the ragged trousered philanthropists-第31节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　VERY　lucky　…　occasionally　all　night。　　The　extra　money　you　then　earn　will　go　to　pay　your　debts　so　that　you　may　be　able　to　get　credit　again　when　there's　no　work。'

Easton　put　some　putty　in　a　crack　in　the　skirting。

‘In　consequence　of　living　in　this　manner；　you　will　die　at　least　twenty　years　sooner　than　is　natural；　or；　should　you　have　an　unusually　strong　constitution　and　live　after　you　cease　to　be　able　to　work；　you　will　be　put　into　a　kind　of　jail　and　treated　like　a　criminal　for　the　remainder　of　your　life。'

Having　faced　up　the　cracks；　Easton　resumed　the　painting　of　the　skirting。

‘If　it　were　proposed　to　make　a　law　that　all　working　men　and　women　were　to　be　put　to　death　…　smothered；　or　hung；　or　poisoned；　or　put　into　a　lethal　chamber　…　as　soon　as　they　reached　the　age　of　fifty　years；　there　is　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　you　would　join　in　the　uproar　of　protest　that　would　ensue。　　Yet　you　submit　tamely　to　have　your　life　shortened　by　slow　starvation；　overwork；　lack　of　proper　boots　and　clothing；　and　though　having　often　to　turn　out　and　go　to　work　when　you　are　so　ill　that　you　ought　to　be　in　bed　receiving　medical　care。'

Easton　made　no　reply：　he　knew　that　all　this　was　true；　but　he　was　not　without　a　large　share　of　the　false　pride　which　prompts　us　to　hide　our　poverty　and　to　pretend　that　we　are　much　better　off　than　we　really　are。　He　was　at　that　moment　wearing　the　pair　of　second…hand　boots　that　Ruth　had　bought　for　him；　but　he　had　told　Harlow　…　who　had　passed　some　remark　about　them　…　that　he　had　had　them　for　years；　wearing　them　only　for　best。　　He　felt　very　resentful　as　he　listened　to　the　other's　talk；　and　Owen　perceived　it；　but　nevertheless　he　continued：

‘Unless　the　present　system　is　altered；　that　is　all　we　have　to　look　forward　to；　and　yet　you're　one　of　the　upholders　of　the　present　system　…　you　help　to　perpetuate　it！'

‘'Ow　do　I　help　to　perpetuate　it？'　demanded　Easton。

‘By　not　trying　to　find　out　how　to　end　it　…　by　not　helping　those　who　are　trying　to　bring　a　better　state　of　things　into　existence。　　Even　if　you　are　indifferent　to　your　own　fate　…　as　you　seem　to　be　…　you　have　no　right　to　be　indifferent　to　that　of　the　child　for　whose　existence　in　this　world　you　are　responsible。　　Every　man　who　is　not　helping　to　bring　about　a　better　state　of　affairs　for　the　future　is　helping　to　perpetuate　the　present　misery；　and　is　therefore　the　enemy　of　his　own　children。　There　is　no　such　thing　as　being　natural：　we　must　either　help　or　hinder。'

As　Owen　opened　the　door　to　paint　its　edge；　Bert　came　along　the　passage。

‘Look　out！'　he　cried；　‘Misery's　comin'　up　the　road。　　'E'll　be　'ere　in　a　minit。'

It　was　not　often　that　Easton　was　glad　to　hear　of　the　approach　of　Nimrod；　but　on　this　occasion　he　heard　Bert's　message　with　a　sigh　of　relief。

‘I　say；'　added　the　boy　in　a　whisper　to　Owen；　‘if　it　comes　orf　…　I　mean　if　you　gets　the　job　to　do　this　room　…　will　you　ask　to　'ave　me　along　of　you？'

‘Yes；　all　right；　sonny；'　replied　Owen；　and　Bert　went　off　to　warn　the　others。

‘Unaware　that　he　had　been　observed；　Nimrod　sneaked　stealthily　into　the　house　and　began　softly　crawling　about　from　room　to　room；　peeping　around　corners　and　squinting　through　the　cracks　of　doors；　and　looking　through　keyholes。　　He　was　almost　pleased　to　see　that　everybody　was　very　hard　at　work；　but　on　going　into　Newman's　room　Misery　was　not　satisfied　with　the　progress　made　since　his　last　visit。　　The　fact　was　that　Newman　had　been　forgetting　himself　again　this　morning。　　He　had　been　taking　a　little　pains　with　the　work；　doing　it　something　like　properly；　instead　of　scamping　and　rushing　it　in　the　usual　way。　　The　result　was　that　he　had　not　done　enough。

‘You　know；　Newman；　this　kind　of　thing　won't　do！'　Nimrod　howled。　　‘You　must　get　over　a　bit　more　than　this　or　you　won't　suit　me！　　If　you　can't　move　yourself　a　bit　quicker　I　shall　'ave　to　get　someone　else。　　You've　been　in　this　room　since　seven　o'clock　this　morning　and　it's　dam　near　time　you　was　out　of　it！'

Newman　muttered　something　about　being　nearly　finished　now；　and　Hunter　ascended　to　the　next　landing　…　the　attics；　where　the　cheap　man　…　Sawkins；　the　labourer　…　was　at　work。　　Harlow　had　been　taken　away　from　the　attics　to　go　on　with　some　of　the　better　work；　so　Sawkins　was　now　working　alone。　　He　had　been　slogging　into　it　like　a　Trojan　and　had　done　quite　a　lot。　　He　had　painted　not　only　the　sashes　of　the　window；　but　also　a　large　part　of　the　glass；　and　when　doing　the　skirting　he　had　included　part　of　the　floor；　sometimes　an　inch；　sometimes　half　an　inch。

The　paint　was　of　a　dark　drab　colour　and　the　surface　of　the　newly　painted　doors　bore　a　strong　resemblance　to　corduroy　cloth；　and　from　the　bottom　corners　of　nearly　every　panel　there　was　trickling　down　a　large　tear；　as　if　the　doors　were　weeping　for　the　degenerate　condition　of　the　decorative　arts。　　But　these　tears　caused　to　throb　of　pity　in　the　bosom　of　Misery：　neither　did　the　corduroy…like　surface　of　the　work　grate　upon　his　feelings。　　He　perceived　them　not。　　He　saw　only　that　there　was　a　Lot　of　Work　done　and　his　soul　was　filled　with　rapture　as　he　reflected　that　the　man　who　had　accomplished　all　this　was　paid　only　fivepence　an　hour。　　At　the　same　time　it　would　never　do　to　let　Sawkins　know　that　he　was　satisfied　with　the　progress　made；　so　he　said：

‘I　don't　want　you　to　stand　too　much　over　this　up　'ere；　you　know；　Sawkins。　　Just　mop　it　over　anyhow；　and　get　away　from　it　as　quick　as　you　can。'

‘All　right；　sir；'　replied　Sawkins；　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow　as　Misery　began　crawling　downstairs　again。

‘Where's　Harlow　go　to；　then？'　he　demanded　of　Philpot。　　‘'E　wasn't　'ere　just　now；　when　I　came　up。'

‘'E's　gorn　downstairs；　sir；　out　the　back；'　replied　Joe；　jerking　his　thumb　over　his　shoulder　and　winking　at　Hunter。　　‘'E'll　be　back　in　'arf　a　mo。'　　And　indeed　at　that　moment　Harlow　was　just　coming　upstairs　again。

‘'Ere；　we　can't　allow　this　kind　of　thing　in　workin'　hours；　you　know。'　Hunter　bellowed。　　‘There's　plenty　of　time　for　that　in　the　dinner　hour！'

Nimrod　now　went　down　to　the　drawing…room；　which　Easton　and　Owen　had　been　painting。　　He　stood　here　deep　in　thought　for　some　time；　mentally　comparing　the　quantity　of　work　done　by　the　two　men　in　this　room　with　that　done　by　Sawkins　in　the　attics。　　Misery　was　not　a　painter　himself：　he　was　a　carpenter；　and　he　thought　but　little　of　the　difference　in　the　quality　of　the　work：　to　him　it　was　all　about　the　same：　just　plain　painting。

‘I　believe　it　would　pay　us　a　great　deal　better；'　he　thought　to　himself；　‘if　we　could　get　hold　of　a　few　more　lightweights　like　Sawkins。'　　And　with　his　mind　filled　with　this　reflection　he　shortly　afterwards　sneaked　stealthily　from　the　house。



Chapter　14

Three　Children。　The　Wages　of　Intelligence


Owen　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　dinner　hour　by　himself　in　the　drawing…room　making　pencil　sketches　in　his　pocket…book　and　taking　measurements。　　In　the　evening　after　leaving　off；　instead　of　going　straight　home　as　usual　he　went　round　to　the　Free　Library　to　see　if　he　could　find　anything　concerning　Moorish　decorative　work　in　any　of　the　books　there。　　Although　it　was　only　a　small　and　ill…equipped　institution　he　was　rewarded　by　the　discovery　of　illustrations　of　several　examples　of　which　he　made　sketches。　　After　about　an　hour　spent　this　way；　as　he　was　proceeding　homewards　he　observed　two　children　…　a　boy　and　a　girl　…　whose　appearance　seemed　familiar。　　They　were　standing　at　the　window　of　a　sweetstuff　shop　examining　the　wares　exposed　therein。　　As　Owen　came　up　the　children　turned　round　and　the　recognized　each　other　simultaneously。　　They　were　Charley　and　Elsie　Linden。　　Owen　spoke　to　them　as　he　drew　near　and　the　boy　appealed　to　him　for　his　opinion　concerning　a　dispute　they　had　been　having。

‘I　say；　mister。　　Which　do　you　think　is　the　best：　a　fardensworth　of　everlasting　stickjaw　torfee；　or　a　prize　packet？'

‘I'd　rather　have　a　prize　packet；'　replied　Owen；　unhesitatingly。

‘There！　　I　told　you　so！'　cried　Elsie；　triumphantly。

‘Well；　I　don't　care。　　I'd　sooner　'ave　the　torfee；'　said　Charley；　doggedly。

‘Why；　can't　you　agree　which　of　the　two　to　buy？'

‘Oh　no；　it's　not　that；'　replied　Elsie。　　‘We　was　only　just　SUPPOSING　what　we'd　buy　if　we　'ad　a　fardin；　but　we're　not　really　goin'　to　buy　nothing；　because　we　ain't　got　no　money。'

‘Oh；　I　see；'　said　Owen。　　‘But　I　think　*I*　have　some　money；'　and　putting　his　hand　into　his　pocket　he　produced　two　halfpennies　and　gave　one　to　each　of　the　children；　who　immediately　went　in　to　buy　the　toffee　and　the　prize　packet；　and　when　they　came　out　he　walked　along　with　them；　as　they　were　going　in　the　same　direction　as　he　was：　indeed；　they　would　have　to　pass　by　his　house。

‘Has　your　grandfather　got　anything　to　do　yet？'　he　inquired　as　they　went　along。

‘No。　　'E's　still　walkin'　about；　mister；'　replied　Charley。

When　they　reached　Owen's　door　he　invited　them　to　come　up　to　see　the　kitten；　which　they　had　been　inquiring　about　on　the　way。　　Frankie　was　delighted　with　these　two　visitors；　and　whilst　they　were　eating　some　home…made　cakes　that　Nora　gave　them；　he　entertained　them　by　displaying　the　contents　of　his　toy　box；　and　the　antics　of　the　kitten；　which　was　the　best　toy　of　all；　for　it　invented　new　games　all　the　time：　acrobatic　performances　on　the　rails　of　chairs；　curtain　climbing；　running　slides　up　and　down　the　oilcloth；　hiding　and　pee