the ragged trousered philanthropists-第5部分

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ood。'

Everybody　laughed。　　It　was　so　ridiculous。　　The　idea　of　the　likes　of　THEM　wanting　or　having　such　things！　　Any　doubts　that　any　of　them　had　entertained　as　to　Owen's　sanity　disappeared。　　The　man　was　as　mad　as　a　March　hare。

‘If　a　man　is　only　able　to　provide　himself　and　his　family　with　the　bare　necessaries　of　existence；　that　man's　family　is　living　in　poverty。　Since　he　cannot　enjoy　the　advantages　of　civilization　he　might　just　as　well　be　a　savage：　better；　in　fact；　for　a　savage　knows　nothing　of　what　he　is　deprived。　　What　we　call　civilization　…　the　accumulation　of　knowledge　which　has　come　down　to　us　from　our　forefathers　…　is　the　fruit　of　thousands　of　years　of　human　thought　and　toil。　　It　is　not　the　result　of　the　labour　of　the　ancestors　of　any　separate　class　of　people　who　exist　today；　and　therefore　it　is　by　right　the　common　heritage　of　all。　　Every　little　child　that　is　born　into　the　world；　no　matter　whether　he　is　clever　or　full；　whether　he　is　physically　perfect　or　lame；　or　blind；　no　matter　how　much　he　may　excel　or　fall　short　of　his　fellows　in　other　respects；　in　one　thing　at　least　he　is　their　equal　…　he　is　one　of　the　heirs　of　all　the　ages　that　have　gone　before。'

Some　of　them　began　to　wonder　whether　Owen　was　not　sane　after　all。　　He　certainly　must　be　a　clever　sort　of　chap　to　be　able　to　talk　like　this。　It　sounded　almost　like　something　out　of　a　book；　and　most　of　them　could　not　understand　one　half　of　it。

‘Why　is　it；'　continued　Owen；　‘that　we　are　not　only　deprived　of　our　inheritance　…　we　are　not　only　deprived　of　nearly　all　the　benefits　of　civilization；　but　we　and　our　children　and　also　often　unable　to　obtain　even　the　bare　necessaries　of　existence？'

No　one　answered。

‘All　these　things；'　Owen　proceeded；　‘are　produced　by　those　who　work。　We　do　our　full　share　of　the　work；　therefore　we　should　have　a　full　share　of　the　things　that　are　made　by　work。'

The　others　continued　silent。　　Harlow　thought　of　the　over…population　theory；　but　decided　not　to　mention　it。　　Crass；　who　could　not　have　given　an　intelligent　answer　to　save　his　life；　for　once　had　sufficient　sense　to　remain　silent。　　He　did　think　of　calling　out　the　patent　paint…pumping　machine　and　bringing　the　hosepipe　to　bear　on　the　subject；　but　abandoned　the　idea；　after　all；　he　thought；　what　was　the　use　of　arguing　with　such　a　fool　as　Owen？

Sawkins　pretended　to　be　asleep。

Philpot；　however；　had　suddenly　grown　very　serious。

‘As　things　are　now；'　went　on　Owen；　‘instead　of　enjoying　the　advantages　of　civilization　we　are　really　worse　off　than　slaves；　for　if　we　were　slaves　our　owners　in　their　own　interest　would　see　to　it　that　we　always　had　food　and　…'

‘Oh；　I　don't　see　that；'　roughly　interrupted　old　Linden；　who　had　been　listening　with　evident　anger　and　impatience。　　‘You　can　speak　for　yourself；　but　I　can　tell　yer　I　don't　put　MYSELF　down　as　a　slave。'

‘Nor　me　neither；'　said　Crass　sturdily。　　‘Let　them　call　their　selves　slaves　as　wants　to。'

At　this　moment　a　footstep　was　heard　in　the　passage　leading　to　the　kitchen。　　Old　Misery！　or　perhaps　the　bloke　himself！　　Crass　hurriedly　pulled　out　his　watch。

‘Jesus　Christ！'　he　gasped。　　‘It's　four　minutes　past　one！'

Linden　frantically　seized　hold　of　a　pair　of　steps　and　began　wandering　about　the　room　with　them。

Sawkins　scrambled　hastily　to　his　feet　and；　snatching　a　piece　of　sandpaper　from　the　pocket　of　his　apron；　began　furiously　rubbing　down　the　scullery　door。

Easton　threw　down　the　copy　of　the　Obscurer　and　scrambled　hastily　to　his　feet。

The　boy　crammed　the　Chronicles　of　Crime　into　his　trousers　pocket。

Crass　rushed　over　to　the　bucket　and　began　stirring　up　the　stale　whitewash　it　contained；　and　the　stench　which　it　gave　forth　was　simply　appalling。

Consternation　reigned。

They　looked　like　a　gang　of　malefactors　suddenly　interrupted　in　the　commission　of　a　crime。

The　door　opened。　　It　was　only　Bundy　returning　from　his　mission　to　the　Bookie。



Chapter　2：

Nimrod：　a　Mighty　Hunter　before　the　Lord


Mr　Hunter；　as　he　was　called　to　his　face　and　as　he　was　known　to　his　brethren　at　the　Shining　Light　Chapel；　where　he　was　superintendant　of　the　Sunday　School；　or　‘Misery'　or　‘Nimrod'；　as　he　was　named　behind　his　back　by　the　workmen　over　whom　he　tyrannized；　was　the　general　or　walking　foreman　of　‘manager'　of　the　firm　whose　card　is　herewith　presented　to　the　reader：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RUSHTON　&　CO。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MUGSBOROUGH　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　　　　　　　　　　　　　Builders；　Decorators；　and　General　Contractors　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FUNERALS　FURNISHED　　　　　　　　　Estimates　given　for　General　Repairs　to　House　Property　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　First…class　Work　only　at　Moderate　Charges


There　were　a　number　of　sub…foremen　or　‘coddies'；　but　Hunter　was　THE　foreman。

He　was　a　tall；　thin　man　whose　clothes　hung　loosely　on　the　angles　of　his　round…shouldered；　bony　form。　　His　long；　thin　legs；　about　which　the　baggy　trousers　draped　in　ungraceful　folds；　were　slightly　knock…kneed　and　terminated　in　large；　flat　feet。　　His　arms　were　very　long　even　for　such　a　tall　man；　and　the　huge；　bony　hands　were　gnarled　and　knotted。　When　he　removed　his　bowler　hat；　as　he　frequently　did　to　wipe　away　with　a　red　handkerchief　the　sweat　occasioned　by　furious　bicycle　riding；　it　was　seen　that　his　forehead　was　high；　flat　and　narrow。　　His　nose　was　a　large；　fleshy；　hawklike　beak；　and　from　the　side　of　each　nostril　a　deep　indentation　extended　downwards　until　it　disappeared　in　the　dropping　moustache　that　concealed　his　mouth；　the　vast　extent　of　which　was　perceived　only　when　he　opened　it　to　bellow　at　the　workmen　his　exhortations　to　greater　exertions。　　His　chin　was　large　and　extraordinarily　long。　　The　eyes　were　pale　blue；　very　small　and　close　together；　surmounted　by　spare；　light…coloured；　almost　invisible　eyebrows；　with　a　deep　vertical　cleft　between　them　over　the　nose。　　His　head；　covered　with　thick；　coarse　brown　hair；　was　very　large　at　the　back；　the　ears　were　small　and　laid　close　to　the　head。　　If　one　were　to　make　a　full…face　drawing　of　his　cadaverous　visage　it　would　be　found　that　the　outline　resembled　that　of　the　lid　of　a　coffin。

This　man　had　been　with　Rushton　…　no　one　had　ever　seen　the　‘Co。'　…　for　fifteen　years；　in　fact　almost　from　the　time　when　the　latter　commenced　business。　　Rushton　had　at　that　period　realized　the　necessity　of　having　a　deputy　who　could　be　used　to　do　all　the　drudgery　and　running　about　so　that　he　himself　might　be　free　to　attend　to　the　more　pleasant　or　profitable　matters。　　Hunter　was　then　a　journeyman；　but　was　on　the　point　of　starting　on　his　own　account；　when　Rushton　offered　him　a　constant　job　as　foreman；　two　pounds　a　week；　and　two　and　a　half　per　cent　of　the　profits　of　all　work　done。　　On　the　face　of　it　this　appeared　a　generous　offer。　　Hunter　closed　with　it；　gave　up　the　idea　of　starting　for　himself；　and　threw　himself　heart　and　mind　into　the　business。　　When　an　estimate　was　to　be　prepared　it　was　Hunter　who　measured　up　the　work　and　laboriously　figured　out　the　probably　cost。　　When　their　tenders　were　accepted　it　was　he　who　superintended　the　work　and　schemed　how　to　scamp　it；　where　possible；　using　mud　where　mortar　was　specified；　mortar　where　there　ought　to　have　been　cement；　sheet　zinc　where　they　were　supposed　to　put　sheet　lead；　boiled　oil　instead　of　varnish；　and　three　coats　of　paint　where　five　were　paid　for。　　In　fact；　scamping　the　work　was　with　this　man　a　kind　of　mania。　　It　grieved　him　to　see　anything　done　properly。　　Even　when　it　was　more　economical　to　do　a　thing　well；　he　insisted　from　force　of　habit　on　having　it　scamped。　　Then　he　was　almost　happy；　because　he　felt　that　he　was　doing　someone　down。　　If　there　were　an　architect　superintending　the　work；　Misery　would　square　him　or　bluff　him。　　If　it　were　not　possible　to　do　either；　at　least　he　had　a　try；　and　in　the　intervals　of　watching；　driving　and　bullying　the　hands；　his　vulture　eye　was　ever　on　the　look　out　for　fresh　jobs。　　His　long　red　nose　was　thrust　into　every　estate　agent's　office　in　the　town　in　the　endeavour　to　smell　out　what　properties　had　recently　changed　hands　or　been　let；　in　order　that　he　might　interview　the　new　owners　and　secure　the　order　for　whatever　alterations　or　repairs　might　be　required。　　He　it　was　who　entered　into　unholy　compacts　with　numerous　charwomen　and　nurses　of　the　sick；　who　in　return　for　a　small　commission　would　let　him　know　when　some　poor　sufferer　was　passing　away　and　would　recommend　Rushton　&　Co。　to　the　bereaved　and　distracted　relatives。　　By　these　means　often　…　after　first　carefully　inquiring　into　the　financial　position　of　the　stricken　family　…　Misery　would　contrive　to　wriggle　his　unsavoury　carcass　into　the　house　of　sorrow；　seeking；　even　in　the　chamber　of　death；　to　further　the　interests　of　Rushton　&　Co。　and　to　earn　his　miserable　two　and　a　half　per　cent。

It　was　to　make　possible　the　attainment　of　this　object　that　Misery　slaved　and　drove　and　schemed　and　cheated。　　It　was　for　this　that　the　workers'　wages　were　cut　down　to　the　lowest　possible　point　and　their　offspring　went　ill　clad；　ill　shod　and　ill　fed；　and　were　driven　forth　to　labour　while　they　were　yet　children；　because　their　fathers　were　unable　to　earn　enough　to　support　their　homes。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　realized　now　that　Rushton　had　had　considerably　the　best　of　the　bargain。　　In　the　first　place；　it　will　be　seen　that　the　latter　had　bought　over　one　who　might　have　proved　a　dangerous　competitor；　and　now；　after　fifteen　years；　the　business　that　had　been　so　laboriously　built　up；　mainly　by　Hunter's　energy；　industry　and　unscrupulous　cunning；　belonged　to　Rushton　&　Co。　　Hunter　was　but　an　employee；　liable　to　dismissal　like　any　other　workman；　the　only　difference　being　that　he　was　entitled　to　a　week's　notice　instead　of　an　hour's　notice；　and　was　but　little　better　off　financially　than　when　he　started　for　the　firm。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　knew　now　that　he　had　been　used；　but　he　also　knew　that　it　was　too　late　to　turn　back。　　He　had　not　saved　enough　to　make　a　successful　start　on　his　own　account　even　if　he　had　felt　mentally　and　physically　capable　of　beginning　all　over　again；　and　if　Rushton　were　to　discharge　him　right　now　he　was　too　old　to　get　a　job　as　a　journeyman。　　Further；　in　his　zeal　for　Rushton　&　Co。　and　his　anxiety　to　earn　his　commission；　he　had　often　done　things　that　had　roused　the　animosity　of　rival　firms　to　such　an　extent　that　it　was　highly　improbable　that　a