the ragged trousered philanthropists-第24节

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ods？　　Does　what　you　call　〃Free　Trade〃　help　us　here？　　Or　do　you　think　that　abolishing　the　House　of　Lords；　or　disestablishing　the　Church；　will　enable　the　workers　who　are　displaced　to　obtain　employment？　　Since　it　IS　true　…　as　you　admit　…　that　machinery　is　the　principal　cause　of　unemployment；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？　What's　your　remedy？'

No　one　answered；　because　none　of　them　knew　of　any　remedy：　and　Crass　began　to　feel　sorry　that　he　had　re…introduced　the　subject　at　all。

‘In　the　near　future；'　continued　Owen；　‘it　is　probable　that　horses　will　be　almost　entirely　superseded　by　motor　cars　and　electric　trams。　　As　the　services　of　horses　will　be　no　longer　required；　all　but　a　few　of　those　animals　will　be　caused　to　die　out：　they　will　no　longer　be　bred　to　the　same　extent　as　formerly。　　We　can't　blame　the　horses　for　allowing　themselves　to　be　exterminated。　　They　have　not　sufficient　intelligence　to　understand　what's　being　done。　　Therefore　they　will　submit　tamely　to　the　extinction　of　the　greater　number　of　their　kind。

‘As　we　have　seen；　a　great　deal　of　the　work　which　was　formerly　done　by　human　beings　is　now　being　done　by　machinery。　　This　machinery　belongs　to　a　few　people：　it　is　worked　for　the　benefit　of　those　few；　just　the　same　as　were　the　human　beings　it　displaced。　　These　Few　have　no　longer　any　need　of　the　services　of　so　many　human　workers；　so　they　propose　to　exterminate　them！　　The　unnecessary　human　beings　are　to　be　allowed　to　starve　to　death！　　And　they　are　also　to　be　taught　that　it　is　wrong　to　marry　and　breed　children；　because　the　Sacred　Few　do　not　require　so　many　people　to　work　for　them　as　before！'

‘Yes；　and　you'll　never　be　able　to　prevent　it；　mate！'　shouted　Crass。

‘Why　can't　we？'

‘Because　it　can't　be　done！'　cried　Crass　fiercely。　　‘It's　impossible！'

‘You're　always　sayin'　that　everything's　all　wrong；'　complained　Harlow；　‘but　why　the　'ell　don't　you　tell　us　'ow　they're　goin'　to　be　put　right？'

‘It　doesn't　seem　to　me　as　if　any　of　you　really　wish　to　know。　　I　believe　that　even　if　it　were　proved　that　it　could　be　done；　most　of　you　would　be　sorry　and　would　do　all　you　could　to　prevent　it。'

‘'E　don't　know　'isself；'　sneered　Crass。　　‘Accordin'　to　'im；　Tariff　Reform　ain't　no　bloody　good　…　Free　Trade　ain't　no　bloody　good；　and　everybody　else　is　wrong！　　But　when　you　arst　'im　what　ought　to　be　done　…　'e's　flummoxed。'

Crass　did　not　feel　very　satisfied　with　the　result　of　this　machinery　argument；　but　he　consoled　himself　with　the　reflection　that　he　would　be　able　to　flatten　out　his　opponent　on　another　subject。　　The　cutting　from　the　Obscurer　which　he　had　in　his　pocket　would　take　a　bit　of　answering！　When　you　have　a　thing　in　print　…　in　black　and　white　…　why　there　it　is；　and　you　can't　get　away　from　it！　　If　it　wasn't　right；　a　paper　like　that　would　never　have　printed　it。　　However；　as　it　was　now　nearly　half　past　eight；　he　resolved　to　defer　this　triumph　till　another　occasion。　　It　was　too　good　a　thing　to　be　disposed　of　in　a　hurry。



Chapter　8

The　Cap　on　the　Stairs


After　breakfast；　when　they　were　working　together　in　the　drawing…room；　Easton；　desiring　to　do　Owen　a　good　turn；　thought　he　would　put　him　on　his　guard；　and　repeated　to　him　in　a　whisper　the　substance　of　the　conversation　he　had　held　with　Crass　concerning　him。

‘Of　course；　you　needn't　mention　that　I　told　you；　Frank；'　he　said；　‘but　I　thought　I　ought　to　let　you　know：　you　can　take　it　from　me；　Crass　ain't　no　friend　of　yours。'

‘I've　know　that　for　a　long　time；　mate；'　replied　Owen。　　‘Thanks　for　telling　me；　all　the　same。'

‘The　bloody　rotter's　no　friend　of　mine　either；　or　anyone　else's；　for　that　matter；'　Easton　continued；　‘but　of　course　it　doesn't　do　to　fall　out　with　'im　because　you　never　know　what　he'd　go　and　say　to　ol'　'Unter。'

‘Yes；　one　has　to　remember　that。'

‘Of　course　we　all　know　what's　the　matter　with　'im　as　far　as　YOU'RE　concerned；'　Easton　went　on。　　‘He　don't　like　'avin'　anyone　on　the　firm　wot　knows　more　about　the　work　than　'e　does　'imself　…　thinks　'e　might　git　worked　out　of　'is　job。'

Owen　laughed　bitterly。

‘He　needn't　be　afraid　of　ME　on　THAT　account。　　I　wouldn't　have　his　job　if　it　were　offered　to　me。'

‘But　'e　don't　think　so；'　replied　Easton；　‘and　that's　why　'e's　got　'is　knife　into　you；'

‘I　believe　that　what　he　said　about　Hunter　is　true　enough；'　said　Owen。　‘Every　time　he　comes　here　he　tries　to　goad　me　into　doing　or　saying　something　that　would　give　him　an　excuse　to　tell　me　to　clear　out。　　I　might　have　done　it　before　now　if　I　had　not　guessed　what　he　was　after；　and　been　on　my　guard。'

Meantime；　Crass；　in　the　kitchen；　had　resumed　his　seat　by　the　fire　with　the　purpose　of　finishing　his　pipe　of　tobacco。　　Presently　he　took　out　his　pocket…book　and　began　to　write　in　it　with　a　piece　of　black…lead　pencil。　　When　the　pipe　was　smoked　out　he　knocked　the　bowl　against　the　grate　to　get　rid　of　the　ash；　and　placed　the　pipe　in　his　waistcoat　pocket。　　Then；　having　torn　out　the　leaf　on　which　he　had　been　writing；　he　got　up　and　went　into　the　pantry；　where　Bert　was　still　struggling　with　the　old　whitewash。

‘Ain't　yer　nearly　finished？　　I　don't　want　yer　to　stop　in　'ere　all　day；　yer　know。'

‘I　ain't　got　much　more　to　do　now；'　said　the　boy。　　‘Just　this　bit　under　the　bottom　shelf　and　then　I'm　done。'

‘Yes；　and　a　bloody　fine　mess　you've　made；　what　I　can　see　of　it！'　growled　Crass。　　‘Look　at　all　this　water　on　the　floor！'

Bert　looked　guiltily　at　the　floor　and　turned　very　red。

‘I'll　clean　it　all　up'；　he　stammered。　　‘As　soon　as　I've　got　this　bit　of　wall　done；　I'll　wipe　all　the　mess　up　with　the　swab。'

Crass　now　took　a　pot　of　paint　and　some　brushes　and；　having　put　some　more　fuel　on　the　fire；　began　in　a　leisurely　way　to　paint　some　of　the　woodwork　in　the　kitchen。　　Presently　Bert　came　in。

‘I've　finished　there；'　he　said。

‘About　time；　too。　　You'll　'ave　to　look　a　bit　livelier　than　you　do；　you　know；　or　me　and　you　will　fall　out。'

Bert　did　not　answer。

‘Now　I've　got　another　job　for　yer。　　You're　fond　of　drorin；　ain't　yer？'　continued　Crass　in　a　jeering　tone。

‘Yes；　a　little；'　replied　the　boy；　shamefacedly。

‘Well；'　said　Crass；　giving　him　the　leaf　he　had　torn　out　of　the　pocket…book；　‘you　can　go　up　to　the　yard　and　git　them　things　and　put　'em　on　a　truck　and　dror　it　up　'ere；　and　git　back　as　soon　as　you　can。　Just　look　at　the　paper　and　see　if　you　understand　it　before　you　go。　　I　don't　want　you　to　make　no　mistakes。'

Bert　took　the　paper　and　with　some　difficulty　read　as　follows：

　　　　I　pare　steppes　8　foot　　　　　1/2　gallon　Plastor　off　perish　　　　　1　pale　off　witewosh　　　　　12　lbs　wite　led　　　　　1/2　gallon　Linsede　Hoil　　　　　Do。　Do。　turps

‘I　can　make　it　out　all　right。'

‘You'd　better　bring　the　big　truck；'　said　Crass；　‘because　I　want　you　to　take　the　venetian　blinds　with　you　on　it　when　you　take　it　back　tonight。　They've　got　to　be　painted　at　the　shop。'

‘All　right。'

When　the　boy　had　departed　Crass　took　a　stroll　through　the　house　to　see　how　the　others　were　getting　on。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　kitchen　and　proceeded　with　his　work。

Crass　was　about　thirty…eight　years　of　age；　rather　above　middle　height　and　rather　stout。　　He　had　a　considerable　quantity　of　curly　black　hair　and　wore　a　short　beard　of　the　same　colour。　　His　head　was　rather　large；　but　low；　and　flat　on　top。　　When　among　his　cronies　he　was　in　the　habit　of　referring　to　his　obesity　as　the　result　of　good　nature　and　a　contented　mind。　　Behind　his　back　other　people　attributed　it　to　beer；　some　even　going　to　far　as　to　nickname　him　the　‘tank'。

There　was　no　work　of　a　noisy　kind　being　done　this　morning。　　Both　the　carpenters　and　the　bricklayers　having　been　taken　away；　temporarily；　to　another　‘job'。　　At　the　same　time　there　was　not　absolute　silence：　occasionally　Crass　could　hear　the　voices　of　the　other　workmen　as　they　spoke　to　each　other；　sometimes　shouting　from　one　room　to　another。　　Now　and　then　Harlow's　voice　rang　through　the　house　as　he　sang　snatches　of　music…hall　songs　or　a　verse　of　a　Moody　and　Sankey　hymn；　and　occasionally　some　of　the　others　joined　in　the　chorus　or　interrupted　the　singer　with　squeals　and　catcalls。　　Once　or　twice　Crass　was　on　the　point　of　telling　them　to　make　less　row：　there　would　be　a　fine　to　do　if　Nimrod　came　and　heard　them。　　Just　as　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　tell　them　to　stop　the　noise；　it　ceased　of　itself　and　he　heard　loud　whispers：

‘Look　out！　　Someone's　comin'。'

The　house　became　very　quiet。

Crass　put　out　his　pipe　and　opened　the　window　and　the　back　door　to　get　rid　of　the　smell　of　the　tobacco　smoke。　　Then　he　shifted　the　pair　of　steps　noisily；　and　proceeded　to　work　more　quickly　than　before。　　Most　likely　it　was　old　Misery。

He　worked　on　for　some　time　in　silence；　but　no　one　came　to　the　kitchen：　whoever　it　was　must　have　gone　upstairs。　　Crass　listened　attentively。　Who　could　it　be？　　He　would　have　liked　to　go　to　see　whom　it　was；　but　at　the　same　time；　if　it　were　Nimrod；　Crass　wished　to　be　discovered　at　work。　　He　therefore　waited　a　little　longer　and　presently　he　heard　the　sound　of　voices　upstairs　but　was　unable　to　recognize　them。　　He　was　just　about　to　go　out　into　the　passage　to　listen；　when　whoever　it　was　began　coming　downstairs。　　Crass　at　once　resumed　his　work。　　The　footsteps　came　along　the　passage　leading　to　the　kitchen：　slow；　heavy；　ponderous　footsteps；　but　yet　the　sound　was　not　such　as　would　be　made　by　a　man　heavily　shod