the ragged trousered philanthropists-第59节

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ce。　　Crass　hesitated；　fearing　that　possibly　the　miserable　Budd　had　gone　…　or　been　driven　…　out　of　his　mind；　but　as　the　latter　continued　to　beckon　and　grin　and　point　towards　the　office　Crass　screwed　up　his　courage　and　followed　him　behind　one　of　the　showcases；　and　applying　his　eye　to　a　crack　in　the　woodwork　of　the　partition　indicated　by　Budd；　he　could　see　Mr　Rushton　in　the　act　of　kissing　and　embracing　Miss　Wade；　the　young　lady　clerk。　Crass　watched　them　for　some　time　and　then　whispered　to　Budd　to　call　Slyme；　and　when　the　latter　came　they　all　three　took　turns　at　peeping　through　the　crack　in　the　partition。

When　they　had　looked　their　fill　they　came　out　from　behind　the　showcase；　almost　bursting　with　suppressed　merriment。　　Budd　reached　down　a　key　from　where　it　was　hanging　on　a　hook　on　the　wall　and　gave　it　to　Crass　and　the　two　resumed　their　interrupted　journey。　　But　before　they　had　proceeded　a　dozen　yards　from　the　shop；　they　were　accosted　by　a　short；　elderly　man　with　grey　hair　and　a　beard。　　This　man　looked　about　sixty…five　years　of　age；　and　was　very　shabbily　dressed。　　The　ends　of　the　sleeves　of　his　coat　were　frayed　and　ragged；　and　the　elbows　were　worn　threadbare。　　His　boots　were　patched；　broken；　and　down　at　heel；　and　the　knees　and　bottoms　of　the　legs　of　his　trousers　were　in　the　same　condition　as　the　sleeves　of　his　coat。　　This　man's　name　was　Latham；　he　was　a　venetian　blind　maker　and　repairer。　　With　his　son；　he　was　supposed　to　be　‘in　business'　on　his　own　account；　but　as　most　of　their　work　was　done　for　‘the　trade'；　that　is；　for　such　firms　as　Rushton　&　Co。；　they　would　be　more　correctly　described　as　men　who　did　piecework　at　home。

He　had　been　‘in　business'　…　as　he　called　it　…　for　about　forty　years　working；　working；　always　working；　and　ever　since　his　son　became　old　enough　to　labour　he　had　helped　his　father　in　the　philanthropic　task　of　manufacturing　profits　for　the　sweaters　who　employed　them。　　They　had　been　so　busy　running　after　work；　and　working　for　the　benefit　of　others；　that　they　had　overlooked　the　fact　that　they　were　only　earning　a　bare　living　for　themselves　and　now；　after　forty　years'　hard　labour；　the　old　man　was　clothed　in　rags　and　on　the　verge　of　destitution。

‘Is　Rushton　there？'　he　asked。

‘Yes；　I　think　so；'　replied　Crass；　attempting　to　pass　on；　but　the　old　man　detained　him。

‘He　promised　to　let　us　know　about　them　blinds　for　〃The　Cave〃。　　We　gave　'im　a　price　for　'em　about　a　month　ago。　　In　fact；　we　gave　'im　two　prices；　because　he　said　the　first　was　too　high。　　Five　and　six　a　set　I　asked　'im！　　take　'em　right　through　the　'ole　'ouse！　one　with　another　…　big　and　little。　　Two　coats　of　paint；　and　new　tapes　and　cords。　　That　wasn't　too　much；　was　it？'

‘No；'　said　Crass；　walking　on；　‘that　was　cheap　enough！'

HE　said　it　was　too　much；'　continued　Latham。　　‘Said　as　'e　could　get　'em　done　cheaper！　　But　I　say　as　no　one　can't　do　it　and　make　a　living。'

As　he　walked　along；　talking；　between　Crass　and　Slyme；　the　old　man　became　very　excited。

‘But　we　'adn't　nothing　to　do　to　speak　of；　so　my　son　told　'im　we'd　do　'em　for　five　bob　a　set；　and　'e　said　'e'd　let　us　know；　but　we　ain't　'eard　nothing　from　'im　yet；　so　I　thought　I'd　try　and　see　'im　tonight。'

Well；　you'll　find　'im　in　there　now；'　said　Slyme　with　a　peculiar　look；　and　walking　faster。　　‘Good　night。'

‘I　won't　take　'em　on　for　no　less！'　cried　the　old　man　as　he　turned　back。　　I've　got　my　livin'　to　get；　and　my　son's　got　'is　wife　and　little　'uns　to　keep。　　We　can't　work　for　nothing！'

‘Certainly　not；'　said　Crass；　glad　to　get　away　at　last。　　‘Good　night；　and　good　luck　to　you。'

As　soon　as　they　were　out　of　hearing；　they　both　burst　out　laughing　at　the　old　man's　vehemence。

‘Seemed　quite　upset　about　it；'　said　Slyme；　and　they　laughed　again。

They　now　left　the　main　road　and　pursued　their　way　through　a　number　of　badly　lighted；　mean…looking　streets；　and　finally　turning　down　a　kind　of　alley；　arrived　at　their　destination。　　On　one　side　of　this　street　was　a　row　of　small　houses；　facing　these　were　a　number　of　buildings　of　a　miscellaneous　description　…　sheds　and　stables；　and　beyond　these　a　plot　of　waste　ground　on　which　could　be　seen；　looming　weirdly　through　the　dusk；　a　number　of　empty　carts　and　waggons　with　their　shafts　resting　on　the　ground　or　reared　up　into　the　air。　　Threading　their　way　carefully　through　these　and　avoiding　as　much　as　possible　the　mud；　pools　of　water；　and　rubbish　which　covered　the　ground；　they　arrived　at　a　large　gate　fastened　with　a　padlock。　　Applying　the　key；　Crass　swung　back　the　gate　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　large　yard　filled　with　building　materials　and　plant；　ladders；　huge　tressels；　planks　and　beams　of　wood；　hand…carts；　and　wheelbarrows；　heaps　of　sand　and　mortar　and　innumerable　other　things　that　assumed　strange　fantastic　shapes　in　the　semi…darkness。　　Crates　and　packing　cases；　lengths　of　iron　guttering　and　rain…pipes；　old　door…frames　and　other　woodwork　that　had　been　taken　from　buildings　where　alterations　had　been　made。　　And　over　all　these　things；　a　gloomy；　indistinct　and　shapeless　mass；　rose　the　buildings　and　sheds　that　comprised　Rushton　&　Co。's　workshop。

Crass　struck　a　match；　and　Slyme；　stooping　down；　drew　a　key　from　a　crevice　in　the　wall　near　one　of　the　doors；　which　he　unlocked；　and　they　entered。　　Crass　struck　another　match　and　lit　the　gas　at　the　jointed　bracket　fixed　to　the　wall。　　This　was　the　paint…shop。　　At　one　end　was　a　fireplace　without　a　grate　but　with　an　iron　bar　fixed　across　the　blackened　chimney　for　the　purpose　of　suspending　pails　or　pots　over　the　fire；　which　was　usually　made　of　wood　on　the　hearthstone。　　All　round　the　walls　of　the　shop　…　which　had　once　been　whitewashed；　but　were　now　covered　with　smears　of　paint　of　every　colour　where　the　men　had　‘rubbed　out'　their　brushes　…　were　rows　of　shelves　with　kegs　of　paint　upon　them。　　In　front　of　the　window　was　a　long　bench　covered　with　an　untidy　litter　of　dirty　paint…pots；　including　several　earthenware　mixing　vessels　or　mortars；　the　sides　of　these　being　thickly　coated　with　dried　paint。　　Scattered　about　the　stone　floor　were　a　number　of　dirty　pails；　either　empty　or　containing　stale　whitewash；　and　standing　on　a　sort　of　low　platform　or　shelf　at　one　end　of　the　shop　were　four　large　round　tanks　fitted　with　taps　and　labelled　‘Boiled　Oil'；　‘Turps'；　‘Linseed　Oil'；　‘Turps　Substitute'。　　The　lower　parts　of　the　walls　were　discoloured　with　moisture。　　The　atmosphere　was　cold　and　damp　and　foul　with　the　sickening　odours　of　the　poisonous　materials。

It　was　in　this　place　that　Bert　…　the　apprentice　…　spent　most　of　his　time；　cleaning　out　pots　and　pails；　during　slack　periods　when　there　were　no　jobs　going　on　outside。

In　the　middle　of　the　shop；　under　a　two…armed　gas　pendant；　was　another　table　or　bench；　also　thickly　coated　with　old；　dried　paint；　and　by　the　side　of　this　were　two　large　stands　on　which　were　hanging　up　to　dry　some　of　the　lathes　of　the　venetian　blinds　belonging　to　‘The　Cave'；　which　Crass　and　Slyme　were　painting　…　piecework　…　in　their　spare　time。　The　remainder　of　the　lathes　were　leaning　against　the　walls　or　piled　in　stacks　on　the　table。

Crass　shivered　with　cold　as　he　lit　the　two　gas…jets。　　‘Make　a　bit　of　a　fire；　Alf；　he　said；　‘while　I　gets　the　colour　ready。'

Slyme　went　outside　and　presently　returned　with　his　arms　full　of　old　wood；　which　he　smashed　up　and　threw　into　the　fireplace；　then　he　took　an　empty　paint…pot　and　filled　it　with　turpentine　from　the　big　tank　and　emptied　it　over　the　wood。　　Amongst　the　pots　on　the　mixing　bench　he　found　one　full　of　old　paint；　and　he　threw　this　over　the　wood　also；　and　in　a　few　minutes　he　had　made　a　roaring　fire。

Meantime；　Crass　had　prepared　the　paint　and　brushes　and　taken　down　the　lathes　from　the　drying　frames。　　The　two　men　now　proceeded　with　the　painting　of　the　blinds；　working　rapidly；　each　lathe　being　hung　on　the　wires　of　the　drying　frame　after　being　painted。　　They　talked　freely　as　they　worked；　having　no　fear　of　being　overheard　by　Rushton　or　Nimrod。　This　job　was　piecework；　so　it　didn't　matter　whether　they　talked　or　not。　　They　waxed　hilarious　over　Old　Latham's　discomfiture　and　wondered　what　he　would　say　if　he　could　see　them　now。　　Then　the　conversation　drifted　to　the　subject　of　the　private　characters　of　the　other　men　who　were　employed　by　Rushton　&　Co。；　and　an　impartial　listener　…　had　there　been　one　there　…　would　have　been　forced　to　come　to　the　same　conclusion　as　Crass　and　Slyme　did：　namely；　that　they　themselves　were　the　only　two　decent　fellows　on　the　firm。　　There　was　something　wrong　or　shady　about　everybody　else。　　That　bloke　Barrington；　for　instance　…　it　was　a　very　funny　business；　you　know；　for　a　chap　like　'im　to　be　workin'　as　a　labourer；　it　looked　very　suspicious。　　Nobody　knowed　exactly　who　'e　was　or　where　'e　come　from；　but　anyone　could　tell　'e'd　been　a　toff。　　It　was　very　certain　'e'd　never　bin　brought　up　to　work　for　'is　livin'。　　The　most　probable　explanation　was　that　'e'd　committed　some　crime　and　bin　disowned　by　'is　family　…　pinched　some　money；　or　forged　a　cheque　or　something　like　that。　　Then　there　was　that　Sawkins。　　He　was　no　class　whatever。　　It　was　a　well…known　fact　that　he　used　to　go　round　to　Misery's　house　nearly　every　night　to　tell　him　every　little　thing　that　had　happened　on　the　job　during　the　day！　　As　for　Payne；　the　foreman　carpenter；　the　man　was　a　perfect　fool：　he'd　find　out　the　difference　if　ever