the ragged trousered philanthropists-第59部分

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ave　'ad　more　money　to　spend　in　those　days；　you　know；　all　those　massive　curtain　cornishes　over　the　drawing…　and　dining…room　winders　…　gilded　solid！　　Why；　nowadays　they'd　want　all　the　bloody　'ouse　done　down　right　through　…　inside　and　out；　for　the　money　it　cost　to　gild　one　of　them。'

‘It　seems　that　nearly　everybody　is　more　or　less　'ard　up　nowadays；'　said　Philpot。　　‘I'm　jiggered　if　I　can　understand　it；　but　there　it　is。'

‘You　should　ast　Owen　to　explain　it　to　yer；'　remarked　Crass　with　a　jeering　laugh。　　‘'E　knows　all　about　wot's　the　cause　of　poverty；　but　'e　won't　tell　nobody。　　'E's　been　GOIN'　to　tell　us　wot　it　is　for　a　long　time　past；　but　it　don't　seem　to　come　orf。'

Crass　had　not　yet　had　an　opportunity　of　producing　the　Obscurer　cutting；　and　he　made　this　remark　in　the　hope　of　turning　the　conversation　into　a　channel　that　would　enable　him　to　do　so。　　But　Owen　did　not　respond；　and　went　on　reading　his　newspaper。

‘We　ain't　'ad　no　lectures　at　all　lately；　'ave　we？'　said　Harlow　in　an　injured　tone。　　‘I　think　it's　about　time　Owen　explained　what　the　real　cause　of　poverty　is。　　I'm　beginning　to　get　anxious　about　it。'

The　others　laughed。



When　Philpot　had　finished　eating　his　dinner　he　went　out　of　the　kitchen　and　presently　returned　with　a　small　pair　of　steps；　which　he　opened　and　placed　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　with　the　back　of　the　steps　facing　the　audience。

‘There　you　are；　me　son！'　he　exclaimed　to　Owen。　　‘There's　a　pulpit　for　yer。'

‘Yes！　come　on　'ere！'　cried　Crass；　feeling　in　his　waistcoat　pocket　for　the　cutting。　　‘Tell　us　wot's　the　real　cause　of　poverty。'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　shouted　the　man　on　the　pail。　　‘Git　up　into　the　bloody　pulpit　and　give　us　a　sermon。'

As　Owen　made　no　response　to　the　invitations；　the　crowd　began　to　hoot　and　groan。

‘Come　on；　man；'　whispered　Philpot；　winking　his　goggle　eye　persuasively　at　Owen。　　‘Come　on；　just　for　a　bit　of　turn；　to　pass　the　time　away。'

Owen　accordingly　ascended　the　steps　…　much　to　the　secret　delight　of　Crass　…　and　was　immediately　greeted　with　a　round　of　enthusiastic　applause。

‘There　you　are；　you　see；'　said　Philpot；　addressing　the　meeting。　　‘It's　no　use　booin'　and　threatenin'；　because　'e's　one　of　them　lecturers　wot　can　honly　be　managed　with　kindness。　　If　it　'adn't　a　bin　for　me；　'e　wouldn't　'ave　agreed　to　speak　at　all。'

Philpot　having　been　unanimously　elected　chairman；　proposed　by　Harlow　and　seconded　by　the　man　on　the　pail；　Owen　commenced：

‘Mr　Chairman　and　gentlemen：

‘Unaccustomed　as　I　am　to　public　speaking；　it　is　with　some　degree　of　hesitation　that　I　venture　to　address　myself　to　such　a　large；　distinguished；　fashionable；　and　intelligent　looking　audience　as　that　which　I　have　the　honour　of　seeing　before　me　on　the　present　occasion。'　（Applause。）

‘One　of　the　finest　speakers　I've　ever　'eard！'　remarked　the　man　on　the　pail　in　a　loud　whisper　to　the　chairman；　who　motioned　him　to　be　silent。

Owen　continued：

‘In　some　of　my　previous　lectures　I　have　endeavoured　to　convince　you　that　money　is　in　itself　of　no　value　and　of　no　real　use　whatever。　　In　this　I　am　afraid　I　have　been　rather　unsuccessful。'

‘Not　a　bit　of　it；　mate；'　cried　Crass；　sarcastically。　　‘We　all　agrees　with　it。'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　shouted　Easton。　　‘If　a　bloke　was　to　come　in　'ere　now　and　orfer　to　give　me　a　quid　…　I'd　refuse　it！'

‘So　would　I；'　said　Philpot。

‘Well；　whether　you　agree　or　not；　the　fact　remains。　　A　man　might　possess　so　much　money　that；　in　England；　he　would　be　comparatively　rich；　and　yet　if　he　went　to　some　country　where　the　cost　of　living　is　very　high　he　would　find　himself　in　a　condition　of　poverty。　　Or　one　might　conceivably　be　in　a　place　where　the　necessaries　of　life　could　not　be　bought　for　money　at　all。　　Therefore　it　is　more　conducive　to　an　intelligent　understanding　of　the　subject　if　we　say　that　to　be　rich　consists　not　necessarily　in　having　much　money；　but　in　being　able　to　enjoy　an　abundance　of　the　things　that　are　made　by　work；　and　that　poverty　consists　not　merely　in　being　without　money；　but　in　being　short　of　the　necessaries　and　comforts　of　life　…　or　in　other　words　in　being　short　of　the　Benefits　of　Civilization；　the　things　that　are　all；　without　exception；　produced　by　work。　　Whether　you　agree　or　not　with　anything　else　that　I　say；　you　will　all　admit　that　that　is　our　condition　at　the　present　time。　　We　do　not　enjoy　a　full　share　of　the　benefits　of　civilization　…　we　are　all　in　a　state　of　more　or　less　abject　poverty。'

‘Question！'　cried　Crass；　and　there　were　loud　murmurs　of　indignant　dissent　from　several　quarters　as　Owen　proceeded：

‘How　does　it　happen　that　we　are　so　short　of　the　things　that　are　made　by　work？'

‘The　reason　why　we're　short　of　the　things　that's　made　by　work；'　interrupted　Crass；　mimicking　Owen's　manner；　‘is　that　we　ain't　got　the　bloody　money　to　buy　'em。'

‘Yes；'　said　the　man　on　the　pail；　‘and　as　I　said　before；　if　all　the　money　in　the　country　was　shared　out　equal　today　according　to　Owen's　ideas　…　in　six　months'　time　it　would　be　all　back　again　in　the　same　'ands　as　it　is　now；　and　what　are　you　goin'　to　do　then？'

‘Share　again；　of　course。'

This　answer　came　derisively　from　several　places　at　the　same　instant；　and　then　they　all　began　speaking　at　once；　vying　with　each　other　in　ridiculing　the　foolishness　of　‘them　there　Socialists'；　whom　they　called　‘The　Sharers　Out'。

Barrington　was　almost　the　only　one　who　took　no　part　in　the　conversation。　　He　was　seated　in　his　customary　place　and；　as　usual；　silently　smoking；　apparently　oblivious　to　his　surroundings。

‘I　never　said　anything　about　〃sharing　out　all　the　money〃；'　said　Owen　during　a　lull　in　the　storm；　‘and　I　don't　know　of　any　Socialist　who　advocates　anything　of　the　kind。　　Can　any　of　you　tell　me　the　name　of　someone　who　proposes　to　do　so？'

No　one　answered；　as　Owen　repeated　his　inquiry；　this　time　addressing　himself　directly　to　Crass；　who　had　been　one　of　the　loudest　in　denouncing　and　ridiculing　the　‘Sharers　Out'。　　Thus　cornered；　Crass　…　who　knew　absolutely　nothing　about　the　subject　…　for　a　few　moments　looked　rather　foolish。　　Then　he　began　to　talk　in　a　very　loud　voice：

‘Why；　it's　a　well…known　fact。　　Everybody　knows　that's　what　they　wants。　But　they　take　bloody　good　care　they　don't　act　up　to　it　theirselves；　though。　　Look　at　them　there　Labour　members　of　Parliament　…　a　lot　of　brs　what's　too　bloody　lazy　to　work　for　their　livin'！　　What　the　bloody　'ell　was　they　before　they　got　there？　　Only　workin'　men；　the　same　as　you　and　me！　　But　they've　got　the　gift　o'　the　gab　and　…'

‘Yes；　we　know　all　about　that；'　said　Owen；　‘but　what　I'm　asking　you　is　to　tell　us　who　advocates　taking　all　the　money　in　the　country　and　sharing　it　out　equally？'

‘And　I　say　that　everybody　knows　that's　what　they're　after！'　shouted　Crass。　　‘And　you　know　it　as　well　as　I　do。　　A　fine　thing！'　he　added　indignantly。　　‘Accordin'　to　that　idear；　a　bloody　scavenger　or　a　farm　labourer　ought　to　get　as　much　wages　as　you　or　me！'

‘We　can　talk　about　that　some　other　time。　　What　I　want　to　know　at　present　is　…　what　authority　have　you　for　saying　that　Socialists　believe　in　sharing　out　all　the　money　equally　amongst　all　the　people？'

‘Well；　that's　what　I've　always　understood　they　believed　in　doing；'　said　Crass　rather　lamely。

‘It's　a　well…known　fact；'　said　several　others。

‘Come　to　think　of　it；'　continued　Crass　as　he　drew　the　Obscurer　cutting　from　his　waistcoat　pocket；　‘I've　got　a　little　thing　'ere　that　I've　been　goin'　to　read　to　yer。　　It's　out　of　the　Obscurer。　　I'd　forgotten　all　about　it。'

Remarking　that　the　print　was　too　small　for　his　own　eyes；　he　passed　the　slip　of　paper　to　Harlow；　who　read　aloud　as　follows：

　　　　PROVE　YOUR　PRINCIPLES：　OR；　LOOK　AT　BOTH　SIDES

　　　　‘I　wish　I　could　open　your　eyes　to　the　true　misery　of　our　　　　　condition：　injustice；　tyranny　and　oppression！'　said　a　discontented　　　　　hack　to　a　weary…looking　cob　as　they　stood　side　by　side　in　unhired　　　　　cabs。

　　　　‘I'd　rather　have　them　opened　to　something　pleasant；　thank　you；'　　　　　replied　the　cob。

　　　　‘I　am　sorry　for　you。　　If　you　could　enter　into　the　noble　　　　　aspirations　…'　the　hack　began。

　　　　‘Talk　plain。　　What　would　you　have？'　said　the　cob；　interrupting　　　　　him。

　　　　‘What　would　I　have？　　Why；　equality；　and　share　and　share　alike　all　　　　　over　the　world；'　said　the　hack。

　　　　‘You　MEAN　that？'　said　the　cob。

　　　　‘Of　course　I　do。　What　right　have　those　sleek；　pampered　hunters　and　　　　　racers　to　their　warm　stables　and　high　feed；　their　grooms　and　　　　　jockeys？　　It　is　really　heart…sickening　to　think　of　it；'　replied　　　　　the　hack。

　　　　‘I　don't　know　but　you　may　be　right；'　said　the　cob；　‘and　to　show　　　　　I'm　in　earnest；　as　no　doubt　you　are；　let　me　have　half　the　good　　　　　beans　you　have　in　your　bag；　and　you　shall　have　half　the　musty　oats　　　　　and　chaff　I　have　in　mine。　　There's　nothing　like　proving　one's　　　　　principles。'　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Original　Parables。　　By　Mrs　Prosier。

‘There　you　are！'　cried　several　voices。

‘What　does　that　mean？'　cried　Crass；　triumphantly。　　‘Why　don't　you　go　and　share　your　wages　with　the　chaps　what's　out　of　work？'

‘What　does　it　mean？'　replied　Owen　contemptuously。　　‘It　means　that　if　the　Editor　of　the　Obscurer　put　that　in　his　paper　as　an　argument　against　Socialism；　either　he　is　of　feeble　intellect　himself　or　else　he　thinks　that　the　majority　of　his　readers　are。　　That　isn't　an　argument　against　Socialism　…　it's　an　argument　against　the　hypocrites　who　pretend　to　be　Christians　…　the　people　who　profess　to　〃Love　their　neighbours　as　themselves〃　…　who　pretend　to　believe　in　Universal　Brotherhood；　and　that　they　do　not　love　the　world　or　the　things　of　the　world　and　say　that　they　are　merely　〃Pilgrims　on　their　way　to　a　better　land〃。　　As　for　why　I　don't　do　it　…　why　should　I？　　I　don't　pretend　to　be　a　Christian。　　But　you're　all　〃Christians〃　…　why　don't　you　do　it？'

‘We're　not　talkin'　about　religion；'　exclaimed　Crass；　impatiently。

‘Then　what　are　you　talking　about？　　I　never　said　anything　about　〃Sharing　Out〃　or　〃Bearing　one　another's　burdens〃。　　I　don't　profess　to　〃Give　to　everyone　who　asks　of　me〃　or　to　〃Give　my　cloak　to　the　man　who　take　away　my　coat〃。　　I　have　read　that　Christ　taught　that　His　followers　must　do　all　these　things；　but　as　I　do　not　pretend　to　be　one　of　His　followers　I　don't　do　them。　　But　you　believe　in　Christianity：　why　don't　you　do　the　things　that　He　said？'

As　nobody　seemed　to　know　the　answer　to　this