the ragged trousered philanthropists-第74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！


s　on　to　the　floor。

As　she　stood　there　with　the　letter　in　her　hand　…　faint　and　weary　in　the　midst　of　all　this　desolation；　it　seemed　to　her　as　if　the　whole　world　were　falling　to　pieces　and　crumbling　away　all　around　her。



Chapter　34

The　Beginning　of　the　End


During　the　months　of　January　and　February；　Owen；　Crass；　Slyme　and　Sawkins　continued　to　work　at　irregular　intervals　for　Rushton　&　Co。；　although　…　even　when　there　was　anything　to　do　…　they　now　put　in　only　six　hours　a　day；　commencing　in　the　morning　and　leaving　off　at　four；　with　an　hour's　interval　for　dinner　between　twelve　and　one。　　They　finished　the　‘plant'　and　painted　the　front　of　Rushton's　shop。　　When　all　this　was　completed；　as　no　other　work　came　in；　they　all　had　to　‘stand　off'　with　the　exception　of　Sawkins；　who　was　kept　on　because　he　was　cheap　and　able　to　do　all　sorts　of　odd　jobs；　such　as　unstopping　drains；　repairing　leaky　roofs；　rough　painting　or　lime…washing；　and　he　was　also　useful　as　a　labourer　for　the　plumbers；　of　whom　there　were　now　three　employed　at　Rushton's；　the　severe　weather　which　had　come　in　with　January　having　made　a　lot　of　work　in　that　trade。　　With　the　exception　of　this　one　branch；　practically　all　work　was　at　a　standstill。

During　this　time　Rushton　&　Co。　had　had　several　‘boxing…up'　jobs　to　do；　and　Crass　always　did　the　polishing　of　the　coffins　on　these　occasions；　besides　assisting　to　take　the　‘box'　home　when　finished　and　to　‘lift　in'　the　corpse；　and　afterwards　he　always　acted　as　one　of　the　bearers　at　the　funerals。　　For　an　ordinary　class　funeral　he　usually　put　in　about　three　hours　for　the　polishing；　that　came　to　one　and　nine。　Taking　home　the　coffin　and　lifting　in　the　corpse；　one　shilling　…　usually　there　were　two　men　to　do　this　besides　Hunter；　who　always　accompanied　them　to　superintend　the　work　…　attending　the　funeral　and　acting　as　bearer；　four　shillings：　so　that　altogether　Crass　made　six　shillings　and　ninepence　out　of　each　funeral；　and　sometimes　a　little　more。　　For　instance；　when　there　was　an　unusually　good…class　corpse　they　had　a　double　coffin　and　then　of　course　there　were　two　‘lifts　in'；　for　the　shell　was　taken　home　first　and　the　outer　coffin　perhaps　a　day　or　two　later：　this　made　another　shilling。　　No　matter　how　expensive　the　funeral　was；　the　bearers　never　got　any　more　money。　　Sometimes　the　carpenter　and　Crass　were　able　to　charge　an　hour　or　two　more　on　the　making　and　polishing　of　a　coffin　for　a　good　job；　but　that　was　all。　Sometimes；　when　there　was　a　very　cheap　job；　they　were　paid　only　three　shillings　for　attending　as　bearers；　but　this　was　not　often：　as　a　rule　they　got　the　same　amount　whether　it　was　a　cheap　funeral　or　an　expensive　one。　　Slyme　earned　only　five　shillings　out　of　each　funeral；　and　Owen　only　one　and　six　…　for　writing　the　coffin　plate。

Sometimes　there　were　three　or　four　funerals　in　a　week；　and　then　Crass　did　very　well　indeed。　　He　still　had　the　two　young　men　lodgers　at　his　house；　and　although　one　of　them　was　out　of　work　he　was　still　able　to　pay　his　way　because　he　had　some　money　in　the　bank。

One　of　the　funeral　jobs　led　to　a　terrible　row　between　Crass　and　Sawkins。　　The　corpse　was　that　of　a　well…to…do　woman　who　had　been　ill　for　a　long　time　with　cancer　of　the　stomach；　and　after　the　funeral　Rushton　&　Co。　had　to　clean　and　repaint　and　paper　the　room　she　had　occupied　during　her　illness。　　Although　cancer　is　not　supposed　to　be　an　infectious　disease；　they　had　orders　to　take　all　the　bedding　away　and　have　it　burnt。　　Sawkins　was　instructed　to　take　a　truck　to　the　house　and　get　the　bedding　and　take　it　to　the　town　Refuse　Destructor　to　be　destroyed。　　There　were　two　feather　beds；　a　bolster　and　two　pillows：　they　were　such　good　things　that　Sawkins　secretly　resolved　that　instead　of　taking　them　to　the　Destructor　he　would　take　them　to　a　second…hand　dealer　and　sell　them。

As　he　was　coming　away　from　the　house　with　the　things　he　met　Hunter；　who　told　him　that　he　wanted　him　for　some　other　work；　so　he　was　to　take　the　truck　to　the　yard　and　leave　it　there　for　the　present；　he　could　take　the　bedding　to　the　Destructor　later　on　in　the　day。　　Sawkins　did　as　Hunter　ordered；　and　in　the　meantime　Crass；　who　happened　to　be　working　at　the　yard　painting　some　venetian　blinds；　saw　the　things　on　the　truck；　and；　hearing　what　was　to　be　done　with　them；　he　also　thought　it　was　a　pity　that　such　good　things　should　be　destroyed：　so　when　Sawkins　came　in　the　afternoon　to　take　them　away　Crass　told　him　he　need　not　trouble；　‘I'm　goin'　to　'ave　that　lot；　he　said；　‘they're　too　good　to　chuck　away；　there's　nothing　wrong　with　'em。'

This　did　not　suit　Sawkins　at　all。　　He　said　he　had　been　told　to　take　them　to　the　Destructor；　and　he　was　going　to　do　so。　　He　was　dragging　the　cart　out　of　the　yard　when　Crass　rushed　up　and　lifted　the　bundle　off　and　carried　it　into　the　paint…shop。　　Sawkins　ran　after　him　and　they　began　to　curse　and　swear　at　each　other；　Crass　accusing　Sawkins　of　intending　to　take　the　things　to　the　marine　stores　and　sell　them。　Sawkins　seized　hold　of　the　bundle　with　the　object　of　replacing　it　on　the　cart；　but　Crass　got　hold　of　it　as　well　and　they　had　a　tussle　for　it　…　a　kind　of　tug　of　war　…　reeling　and　struggling　all　over　the　shop。　cursing　and　swearing　horribly　all　the　time。　　Finally；　Sawkins　…　being　the　better　man　of　the　two　…　succeeded　in　wrenching　the　bundle　away　and　put　it　on　the　cart　again；　and　then　Crass　hurriedly　put　on　his　coat　and　said　he　was　going　to　the　office　to　ask　Mr　Rushton　if　he　might　have　the　things。　　Upon　hearing　this；　Sawkins　became　so　infuriated　that　he　lifted　the　bundle　off　the　cart　and；　throwing　it　upon　the　muddy　ground；　right　into　a　pool　of　dirty　water；　trampled　it　underfoot；　and　then；　taking　out　his　clasp　knife；　began　savagely　hacking　and　ripping　the　ticking　so　that　the　feathers　all　came　falling　out。　　In　a　few　minutes　he　had　damaged　the　things　beyond　hope　of　repair；　while　Crass　stood　by；　white　and　trembling；　watching　the　proceedings　but　lacking　the　courage　to　interfere。

‘Now　go　to　the　office　and　ask　Rushton　for　'em；　if　you　like！'　shouted　Sawkins。　　‘You　can　'ave　'em　now；　if　you　want　'em。'

Crass　made　no　answer　and；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　went　back　to　his　work；　and　Sawkins　piled　the　things　on　the　cart　once　more　and　took　them　away　to　the　Destructor。　　He　would　not　be　able　to　sell　them　now；　but　at　any　rate　he　had　stopped　that　dirty　swine　Crass　from　getting　them。

When　Crass　went　back　to　the　paint…shop　he　found　there　one　of　the　pillows　which　had　fallen　out　of　the　bundle　during　the　struggle。　　He　took　it　home　with　him　that　evening　and　slept　upon　it。　　It　was　a　fine　pillow；　much　fuller　and　softer　and　more　cosy　than　the　one　he　had　been　accustomed　to。

A　few　days　afterwards　when　he　was　working　at　the　room　where　the　woman　died；　they　gave　him　some　other　things　that　had　belonged　to　her　to　do　away　with；　and　amongst　them　was　a　kind　of　wrap　of　grey　knitted　wool。　Crass　kept　this　for　himself：　it　was　just　the　thing　to　wrap　round　one's　neck　when　going　to　work　on　a　cold　morning；　and　he　used　it　for　that　purpose　all　through　the　winter。　　In　addition　to　the　funerals；　there　was　a　little　other　work：　sometimes　a　room　or　two　to　be　painted　and　papered　and　ceilings　whitened；　and　once　they　had　the　outside　of　two　small　cottages　to　paint　…　doors　and　windows　…　two　coats。　　All　four　of　them　worked　at　this　job　and　it　was　finished　in　two　days。　　And　so　they　went　on。

Some　weeks　Crass　earned　a　pound　or　eighteen　shillings；　sometimes　a　little　more；　generally　less　and　occasionally　nothing　at　all。

There　was　a　lot　of　jealousy　and　ill…feeling　amongst　them　about　the　work。　　Slyme　and　Crass　were　both　aggrieved　about　Sawkins　whenever　they　were　idle；　especially　if　the　latter　were　painting　or　whitewashing；　and　their　indignation　was　shared　by　all　the　others　who　were　‘off'。　　Harlow　swore　horribly　about　it；　and　they　all　agreed　that　it　was　disgraceful　that　a　bloody　labourer　should　be　employed　doing　what　ought　to　be　skilled　work　for　fivepence　an　hour；　while　properly　qualified　men　were　‘walking　about'。　　These　other　men　were　also　incensed　against　Slyme　and　Crass　because　the　latter　were　given　the　preference　whenever　there　was　a　little　job　to　do；　and　it　was　darkly　insinuated　that　in　order　to　secure　this　preference　these　two　were　working　for　sixpence　an　hour。　There　was　no　love　lost　between　Crass　and　Slyme　either：　Crass　was　furious　whenever　it　happened　that　Slyme　had　a　few　hours'　work　to　do　if　he　himself　were　idle；　and　if　ever　Crass　was　working　while　Slyme　was　‘standing　still'　the　latter　went　about　amongst　the　other　unemployed　men　saying　ugly　things　about　Crass；　whom　he　accused　of　being　a　‘crawler'。　　Owen　also　came　in　for　his　share　of　abuse　and　blame：　most　of　them　said　that　a　man　like　him　should　stick　out　for　higher　wages　whether　employed　on　special　work　or　not；　and　then　he　would　not　get　any　preference。　　But　all　the　same；　whatever　they　said　about　each　other　behind　each　other's　backs；　they　were　all　most　friendly　to　each　other　when　they　met　face　to　face。

Once　or　twice　Owen　did　some　work　…　such　as　graining　a　door　or　writing　a　sign　…　for　one　or　other　of　his　fellow　workmen　who　had　managed　to　secure　a　little　job　‘on　his　own'；　but　putting　it　all　together；　the　coffin…plates　and　other　work　at　Rushton's　and　all；　his　earnings　had　not　averaged　ten　shillings　a　week　for　the　last　six　weeks。　　Often　they　had　no　coal　and　sometimes　not　even　a　penny　to　put　into　the　gas　meter；　and　then；　having　nothing　left　good　enough　to　pawn；　he　sometimes　obtained　a　few　pence　by　selling　some　of　his　books　to　second…hand　book　dealers。　　However；　bad　as　their　condition　was；　Owen　knew　that　they　were　better　off　than　the　majority　of　the　others；　for　whenever　he　went　out　he　was　certain　to　meet　numbers　of　men　whom　he　had　worked　with　at　different　times；　who　said　…　some　of　them　…　that　they　had　been　idle　for　ten；　twelve；　fifteen　and　in　some　cases　for　twenty　weeks　without　having　earned　a　shilling。

Owen　used　to　wonder　how　they　managed　to　continue　to　exist。　　Most　of　them　were　wearing　other　people's　cast…off　clothes；　hats；　and　boots；　which　had　in　some　instances　been　given　to　their　wives　by　‘visiting　ladies'；　or　by　the　people　at　whose　houses　their　wives　went　to　work；　charing。　　As　for　food；　most　of　them　lived　on　such　credit　as　they　could　get；　and　on　the　scraps　of　broken　victuals　and　meat　that　their　wives　brought　home　from　the　places　they　worked　at。　　Some　of　them　had　grown…up