the ragged trousered philanthropists-第58节

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‘And　these　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe。　　In　my　name　shall　they　cast　out　devils：　they　shall　speak　with　new　tongues。　　They　shall　take　up　serpents；　and　if　they　drink　any　deadly　thing　it　shall　not　hurt　them：　they　shall　lay　hands　on　the　sick；　and　they　shall　recover。'

‘Well；　you　can't　heal　the　sick；　neither　can　you　speak　new　languages　or　cast　out　devils：　but　perhaps　you　can　drink　deadly　things　without　suffering　harm。'　　The　speaker　here　suddenly　drew　from　his　waistcoat　pocket　a　small　glass　bottle　and　held　it　out　towards　Misery；　who　shrank　from　it　with　horror　as　he　continued：　‘I　have　here　a　most　deadly　poison。　　There　is　in　this　bottle　sufficient　strychnine　to　kill　a　dozen　unbelievers。　　Drink　it！　　And　if　it　doesn't　harm　you；　we'll　know　that　you　really　are　a　believer　and　that　what　you　believe　is　the　truth！'

‘'Ear；　'ear！'　said　the　Semi…drunk；　who　had　listened　to　the　progress　of　the　argument　with　great　interest。　　‘'Ear；　'ear！　　That's　fair　enough。　Git　it　acrost　yer　chest。'

Some　of　the　people　in　the　crowd　began　to　laugh；　and　voices　were　heard　from　several　quarters　calling　upon　Misery　to　drink　the　strychnine。

‘Now；　if　you'll　allow　me；　I'll　explain　to　you　what　that　there　verse　means；'　said　Hunter。　　‘If　you　read　it　carefully　…　WITH　the　context　…'

‘I　don't　want　you　to　tell　me　what　it　means；'　interrupted　the　other。　‘I　am　able　to　read　for　myself。　　Whatever　you　may　say；　or　pretend　to　think　it　means；　I　know　what　it　says。'

‘Hear；　Hear；'　shouted　several　voices；　and　angry　cries　of　‘Why　don't　you　drink　the　poison？'　began　to　be　heard　from　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd。

‘Are　you　going　to　drink　it　or　not？'　demanded　the　man　with　the　bottle。

‘No！　　I'm　not　such　a　fool！'　retorted　Misery；　fiercely；　and　a　loud　shout　of　laughter　broke　from　the　crowd。'

‘P'haps　some　of　the　other　〃believers〃　would　like　to；'　said　the　young　man　sneeringly；　looking　round　upon　the　disciples。　　As　no　one　seemed　desirous　of　availing　himself　of　this　offer；　the　man　returned　the　bottle　regretfully　to　his　pocket。

‘I　suppose；'　said　Misery；　regarding　the　owner　of　the　strychnine　with　a　sneer；　‘I　suppose　you're　one　of　them　there　hired　critics　wot's　goin'　about　the　country　doin'　the　Devil's　work？'

‘Wot　I　wants　to　know　is　this　'ere；'　said　the　Semi…drunk；　suddenly　advancing　into　the　middle　of　the　ring　and　speaking　in　a　loud　voice。　‘Where　did　Cain　get　'is　wife　from？'

‘Don't　answer　'im；　Brother　'Unter；'　said　Mr　Didlum；　one　of　the　disciples。　　This　was　rather　an　unnecessary　piece　of　advice；　because　Misery　did　not　know　the　answer。

An　individual　in　a　long　black　garment　…　the　‘minister'　…　now　whispered　something　to　Miss　Didlum；　who　was　seated　at　the　organ；　whereupon　she　began　to　play；　and　the　‘believers'　began　to　sing；　as　loud　as　they　could　so　as　to　drown　the　voices　of　the　disturbers　of　the　meeting；　a　song　called　‘Oh；　that　will　be　Glory　for　me！'

After　this　hymn　the　‘minister'　invited　a　shabbily　dressed　‘brother'　…　a　working…man　member　of　the　PSA；　to　say　a　‘few　words'；　and　the　latter　accordingly　stepped　into　the　centre　of　the　ring　and　held　forth　as　follows：

‘My　dear　frens；　I　thank　Gord　tonight　that　I　can　stand　'ere　tonight；　hout　in　the　hopen　hair　and　tell　hall　you　dear　people　tonight　of　hall　wot's　been　done　for　ME。　　Ho　my　dear　frens　hi　ham　so　glad　tonight　as　I　can　stand　'ere　tonight　and　say　as　hall　my　sins　is　hunder　the　blood　tonight　and　wot　'E's　done　for　me　'E　can　do　for　you　tonight。　　If　you'll　honly　do　as　I　done　and　just　acknowledge　yourself　a　lost　sinner　…'

‘Yes！　that's　the　honly　way！'　shouted　Nimrod。

‘Amen；'　cried　all　the　other　believers。

‘…　If　you'll　honly　come　to　'im　tonight　in　the　same　way　as　I　done　you'll　see　wot　'E's　done　for　me　'E　can　do　for　you。　　Ho　my　dear　frens；　don't　go　puttin'　it　orf　from　day　to　day　like　a　door　turnin'　on　its　'inges；　don't　put　orf　to　some　more　convenient　time　because　you　may　never　'ave　another　chance。　　'Im　that　bein'　orfen　reproved　'ardeneth　'is　neck　shall　be　suddenly　cut　orf　and　that　without　remedy。　　Ho　come　to　'im　tonight；　for　'Is　name's　sake　and　to　'Im　we'll　give　hall　the　glory。　　Amen。'

‘Amen；'　said　the　believers；　fervently；　and　then　the　man　who　was　dressed　in　the　long　garment　entreated　all　those　who　were　not　yet　true　believers　…　and　doers　…　of　the　word　to　join　earnestly　and　MEANINGLY　in　the　singing　of　the　closing　hymn；　which　he　was　about　to　read　out　to　them。

The　Semi…drunk　obligingly　conducted　as　before；　and　the　crowd　faded　away　with　the　last　notes　of　the　music。



Chapter　24

Ruth


As　has　already　been　stated；　hitherto　Slyme　had　passed　the　greater　number　of　his　evenings　at　home；　but　during　the　following　three　weeks　a　change　took　place　in　his　habits　in　this　respect。　　He　now　went　out　nearly　every　night　and　did　not　return　until　after　ten　o'clock。　　On　meeting　nights　he　always　changed　his　attire；　dressing　himself　as　on　Sundays；　but　on　the　other　occasions　he　went　out　in　his　week…day　clothes。　　Ruth　often　wondered　where　he　went　on　those　nights；　but　he　never　volunteered　the　information　and　she　never　asked　him。

Easton　had　chummed　up　with　a　lot　of　the　regular　customers　at　the　‘Cricketers'；　where　he　now　spent　most　of　his　spare　time；　drinking　beer；　telling　yarns　or　playing　shove…ha'penny　or　hooks　and　rings。　When　he　had　no　cash　the　Old　Dear　gave　him　credit　until　Saturday。　　At　first；　the　place　had　not　had　much　attraction　for　him；　and　he　really　went　there　only　for　the　purpose　of　‘keeping　in'　with　Crass：　but　after　a　time　he　found　it　a　very　congenial　way　of　passing　his　evenings　。。。

One　evening；　Ruth　saw　Slyme　meet　Crass　as　if　by　appointment　and　as　the　two　men　went　away　together　she　returned　to　her　housework　wondering　what　it　meant。

Meantime；　Crass　and　Slyme　proceeded　on　their　way　down　town。　　It　was　about　half　past　six　o'clock：　the　shops　and　streets　were　brilliantly　lighted；　and　as　they　went　along　they　saw　numerous　groups　of　men　talking　together　in　a　listless　way。　　Most　of　them　were　artisans　and　labourers　out　of　employment　and　evidently　in　no　great　hurry　to　go　home。　　Some　of　them　had　neither　tea　nor　fire　to　go　to；　and　stayed　away　from　home　as　long　as　possible　so　as　not　to　be　compelled　to　look　upon　the　misery　of　those　who　were　waiting　for　them　there。　　Others　hung　about　hoping　against　all　probability　that　they　might　even　yet　…　although　it　was　so　late　…　hear　of　some　job　to　be　started　somewhere　or　other。

As　they　passed　one　of　these　groups　they　recognized　and　nodded　to　Newman　and　old　Jack　Linden；　and　the　former　left　the　others　and　came　up　to　Crass　and　Slyme；　who　did　not　pause；　so　Newman　walked　along　with　them。

‘Anything　fresh　in；　Bob？'　he　asked。

‘No；　we　ain't　got　'ardly　anything；'　replied　Crass。　　‘I　reckon　we　shall　finish　up　at　〃The　Cave〃　next　week；　and　then　I　suppose　we　shall　all　be　stood　orf。　　We've　got　several　plumbers　on；　and　I　believe　there's　a　little　gas…fitting　work　in；　but　next　to　nothing　in　our　line。'

‘I　suppose　you　don't　know　of　any　other　firm　what's　got　anything？'

‘No；　I　don't；　mate。　　Between　you　and　me；　I　don't　think　any　of　'em　has；　they're　all　in　about　the　same　fix。'

‘I've　not　done　anything　since　I　left；　you　know；'　said　Newman；　‘and　we've　just　about　got　as　far　as　we　can　get；　at　home。'

Slyme　and　Crass　said　nothing　in　reply　to　this。　　They　wished　that　Newman　would　take　himself　off；　because　they　did　not　want　him　to　know　where　they　were　going。

However；　Newman　continued　to　accompany　them　and　an　awkward　silence　succeeded。　　He　seemed　to　wish　to　say　something　more；　and　they　both　guessed　what　it　was。　　So　they　walked　along　as　rapidly　as　possible　in　order　not　to　give　him　any　encouragement。　　At　last　Newman　blurted　out：

‘I　suppose　…　you　don't　happen　…　either　of　you　…　to　have　a　tanner　you　could　lend　me？　　I'll　let　you　have　it　back　…　when　I　get　a　job。'

‘I　ain't　mate；'　replied　Crass。　　‘I'm　sorry；　if　I　'ad　one　on　me；　you　should　'ave　it；　with　pleasure。'

Slyme　also　expressed　his　regret　that　he　had　no　money　with　him；　and　at　the　corner　of　the　next　street　Newman　…　ashamed　of　having　asked　…　wished　them　‘good　night'　and　went　away。

Slyme　and　Crass　hurried　along　and　presently　arrived　at　Rushton　&　Co。's　shop。　　The　windows　were　lit　up　with　electric　light；　displaying　an　assortment　of　wallpapers；　gas　and　electric　light　fittings；　glass　shades；　globes；　tins　of　enamel；　paint　and　varnish。　　Several　framed　show…cards　…　‘Estimates　Free'；　‘First　class　work　only；　at　moderate　charges'；　‘Only　First　Class　Workmen　Employed'　and　several　others　of　the　same　type。　　On　one　side　wall　of　the　window　was　a　large　shield…shaped　board　covered　with　black　velvet　on　which　a　number　of　brass　fittings　for　coffins　were　arranged。　　The　shield　was　on　an　oak　mount　with　the　inscription：　‘Funerals　conducted　on　modern　principles'。

Slyme　waited　outside　while　Crass　went　in。　　Mr　Budd；　the　shopman；　was　down　at　the　far　end　near　the　glazed　partition　which　separated　Mr　Rushton's　office　from　the　front　shop。　　As　Crass　entered；　Budd　…　who　was　a　pale…faced；　unhealthy…looking；　undersized　youth　about　twenty　years　of　age　…　looked　round　and；　with　a　grimace；　motioned　him　to　walk　softly　。　Crass　paused；　wondering　what　the　other　meant；　but　the　shopman　beckoned　him　to　advance；　grinning　and　winking　and　jerking　his　thumb　over　his　shoulder　in　the　direction　of　the　office。　　Crass　hesitated；　fearing　that　possibly　the　miserable　Budd　had　gone　…　or　been　driven　…　out　of