the ragged trousered philanthropists-第42章

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‘They're　a　drunken　lot　of　beer…swillers；'　remarked　Slyme。　　‘That's　why　they　always　'as　their　meetings　in　public　'ouses。'

Harlow　made　no　comment　on　this　question。　　He　had　at　one　time　belonged　to　the　Union　and　he　was　rather　ashamed　of　having　fallen　away　from　it。

‘Wot　good　'as　the　Society　ever　done　'ere？'　said　Easton。　　‘None　that　I　ever　'eard　of。'

‘It　might　be　able　to　do　some　good　if　most　of　us　belonged　to　it；　but　after　all；　that's　another　matter。　　Whether　we　could　help　ourselves　or　not；　the　fact　remains　that　we　don't。　　But　you　must　admit　that　this　competition　of　the　employers　is　one　of　the　causes　of　unemployment　and　poverty；　because　it's　not　only　in　our　line　…　exactly　the　same　thing　happens　in　every　other　trade　and　industry。　　Competing　employers　are　the　upper　and　nether　millstones　which　grind　the　workers　between　them。'

‘I　suppose　you　think　there　oughtn't　to　be　no　employers　at　all？'　sneered　Crass。　　‘Or　p'raps　you　think　the　masters　ought　to　do　all　the　bloody　work　theirselves；　and　give　us　the　money？'

‘I　don't　see　'ow　its　goin'　to　be　altered；'　remarked　Harlow。　　‘There　MUST　be　masters；　and　SOMEONE　'as　to　take　charge　of　the　work　and　do　the　thinkin'。'

‘Whether　it　can　be　altered　or　not；'　said　Owen；　‘Landlordism　and　Competing　Employers　are　two　of　the　causes　of　poverty。　　But　of　course　they're　only　a　small　part　of　the　system　which　produces　luxury；　refinement　and　culture　for　a　few；　and　condemns　the　majority　to　a　lifelong　struggle　with　adversity；　and　many　thousands　to　degradation；　hunger　and　rags。　　This　is　the　system　you　all　uphold　and　defend；　although　you　don't　mind　admitting　that　it　has　made　the　world　into　a　hell。'

Crass　slowly　drew　the　Obscurer　cutting　from　his　waistcoat　pocket；　but　after　a　moment's　thought　he　replaced　it；　deciding　to　defer　its　production　till　a　more　suitable　occasion。

‘But　you　'aven't　told　us　yet　'ow　you　makes　out　that　money　causes　poverty；'　cried　Harlow；　winking　at　the　others。　　‘That's　what　I'M　anxious　to　'ear　about！'

‘So　am　I；'　remarked　the　man　behind　the　moat。　　‘I　was　just　wondering　whether　I　'adn't　better　tell　ole　Misery　that　I　don't　want　no　wages　this　week。'

‘I　think　I'll　tell　'im　on　Saterday　to　keep　MY　money　and　get　'imself　a　few　drinks　with　it；'　said　Philpot。　　‘It　might　cheer　'im　up　a　bit　and　make　'im　a　little　more　sociable　and　friendly　like。'

‘Money　IS　the　principal　cause　of　poverty；'　said　Owen。

‘'Ow　do　yer　make　it　out？'　cried　Sawkins。

But　their　curiosity　had　to　remain　unsatisfied　for　the　time　being　because　Crass　announced　that　it　was　‘just　on　it'。



Chapter　16

True　Freedom


About　three　o'clock　that　afternoon；　Rushton　suddenly　appeared　and　began　walking　silently　about　the　house；　and　listening　outside　the　doors　of　rooms　where　the　hands　were　working。　　He　did　not　succeed　in　catching　anyone　idling　or　smoking　or　talking。　　The　nearest　approach　to　what　the　men　called　‘a　capture'　that　he　made　was；　as　he　stood　outside　the　door　of　one　of　the　upper　rooms　in　which　Philpot　and　Harlow　were　working；　he　heard　them　singing　one　of　Sankey's　hymns　…　‘Work！　for　the　night　is　coming'。　　He　listened　to　two　verses　and　several　repetitions　of　the　chorus。　　Being　a　‘Christian'；　he　could　scarcely　object　to　this；　especially　as　by　peeping　through　the　partly　open　door　　he　could　see　that　they　were　suiting　the　action　to　the　word。　　When　he　went　into　the　room　they　glanced　around　to　see　who　it　was；　and　stopped　singing。　Rushton　did　not　speak；　but　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　silently　watching　them　as　they　worked；　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Then；　without　having　uttered　a　syllable；　he　turned　and　went　out。

They　heard　him　softly　descend　the　stairs；　and　Harlow；　turning　to　Philpot　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper：

‘What　do　you　think　of　the　br；　standing　there　watchin'　us　like　that；　as　if　we　was　a　couple　of　bloody　convicts？　　If　it　wasn't　that　I've　got　someone　else　beside　myself　to　think　of；　I　would　'ave　sloshed　the　bloody　sod　in　the　mouth　with　this　pound　brush！'

‘Yes；　it　does　make　yer　feel　like　that；　mate；'　replied　Philpot；　‘but　of　course　we　mustn't　give　way　to　it。'

‘Several　times；'　continued　Harlow；　who　was　livid　with　anger；　‘I　was　on　the　point　of　turnin'　round　and　sayin'　to　'im；　〃What　the　bloody　'ell　do　you　mean　by　standin'　there　and　watchin'　me；　you　bloody；　psalm…singin'　swine？〃　　It　took　me　all　my　time　to　keep　it　in；　I　can　tell　you。'

Meanwhile；　Rushton　was　still　going　about　the　house；　occasionally　standing　and　watching　the　other　men　in　the　same　manner　as　he　had　watched　Philpot　and　Harlow。

None　of　the　men　looked　round　from　their　work　or　spoke　either　to　Rushton　or　to　each　other。　　The　only　sounds　heard　were　the　noises　made　by　the　saws　and　hammers　of　the　carpenters　who　were　fixing　the　frieze　rails　and　dado　rails　or　repairing　parts　of　the　woodwork　in　some　of　the　rooms。

Crass　placed　himself　in　Rushton's　way　several　times　with　the　hope　of　being　spoken　to；　but　beyond　curtly　acknowledging　the　‘foreman's'　servile　‘Good　hafternoon；　sir；'　the　master　took　no　notice　of　him。

After　about　an　hour　spent　in　this　manner　Rushton　went　away；　but　as　no　one　say　him　go；　it　was　not　until　some　considerable　time　after　his　departure　that　they　knew　that　he　was　gone。

Owen　was　secretly　very　disappointed。　　‘I　thought　he　had　come　to　tell　me　about　the　drawing…room；'　he　said　to　himself；　‘but　I　suppose　it's　not　decided　yet。'

Just　as　the　‘hands'　were　beginning　to　breathe　freely　again；　Misery　arrived；　carrying　some　rolled…up　papers　in　his　hand。　　He　also　flitted　silently　from　one　room　to　another；　peering　round　corners　and　listening　at　doors　in　the　hope　of　seeing　or　hearing　something　which　would　give　him　an　excuse　for　making　an　example　of　someone。　　Disappointed　in　this；　he　presently　crawled　upstairs　to　the　room　where　Owen　was　working　and；　handing　to　him　the　roll　of　papers　he　had　been　carrying；　said：

‘Mr　Sweater　had　decided　to　'ave　this　work　done；　so　you　can　start　on　it　as　soon　as　you　like。'

It　is　impossible　to　describe；　without　appearing　to　exaggerate；　the　emotions　experienced　by　Owen　as　he　heard　this　announcement。　　For　one　thing　it　meant　that　the　work　at　this　house　would　last　longer　than　it　would　otherwise　have　done；　and　it　also　meant　that　he　would　be　paid　for　the　extra　time　he　had　spent　on　the　drawings；　besides　having　his　wages　increased　…　for　he　was　always　paid　an　extra　penny　an　hour　when　engaged　on　special　work；　such　as　graining　or　sign…writing　or　work　of　the　present　kind。　　But　these　considerations　did　not　occur　to　him　at　the　moment　at　all；　for　to　him　it　meant　much　more。　　Since　his　first　conversation　on　the　subject　with　Rushton　he　had　though　of　little　else　than　this　work。

In　a　sense　he　had　been　DOING　it　ever　since。　　He　had　thought　and　planned　and　altered　the　details　of　the　work　repeatedly。　　The　colours　for　the　different　parts　had　been　selected　and　rejected　and　re…selected　over　and　over　again。　　A　keen　desire　to　do　the　work　had　grown　within　him；　but　he　had　scarcely　allowed　himself　to　hope　that　it　would　be　done　at　all。　　His　face　flushed　slightly　as　he　took　the　drawings　from　Hunter。

‘You　can　make　a　start　on　it　tomorrow　morning；'　continued　that　gentleman。　　‘I'll　tell　Crass　to　send　someone　else　up　'ere　to　finish　this　room。'

‘I　shan't　be　able　to　commence　tomorrow；　because　the　ceiling　and　walls　will　have　to　be　painted　first。'

‘Yes：　I　know。　　You　and　Easton　can　do　that。　　One　coat　tomorrow；　another　on　Friday　and　the　third　on　Saturday　…　that　is；　unless　you　can　make　it　do　with　two　coats。　　Even　if　it　has　to　be　the　three；　you　will　be　able　to　go　on　with　your　decoratin'　on　Monday。'

‘I　won't　be　able　to　start　on　Monday；　because　I　shall　have　to　make　some　working　drawings　first。'

‘Workin'　drorins！'　ejaculated　Misery　with　a　puzzled　expression。　　‘Wot　workin'　drorins？　　You've　got　them；　ain't　yer？'　pointing　to　the　roll　of　papers。

‘Yes：　but　as　the　same　ornaments　are　repeated　several　times；　I　shall　have　to　make　a　number　of　full…sized　drawings；　with　perforated　outlines；　to　transfer　the　design　to　the　walls；'　said　Owen；　and　he　proceeded　to　laboriously　explain　the　processes。

Nimrod　looked　at　him　suspiciously。　　‘Is　all　that　really　necessary？'　he　asked。　　‘Couldn't　you　just　copy　it　on　the　wall；　free…hand？'

‘No；　that　wouldn't　do。　　It　would　take　much　longer　that　way。'

This　consideration　appealed　to　Misery。

‘Ah；　wel