to him that hath-第14章

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！



〃Really；　Rupert；　you　amaze　me。　　In　Blackwater　here？〃　exclaimed　Dr。
Templeton。

〃But；　my　dear　papa；　that　sort　of　thing　is　the　commonplace　of　Hyde
Park；　you　know；〃　said　Adrien；　〃and〃

〃Ah；　Hyde　Park；　yes。　　I　should　expect　that　sort　of　thing　from　the
Hyde　Park　orators。　　You　get　every　sort　of　mad　doctrine　in　Hyde
Park；　as　I　remember　it；　but〃

〃And　I　was　going　to　say　that　that　sort　of　thing　has　got　away　beyond
Hyde　Park。　　Why；　papa　dear；　you　have　been　so　engrossed　in　your
Higher　Mathematics　that　you　have　failed　to　keep　up　with　the　times。〃
His　eldest　daughter　smiled　at　him　and；　reaching　across　the　corner
of　the　table；　patted　his　hand　affectionately。　　〃We　are　away　beyond
being　shocked　at　profit　sharing；　and　even　sharing　in　control　of
administration　and　that　sort　of　thing。〃

〃But　there　remains　justice；　I　hope；〃　said　her　father；　〃and　the
right　of　ownership。〃

〃Ah；　that's　just　itwhat　is　ownership？〃

〃Oh；　come；　Adrien；〃　said　Rupert；　〃you　are　not　saying　that　Mr。
Maitland　doesn't　own　his　factory　and　mill。〃

〃It　depends　on　what　you　mean　by　own；〃　said　the　girl　coolly。　　〃You
must　not　take　too　much　for　granted。〃

〃Well；　what　my　money　pays　for　I　own；　I　suppose；〃　said　Rupert。

〃Well；〃　said　Adrien；　〃that　depends。〃

〃My　dear　Adrien；〃　said　her　mother；　〃you　have　such　strange　notions。
I　suppose　you　got　them　in　those　Clubs　in　London　and　from　those
queer　people　you　used　to　meet。〃

〃Very　dear　people；〃　said　Adrien；　with　a　far　away　look　in　her　eyes；
〃and　people　that　loved　justice　and　right。〃

〃All　right；　Ade；〃　said　her　younger　sister；　with　a　saucy　grin；　〃I
agree　entirely　with　your　sentiments。　　I　just　adore　that　pale　blue
tie　of　yours。　　I　suppose；　now　that　what's　yours　is　mine；　I　can
preempt　that　when　I　like。〃

〃Let　me　catch　you　at　it！〃

〃Well　done；　Patricia。　　You　see　the　theories　are　all　right　till　we
come　to　have　them　applied　all　round；〃　said　Rupert。

〃We　were　talking　of　joint　ownership；　Pat；〃　said　her　sister；　〃the
joint　ownership　of　things　to　the　making　of　which　we　have　each
contributed　a　part。〃

〃Exactly；〃　said　Rupert。　　〃I　guess　Grant　Maitland　paid　his　own　good
money　for　his　plant。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Adrien。

〃Yes；　and　all　he　paid　for　he　owns。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　that's　all　there　is　to　it。〃

〃Oh；　pardon　methere　is　a　good　deal　more〃

〃Well；　well；　children；　we　shall　not　discuss　the　subject　any
further。　　Shall　we　all　go　up　for　coffee？〃

〃These　are　very　radical　views　you　are　advancing；　Adrien；〃　said　her
father；　rising　from　his　chair。　　〃You　must　be　careful　not　to　say
things　like　that　in　circles　where　you　might　be　taken　seriously。〃

〃Seriously；　Daddy？　　I　was　never　more　serious　in　my　life。〃　　She　put
her　arm　through　her　father's。　　〃I　must　give　you　some　books；　some
reports　to　read；　I　see；〃　she　said；　laughing　up　into　his　face。

〃Evidently；〃　said　her　father；　〃if　I　am　to　live　with　you。〃

〃I　wonder　what　Captain　Jack　would　think　of　these　views；〃　said
Rupert；　dropping　into　step　with　Patricia　as　they　left　the　dining
room　together。

〃He　will　think　as　Adrien　does；〃　said　Patricia　stoutly。

〃Ah；　I　wouldn't　be　too　sure　about　that；〃　said　Rupert。　　〃You　see；　it
makes　a　difference　whose　ox　is　being　gored。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　Patricia　hotly。

〃Never　mind；　Pat；〃　said　her　sister　over　her　shoulder。　　〃I　don't
think　he　knows　Captain　Jack　as　we　do。〃

〃Perhaps　better；〃　said　Rupert　in　a　significant　tone。

Patricia　drew　away　from　him。

〃I　think　you　are　just　horrid；〃　she　said。　　〃Captain　Jack　is〃

〃Never　mind；　dear。　　Don't　let　him　pull　your　leg　like　that；〃　said
her　sister；　with　a　little　colour　in　her　cheek。　　〃We　know　Captain
Jack；　don't　we？〃

〃We　do！〃　said　Patricia　with　enthusiasm。

〃We　do！〃　echoed　Rupert；　with　a　smile　that　drove　Pat　into　a　fury。



CHAPTER　VI

THE　GRIEVANCE　COMMITTEE


There　was　trouble　at　the　Maitland　Mills。　　For　the　first　time　in　his
history　Grant　Maitland　found　his　men　look　askance　at　him。　　For　the
first　time　in　his　life　he　found　himself　viewing　with　suspicion　the
workers　whom　he　had　always　taken　a　pride　in　designating　〃my　men。〃
The　situation　was　at　once　galling　to　his　pride　and　shocking　to　his
sense　of　fair　play。　　His　men　were　his　comrades　in　work。　　He　knew
themat　least；　until　these　war　days　he　had　known　thempersonally；
as　friends。　　They　trusted　him　and　were　loyal　to　him；　and　he　had
taken　the　greatest　care　to　deal　justly　and　more　than　justly　by
them。　　No　labour　troubles　had　ever　disturbed　the　relations　which
existed　between　him　and　his　men。　　It　was　thus　no　small　shock　when
Wickes　announced　one　day　that　a　Grievance　Committee　wished　to
interview　him。　　That　he　should　have　to　meet　a　Grievance　Committee；
whose　boast　it　had　been　that　the　first　man　in　the　works　to　know　of
a　grievance　was　himself；　and　that　the　men　with　whom　he　had　toiled
and　shared　both　good　fortune　and　ill；　but　more　especially　the　good；
that　had　befallen　through　the　last　quarter　century　should　have　a
grievance　against　himthis　was　indeed　an　experience　that　cut　him
to　the　heart　and　roused　in　him　a　fury　of　perplexed　indignation。

〃A　what？　　A　Grievance　Committee！〃　he　exclaimed　to　Wickes；　when　the
old　bookkeeper　came　announcing　such　a　deputation。

〃That's　what　they　call　themselves；　sir；〃　said　Wickes；　his　tone　of
disgust　disclaiming　all　association　with　any　such　organization。

〃A　Grievance　Committee？〃　said　Mr。　Maitland　again。　　〃Well；　I'll　be！
What　do　they　want？　　Who　are　they？　　Bring　them　in；〃　he　roared　in　a
voice　whose　ascending　tone　indicated　his　growing　amazement　and
wrath。

〃Come　in　you；〃　growled　Wickes　in　the　voice　he　generally　used　for
his　collie　dog；　which　bore　a　thoroughly　unenviable　reputation；
〃come　on　in；　can't　ye？〃

There　was　some　shuffling　for　place　in　the　group　at　the　door；　but
finally　Mr。　Wigglesworth　found　himself　pushed　to　the　front　of　a
committee　of　five。　　With　a　swift　glance　which　touched　〃the　boss〃
in　its　passage　and　then　rested　upon　the　wall；　the　ceiling；　the
landscape　visible　through　the　window；　anywhere　indeed　rather　than
upon　the　face　of　the　man　against　whom　they　had　a　grievance；　they
filed　in　and　stood　ill　at　ease。

〃Well；　Wigglesworth；　what　is　it？〃　said　Grant　Maitland　curtly。

Mr。　Wigglesworth　cleared　his　throat。　　He　was　new　at　the　business
and　was　obviously　torn　between　conflicting　emotions　of　pride　in　his
present　important　position　and　a　wholesome　fear　of　his　〃boss。〃
However；　having　cleared　his　throat；　Mr。　Wigglesworth　pulled　himself
together　and　with　a　wave　of　the　hand　began。

〃These　'ereergentlemen　an'　myself　'ave　been　（h）appinted　a
Committee　to　lay　before　you　certain　grievances　w'ich　we　feel　to　be
very　（h）oppressive；　sir；　so　to　speak；　w'ich；　an'　meanin'　no
offence；　sir；　as　men；　fellow…men；　as　we　might　say〃

〃What　do　you　want；　Wigglesworth？　　What's　your　trouble？　　You　have
some　trouble；　what　is　it？　　Spit　it　out；　man；〃　said　the　boss
sharply。

〃Well；　sir；　as　I　was　a…sayin'；　this　'ere's　a　Committee　（h）appinted
to　wait　on　you；　sir；　to　lay　before　you　certain　facts　w'ich　we　wish
you　to　consider　an'　w'ich；　as　British　subjecks；　we　feel〃

〃Come；　come；　Wigglesworth；　cut　out　the　speech；　and　get　at　the
things。　　What　do　you　want？　　Do　you　know？　　If　so；　tell　me　plainly
and　get　done　with　it。〃

〃We　want　our　rights　as　men；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth　in　a　loud　voice；
〃our　rights　as　free　men；　and　we　demand　to　be　treated　as　British〃

〃Is　there　anyone　of　this　Committee　that　can　tell　me　what　you　want
of　me？〃　said　Maitland。　　〃You；　Gilby；　you　have　some　sensewhat　is
the　trouble？　　You　want　more　wages；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　guess　so；〃　said　Gilby；　a　long；　lean　man；　Canadian　born；　of　about
thirty；　〃but　it　ain't　the　wages　that's　eatin'　me　so　much。〃

〃What　then？〃

〃It's　that　blank　foreman。〃

〃Foreman？〃

〃That's　right；　sir。〃　　〃Too　blanked　smart！〃　　〃Buttin'　in　like　a
blank　billy　goat！〃　　The　growls　came　in　various　undertones　from　the
Committee。

〃What　foreman？　　Hoddle？〃　　The　boss　was　ready　to　fight　for　his
subalterns。

〃No！　　Old　Hoddle's　all　right；〃　said　Gilby。　　〃It's　that　young　smart
aleck；　Tony　Perrotte。〃

〃Tony　Perrotte！〃　　Mr。　Maitland's　voice　was　troubled　and　uncertain。
〃Tony　Perrotte！　　Why；　you　don't　mean　to　tell　me　that　Perrotte　is
not　a　good　man。　　He　knows　his　job　from　the　ground　up。〃

〃Knows　too　much；〃　said　Gilby。　　〃Wa