the ragged trousered philanthropists-第134节

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He　knelt　down　and　carefully　examined　the　crushed　and　motionless　form　of　Philpot；　while　the　other　men　stood　by　in　terrified　silence。

Barrington；　who　fortunately　was　but　momentarily　stunned　was　sitting　against　the　wall　and　had　suffered　nothing　more　serious　than　minor　cuts　and　bruises。

The　doctor's　examination　of　Philpot　was　a　very　brief　one；　and　when　he　rose　from　his　knees；　even　before　he　spoke　they　knew　from　his　manner　that　their　worst　fears　were　realized。

Philpot　was　dead。



Chapter　47

The　Ghouls


Barrington　did　not　do　any　more　work　that　day；　but　before　going　home　he　went　to　the　doctor's　house　and　the　latter　dressed　the　cuts　on　his　head　and　arms。　　Philpot's　body　was　taken　away　on　the　ambulance　to　the　mortuary。

Hunter　arrived　at　the　house　shortly　afterwards　and　at　once　began　to　shout　and　bully　because　the　painting　of　the　gable　was　not　yet　commenced。　　When　he　heard　of　the　accident　he　blamed　them　for　using　the　rope；　and　said　they　should　have　asked　for　a　new　one。　　Before　he　went　away　he　had　a　long；　private　conversation　with　Crass；　who　told　him　that　Philpot　had　no　relatives　and　that　his　life　was　insured　for　ten　pounds　in　a　society　of　which　Crass　was　also　a　member。　　He　knew　that　Philpot　had　arranged　that　in　the　event　of　his　death　the　money　was　to　be　paid　to　the　old　woman　with　whom　he　lodged；　who　was　a　very　close　friend。　The　result　of　this　confidential　talk　was　that　Crass　and　Hunter　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　probable　that　she　would　be　very　glad　to　be　relieved　of　the　trouble　of　attending　to　the　business　of　the　funeral；　and　that　Crass；　as　a　close　friend　of　the　dead　man；　and　a　fellow　member　of　the　society；　was　the　most　suitable　person　to　take　charge　of　the　business　for　her。　　He　was　already　slightly　acquainted　with　the　old　lady；　so　he　would　go　to　see　her　at　once　and　get　her　authority　to　act　on　her　behalf。　　Of　course；　they　would　not　be　able　to　do　much　until　after　the　inquest；　but　they　could　get　the　coffin　made　…　as　Hunter　knew　the　mortuary　keeper　there　would　be　no　difficulty　about　getting　in　for　a　minute　to　measure　the　corpse。

This　matter　having　been　arranged；　Hunter　departed　to　order　a　new　rope；　and　shortly　afterwards　Crass　…　having　made　sure　that　everyone　would　have　plenty　to　do　while　he　was　gone　…　quietly　slipped　away　to　go　to　see　Philpot's　landlady。　　He　went　off　so　secretly　that　the　men　did　not　know　that　he　had　been　away　at　all　until　they　saw　him　come　back　just　before　twelve　o'clock。

The　new　rope　was　brought　to　the　house　about　one　o'clock　and　this　time　the　ladder　was　raised　without　any　mishap。　　Harlow　was　put　on　to　paint　the　gable；　and　he　felt　so　nervous　that　he　was　allowed　to　have　Sawkins　to　stand　by　and　hold　the　ladder　all　the　time。　　Everyone　felt　nervous　that　afternoon；　and　they　all　went　about　their　work　in　an　unusually　careful　manner。

When　Bert　had　finished　limewashing　the　cellar；　Crass　set　him　to　work　outside；　painting　the　gate　of　the　side　entrance。　　While　the　boy　was　thus　occupied　he　was　accosted　by　a　solemn…looking　man　who　asked　him　about　the　accident。　　The　solemn　stranger　was　very　sympathetic　and　inquired　what　was　the　name　of　the　man　who　had　been　killed；　and　whether　he　was　married。　　Bert　informed　him　that　Philpot　was　a　widower；　and　that　he　had　no　children。

‘Ah；　well；　that's　so　much　the　better；　isn't　it？'　said　the　stranger　shaking　his　head　mournfully。　　‘It's　a　dreadful　thing；　you　know；　when　there's　children　left　unprovided　for。　　You　don't　happen　to　know　where　he　lived；　do　you？'

‘Yes；'　said　Bert；　mentioning　the　address　and　beginning　to　wonder　what　the　solemn　man　wanted　to　know　for；　and　why　he　appeared　to　be　so　sorry　for　Philpot　since　it　was　quite　evident　that　he　had　never　known　him。

‘Thanks　very　much；'　said　the　man；　pulling　out　his　pocket…book　and　making　a　note　of　it。　　‘Thanks　very　much　indeed。　　Good　afternoon；'　and　he　hurried　off。

‘Good　afternoon；　sir；'　said　Bert　and　he　turned　to　resume　his　work。　Crass　came　along　the　garden　just　as　the　mysterious　stranger　was　disappearing　round　the　corner。

‘What　did　HE　want？'　said　Crass；　who　had　seen　the　man　talking　to　Bert。

‘I　don't　know　exactly；　he　was　asking　about　the　accident；　and　whether　Joe　left　any　children；　and　where　he　lived。　　He　must　be　a　very　decent　sort　of　chap；　I　should　think。　　He　seems　quite　sorry　about　it。'

‘Oh；　he　does；　does　he？'　said　Crass；　with　a　peculiar　expression。　‘Don't　you　know　who　he　is？'

‘No；'　replied　the　boy；　‘but　I　thought　p'raps　he　was　a　reporter　of　some　paper。

‘'E　ain't　no　reporter：　that's　old　Snatchum　the　undertaker。　　'E's　smellin'　round　after　a　job；　but　'e's　out　of　it　this　time；　smart　as　'e　thinks　'e　is。'

Barrington　came　back　the　next　morning　to　work；　and　at　breakfast…time　there　was　a　lot　of　talk　about　the　accident。　　They　said　that　it　was　all　very　well　for　Hunter　to　talk　like　that　about　the　rope；　but　he　had　known　for　a　long　time　that　it　was　nearly　worn　out。　　Newman　said　that　only　about　three　weeks　previously　when　they　were　raising　a　ladder　at　another　job　he　had　shown　the　rope　to　him；　and　Misery　had　replied　that　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　it。　　Several　others　besides　Newman　claimed　to　have　mentioned　the　matter　to　Hunter；　and　each　of　them　said　he　had　received　the　same　sort　of　reply。　　But　when　Barrington　suggested　that　they　should　attend　the　inquest　and　give　evidence　to　that　effect；　they　all　became　suddenly　silent　and　in　a　conversation　Barrington　afterwards　had　with　Newman　the　latter　pointed　out　that　if　he　were　to　do　so；　it　would　do　no　good　to　Philpot。　　It　would　not　bring　him　back　but　it　would　be　sure　to　do　himself　a　lot　of　harm。　　He　would　never　get　another　job　at　Rushton's　and　probably　many　of　the　other　employers　would　‘mark　him'　as　well。

‘So　if　YOU　say　anything　about　it；'　concluded　Newman；　‘don't　bring　my　name　into　it。'

Barrington　was　constrained　to　admit　that　all　things　considered　it　was　right　for　Newman　to　mind　his　own　business。　　He　felt　that　it　would　not　be　fair　to　urge　him　or　anyone　else　to　do　or　say　anything　that　would　injure　themselves。

Misery　came　to　the　house　about　eleven　o'clock　and　informed　several　of　the　hands　that　as　work　was　very　slack　they　would　get　their　back　day　at　pay　time。　　He　said　that　the　firm　had　tendered　for　one　or　two　jobs；　so　they　could　call　round　about　Wednesday　and　perhaps　he　might　then　be　able　to　give　some　of　them　another　start；　Barrington　was　not　one　of　those　who　were　‘stood　off'；　although　he　had　expected　to　be　on　account　of　the　speech　he　had　made　at　the　Beano；　and　everyone　said　that　he　would　have　got　the　push　sure　enough　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　accident。

Before　he　went　away；　Nimrod　instructed　Owen　and　Crass　to　go　to　the　yard　at　once：　they　would　there　find　Payne　the　carpenter；　who　was　making　Philpot's　coffin；　which　would　be　ready　for　Crass　to　varnish　by　the　time　they　got　there。

Misery　told　Owen　that　he　had　left　the　coffin　plate　and　the　instructions　with　Payne　and　added　that　he　was　not　to　take　too　much　time　over　the　writing；　because　it　was　a　very　cheap　job。

When　they　arrived　at　the　yard；　Payne　was　just　finishing　the　coffin；　which　was　of　elm。　　All　that　remained　to　be　done　to　it　was　the　pitching　of　the　joints　inside　and　Payne　was　in　the　act　of　lifting　the　pot　of　boiling　pitch　off　the　fire　to　do　this。

As　it　was　such　a　cheap　job；　there　was　no　time　to　polish　it　properly；　so　Crass　proceeded　to　give　it　a　couple　of　coats　of　spirit　varnish；　and　while　he　was　doing　this　Owen　wrote　the　plate；　which　was　made　of　very　thin　zinc　lacquered　over　to　make　it　look　like　brass：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSEPH　PHILPOT　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Died　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　September　1st　19　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aged　56　years。

The　inquest　was　held　on　the　following　Monday　morning；　and　as　both　Rushton　and　Hunter　thought　it　possible　that　Barrington　might　attempt　to　impute　some　blame　to　them；　they　had　worked　the　oracle　and　had　contrived　to　have　several　friends　of　their　own　put　on　the　jury。　　There　was；　however；　no　need　for　their　alarm；　because　Barrington　could　not　say　that　he　had　himself　noticed；　or　called　Hunter's　attention　to　the　state　of　the　rope；　and　he　did　not　wish　to　mention　the　names　of　the　others　without　their　permission。　　The　evidence　of　Crass　and　the　other　men　who　were　called　was　to　the　effect　that　it　was　a　pure　accident。　None　of　them　had　noticed　that　the　rope　was　unsound。　　Hunter　also　swore　that　he　did　not　know　of　it　…　none　of　the　men　had　ever　called　his　attention　to　it；　if　they　had　done　so　he　would　have　procured　a　new　one　immediately。

Philpot's　landlady　and　Mr　Rushton　were　also　called　as　witnesses；　and　the　end　was　that　the　jury　returned　a　verdict　of　accidental　death；　and　added　that　they　did　not　think　any　blame　attached　to　anyone。

The　coroner　discharged　the　jury；　and　as　they　and　the　witnesses　passed　out　of　the　room；　Hunter　followed　Rushton　outside；　with　the　hope　of　being　honoured　by　a　little　conversation　with　him　on　the　satisfactory　issue　of　the　case；　but　Rushton　went　off　without　taking　any　notice　of　him；　so　Hunter　returned　to　the　room　where　the　court　had　been　held　to　get　the　coroner's　certificate　authorizing　the　interment　of　the　body。　This　document　is　usually　handed　to　the　friends　of　the　deceased　or　to　the　undertaker　acting　for　them。　　When　Hunter　got　back　to　the　room　he　found　that　during　his　absence　the　coroner　had　given　it　to