to him that hath-第26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！
sufficiently （h）explain the （h）object of this meetin' 'ere。〃
Brother Simmons' tone suggested infinite pity for the lumbering
efforts of the chairman。
〃Yes； I guess it will；〃 said the chairman； blushing in his
confusion。 Brother Phillips was new to his position and its
duties。
〃I would suggest that that resolution be read；〃 said Brother
Simmons； the pity in his tone hardly veiling his contempt。
〃Yes！ Yes！ Of course！〃 said Brother Phillips hurriedly。 〃Eh
would you please read it； Mr。that isBrother Simmons？〃
With great show of deliberation and of entire mastery of the
situation Mr。 Simmons produced a Minute Book and began：
〃Mr。 Chairman and brothers； I may say that this 'ere resolution was
passed at a joint representative meetin' of all the （h）employees of
the Maitland Company〃
〃There is no sich company； Mr。 Chairman；〃 said McNish。 〃A say let
us hear the resolution。 We'll hear the speech afterwards if we
must。〃 It was again Greek meeting Greek； and the little man turned
with a sarcastic smile to McNish。
〃I suppose Brother McNish is （h）anxious to get ready for this gaime
we've bin 'earing abaht。 I should just like to remind 'im that we
'ave a bigger gaime on 'and； if 'e wants to get into it。 Personally
I don't 'ave no use for these 'ere gaimes。 I 'ave seen the same
kind of capitalistic dodge to distract the workin' man's （h）attention
from 'is real gaime in life。 These circumventions〃
〃Maister Chair…r…man！ A rise〃
〃Mr。 Chairman； I 'ave the floor and if Brother McNish knows
（h）anythink abaht constitootional proceedin's〃
〃Maister Chair…r…manMaister…r Chair…r…r…man！〃 Brother McNish's
Doric was ominously rasping。 〃A rise tae a pint of or…r…de…r…r。
And Brother Simmons； who claims to be an expert in constitutional
law and procedure knows I have the floor。 Ma pint of order is
this； that there is no business before the meeting and as
apparently only aboot half the members are absent〃
〃And 'oo's fault is that？ 'E was to get them 'isself；〃 shouted Mr。
Simmons。
〃A searched the toon for them but cudna find them； but as A was
sayin'as the secretary has no business tae bring before the
meeting but a wheen havers； A move we adjourn tae tomorrow at 12：30
p。 m。 in this place； and I believe that as Brither Maitland is also
a member o' this committee he will second the motion。〃
Maitland； not knowing in the least what the whole thing was about；
but seeing a way out of the present mix…up； promptly seconded the
motion。
〃Mr。 Chairman！〃 shouted Simmons。 〃I am prepared to〃
〃Maister Chair…r…man； A need not remind you that there is no
discussion on a motion to adjourn。〃
〃That is quite right；〃 said the chairman； in whose memory by some
obscure mental process this fact seemed to have found a lodging。
〃It is moved that this committee do now adjourn。〃
〃Mr。 Chairman！ I protest；〃 shrieked Brother Simmons frantically。
〃Ay； he's a grand protester！〃 said Brother McNish。
The motion was carried by a majority of one； Brothers Wigglesworth；
McNish and Maitland voting in the affirmative。
〃Traitors！〃 shrieked Brother Simmons。 〃Capitalistic traitors！〃
〃Hoot mon！ Ye're no in Hyde Park。 Save yere breath for yere
porritch the morn〃 said McNish； relaxing into a grim smile as he
left the rooms。
〃We'll get 'im；〃 said Simmons to his ally and friend。 〃'E's in
with that there young pup。 'E knows 'ow to work 'im and 'e'd sell
us all up； 'e would。〃 Brother Simmons' brand of profanity strongly
savoured of the London pavements in its picturesque fluency。
〃Get in here； McNish；〃 said Maitland； who was waiting at the door。
With some hesitation McNish accepted the invitation。
〃Now； what does this mean？〃 said Maitland savagely； then checking
his rage； 〃but I ought to thank you for getting me out of the grip
of that frantic idiot。 What is this fool thing？〃
〃It's nae that；〃 said McNish shortly。 〃It is anything but that。
But I grant ye this was no time to bring it on。 That was beyond
me。 A doot yon puir cratur had a purpose in it； however。 He
disnadoes not think much of these games of yours。 But that's
anitheranother〃McNish was careful of his speech〃matter。〃
〃But what in〃
〃I am just telling you。 There is a strong； a very strong movement
under way among the unions at present。〃
〃A movement？ Strike； do you mean？〃
〃It may be； or worse。〃 McNish's tone was very grave。 〃And as a
good union man they expect your assistance。〃
〃Wages again？〃
〃Ay； and condeetions and the like。〃
〃But it is not six months since the last agreement was signed and
that agreement is running still。〃
〃Ay； it is； but condeetions； conditions have changed since that
date；〃 said McNish； 〃and there must be readjustmentat least；
there is a feeling that way。〃
〃Readjustment？ But I have had no hint of this in our meetings。
This has not come up for discussion。〃
A gentle pity smiled from the rugged face of the man beside him。
〃Hardly；〃 he said。 〃It's no done that way。〃
They came to McNish's door。
〃Will you come in？〃 he said courteously。 A refusal was at Maitland's
lips when the door was opened by an old lady in a white frilled cap
and without being able to explain how it came about he found himself
in the quaintly furnished but delightfully cosy living…room； soaking
in the comfort of a great blazing fire。
〃This is really solid comfort；〃 he said； spreading his hands to the
glowing pine slabs。
〃Ay； ye need it the day。 The fire cheers the heart；〃 said the old
lady。
〃But you don't need it for that； Mrs。 McNish；〃 said her visitor；
smiling at the strong； serene face under the white frilled cap。
〃Do I not then？ An' what aboot yersel'？〃 The keen grey eye
searched his face。 Maitland was immediately conscious of a vast
dreariness in his life。 He sat silent looking into the blazing
fire。
〃Ay；〃 continued the old lady； 〃but there are the bright spots tae；
an' it's ill tae glower at a cauld hearth stone。〃 Maitland glanced
quickly at the shrewd and kindly face。 What did she know about him
and his life and his 〃cauld hearth stone〃？ So he said nothing but
waited。 Suddenly she swerved to another theme。
〃Malcolm；〃 she said； 〃have ye secured the tickets for the match？〃
〃Aw； mither； now it is the terrible auld sport ye are。 She drags
me out to all these things。〃 His eyes twinkled at Maitland。 〃I
can't find time for any study。〃
〃Hoots ye and ye're study。 A doot a rale heartening scramble on
the ice wad dae ye mair guid than an oor wi' yon godless Jew
buddie。〃
〃She means Marx； of course；〃 said McNish； in answer to Maitland's
look of perplexity。 〃She has no use for him。〃
〃But the tickets； Malcolm；〃 insisted his mother。
〃Well； mither； A'll confess I clean forgot them。 Ye see；〃 he
hurried to say； 〃A was that fashed over yon Committee maitter〃
〃Committee maitter！〃 exclaimed the old lady indignantly。 〃Did I
not tell ye no to heed yon screamin' English cratur wi' his
revolutionary nonsense？〃
〃She means Simmons；〃 interjected Malcolm with a little smile。 〃He
means well； mither； but A'm vexed aboot the tickets。〃
〃Mrs。 McNish；〃 said Maitland； 〃I happen to have two tickets that I
can let you have。〃 For an instant she hesitated。
〃We can find a way in； I think； Mr。 Maitland；〃 said Malcolm；
forestalling his mother's answer。 But with simple dignity his
mother put him aside。
〃A shall be verra pleased indeed to have the tickets； provided you
can spare them； Mr。 Maitland。 Never mind； noo； Malcolm。 A ken
well what ye're thinkin'。 He's gey independent and his mind is on
thae revolutionary buddies o' his。 A'm aye tellin' him this is nae
land for yon nonsense。 Gin we were in Rooshie； or Germany whaur
the people have lived in black slavery or even in the auld land
whaur the fowk are haudden doon wi' generations o' class bondage；
there might be a chance for a revolutionary。 But what can ye dae
in a land whaur the fowk are aye climbin' through ither； noo up；
noo down； noo maister； noo man？ Ye canna make Canadians
revolutionaries。 They are a' on the road to be maisters。 Malcolm
is a clever loon but he has a wee bee in his bonnet。〃 The old lady
smiled quizzically at her big； serious…f
