the ragged trousered philanthropists-第118节

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　had　offered　to　work　under　price　last　winter。

It　was　his　fault　that　they　were　all　working　for　sixpence　halfpenny　and　he　was　going　to　wipe　the　floor　with　him。　　Some　of　his　friends　eagerly　offered　to　assist；　but　others　interposed；　and　for　a　time　it　looked　as　if　there　was　going　to　be　a　free　fight；　the　aggressors　struggling　hard　to　get　at　their　inoffensive　victim。

Eventually；　however；　Newman　found　a　seat　in　Misery's　brake；　squatting　on　the　floor　with　his　back　to　the　horses；　thankful　enough　to　be　out　of　reach　of　the　drunken　savages；　who　were　now　roaring　out　ribald　songs　and　startling　the　countryside；　as　they　drove　along；　with　unearthly　blasts　on　the　coach　horn。

Meantime；　although　none　of　them　seemed　to　notice　it；　the　brake　was　travelling　at　a　furious　rate；　and　swaying　about　from　side　to　side　in　a　very　erratic　manner。　　It　would　have　been　the　last　carriage；　but　things　had　got　a　bit　mixed　at　the　Blue　Lion　and；　instead　of　bringing　up　the　rear　of　the　procession；　it　was　now　second；　just　behind　the　small　vehicle　containing　Rushton　and　his　friends。

Crass　several　times　reminded　them　that　the　other　carriage　was　so　near　that　Rushton　must　be　able　to　hear　every　word　that　was　said；　and　these　repeated　admonitions　at　length　enraged　the　Semi…drunk；　who　shouted　out　that　they　didn't　care　a　br　if　he　could　hear。　　Who　the　bloody　hell　was　he？　　To　hell　with　him！

‘Damn　Rushton；　and　you　too！'　cried　Bill　Bates；　addressing　Crass。　‘You're　only　a　dirty　toe…rag！　　That's　all　you　are　…　a　bloody　rotter！　That's　the　only　reason　you　gets　put　in　charge　of　jobs　…　'cos　you're　a　good　nigger…driver！　　You're　a　bloody　sight　worse　than　Rushton　or　Misery　either！　　Who　was　it　started　the　one…man；　one…room　dodge；　eh？　Why；　you；　yer　bleeder！'

‘Knock　'im　orf　'is　bleedin'　perch；'　suggested　Bundy。

Everybody　seemed　to　think　this　was　a　very　good　idea；　but　when　the　Semi…drunk　attempted　to　rise　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　it　out；　he　was　thrown　down　by　a　sudden　lurch　of　the　carriage　on　the　top　of　the　prostrate　figure　of　the　bugle　man　and　by　the　time　the　others　had　assisted　him　back　to　his　seat　they　had　forgotten　all　about　their　plan　of　getting　rid　of　Crass。

Meantime　the　speed　of　the　vehicle　had　increased　to　a　fearful　rate。

Rushton　and　the　other　occupants　of　the　little　wagonette　in　front　had　been　for　some　time　shouting　to　them　to　moderate　the　pace　of　their　horses；　but　as　the　driver　of　Crass's　brake　was　too　drunk　to　understand　what　they　said　he　took　no　notice；　and　they　had　no　alternative　but　to　increase　their　own　speed　to　avoid　being　run　down。　　The　drunken　driver　now　began　to　imagine　that　they　were　trying　to　race　him；　and　became　fired　with　the　determination　to　pass　them。　　It　was　a　very　narrow　road；　but　there　was　just　about　room　to　do　it；　and　he　had　sufficient　confidence　in　his　own　skill　with　the　ribbons　to　believe　that　he　could　get　past　in　safety。

The　terrified　gesticulations　and　the　shouts　of　Rushton's　party　only　served　to　infuriate　him；　because　he　imagined　that　they　were　jeering　at　him　for　not　being　able　to　overtake　them。　　He　stood　up　on　the　footboard　and　lashed　the　horses　till　they　almost　flew　over　the　ground；　while　the　carriage　swayed　and　skidded　in　a　fearful　manner。

In　front；　the　horses　of　Rushton's　conveyance　were　also　galloping　at　top　speed；　the　vehicle　bounding　and　reeling　from　one　side　of　the　road　to　the　other；　whilst　its　terrified　occupants；　whose　faces　were　blanched　with　apprehension；　sat　clinging　to　their　seats　and　to　each　other；　their　eyes　projecting　from　the　sockets　as　they　gazed　back　with　terror　at　their　pursuers；　some　of　whom　were　encouraging　the　drunken　driver　with　promises　of　quarts　of　beer；　and　urging　on　the　homes　with　curses　and　yells。

Crass's　fat　face　was　pallid　with　fear　as　he　clung　trembling　to　his　seat。　　Another　man；　very　drunk　and　oblivious　of　everything；　was　leaning　over　the　side　of　the　brake；　spewing　into　the　road；　while　the　remainder；　taking　no　interest　in　the　race；　amused　themselves　by　singing　…　conducted　by　the　Semi…drunk　…　as　loud　as　they　could　roar：

　　　　　　　　‘Has　anyone　seen　a　Germin　band；　　　　　　　　　Germin　Band；　Germin　Band？　　　　　　　　　I've　been　Iookin'　about；　　　　　　　　　Pom　…　Pom；　Pom；　Pom；　Pom！

　　　　　　　　‘I've　searched　every　pub；　both　near　and　far；　　　　　　　　　Near　and　far；　near　and　far；　　　　　　　　　I　want　my　Fritz；　　　　　　　　　What　plays　tiddley　bits　　　　　　　　　On　the　big　trombone！'

The　other　two　brakes　had　fallen　far　behind。　　The　one　presided　over　by　Hunter　contained　a　mournful　crew。　　Nimrod　himself；　from　the　effects　of　numerous　drinks　of　ginger　beer　with　secret　dashes　of　gin　in　it；　had　become　at　length　crying　drunk；　and　sat　weeping　in　gloomy　silence　beside　the　driver；　a　picture　of　lachrymose　misery　and　but　dimly　conscious　of　his　surroundings；　and　Slyme；　who　rode　with　Hunter　because　he　was　a　fellow　member　of　the　Shining　Light　Chapel。　　Then　there　was　another　paperhanger　…　an　unhappy　wretch　who　was　afflicted　with　religious　mania；　he　had　brought　a　lot　of　tracts　with　him　which　he　had　distributed　to　the　other　men；　to　the　villagers　of　Tubberton　and　to　anybody　else　who　would　take　them。

Most　of　the　other　men　who　rode　in　Nimrod's　brake　were　of　the　‘religious'　working　man　type。　　Ignorant；　shallow…pated　dolts；　without　as　much　intellectuality　as　an　average　cat。　　Attendants　at　various　PSAs　and　‘Church　Mission　Halls'　who　went　every　Sunday　afternoon　to　be　lectured　on　their　duty　to　their　betters　and　to　have　their　minds　…　save　the　mark！　…　addled　and　stultified　by　such　persons　as　Rushton；　Sweater；　Didlum　and　Grinder；　not　to　mention　such　mental　specialists　as　the　holy　reverend　Belchers　and　Boshers；　and　such　persons　as　John　Starr。

At　these　meetings　none　of　the　‘respectable'　working　men　were　allowed　to　ask　any　questions；　or　to　object　to；　or　find　fault　with　anything　that　was　said；　or　to　argue；　or　discuss；　or　criticize。　　They　had　to　sit　there　like　a　lot　of　children　while　they　were　lectured　and　preached　at　and　patronized。　　Even　as　sheep　before　their　shearers　are　dumb；　so　they　were　not　permitted　to　open　their　mouths。　　For　that　matter　they　did　not　wish　to　be　allowed　to　ask　any　questions；　or　to　discuss　anything。　　They　would　not　have　been　able　to。　　They　sat　there　and　listened　to　what　was　said；　but　they　had　but　a　very　hazy　conception　of　what　it　was　all　about。

Most　of　them　belonged　to　these　PSAs　merely　for　the　sake　of　the　loaves　and　fishes。　　Every　now　and　then　they　were　awarded　prizes　…　Self…help　by　Smiles；　and　other　books　suitable　for　perusal　by　persons　suffering　from　almost　complete　obliteration　of　the　mental　faculties。　　Besides　other　benefits　there　was　usually　a　Christmas　Club　attached　to　the　‘PSA'　or　‘Mission'　and　the　things　were　sold　to　the　members　slightly　below　cost　as　a　reward　for　their　servility。

They　were　for　the　most　part　tame；　broken…spirited；　poor　wretches　who　contentedly　resigned　themselves　to　a　life　of　miserable　toil　and　poverty；　and　with　callous　indifference　abandoned　their　offspring　to　the　same　fate。　　Compared　with　such　as　these；　the　savages　of　New　Guinea　or　the　Red　Indians　are　immensely　higher　in　the　scale　of　manhood。　　They　are　free！　　They　call　no　man　master；　and　if　they　do　not　enjoy　the　benefits　of　science　and　civilization；　neither　do　they　toil　to　create　those　things　for　the　benefit　of　others。　　And　as　for　their　children　…　most　of　those　savages　would　rather　knock　them　on　the　head　with　a　tomahawk　than　allow　them　to　grow　up　to　be　half…starved　drudges　for　other　men。

But　these　were　not　free：　their　servile　lives　were　spent　in　grovelling　and　cringing　and　toiling　and　running　about　like　little　dogs　at　the　behest　of　their　numerous　masters。　　And　as　for　the　benefits　of　science　and　civilization；　their　only　share　was　to　work　and　help　to　make　them；　and　then　to　watch　other　men　enjoy　them。　　And　all　the　time　they　were　tame　and　quiet　and　content　and　said；　‘The　likes　of　us　can't　expect　to　'ave　nothing　better；　and　as　for　our　children　wot's　been　good　enough　for　us　is　good　enough　for　the　likes　of　them。'

But　although　they　were　so　religious　and　respectable　and　so　contented　to　be　robbed　on　a　large　scale；　yet　in　small　matters；　in　the　commonplace　and　petty　affairs　of　their　everyday　existence；　most　of　these　men　were　acutely　alive　to　what　their　enfeebled　minds　conceived　to　be　their　own　selfish　interests；　and　they　possessed　a　large　share　of　that　singular　cunning　which　characterizes　this　form　of　dementia。

That　was　why　they　had　chosen　to　ride　in　Nimrod's　brake　…　because　they　wished　to　chum　up　with　him　as　much　as　possible；　in　order　to　increase　their　chances　of　being　kept　on　in　preference　to　others　who　were　not　so　respectable。

Some　of　these　poor　creatures　had　very　large　heads；　but　a　close　examination　would　have　shown　that　the　size　was　due　to　the　extraordinary　thickness　of　the　bones。　　The　cavity　of　the　skull　was　not　so　large　as　the　outward　appearance　of　the　head　would　have　led　a　casual　observer　to　suppose；　and　even　in　those　instances　where　the　brain　was　of　a　fair　size；　it　was　of　inferior　quality；　being　coarse　in　texture　and　to　a　great　extent　composed　of　fat。

Although　most　of　them　were　regular　attendants　at　some　place　of　so…called　worship；　they　were　not　all　teetotallers；　and　some　of　them　were　now　in　different　stages　of　intoxication；　not　because　they　had　had　a　great　deal　to　drink；　but　because　…　being　usually　abstemious　…　it　did　not　take　very　much　to　make　them　drunk。

F