the ragged trousered philanthropists-第51节

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Harlow　laid　his　brush　across　the　top　of　his　paint…pot　and　went　upstairs。　　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　cloth　slippers；　and　walked　softly；　not　wishing　that　Crass　should　hear　him　leaving　his　work；　so　it　happened　that　without　any　intention　of　spying　on　Slyme；　Harlow　reached　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　the　former　was　working　without　being　heard　and；　entering　suddenly；　surprised　Slyme　…　who　was　standing　near　the　fireplace　…　in　the　act　of　breaking　a　whole　roll　of　wallpaper　across　his　knee　as　one　might　break　a　stick。　　On　the　floor　beside　him　was　what　had　been　another　roll；　now　broken　into　two　pieces。　　When　Harlow　came　in；　Slyme　started；　and　his　face　became　crimson　with　confusion。　　He　hastily　gathered　the　broken　rolls　together　and；　stooping　down；　thrust　the　pieces　up　the　flue　of　the　grate　and　closed　the　register。

‘Wot's　the　bloody　game？'　inquired　Harlow。

Slyme　laughed　with　an　affectation　of　carelessness；　but　his　hands　trembled　and　his　face　was　now　very　pale。

‘We　must　get　our　own　back　somehow；　you　know；　Fred；'　he　said。

Harlow　did　not　reply。　　He　did　not　understand。　　After　puzzling　over　it　for　a　few　minutes；　he　gave　it　up。

‘What's　the　time？'　he　asked。

‘Fifteen　minutes　to　twelve；'　said　Slyme　and　added；　as　Harlow　was　going　away：　‘Don't　mention　anything　about　that　paper　to　Crass　or　any　of　the　others。'

‘I　shan't　say　nothing；'　replied　Harlow。

Gradually；　as　he　pondered　over　it；　Harlow　began　to　comprehend　the　meaning　of　the　destruction　of　the　two　rolls　of　paper。　　Slyme　was　doing　the　paperhanging　piecework　…　so　much　for　each　roll　hung。　　Four　of　the　rooms　upstairs　had　been　done　with　the　same　pattern；　and　Hunter　…　who　was　not　over…skilful　in　such　matters　…　had　evidently　sent　more　paper　than　was　necessary。　　By　getting　rid　of　these　two　rolls；　Slyme　would　be　able　to　make　it　appear　that　he　had　hung　two　rolls　more　than　was　really　the　case。　　He　had　broken　the　rolls　so　as　to　be　able　to　take　them　away　from　the　house　without　being　detected；　and　he　had　hidden　them　up　the　chimney　until　he　got　an　opportunity　of　so　doing。　　Harlow　had　just　arrived　at　this　solution　of　the　problem　when；　hearing　the　lower　flight　of　stairs　creaking；　he　peeped　over　and　observed　Misery　crawling　up。　He　had　come　to　see　if　anyone　had　stopped　work　before　the　proper　time。　Passing　the　two　workmen　without　speaking；　he　ascended　to　the　next　floor；　and　entered　the　room　where　Slyme　was。

‘You'd　better　not　do　this　room　yet；'　said　Hunter。　　‘There's　to　be　a　new　grate　and　mantelpiece　put　in。'

He　crossed　over　to　the　fireplace　and　stood　looking　at　it　thoughtfully　for　a　few　minutes。

‘It's　not　a　bad　little　grate；　you　know；　is　it？'　he　remarked。　　‘We'll　be　able　to　use　it　somewhere　or　other。'

‘Yes；　it's　all　right；'　said　Slyme；　whose　heart　was　beating　like　a　steam…hammer。

‘Do　for　a　front　room　in　a　cottage；'　continued　Misery；　stooping　down　to　examine　it　more　closely。　　‘There's　nothing　broke　that　I　can　see。'

He　put　his　hand　against　the　register　and　vainly　tried　to　push　it　open。　‘H'm；　there's　something　wrong　'ere；'　he　remarked；　pushing　harder。

‘Most　likely　a　brick　or　some　plaster　fallen　down；'　gasped　Slyme；　coming　to　Misery's　assistance。　　‘Shall　I　try　to　open　it？'

‘Don't　trouble；'　replied　Nimrod；　rising　to　his　feet。　　‘It's　most　likely　what　you　say。　　I'll　see　that　the　new　grate　is　sent　up　after　dinner。　　Bundy　can　fix　it　this　afternoon　and　then　you　can　go　on　papering　as　soon　as　you　like。'

With　this；　Misery　went　out　of　the　room；　downstairs　and　away　from　the　house；　and　Slyme　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。　　Then　he　knelt　down　and；　opening　the　register；　he　took　out　the　broken　rolls　of　paper　and　hid　them　up　the　chimney　of　the　next　room。　　While　he　was　doing　this　the　sound　of　Crass's　whistle　shrilled　through　the　house。

‘Thank　Gord！'　exclaimed　Philpot　fervently　as　he　laid　his　brushes　on　the　top　of　his　pot　and　joined　in　the　general　rush　to　the　kitchen。　　The　scene　here　is　already　familiar　to　the　reader。　　For　seats；　the　two　pairs　of　steps　laid　on　their　sides　parallel　to　each　other；　about　eight　feet　apart　and　at　right　angles　to　the　fireplace；　with　the　long　plank　placed　across；　and　the　upturned　pails　and　the　drawers　of　the　dresser。　The　floor　unswept　and　littered　with　dirt；　scraps　of　paper；　bits　of　plaster；　pieces　of　lead　pipe　and　dried　mud；　and　in　the　midst；　the　steaming　bucket　of　stewed　tea　and　the　collection　of　cracked　cups；　jam…jam　and　condensed　milk　tins。　　And　on　the　seats　the　men　in　their　shabby　and　in　some　cases　ragged　clothing　sitting　and　eating　their　coarse　food　and　cracking　jokes。

It　was　a　pathetic　and　wonderful　and　at　the　same　time　a　despicable　spectacle。　　Pathetic　that　human　beings　should　be　condemned　to　spend　the　greater　part　of　their　lives　amid　such　surroundings；　because　it　must　be　remembered　that　most　of　their　time　was　spent　on　some　job　or　other。　　When　‘The　Cave'　was　finished　they　would　go　to　some　similar　‘job'；　if　they　were　lucky　enough　to　find　one。　　Wonderful；　because　although　they　knew　that　they　did　more　than　their　fair　share　of　the　great　work　of　producing　the　necessaries　and　comforts　of　life；　they　did　not　think　they　were　entitled　to　a　fair　share　of　the　good　things　they　helped　to　create！　　And　despicable；　because　although　they　saw　their　children　condemned　to　the　same　life　of　degradation；　hard　labour　and　privation；　yet　they　refused　to　help　to　bring　about　a　better　state　of　affairs。　　Most　of　them　thought　that　what　had　been　good　enough　for　themselves　was　good　enough　for　their　children。

It　seemed　as　if　they　regarded　their　own　children　with　a　kind　of　contempt；　as　being　only　fit　to　grow　up　to　be　the　servants　of　the　children　of　such　people　as　Rushton　and　Sweater。　　But　it　must　be　remembered　that　they　had　been　taught　self…contempt　when　they　were　children。　　In　the　so…called　‘Christian'　schools。　they　attended　then　they　were　taught　to　‘order　themselves　lowly　and　reverently　towards　their　betters'；　and　they　were　now　actually　sending　their　own　children　to　learn　the　same　degrading　lessons　in　their　turn！　　They　had　a　vast　amount　of　consideration　for　their　betters；　and　for　the　children　of　their　betters；　but　very　little　for　their　own　children；　for　each　other；　or　for　themselves。

That　was　why　they　sat　there　in　their　rags　and　ate　their　coarse　food；　and　cracked　their　coarser　jokes；　and　drank　the　dreadful　tea；　and　were　content！　　So　long　as　they　had　Plenty　of　Work　and　plenty　of　…　Something　…　to　eat；　and　somebody　else's　cast…off　clothes　to　wear；　they　were　content！　　And　they　were　proud　of　it。　　They　gloried　in　it。　　They　agreed　and　assured　each　other　that　the　good　things　of　life　were　not　intended　for　the　‘Likes　of　them'；　or　their　children。

‘Wot's　become　of　the　Professor？'　asked　the　gentleman　who　sat　on　the　upturned　pail　in　the　corner；　referring　to　Owen；　who　had　not　yet　come　down　from　his　work。

‘P'raps　'e's　preparing　'is　sermon；'　remarked　Harlow　with　a　laugh。

‘We　ain't　'ad　no　lectures　from　'im　lately；　since　'e's　been　on　that　room；'　observed　Easton。　　‘'Ave　we？'

‘Dam　good　job　too！'　exclaimed　Sawkins。　　‘It　gives　me　the　pip　to　'ear　'im；　the　same　old　thing　over　and　over　again。'

‘Poor　ole　Frank；'　remarked　Harlow。　　‘'E　does　upset　'isself　about　things；　don't　'e？'

‘More　fool　'im！'　said　Bundy。　　‘I'll　take　bloody　good　care　I　don't　go　worryin'　myself　to　death　like　'e's　doin'；　about　such　dam　rot　as　that。'

‘I　do　believe　that's　wot　makes　'im　look　so　bad　as　'e　does；'　observed　Harlow。　　‘Several　times　this　morning　I　couldn't　help　noticing　the　way　'e　kept　on　coughing。'

‘I　thought　'e　seemed　to　be　a　bit　better　lately；'　Philpot　observed；　‘more　cheerful　and　happier　like；　and　more　inclined　for　a　bit　of　fun。'

‘He's　a　funny　sort　of　chap；　ain't　he？'　said　Bundy。　　‘One　day　quite　jolly；　singing　and　cracking　jokes　and　tellin'　yarns；　and　the　next　you　can't　hardly　get　a　word　out　of　'im。'

‘Bloody　rot；　I　call　it；'　chimed　in　the　man　on　the　pail。　　‘Wot　the　'ell's　the　use　of　the　likes　of　us　troublin'　our　'eads　about　politics？'

‘Oh；　I　don't　see　that。'　replied　Harlow。　　‘We've　got　votes　and　we're　really　the　people　what　control　the　affairs　of　the　country；　so　I　reckon　we　ought　to　take　SOME　interest　in　it；　but　at　the　same　time　I　can't　see　no　sense　in　this　'ere　Socialist　wangle　that　Owen's　always　talkin'　about。'

‘Nor　nobody　else　neither；'　said　Crass　with　a　jeering　laugh。

‘Even　if　all　the　bloody　money　in　the　world　WAS　divided　out　equal；'　said　the　man　on　the　pail；　profoundly；　‘it　wouldn't　do　no　good！　　In　six　months'　time　it　would　be　all　back　in　the　same　'ands　again。'

‘Of　course；'　said　everybody。

‘But　'e　'ad　a　cuff　the　other　day　about　money　bein'　no　good　at　all！'　observed　Easton。　　‘Don't　you　remember　'e　said　as　money　was　the　principal　cause　of　poverty？'

‘So　it　is　the　principal　cause　of　poverty；'　said　Owen；　who　entered　at　that　moment。

‘Hooray！'　shouted　Philpot；　leading　off　a　cheer　which　the　others　took　up。　　‘The　Professor　'as　arrived　and　will　now　proceed　to　say　a　few　remarks。'

A　roar　of　merriment　greeted　this　sally。

‘Let's　'ave　our　bloody　dinner　first；　for　Christ's　sake；'　appealed　Harlow；　with　mock　despair。

As　Owen；　having　filled　his　cup　with　tea；　sat　down　in　his　usual　place；　Philpot　rose　solemnly　to　his　feet；　and；　looking　round　the　company；　said：

‘Genelmen；　with　your　kind　permission；　as　soon　as　the　Professor　'as　finished　'is　dinner　'e　will　deliver　'i