the ragged trousered philanthropists-第107节

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Harlow's　room　to　criticize　it；　and　had　succeeded　in　finding　several　faults　which　he　pointed　out　to　the　other；　and　of　course　they　were　both　very　much　disgusted　with　Harlow。

‘I　can't　think　why　the　coddy　keeps　him　on　the　job；'　said　the　first　man。　　‘Between　you　and　me；　if　I　had　charge　of　a　job；　and　Misery　sent　Harlow　there　…　I'd　send　'im　back　to　the　shop。'

‘Same　as　you；'　agreed　the　other　as　he　went　back　to　tear　into　his　own　room。　　‘Same　as　you；　old　man：　I　shouldn't　'ave　'im　neither。'

It　must　not　be　supposed　from　this　that　either　of　these　two　men　were　on　exceptionally　bad　terms　with　Harlow；　they　were　just　as　good　friends　with　him　…　to　his　face　…　as　they　were　with　each　other　…　to　each　other's　faces　…　and　it　was　just　their　way：　that　was　all。

If　it　had　been　one　or　both　of　these　two　who　had　gone　away　instead　of　Harlow；　just　the　same　things　would　have　been　said　about　them　by　the　others　who　remained　…　it　was　merely　their　usual　way　of　speaking　about　each　other　behind　each　other's　backs。

It　was　always　the　same：　if　any　one　of　them　made　a　mistake　or　had　an　accident　or　got　into　any　trouble　he　seldom　or　never　got　any　sympathy　from　his　fellow　workmen。　　On　the　contrary；　most　of　them　at　such　times　seemed　rather　pleased　than　otherwise。

There　was　a　poor　devil　…　a　stranger　in　the　town；　he　came　from　London　…　who　got　the　sack　for　breaking　some　glass。　　He　had　been　sent　to　‘burn　off'　some　old　paint　of　the　woodwork　of　a　window。　　He　was　not　very　skilful　in　the　use　of　the　burning…off　lamp；　because　on　the　firm　when　he　had　been　working　in　London　it　was　a　job　that　the　ordinary　hands　were　seldom　or　never　called　upon　to　do。　　There　were　one　or　two　men　who　did　it　all。　　For　that　matter；　not　many　of　Rushton's　men　were　very　skilful　at　it　either。　　It　was　a　job　everybody　tried　to　get　out　of；　because　nearly　always　the　lamp　went　wrong　and　there　was　a　row　about　the　time　the　work　took。　　So　they　worked　this　job　on　to　the　stranger。

This　man　had　been　out　of　work　for　a　long　time　before　he　got　a　start　at　Rushton's；　and　he　was　very　anxious　not　to　lose　the　job；　because　he　had　a　wife　and　family　in　London。　　When　the　‘coddy'　told　him　to　go　and　burn　off　this　window　he　did　not　like　to　say　that　he　was　not　used　to　the　work：　he　hoped　to　be　able　to　do　it。　　But　he　was　very　nervous；　and　the　end　was　that　although　he　managed　to　do　the　burning　off　all　right；　just　as　he　was　finishing　he　accidentally　allowed　the　flame　of　the　lamp　to　come　into　contact　with　a　large　pane　of　glass　and　broke　it。

They　sent　to　the　shop　for　a　new　pane　of　glass；　and　the　man　stayed　late　that　night　and　put　it　in　in　his　own　time；　thus　bearing　half　the　cost　of　repairing　it。

Things　were　not　very　busy　just　then；　and　on　the　following　Saturday　two　of　the　hands　were　‘stood　off'。　　The　stranger　was　one　of　them；　and　nearly　everybody　was　very　pleased。　　At　mealtimes　the　story　of　the　broken　window　was　repeatedly　told　amid　jeering　laughter。　　It　really　seemed　as　if　a　certain　amount　of　indignation　was　felt　that　a　stranger　…　especially　such　an　inferior　person　as　this　chap　who　did　not　know　how　to　use　a　lamp　…　should　have　had　the　cheek　to　try　to　earn　his　living　at　all！　　One　thing　was　very　certain　…　they　said；　gleefully　…　he　would　never　get　another　job　at　Rushton's：　that　was　one　good　thing。

And　yet　they　all　knew　that　this　accident　might　have　happened　to　any　one　of　them。

Once　a　couple　of　men　got　the　sack　because　a　ceiling　they　distempered　had　to　be　washed　off　and　done　again。　　It　was　not　really　the　men's　fault　at　all：　it　was　a　ceiling　that　needed　special　treatment　and　they　had　not　been　allowed　to　do　it　properly。

But　all　the　same；　when　they　got　the　sack　most　of　the　others　laughed　and　sneered　and　were　glad。　　Perhaps　because　they　thought　that　the　fact　that　these　two　unfortunates　had　been　disgraced；　increased　their　own　chances　of　being　‘kept　on'。　　And　so　it　was　with　nearly　everything。　With　a　few　exceptions；　they　had　an　immense　amount　of　respect　for　Rushton　and　Hunter；　and　very　little　respect　or　sympathy　for　each　other。

Exactly　the　same　lack　of　feeling　for　each　other　prevailed　amongst　the　members　of　all　the　different　trades。　　Everybody　seemed　glad　if　anybody　got　into　trouble　for　any　reason　whatever。

There　was　a　garden　gate　that　had　been　made　at　the　carpenter's　shop：　it　was　not　very　well　put　together；　and　for　the　usual　reason；　the　man　had　not　been　allowed　the　time　to　do　it　properly。　　After　it　was　fixed；　one　of　his　shopmates　wrote　upon　it　with　lead　pencil　in　big　letters：　‘This　is　good　work　for　a　joiner。　　Order　one　ton　of　putty。'

But　to　hear　them　talking　in　the　pub　of　a　Saturday　afternoon　just　after　pay…time　one　would　think　them　the　best　friends　and　mates　and　the　most　independent　spirits　in　the　world；　fellows　whom　it　would　be　very　dangerous　to　trifle　with；　and　who　would　stick　up　for　each　other　through　thick　and　thin。　　All　sorts　of　stories　were　related　of　the　wonderful　things　they　had　done　and　said；　of　jobs　they　had　‘chucked　up'；　and　masters　they　had　‘told　off'：　of　pails　of　whitewash　thrown　over　offending　employers；　and　of　horrible　assaults　and　batteries　committed　upon　the　same。　　But　strange　to　say；　for　some　reason　or　other；　it　seldom　happened　that　a　third　party　ever　witnessed　any　of　these　prodigies。　　It　seemed　as　if　a　chivalrous　desire　to　spare　the　feelings　of　their　victims　had　always　prevented　them　from　doing　or　saying　anything　to　them　in　the　presence　of　witnesses。

When　he　had　drunk　a　few　pints；　Crass　was　a　very　good　hand　at　these　stories。　　Here　is　one　that　he　told　in　the　bar　of　the　Cricketers　on　the　Saturday　afternoon　of　the　same　week　that　Bill　Bates　and　the　Semi…drunk　got　the　sack。　　The　Cricketers　was　only　a　few　minutes　walk　from　the　shop　and　at　pay…time　a　number　of　the　men　used　to　go　in　there　to　take　a　drink　before　going　home。

‘Last　Thursday　night　about　five　o'clock；　'Unter　comes　inter　the　paint…shop　an'　ses　to　me；　〃I　wants　a　pail　o'　wash　made　up　tonight；　Crass；〃　'e　ses；　〃ready　for　fust　thing　in　the　mornin'；〃　'e　ses。　　〃Oh；〃　I　ses；　lookin'　'im　straight　in　the　bloody　eye；　〃Oh；　yer　do；　do　yer？〃　…　just　like　that。　　〃Yes；〃　'e　ses。　　〃Well；　you　can　bloody　well　make　it　yerself！〃　I　ses；　〃'cos　I　ain't　agoin'　to；〃　I　ses　…　just　like　that。　〃Wot　the　'ell　do　yer　mean；〃　I　ses；　〃by　comin'　'ere　at　this　time　o'　night　with　a　order　like　that？〃　I　ses。　　You'd　a　larfed；'　continued　Crass；　as　he　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand　after　taking　another　drink　out　of　his　glass；　and　looking　round　to　note　the　effect　of　the　story；　‘you'd　a　larfed　if　you'd　bin　there。　　'E　was　fairly　flabbergasted！　　And　wen　I　said　that　to　'im　I　see　'is　jaw　drop！　　An'　then　'e　started　apoligizing　and　said　as　'e　'adn't　meant　no　offence；　but　I　told　'im　bloody　straight　not　to　come　no　more　of　it。　　〃You　bring　the　horder　at　a　reasonable　time；〃　I　ses　…　just　like　that　…　〃and　I'll　attend　to　it；〃　I　ses；　〃but　not　otherwise；〃　I　ses。'

As　he　concluded　this　story；　Crass　drained　his　glass　and　gazed　round　upon　the　audience；　who　were　full　of　admiration。　　They　looked　at　each　other　and　at　Crass　and　nodded　their　heads　approvingly。　　Yes；　undoubtedly；　that　was　the　proper　way　to　deal　with　such　bounders　as　Nimrod；　take　up　a　strong　attitude；　an'　let　'em　see　as　you'll　stand　no　nonsense！

‘Yer　don't　blame　me；　do　yer？'　continued　Crass。　　‘Why　should　we　put　up　with　a　lot　of　old　buck　from　the　likes　of　'im！　　We're　not　a　lot　of　bloody　Chinamen；　are　we？'

So　far　from　blaming　him；　they　all　assured　him　that　they　would　have　acted　in　precisely　the　same　way　under　similar　circumstances。

‘For　my　part；　I'm　a　bloke　like　this；'　said　a　tall　man　with　a　very　loud　voice　…　a　chap　who　nearly　fell　down　dead　every　time　Rushton　or　Misery　looked　at　him。　　‘I'm　a　bloke　like　this　'ere：　I　never　stands　no　cheek　from　no　gaffers！　　If　a　guv'nor　ses　two　bloody　words　to　me；　I　downs　me　tools　and　I　ses　to　'im；　〃Wot！　　Don't　I　suit　yer；　guv'ner？　　Ain't　I　done　enuff　for　yer？　　Werry　good！　　Gimmie　me　bleedin'　a'pence。〃'

‘Quite　right　too；'　said　everybody。　　That　was　the　way　to　serve　'em。　　If　only　everyone　would　do　the　same　as　the　tall　man　…　who　had　just　paid　for　another　round　of　drinks　…　things　would　be　a　lot　more　comfortable　than　they　was。

‘Last　summer　I　was　workin'　for　ole　Buncer；'　said　a　little　man　with　a　cutaway　coat　several　sizes　too　large　for　him。　　‘I　was　workin'　for　ole　Buncer；　over　at　Windley；　an'　you　all　knows　as　'e　don't　arf　lower　it。　Well；　one　day；　when　I　knowed　'e　was　on　the　drunk；　I　'ad　to　first　coat　a　room　out　…　white；　so　thinks　I　to　meself；　〃If　I　buck　up　I　shall　be　able　to　get　this　lot　done　by　about　four　o'clock；　an'　then　I　can　clear　orf　'ome。　　'Cos　I　reckoned　as　'e'd　be　about　flattened　out　by　that　time；　an'　you　know　'e　ain't　got　no　foreman。　　So　I　tears　into　it　an'　gets　this　'ere　room　done　about　a　quarter　past　four；　an'　I'd　just　got　me　things　put　away　for　the　night　w'en　'oo　should　come　fallin'　up　the　bloody　stairs　but　ole　Buncer；　drunk　as　a　howl！　　An'　no　sooner　'e　gits　inter　the　room　than　'e　starts　yappin'　an'　rampin'。　　〃Is　this　'ere　hall　you've　done？〃　'e　shouts　out。　　〃Wotcher　bin　up　to　hall　day？〃　'e　ses；　an'　'e　keeps　on　shouting'　an'　swearin'　till　at　last　I　couldn't　stand　it　no　longer；　'cos　you　can　guess　I　wasn't　in　a　very　good　temper　with　'im　comin'　along　jist　then　w'en　I　thought　I　was　goin'　to　get　orf　a　bit　early　…　so　w'en　'e　kept　on　shoutin'　I　never　made　no　answer　to　'im；　but　ups　with　me　fist　an