the ragged trousered philanthropists-第136节

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e　of　drab…coloured　carpet　of　no　perceptible　pattern；　worn　into　holes　in　several　places。

In　the　middle　of　this　dreary　room；　upon　a　pair　of　tressels；　was　the　coffin　containing　Philpot's　body。　　Seen　by　the　dim　and　flickering　light　of　the　candle；　the　aspect　of　this　coffin；　covered　over　with　a　white　sheet；　was　terrible　in　its　silent；　pathetic　solitude。

Hunter　placed　the　pair　of　tressels　he　had　been　carrying　against　the　wall；　and　the　other　two　put　the　empty　coffin　on　the　floor　by　the　side　of　the　bed。　　The　old　woman　stood　the　candlestick　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　withdrew；　remarking　that　they　would　not　need　her　assistance。　　The　three　men　then　removed　their　overcoats　and　laid　them　on　the　end　of　the　bed；　and　from　the　pocket　of　his　Crass　took　out　two　large　screwdrivers；　one　of　which　he　handed　to　Hunter。　　Sawkins　held　the　candle　while　they　unscrewed　and　took　off　the　lid　of　the　coffin　they　had　brought　with　them：　it　was　not　quite　empty；　for　they　had　brought　a　bag　of　tools　inside　it。

‘I　think　we　shall　be　able　to　work　better　if　we　takes　the　other　one　orf　the　trussels　and　puts　it　on　the　floor；'　remarked　Crass。

‘Yes；　I　think　so；　too；'　replied　Hunter。

Crass　took　off　the　sheet　and　threw　it　on　the　bed；　revealing　the　other　coffin；　which　was　very　similar　in　appearance　to　the　one　they　had　brought　with　them；　being　of　elms　with　the　usual　imitation　brass　furniture。　　Hunter　took　hold　of　the　head　and　Crass　the　foot　and　they　lifted　it　off　the　tressels　on　to　the　floor。

‘'E's　not　very　'eavy；　that's　one　good　thing；'　observed　Hunter。

‘'E　always　was　a　very　thin　chap；'　replied　Crass。

The　screws　that　held　down　the　lid　had　been　covered　over　with　large…headed　brass　nails　which　had　to　be　wrenched　off　before　they　could　get　at　the　screws；　of　which　there　were　eight　altogether。　　It　was　evident　from　the　appearance　of　the　beads　of　these　screws　that　they　were　old　ones　that　had　been　used　for　some　purpose　before：　they　were　rusty　and　of　different　sizes；　some　being　rather　larger　or　smaller；　than　they　should　have　been。　　They　were　screwed　in　so　firmly　that　by　the　time　they　had　drawn　half　of　them　out　the　two　men　were　streaming　with　perspiration。　　After　a　while　Hunter　took　the　candle　from　Sawkins　and　the　latter　had　a　try　at　the　screws。

‘Anyone　would　think　the　dam'　things　had　been　there　for　a　'undred　years；'　remarked　Hunter；　savagely；　as　he　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　face　and　neck　with　his　handkerchief。

Kneeling　on　the　lid　of　the　coffin　and　panting　and　grunting　with　the　exertion；　the　other　two　continued　to　struggle　with　their　task。　Suddenly　Crass　uttered　an　obscene　curse；　he　had　broken　off　one　side　of　the　head　of　the　screw　he　was　trying　to　turn　and　almost　at　the　same　instant　a　similar　misfortune　happened　to　Sawkins。

After　this；　Hunter　again　took　a　screwdriver　himself；　and　when　they　got　all　the　screws　out　with　the　exception　of　the　two　broken　ones；　Crass　took　a　hammer　and　chisel　out　of　the　bag　and　proceeded　to　cut　off　what　was　left　of　the　tops　of　the　two　that　remained。　　But　even　after　this　was　done　the　two　screws　still　held　the　lid　on　the　coffin；　and　so　they　had　to　hammer　the　end　of　the　blade　of　the　chisel　underneath　and　lever　the　lid　up　so　that　they　could　get　hold　of　it　with　their　fingers。　　It　split　up　one　side　as　they　tore　it　off；　exposing　the　dead　man　to　view。

Although　the　marks　of　the　cuts　and　bruises　were　still　visible　on　Philpot's　face；　they　were　softened　down　by　the　pallor　of　death；　and　a　placid；　peaceful　expression　pervaded　his　features。　　His　hands　were　crossed　upon　his　breast；　and　as　he　lay　there　in　the　snow…white　grave　clothes；　almost　covered　in　by　the　white　lace　frill　that　bordered　the　sides　of　the　coffin；　he　looked　like　one　in　a　profound　and　tranquil　sleep。

They　laid　the　broken　lid　on　the　bed；　and　placed　the　two　coffins　side　by　side　on　the　floor　as　close　together　as　possible。　　Sawkins　stood　at　one　side　holding　the　candle　in　his　left　hand　and　ready　to　render　with　his　right　any　assistance　that　might　unexpectedly　prove　to　be　necessary。　　Crass；　standing　at　the　foot；　took　hold　of　the　body　by　the　ankles；　while　Hunter　at　the　other　end　seized　it　by　the　shoulders　with　his　huge；　clawlike　hands；　which　resembled　the　talons　of　some　obscene　bird　of　prey；　and　they　dragged　it　out　and　placed　it　in　the　other　coffin。

Whilst　Hunter　…　hovering　ghoulishly　over　the　corpse　…　arranged　the　grave　clothes　and　the　frilling；　Crass　laid　the　broken　cover　on　the　top　of　the　other　coffin　and　pushed　it　under　the　bed　out　of　the　way。　　Then　he　selected　the　necessary　screws　and　nails　from　the　bag。　and　Hunter　having　by　this　time　finished；　they　proceeded　to　screw　down　the　lid。　Then　they　lifted　the　coffin　on　to　the　tressels；　covering　it　over　with　the　sheet；　and　the　appearance　it　then　presented　was　so　exactly　similar　to　what　they　had　seen　when　they　first　entered　the　room；　that　it　caused　the　same　thought　to　occur　to　all　of　them：　Suppose　Snatchum　took　it　into　his　head　to　come　there　and　take　the　body　out　again？　　If　he　were　to　do　so　and　take　it　up　to　the　cemetery　they　might　be　compelled　to　give　up　the　certificate　to　him　and　then　all　their　trouble　would　be　lost。

After　a　brief　consultation；　they　resolved　that　it　would　be　safer　to　take　the　corpse　on　the　handcart　to　the　yard　and　keep　it　in　the　carpenter's　shop　until　the　funeral；　which　could　take　place　from　there。　Crass　and　Sawkins　accordingly　lifted　the　coffin　off　the　tressels；　and　…　while　Hunter　held　the　light　…　proceeded　to　carry　it　downstairs；　a　task　of　considerable　difficulty　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　staircase　and　the　landing。　　However；　they　got　it　down　at　last　and；　having　put　it　on　the　handcart；　covered　it　over　with　the　black　wrapper。　　It　was　still　raining　and　the　lamp　in　the　cart　was　nearly　out；　so　Sawkins　trimmed　the　wick　and　relit　it　before　they　started。

Hunter　wished　them　‘Good…night'　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　because　it　was　not　necessary　for　him　to　accompany　them　to　the　yard　…　they　would　be　able　to　manage　all　that　remained　to　be　done　by　themselves。　He　said　he　would　make　the　arrangements　for　the　funeral　as　soon　as　he　possibly　could　the　next　morning；　and　he　would　come　to　the　job　and　let　them　know；　as　soon　as　he　knew　himself；　at　what　time　they　would　have　to　be　in　attendance　to　act　as　bearers。　　He　had　gone　a　little　distance　on　his　way　when　he　stopped　and　turned　back　to　them。

‘It's　not　necessary　for　either　of　you　to　make　a　song　about　this　business；　you　know；'　he　said。

The　two　men　said　that　they　quite　understood　that：　he　could　depend　on　their　keeping　their　mouths　shut。

When　Hunter　had　gone；　Crass　drew　out　his　watch。　　It　was　a　quarter　to　eleven。　　A　little　way　down　the　road　the　lights　of　a　public　house　were　gleaming　through　the　mist。

‘We　shall　be　just　in　time　to　get　a　drink　before　closing　time　if　we　buck　up；'　he　said。　　And　with　this　object　they　hurried　on　as　fast　as　they　could。

When　they　reached　the　tavern　they　left　the　cart　standing　by　the　kerb；　and　went　inside；　where　Crass　ordered　two　pints　of　four…ale；　which　he　permitted　Sawkins　to　pay　for。

‘How　are　we　going　on　about　this　job？'　inquired　the　latter　after　they　had　each　taken　a　long　drink；　for　they　were　thirsty　after　their　exertions。　‘I　reckon　we　ought　to　'ave　more　than　a　bob　for　it；　don't　you？　　It's　not　like　a　ordinary　〃lift　in〃。'

‘Of　course　it　ain't；'　replied　Crass。　　‘We　ought　to　'ave　about；　say'　…　reflecting　…　‘say　arf　a　dollar　each　at　the　very　least。'

‘Little　enough　too；'　said　Sawkins。　　‘I　was　going　to　say　arf　a　crown；　myself。'

Crass　agreed　that　even　half　a　crown　would　not　be　too　much。

‘'Ow　are　we　going'　on　about　chargin'　it　on　our　time　sheets？'　asked　Sawkins；　after　a　pause。　　‘If　we　just　put　a　〃lift　in〃；　they　might　only　pay　us　a　bob　as　usual。'

As　a　rule　when　they　had　taken　a　coffin　home；　they　wrote　on　their　time　sheets；　‘One　lift　in'；　for　which　they　were　usually　paid　one　shilling；　unless　it　happened　to　be　a　very　high…class　funeral；　when　they　sometimes　got　one　and　sixpence。　　They　were　never　paid　by　the　hour　for　these　jobs。

Crass　smoked　reflectively。

‘I　think　the　best　way　will　be　to　put　it　like　this；'　he　said　at　length。　‘〃Philpot's　funeral。　　One　lift　out　and　one　lift　in。　　Also　takin'　corpse　to　carpenter's　shop。〃　　'Ow　would　that　do？'

Sawkins　said　that　would　be　a　very　good　way　to　put　it；　and　they　finished　their　beer　just　as　the　landlord　intimated　that　it　was　closing　time。　　The　cart　was　standing　where　they　left　it；　the　black　cloth　saturated　with　the　rain；　which　dripped　mournfully　from　its　sable　folds。

When　they　reached　the　plot　of　waste　ground　over　which　they　had　to　pass　in　order　to　reach　the　gates　of　the　yard；　they　had　to　proceed　very　cautiously；　for　it　was　very　dark；　and　the　lantern　did　not　give　much　light。　　A　number　of　carts　and　lorries　were　standing　there；　and　the　path　wound　through　pools　of　water　and　heaps　of　refuse。　　After　much　difficulty　and　jolting；　they　reached　the　gate；　which　Crass　unlocked　with　the　key　he　had　obtained　from　the　office　earlier　in　the　evening。　They　soon　opened　the　door　of　the　carpenter's　shop　and；　after　lighting　the　gas；　they　arranged　the　tressels　and　then　brought　in　the　coffin　and　placed　it　upon　them。　　Then　they　locked　the　door　and　placed　the　key　in　its　usual　hiding…place；　but　the　key　of　the　outer　gate　they　took　with　them　and　dropped　into　the　letter…box　at　the　office；　which　they　had　to　pass　on　their　way　home。