the ragged trousered philanthropists-第151节

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。'

The　children　listened　to　this　narrative　with　bated　breath。　　Incredible　as　the　story　seemed；　Barrington's　manner　was　so　earnest　as　to　almost　compel　belief。

‘Really　and　truly；　or　are　you　only　having　a　game？'　said　Frankie　at　length；　speaking　almost　in　a　whisper。　　Elsie　and　Charley　maintained　an　awestruck　silence；　while　Freddie　beat　upon　the　glass　with　the　palms　of　his　hands。

‘Really　and　truly；'　replied　Barrington　unblushingly　as　he　took　out　his　pocket…book　and　turned　over　the　leaves。　　‘I've　got　the　list　here；　perhaps　your　names　are　down　for　something。'

The　three　children　turned　pale　and　their　hearts　beat　violently　as　they　listened　wide…eyed　for　what　was　to　follow。

‘Let　me　see；'　continued　Barrington；　scanning　the　pages　of　the　book；　‘Why；　yes；　here　they　are！　　Elsie　Linden；　one　doll　with　clothes　that　can　be　taken　off；　one　tea…set；　one　needlecase。　　Freddie　Easton；　one　horse　with　real　hair。　　Charley　Linden；　one　four…wheeled　waggon　full　of　groceries。　　Frankie　Owen；　one　railway　with　tunnel；　station；　train　with　real　coal　for　engine；　signals；　red　lamp　and　place　to　turn　the　engines　round。'

Barrington　closed　the　book：　‘So　you　may　as　well　have　your　things　now；'　he　continued；　speaking　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone。　　‘We'll　buy　them　here；　it　will　save　me　a　lot　of　work。　　I　shall　not　have　the　trouble　of　taking　them　round　to　where　you　live。　　It's　lucky　I　happened　to　meet　you；　isn't　it？'

The　children　were　breathless　with　emotion；　but　they　just　managed　to　gasp　out　that　it　was　…　very　lucky。

As　they　followed　him　into　the　shop；　Freddie　was　the　only　one　of　the　four　whose　condition　was　anything　like　normal。　　All　the　others　were　in　a　half…dazed　state。　　Frankie　was　afraid　that　he　was　not　really　awake　at　all。　　It　couldn't　be　true；　it　must　be　a　dream。

In　addition　to　the　hair；　the　horse　was　furnished　with　four　wheels。　They　did　not　have　it　made　into　a　parcel；　but　tied　some　string　to　it　and　handed　it　over　to　its　new　owner。　　The　elder　children　were　scarcely　conscious　of　what　took　place　inside　the　shop；　they　knew　that　Barrington　was　talking　to　the　shopman；　but　they　did　not　hear　what　was　said　…　the　sound　seemed　far　away　and　unreal。

The　shopman　made　the　doll；　the　tea…set　and　the　needlecase　into　one　parcel　and　gave　it　to　Elsie。　　The　railway；　in　a　stout　cardboard　box；　was　also　wrapped　up　in　brown　paper；　and　Frankie's　heart　nearly　burst　when　the　man　put　the　package　into　his　arms。

When　they　came　out　of　the　toy　shop　they　said　‘Good　night'　to　Frankie；　who　went　off　carrying　his　parcel　very　carefully　and　feeling　as　if　he　were　walking　on　air。　　The　others　went　into　a　provision　merchant's　near　by；　where　the　groceries　were　purchased　and　packed　into　the　waggon。

Then　Barrington；　upon　referring　to　the　list　to　make　quite　certain　that　he　had　not　forgotten　anything；　found　that　Santa　Claus　had　put　down　a　pair　of　boots　each　for　Elsie　and　Charley；　and　when　they　went　to　buy　these；　it　was　seen　that　their　stockings　were　all　ragged　and　full　of　holes；　so　they　went　to　a　draper's　and　bought　some　stocking　also。　Barrington　said　that　although　they　were　not　on　the　list；　he　was　sure　Santa　Claus　would　not　object　…　he　had　probably　meant　them　to　have　them；　but　had　forgotten　to　put　them　down。



Chapter　54

The　End


The　following　evening　Barrington　called　at　Owen's　place。　　He　said　he　was　going　home　for　the　holidays　and　had　come　to　say　goodbye　for　a　time。

Owen　had　not　been　doing　very　well　during　these　last　few　months；　although　he　was　one　of　the　few　lucky　ones　who　had　had　some　small　share　of　work。　　Most　of　the　money　he　earned　went　for　rent；　to　pay　which　they　often　had　to　go　short　of　food。　　Lately　his　chest　had　become　so　bad　that　the　slightest　exertion　brought　on　fits　of　coughing　and　breathlessness；　which　made　it　almost　impossible　to　work　even　when　he　had　the　opportunity；　often　it　was　only　by　an　almost　superhuman　effort　of　will　that　he　was　able　to　continue　working　at　all。　　He　contrived　to　keep　up　appearances　to　a　certain　extent　before　Rushton；　who；　although　he　knew　that　Owen　was　not　so　strong　as　the　other　men；　was　inclined　to　overlook　it　so　long　as　he　was　able　to　do　his　share　of　work；　for　Owen　was　a　very　useful　hand　when　things　were　busy。　　But　lately　some　of　the　men　with　whom　he　worked　began　to　manifest　dissatisfaction　at　having　him　for　a　mate。　　When　two　men　are　working　together；　the　master　expects　to　see　two　men's　work　done；　and　if　one　of　the　two　is　not　able　to　do　his　share　it　makes　it　all　the　harder　for　the　other。

He　never　had　the　money　to　go　to　a　doctor　to　get　advice；　but　earlier　in　the　winter　he　had　obtained　from　Rushton　a　ticket　for　the　local　hospital。　　Every　Saturday　throughout　the　year　when　the　men　were　paid　they　were　expected　to　put　a　penny　or　twopence　in　the　hospital　box。　Contributions　were　obtained　in　this　way　from　every　firm　and　workshop　in　the　town。　　The　masters　periodically　handed　these　boxes　over　to　the　hospital　authorities　and　received　in　return　some　tickets　which　they　gave　to　anyone　who　needed　and　asked　for　them。　　The　employer　had　to　fill　in　the　ticket　or　application　form　with　the　name　and　address　of　the　applicant；　and　to　certify　that　in　his　opinion　the　individual　was　a　deserving　case；　‘suitable　to　receive　this　charity'。　　In　common　with　the　majority　of　workmen；　Owen　had　a　sort　of　horror　of　going　for　advice　to　this　hospital；　but　he　was　so　ill　that　he　stifled　his　pride　and　went。　　It　happened　that　it　turned　out　to　be　more　expensive　than　going　to　a　private　doctor；　for　he　had　to　be　at　the　hospital　at　a　certain　hour　on　a　particular　morning。　　To　do　this　he　had　to　stay　away　from　work。　　The　medicine　they　prescribed　and　which　he　had　to　buy　did　him　no　good；　for　the　truth　was　that　it　was　not　medicine　that　he　…　like　thousands　of　others　…　needed；　but　proper　conditions　of　life　and　proper　food；　things　that　had　been　for　years　past　as　much　out　of　his　reach　as　if　he　had　been　dying　alone　in　the　middle　of　a　desert。

Occasionally　Nora　contrived　…　by　going　without　some　other　necessary　…　to　buy　him　a　bottle　of　one　of　the　many　much…advertised　medicines；　but　although　some　of　these　things　were　good　she　was　not　able　to　buy　enough　for　him　to　derive　any　benefit　from　them。

Although　he　was　often　seized　with　a　kind　of　terror　of　the　future　…　of　being　unable　to　work　…　he　fought　against　these　feelings　and　tried　to　believe　that　when　the　weather　became　warmer　he　would　be　all　right　once　more。

When　Barrington　came　in　Owen　was　sitting　in　a　deck…chair　by　the　fire　in　the　sitting…room。　He　had　been　to　work　that　day　with　Harlow；　washing　off　the　ceilings　and　stripping　the　old　paper　from　the　walls　of　two　rooms　in　Rushton's　home；　and　he　looked　very　haggard　and　exhausted。

‘I　have　never　told　you　before；'　said　Barrington；　after　they　had　been　talking　for　a　while；　‘but　I　suppose　you　have　guessed　that　I　did　not　work　for　Rushton　because　I　needed　to　do　so　in　order　to　live。　　I　just　wanted　to　see　things　for　myself；　to　see　life　as　it　is　lived　by　the　majority。　　My　father　is　a　wealthy　man。　　He　doesn't　approve　of　my　opinions；　but　at　same　time　he　does　not　interfere　with　me　for　holding　them；　and　I　have　a　fairly　liberal　allowance　which　I　spent　in　my　own　way。　　I'm　going　to　pass　Christmas　with　my　own　people；　but　in　the　spring　I　intend　to　fit　out　a　Socialist　Van；　and　then　I　shall　come　back　here。　　We'll　have　some　of　the　best　speakers　in　the　movement；　we'll　hold　meetings　every　night；　we'll　drench　the　town　with　literature；　and　we'll　start　a　branch　of　the　party。'

Owen's　eye　kindled　and　his　pale　face　flushed。

‘I　shall　be　able　to　do　something　to　advertise　the　meetings；'　he　said。　For　instance；　I　could　paint　some　posters　and　placards。'

‘And　I　can　help　to　give　away　handbills；'　chimed　in　Frankie；　looking　up　from　the　floor；　where　he　was　seated　working　the　railway。　　‘I　know　a　lot　of　boys　who'll　come　along　with　me　to　put　'em　under　the　doors　as　well。'

They　were　in　the　sitting…room　and　the　door　was　shut。　　Mrs　Owen　was　in　the　next　room　with　Ruth　。　While　the　two　men　were　talking　the　front…door　bell　was　heard　to　ring　and　Frankie　ran　out　to　see　who　it　was；　closing　the　door　after　him。　　Barrington　and　Owen　continued　their　conversation；　and　from　time　to　time　they　could　hear　a　low　murmur　of　voices　from　the　adjoining　room。　　After　a　little　while　they　heard　some　one　go　out　by　the　front　door；　and　almost　immediately　afterward　Frankie　…　wild　with　excitement；　burst　into　the　room；　crying　out：

‘Dad　and　Mr　Barrington！　　Three　cheers！'　　And　he　began　capering　gleefully　about　the　room；　evidently　transported　with　joy。

‘What　are　the　cheers　to　be　for？'　inquired　Barrington；　rather　mystified　by　this　extraordinary　conduct。

‘Mr　Easton　came　with　Freddie　to　see　Mrs　Easton；　and　she's　gone　home　again　with　them；'　replied　Freddie；　‘and　…　she's　given　the　baby　to　us　for　a　Christmas　box！'

Barrington　was　already　familiar　with　the　fact　of　Easton's　separation　from　his　wife；　and　Owen　now　told　him　the　Story　of　their　reconciliation。

Barrington　took　his　leave　shortly　afterwards。　　His　train　left　at　eight；　it　was　already　nearly　half　past　seven；　and　he　said　he　had　a　letter　to　write。　　Nora　brought　the　baby　in　to　show　him　before　he　went；　and　then　she　helped　Frankie　to　put　on　his　overcoat；　for　Barrington　had　requested　that　the　boy　might　be　permitted　to　go　a　little　way　with　him。

There　was　a　stationer's　shop　at　the　end　of　the　street。　　He　went　i