the ragged trousered philanthropists-第43章

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

This　consideration　appealed　to　Misery。

‘Ah；　well；'　he　sighed。　　‘I　s'pose　you'll　'ave　to　do　it　the　way　you　said；　but　for　goodness　sake　don't　spend　too　much　time　over　it；　because　we've　took　it　very　cheap。　　We　only　took　it　on　so　as　you　could　'ave　a　job；　not　that　we　expect　to　make　any　profit　out　of　it。'

‘And　I　shall　have　to　cut　some　stencils；　so　I　shall　need　several　sheets　of　cartridge　paper。'

Upon　hearing　of　this　addition　expense；　Misery's　long　visage　appeared　to　become　several　inches　longer；　but　after　a　moment's　thought　he　brightened　up。

‘I'll　tell　you　what！'　he　exclaimed　with　a　cunning　leer；　‘there's　lots　of　odd　rolls　of　wallpaper　down　at　the　shop。　　Couldn't　you　manage　with　some　of　that？'

‘I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't　do；'　replied　Owen　doubtfully；　‘but　I'll　have　a　look　at　it　and　if　possible　I'll　use　it。'

‘Yes；　do！'　said　Misery；　pleased　at　the　thought　of　saving　something。　‘Call　at　the　shop　on　your　way　home　tonight；　and　we'll　see　what　we　can　find。　　'Ow　long　do　you　think　it'll　take　you　to　make　the　drorins　and　the　stencils？'

‘Well；　today's　Thursday。　　If　you　let　someone　else　help　Easton　to　get　the　room　ready；　I　think　I　can　get　them　done　in　time　to　bring　them　with　me　on　Monday　morning。'

‘Wot　do　yer　mean；　〃bring　them　with　you〃？'　demanded　Nimrod。

‘I　shall　have　to　do　them　at　home；　you　know。'

‘Do　'em　at　'ome！　　Why　can't　you　do　'em　'ere？'

‘Well；　there's　no　table；　for　one　thing。'

‘Oh；　but　we　can　soon　fit　you　out　with　a　table。　You　can　'ave　a　pair　of　paperhanger's　tressels　and　boards　for　that　matter。'

‘I　have　a　lot　of　sketches　and　things　at　home　that　I　couldn't　very　well　bring　here；'　said　Owen。

Misery　argued　about　it　for　a　long　time；　insisting　that　the　drawings　should　be　made　either　on　the　‘job'　or　at　the　paint…shop　down　at　the　yard。　　How；　he　asked；　was　be　to　know　at　what　hour　Owen　commenced　or　left　off　working；　if　the　latter　did　them　at　home？

‘I　shan't　charge　any　more　time　than　I　really　work；'　replied　Owen。　　‘I　can't　possibly　do　them　here　or　at　the　paint…shop。　　I　know　I　should　only　make　a　mess　of　them　under　such　conditions。'

‘Well；　I　s'pose　you'll　'ave　to　'ave　your　own　way；'　said　Misery；　dolefully。　　‘I'll　let　Harlow　help　Easton　paint　the　room　out；　so　as　you　can　get　your　stencils　and　things　ready。　　But　for　Gord's　sake　get　'em　done　as　quick　as　you　can。　　If　you　could　manage　to　get　done　by　Friday　and　come　down　and　help　Easton　on　Saturday；　it　would　be　so　much　the　better。　　And　when　you　do　get　a　start　on　the　decoratin'；　I　shouldn't　take　too　much　care　over　it；　you　know；　if　I　was　you；　because　we　'ad　to　take　the　job　for　next　to　nothing　or　Mr　Sweater　would　never　'ave　'ad　it　done　at　all！'

Nimrod　now　began　to　crawl　about　the　house；　snarling　and　grumbling　at　everyone。

‘Now　then；　you　chaps。　　Rouse　yourselves！'　he　bellowed；　'you　seem　to　think　this　is　a　'orspital。　　If　some　of　you　don't　make　a　better　show　than　this；　I'll　'ave　to　'ave　a　Alteration！　　There's　plenty　of　chaps　walkin'　about　doin'　nothin'　who'll　be　only　too　glad　of　a　job！'

He　went　into　the　scullery；　where　Crass　was　mixing　some　colour。

‘Look　'ere；　Crass！'　he　said。　　‘I'm　not　at　all　satisfied　with　the　way　you're　gettin'　on　with　the　work。　　You　must　push　the　chaps　a　bit　more　than　you're　doin'。　　There's　not　enough　being　done；　by　a　long　way。　　We　shall　lose　money　over　this　job　before　we're　finished！'

Crass　…　whose　fat　face　had　turned　a　ghastly　green　with　fright　…　mumbled　something　about　getting　on　with　it　as　fast　as　he　could。

‘Well；　you'll　'ave　to　make　'em　move　a　bit　quicker　than　this！'　Misery　howled；　'or　there'll　'ave　to　be　a　ALTERATION！'

By　an　‘alteration'　Crass　understood　that　he　might　get　the　sack；　or　that　someone　else　might　be　put　in　charge　of　the　job；　and　that　would　of　course　reduce　him　to　the　ranks　and　do　away　with　his　chance　of　being　kept　on　longer　than　the　others。　　He　determined　to　try　to　ingratiate　himself　with　Hunter　and　appease　his　wrath　by　sacrificing　someone　else。　He　glanced　cautiously　into　the　kitchen　and　up　the　passage　and　then；　lowering　his　voice；　he　said：

‘They　all　shapes　pretty　well；　except　Newman。　　I　would　'ave　told　you　about　'im　before；　but　I　thought　I'd　give　'im　a　fair　chance。　　I've　spoke　to　'im　several　times　myself　about　not　doin'　enough；　but　it　don't　seem　to　make　no　difference。'

‘I've　'ad　me　eye　on　'im　meself　for　some　time；'　replied　Nimrod　in　the　same　tone。　　‘Anybody　would　think　the　work　was　goin'　to　be　sent　to　a　Exhibition；　the　way　'e　messes　about　with　it；　rubbing　it　with　glasspaper　and　stopping　up　every　little　crack！　　I　can't　understand　where　'e　gets　all　the　glasspaper　FROM'

‘'E　brings　it　'isself！'　said　Crass　hoarsely。　　‘I　know　for　a　fact　that　'e　bought　two　'a'penny　sheets　of　it；　last　week　out　of　'is　own　money！'

‘Oh；　'e　did；　did　'e？'　snarled　Misery。　　‘I'll　give　'im　glasspaper！　I'll　'ave　a　Alteration！'

He　went　into　the　hall；　where　he　remained　alone　for　a　considerable　time；　brooding。　　At　last；　with　the　manner　of　one　who　has　resolved　on　a　certain　course　of　action；　he　turned　and　entered　the　room　where　Philpot　and　Harlow　were　working。

‘You　both　get　sevenpence　an　hour；　don't　you？'　he　said。

They　both　replied　to　the　affirmative。

‘I've　never　worked　under　price　yet；'　added　Harlow。

‘Nor　me　neither；'　observed　Philpot。

‘Well；　of　course　you　can　please　yourselves；'　Hunter　continued；　‘but　after　this　week　we've　decided　not　to　pay　more　than　six　and　a　half。　Things　is　cut　so　fine　nowadays　that　we　can't　afford　to　go　on　payin'　sevenpence　any　longer。　　You　can　work　up　till　tomorrow　night　on　the　old　terms；　but　if　you're　not　willin'　to　accept　six　and　a　half　you　needn't　come　on　Saturday　morning。　　Please　yourselves。　　Take　it　or　leave　it。'

Harlow　and　Philpot　were　both　too　much　astonished　to　say　anything　in　reply　to　this　cheerful　announcement；　and　Hunter；　with　the　final　remark；　‘You　can　think　it　over；'　left　them　and　went　to　deliver　the　same　ultimatum　to　all　the　other　full…price　men；　who　took　it　in　the　same　way　as　Philpot　and　Harlow　had　done。　　Crass　and　Owen　were　the　only　two　whose　wages　were　not　reduced。

It　will　be　remembered　that　Newman　was　one　of　those　who　were　already　working　for　the　reduced　rate。　　Misery　found　him　alone　in　one　of　the　upper　rooms；　to　which　he　was　giving　the　final　coat。　　He　was　at　his　old　tricks。　　The　woodwork　of　the　cupboard　be　was　doing　was　in　a　rather　damaged　condition；　and　he　was　facing　up　the　dents　with　white…lead　putty　before　painting　it。　　He　knew　quite　well　that　Hunter　objected　to　any　but　very　large　holes　or　cracks　being　stopped；　and　yet　somehow　　or　other　he　could　not　scamp　the　work　to　the　extent　that　he　was　ordered　to；　and　so；　almost　by　stealth；　he　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　it　…　not　properly　but　as　well　as　he　dared。　　He　even　went　to　the　length　of　occasionally　buying　a　few　sheets　of　glasspaper　with　his　own　money；　as　Crass　had　told　Hunter。　　When　the　latter　came　into　the　room　he　stood　with　a　sneer　on　his　face；　watching　Newman　for　about　five　minutes　before　he　spoke。　　The　workman　became　very　nervous　and　awkward　under　this　scrutiny。

‘You　can　make　out　yer　time…sheet　and　come　to　the　office　for　yer　money　at　five　o'clock；'　said　Nimrod　at　last。　　‘We　shan't　require　your　valuable　services　no　more　after　tonight。'

Newman　went　white。

‘Why；　what's　wrong？'　said　he。　　‘What　have　I　done？'

‘Oh；　it's　not　wot　you've　DONE；'　replied　Misery。　　‘It's　wot　you've　not　done。　　That's　wot's　wrong！　　You've　not　done　enough；　that's　all！'　　And　without　further　parley　he　turned　and　went　out。

Newman　stood　in　the　darkening　room　feeling　as　if　his　heart　had　turned　to　lead。　　There　rose　before　his　mind　the　picture　of　his　home　and　family。　　He　could　see　them　as　they　were　at　this　very　moment；　the　wife　probably　just　beginning　to　prepare　the　evening　meal；　and　the　children　setting　the　cups　and　saucers　and　other　things　on　the　kitchen　table　…　a　noisy　work；　enlivened　with　many　a　frolic　and　childish　dispute。　　Even　the　two…year…old　baby　insisted　on　helping；　although　she　always　put　everything　in　the　wrong　place　and　made　all　sorts　of　funny　mistakes。　They　had　all　been　so　happy　lately　because　they　knew　that　he　had　work　that　would　last　till　nearly　Christmas　…　if　not　longer。　　And　now　this　had　happened　…　to　plunge　them　back　into　the　abyss　of　wretchedness　from　which　they　had　so