　that　he　desired　the　‘hand'　to　retire　from　the　presence。　Owen　understood　this；　but　he　did　not　retire；　because　it　was　necessary　to　mention　one　or　two　things　which　Rushton　would　have　to　allow　for　when　preparing　the　estimate。

‘Of　course　I　should　want　some　help；'　he　said。　　‘I　should　need　a　man　occasionally；　and　the　boy　most　of　the　time。　　Then　there's　the　gold　leaf　…　say；　fifteen　books。'

‘Don't　you　think　it　would　be　possible　to　use　gold　paint？'

‘I'm　afraid　not。'

‘Is　there　anything　else？'　inquired　Rushton　as　he　finished　writing　down　these　items。

‘I　think　that's　all；　except　a　few　sheets　of　cartridge　paper　for　stencils　and　working　drawings。　　The　quantity　of　paint　necessary　for　the　decorative　work　will　be　very　small。'

As　soon　as　Owen　was　gone；　Rushton　took　up　the　designs　and　examined　them　attentively。

‘These　are　all　right；'　he　muttered。　　‘Good　enough　for　anywhere。　　If　he　can　paint　anything　like　as　well　as　this　on　the　walls　and　ceiling　of　the　room；　it　will　stand　all　the　looking　at　that　anyone　in　this　town　is　likely　to　give　it。'

‘Let's　see；'　he　continued。　　‘He　said　three　weeks；　but　he's　so　anxious　to　do　the　job　that　he's　most　likely　under…estimated　the　time；　I'd　better　allow　four　weeks：　that　means　about　200　hours：　200　hours　at　eight…pence：　how　much　is　that？　　And　say　he　has　a　painter　to　help　him　half　the　time。　　100　hours　at　sixpence…ha'penny。'

He　consulted　a　ready　reckoner　that　was　on　the　desk。

‘Time；　？。7。6。　　Materials：　fifteen　books　of　gold；　say　a　pound。　　Then　there's　the　cartridge　paper　and　the　colours　…　say　another　pound；　at　the　outside。　　Boy's　time？　　Well；　he　gets　no　wages　as　yet；　so　we　needn't　mention　that　at　all。　　Then　there's　the　preparing　of　the　room。　Three　coats　of　white　paint。　　I　wish　Hunter　was　here　to　give　me　an　idea　what　it　will　cost。'

As　if　in　answer　to　his　wish；　Nimrod　entered　the　office　at　that　moment；　and　in　reply　to　Rushton's　query　said　that　to　give　the　walls　and　ceiling　three　coats　of　paint　would　cost　about　three　pounds　five　for　time　and　material。　　Between　them　the　two　brain　workers　figured　that　fifteen　pounds　would　cover　the　entire　cost　of　the　work　…　painting　and　decorating。

‘Well；　I　reckon　we　can　charge　Sweater　forty…five　pounds　for　it；'　said　Rushton。　　‘It　isn't　like　an　ordinary　job；　you　know。　　If　he　gets　a　London　firm　to　do　it；　it'll　cost　him　double　that；　if　not　more。'

Having　arrived　at　this　decision；　Rushton　rung　up　Sweater's　Emporium　on　the　telephone；　and；　finding　that　Mr　Sweater　was　there；　he　rolled　up　the　designs　and　set　out　for　that　gentleman's　office。

The　men　work　with　their　hands；　and　the　masters　work　with　their　brains。　What　a　dreadful　calamity　it　would　be　for　the　world　and　for　mankind　if　all　these　brain　workers　were　to　go　on　strike。



Chapter　15

The　Undeserving　Persons　and　the　Upper　and　Nether　Millstones


Hunter　had　take　on　three　more　painters　that　morning。　　Bundy　and　two　labourers　had　commenced　the　work　of　putting　in　the　new　drains；　the　carpenters　were　back　again　doing　some　extra　work；　and　there　was　also　a　plumber　working　on　the　house；　so　there　was　quite　a　little　crowd　in　the　kitchen　at　dinner…time。　　Crass　had　been　waiting　for　a　suitable　opportunity　to　produce　the　newspaper　cutting　which　it　will　be　remembered　he　showed　to　Easton　on　Monday　morning；　but　he　had　waited　in　vain；　for　there　had　been　scarcely　any　‘political'　talk　at　meal…times　all　the　week；　and　it　was　now　Thursday。　　As　far　as　Owen　was　concerned；　his　thoughts　were　so　occupied　with　the　designs　for　the　drawing…room　that　he　had　no　time　for　anything　else；　and　most　of　the　others　were　only　too　willing　to　avoid　a　subject　which　frequently　led　to　unpleasantness。　　As　a　rule　Crass　himself　had　no　liking　for　such　discussion；　but　he　was　so　confident　of　being　able　to　‘flatten　out'　Owen　with　the　cutting　from　the　Obscurer　that　he　had　several　times　tried　to　lead　the　conversation　into　the　desired　channel；　but　so　far　without　success。

During　dinner　…　as　they　called　it　…　various　subjects　were　discussed。　Harlow　mentioned　that　he　had　found　traces　of　bugs　in　one　of　the　bedrooms　upstairs　and　this　called　forth　a　number　of　anecdotes　of　those　vermin　and　of　houses　infested　by　them。　　Philpot　remembered　working　in　a　house　over　at　Windley；　the　people　who　lived　in　it　were　very　dirty　and　had　very　little　furniture；　no　bedsteads；　the　beds　consisting　of　dilapidated　mattresses　and　rags　on　the　floor。　　He　declared　that　these　ragged　mattresses　used　to　wander　about　the　rooms　by　themselves。　　The　house　was　so　full　of　fleas　that　if　one　placed　a　sheet　of　newspaper　on　the　floor　one　could　hear　and　see　them　jumping　on　it。　　In　fact；　directly　one　went　into　that　house　one　was　covered　from　head　to　foot　with　fleas！　　During　the　few　days　he　worked　at　that　place；　he　lost　several　pounds　in　weight；　and　of　evenings　as　he　walked　homewards　the　children　and　people　in　the　streets；　observing　his　ravaged　countenance；　thought　he　was　suffering　from　some　disease　and　used　to　get　out　of　his　way　when　they　saw　him　coming。

There　were　several　other　of　these　narratives；　four　or　five　men　talking　at　the　top　of　their　voices　at　the　same　time；　each　one　telling　a　different　story。　　At　first　each　story…teller　addressed　himself　to　the　company　generally；　but　after　a　while；　finding　it　impossible　to　make　himself　heard；　he　would　select　some　particular　individual　who　seemed　disposed　to　listen　and　tell　him　the　story。　　It　sometimes　happened　that　in　the　middle　of　the　tale　the　man　to　whom　it　was　being　told　would　remember　a　somewhat　similar　adventure　of　his　own；　which　he　would　immediately　proceed　to　relate　without　waiting　for　the　other　to　finish；　and　each　of　them　was　generally　so　interested　in　the　gruesome　details　of　his　own　story　that　he　was　unconscious　of　the　fact　that　the　other　was　telling　one　at　all。　　In　a　contest　of　this　kind　the　victory　usually　went　to　the　man　with　the　loudest　voice；　but　sometimes　a　man　who　had　a　weak　voice；　scored　by　repeating　the　same　tale　several　times　until　someone　heard　it。

Barrington；　who　seldom　spoke　and　was　an　ideal　listener；　was　appropriated　by　several　men　in　succession；　who　each　told　him