the ragged trousered philanthropists-第115节

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unter　when　I　was　workin'　at　the　Royal　Caff；　I　must　admit　that　this　is　the　best　firm　that's　ever　worked　under　me。'

This　statement　caused　a　shout　of　laughter；　which；　however；　died　away　as　Mr　Rushton　rose　to　acknowledge　the　toast　to　his　health。　　He　said　that　he　had　now　been　in　business　for　nearly　sixteen　years　and　this　was　…　he　believed　…　the　eleventh　outing　he　had　had　the　pleasure　of　attending。　　During　all　that　time　the　business　had　steadily　progressed　and　had　increased　in　volume　from　year　to　year；　and　he　hoped　and　believed　that　the　progress　made　in　the　past　would　be　continued　in　the　future。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　Of　course；　he　realized　that　the　success　of　the　business　depended　very　largely　upon　the　men　as　well　as　upon　himself；　he　did　his　best　in　trying　to　get　work　for　them；　and　it　was　necessary　…　if　the　business　was　to　go　on　and　prosper　…　that　they　should　also　do　their　best　to　get　the　work　done　when　he　had　secured　it　for　them。　（Hear；　hear。）　　The　masters　could　not　do　without　the　men；　and　the　men　could　not　live　without　the　masters。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　It　was　a　matter　of　division　of　labour：　the　men　worked　with　their　hands　and　the　masters　worked　with　their　brains；　and　one　was　no　use　without　the　other。　　He　hoped　the　good　feeling　which　had　hitherto　existed　between　himself　and　his　workmen　would　always　continue；　and　he　thanked　them　for　the　way　in　which　they　had　responded　to　the　toast　of　his　health。

Loud　cheers　greeted　the　conclusion　of　this　speech；　and　then　Crass　stood　up　and　said　that　he　begged　to　propose　the　health　of　Mr　'Unter。　（Hear；　hear。）　　He　wasn't　going　to　make　a　long　speech　as　he　wasn't　much　of　a　speaker。　　（Cries　of　‘You're　all　right；'　‘Go　on；'　etc。）　　But　he　felt　sure　as　they　would　all　hagree　with　him　when　be　said　that　…　next　to　Mr　Rushton　…　there　wasn't　no　one　the　men　had　more　respect　and　liking　for　than　Mr　'Unter。　　（Cheers。）　　A　few　weeks　ago　when　Mr　'Unter　was　laid　up；　many　of　them　began　to　be　afraid　as　they　was　going　to　lose　'im。　　He　was　sure　that　all　the　'ands　was　glad　to　'ave　this　hoppertunity　of　congratulating　him　on　his　recovery　（Hear；　hear）　and　of　wishing　him　the　best　of　'ealth　in　the　future　and　hoping　as　he　would　be　spared　to　come　to　a　good　many　more　Beanos。

Loud　applause　greeted　the　conclusion　of　Crass's　remarks；　and　once　more　the　meeting　burst　into　song：

　　　　　　　　For　he's　a　jolly　good　fellow　　　　　　　　　For　he's　a　jolly　good　fellow。　　　　　　　　　For　he's　a　jolly　good　fellow；　　　　　　　　　And　so　say　all　of　us。　　　　　　　　　So　'ip；　'ip；　'ip；　'ooray！　　　　　　　　　So　'ip；　'ip；　'ip；　'ooray！

When　they　had　done　cheering；　Nimrod　rose。　　His　voice　trembled　a　little　as　he　thanked　them　for　their　kindness；　and　said　that　he　hoped　he　deserved　their　goodwill。　　He　could　only　say　that　as　he　was　sure　as　he　always　tried　to　be　fair　and　considerate　to　everyone。　　（Cheers。）　　He　would　now　request　the　landlord　to　replenish　their　glasses。　　（Hear；　hear。）

As　soon　as　the　drinks　were　served；　Nimrod　again　rose　and　said　he　wished　to　propose　the　healths　of　their　visitors　who　had　so　kindly　contributed　to　their　expenses　…　Mr　Lettum；　Mr　Didlum；　Mr　Toonarf　and　Mr　Grinder。　　（Cheers。）　　They　were　very　pleased　and　proud　to　see　them　there　（Hear；　hear）；　and　he　was　sure　the　men　would　agree　with　him　when　he　said　that　Messrs　Lettum；　Didlum；　Toonarf　and　Grinder　were　jolly　good　fellows。

To　judge　from　the　manner　in　which　they　sang　the　chorus　and　cheered；　it　was　quite　evident　that　most　of　the　hands　did　agree。　　When　they　left　off；　Grinder　rose　to　reply　on　behalf　of　those　included　in　the　toast。　He　said　that　it　gave　them　much　pleasure　to　be　there　and　take　part　in　such　pleasant　proceedings　and　they　were　glad　to　think　that　they　had　been　able　to　help　to　bring　it　about。　　It　was　very　gratifying　to　see　the　good　feeling　that　existed　between　Mr　Rushton　and　his　workmen；　which　was　as　it　should　be；　because　masters　and　men　was　really　fellow　workers　…　the　masters　did　the　brain　work；　the　men　the　'and　work。　　They　was　both　workers；　and　their　interests　was　the　same。　　He　liked　to　see　men　doing　their　best　for　their　master　and　knowing　that　their　master　was　doing　his　best　for　them；　that　he　was　not　only　a　master；　but　a　friend。　　That　was　what　he　（Grinder）　liked　to　see　…　master　and　men　pulling　together　…　doing　their　best；　and　realizing　that　their　interests　was　identical。　　（Cheers。）　　If　only　all　masters　and　men　would　do　this　they　would　find　that　everything　would　go　on　all　right；　there　would　be　more　work　and　less　poverty。　　Let　the　men　do　their　best　for　their　masters；　and　the　masters　do　their　best　for　their　men；　and　they　would　find　that　that　was　the　true　solution　of　the　social　problem；　and　not　the　silly　nonsense　that　was　talked　by　people　what　went　about　with　red　flags。　　（Cheers　and　laughter。）　　Most　of　those　fellows　were　chaps　who　was　too　lazy　to　work　for　their　livin'。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　They　could　take　it　from　him　that；　if　ever　the　Socialists　got　the　upper　hand　there　would　just　be　a　few　of　the　hartful　dodgers　who　would　get　all　the　cream；　and　there　would　be　nothing　left　but　'ard　work　for　the　rest。　（Hear。　hear。）　　That's　wot　hall　those　hagitators　was　after：　they　wanted　them　（his　hearers）　to　work　and　keep　'em　in　idleness。　　（Hear；　hear。）　On　behalf　of　Mr　Didlum；　Mr　Toonarf；　Mr　Lettum　and　himself；　he　thanked　them　for　their　good　wishes；　and　hoped　to　be　with　them　on　a　sim'ler　occasion　in　the　future。

Loud　cheers　greeted　the　termination　of　his　speech；　but　it　was　obvious　from　some　of　the　men's　faces　that　they　resented　Grinder's　remarks。　These　men　ridiculed　Socialism　and　regularly　voted　for　the　continuance　of　capitalism；　and　yet　they　were　disgusted　and　angry　with　Grinder！　There　was　also　a　small　number　of　Socialists　…　not　more　than　half　a　dozen　altogether　…　who　did　not　join　in　the　applause。　　These　men　were　all　sitting　at　the　end　of　the　long　table　presided　over　by　Payne。　　None　of　them　had　joined　in　the　applause　that　greeted　the　speeches；　and　so　far　neither　had　they　made　any　protest。　　Some　of　them　turned　very　red　as　they　listened　to　the　concluding　sentences　of　Grinder's　oration；　and　others　laughed；　but　none　of　them　said　anything。　　They　knew　before　they　came　that　there　was　sure　to　be　a　lot　of　'Jolly　good　fellow'　business　and　speechmaking；　and　they　had　agreed　together　beforehand　to　take　no　part　one　way　or　the　other；　and　to　refrain　from　openly　dissenting　from　anything　that　might　be　said；　but　they　had　not　anticipated　anything　quite　so　strong　as　this。

When　Grinder　sat　down　some　of　those　who　had　applauded　him　began　to　jeer　at　the　Socialists。

‘What　have　you　got　to　say　to　that？'　they　shouted。　　‘That's　up　against　yer！'

‘They　ain't　got　nothing　to　say　now。'

‘Why　don't　some　of　you　get　up　and　make　a　speech？'

This　last　appeared　to　be　a　very　good　idea　to　those　Liberals　and　Tories　who　had　not　liked　Grinder's　observations；　so　they　all　began　to　shout　‘Owen！'　‘Owen！'　‘Come　on　'ere。　　Get　up　and　make　a　speech！'　‘Be　a　man！'　and　so　on。　　Several　of　those　who　had　been　loudest　in　applauding　Grinder　also　joined　in　the　demand　that　Owen　should　make　a　speech；　because　they　were　certain　that　Grinder　and　the　other　gentlemen　would　be　able　to　dispose　of　all　his　arguments；　but　Owen　and　the　other　Socialists　made　no　response　except　to　laugh；　so　presently　Crass　tied　a　white　handkerchief　on　a　cane　walking…stick　that　belonged　to　Mr　Didlum；　and　stuck　it　in　the　vase　of　flowers　that　stood　on　the　end　of　the　table　where　the　Socialist　group　were　sitting。

When　the　noise　had　in　some　measure　ceased；　Grinder　again　rose。　　‘When　I　made　the　few　remarks　that　I　did；　I　didn't　know　as　there　was　any　Socialists　'ere：　I　could　tell　from　the　look　of　you　that　most　of　you　had　more　sense。　　At　the　same　time　I'm　rather　glad　I　said　what　I　did；　because　it　just　shows　you　what　sort　of　chaps　these　Socialists　are。　They're　pretty　artful　…　they　know　when　to　talk　and　when　to　keep　their　mouths　shut。　　What　they　like　is　to　get　hold　of　a　few　ignorant　workin'　men　in　a　workshop　or　a　public　house；　and　then　they　can　talk　by　the　mile　…　reg'ler　shop　lawyers；　you　know　wot　I　mean　…　I'm　right　and　everybody　else　is　wrong。　　（Laughter。）　　You　know　the　sort　of　thing　I　mean。　　When　they　finds　theirselves　in　the　company　of　edicated　people　wot　knows　a　little　more　than　they　does　theirselves；　and　who　isn't　likely　to　be　misled　by　a　lot　of　claptrap；　why　then；　mum's　the　word。　So　next　time　you　hears　any　of　these　shop　lawyers'　arguments；　you'll　know　how　much　it's　worth。'

Most　of　the　men　were　delighted　with　this　speech；　which　was　received　with　much　laughing　and　knocking　on　the　tables。　　They　remarked　to　each　other　that　Grinder　was　a　smart　man：　he'd　got　the　Socialists　weighed　up　just　about　right　…　to　an　ounce。

Then；　it　was　seen　that　Barrington　was　on　his　feet　facing　Grinder　and　a　sudden；　awe…filled　silence　fell。

‘It　may　or　may　not　be　true；'　began　Barrington；　‘that　Socialists　always　know　when　to　speak　and　when　to　keep　silent；　but　the　present　occasion　hardly　seemed　a　suitable　one　to　discuss　such　subjects。

‘We　are　here　today　as　friends　and　want　to　forget　our　differences　and　enjoy　ourselves　for　a　few　hours。　　But　after　what　Mr　Grinder　has　said　I　am　quite　ready　to　reply　to　him　to　the　best　of　my　ability。

‘The　fact　that　I　am　a　Socialist　and　that　I　am　here　today　as　one　of　Mr　Rushton's　employees　should　be　an　answer　to　the　charge　that　Socialists　are　too　lazy　to　work　for　their　living。　　And　as　to　taking　advantage　of　the　igno