the ragged trousered philanthropists-第98节

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。　　This　produced　another　long　discussion；　in　the　course　of　which　a　very　tall；　thin　man　who　had　a　harsh；　metallic　voice　gave　a　long　rambling　lecture　about　the　rules　of　order　and　the　conduct　of　public　meetings。　　He　spoke　very　slowly　and　deliberately；　using　very　long　words　and　dealing　with　the　subject　in　an　exhaustive　manner。　　A　resolution　was　a　resolution；　and　an　amendment　was　an　amendment；　then　there　was　what　was　called　an　amendment　to　an　amendment；　the　procedure　of　the　House　of　Commons　differed　very　materially　from　that　of　the　House　of　Lords　…　and　so　on。

This　man　kept　on　talking　for　about　ten　minutes；　and　might　have　continued　for　ten　hours　if　he　had　not　been　rudely　interrupted　by　Harlow；　who　said　that　it　seemed　to　him　that　they　were　likely　to　stay　there　all　night　if　they　went　on　like　they　were　going。　　He　wanted　his　tea；　and　he　would　also　like　to　get　a　few　hours'　sleep　before　having　to　resume　work　in　the　morning。　　He　was　getting　about　sick　of　all　this　talk。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　In　order　to　get　on　with　the　business；　he　would　withdraw　his　resolution　if　the　others　would　withdraw　their　amendments。　If　they　would　agree　to　do　this；　he　would　then　propose　another　resolution　which　…　if　carried　…　would　meet　all　the　requirements　of　the　case。　　（Applause。）

The　man　with　the　metallic　voice　observed　that　it　was　not　necessary　to　ask　the　consent　of　those　who　had　moved　amendments：　if　the　original　proposition　was　withdrawed；　all　the　amendments　fell　to　the　ground。

‘Last　year；'　observed　Crass；　‘when　we　was　goin'　out　of　the　room　after　we'd　finished　our　dinner　at　the　Queen　Elizabeth；　the　landlord　pointed　to　the　table　and　said；　〃There's　enough　left　over　for　you　all　to　'ave　another　lot。〃'　　（Cheers。）

Harlow　said　that　he　would　move　that　it　be　held　on　the　last　Saturday　in　August；　that　it　be　for　half　a　day；　starting　at　one　o'clock　so　that　they　could　work　up　till　twelve；　which　would　mean　that　they　would　only　have　to　lose　one　hour's　pay：　that　they　go　to　the　same　place　as　last　year　…　the　Queen　Elizabeth。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　That　the　same　committee　that　acted　last　year　…　Crass　and　Bundy　…　be　appointed　to　make　all　the　arrangements　and　collect　the　subscriptions。　　（Applause。）

The　tall　man　observed　that　this　was　what　was　called　a　compound　resolution；　and　was　proceeding　to　explain　further　when　the　chairman　exclaimed　that　it　did　not　matter　a　dam'　what　it　was　called　…　would　anyone　second　it？　　The　Semi…drunk　said　that　he　would　…　in　order　to　get　on　with　the　business。

Bundy　moved；　and　Sawkins　seconded；　as　an　amendment；　that　it　should　be　a　whole　day。

The　new　hand　moved　to　substitute　the　Loggerheads　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth。

Easton　proposed　to　substitute　Madame　Tussaud's　Waxworks　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth。　　He　said　he　moved　this　just　to　test　the　feeling　of　the　meeting。

Harlow　pointed　out　that　it　would　cost　at　least　a　pound　a　head　to　defray　the　expenses　of　such　a　trip。　　The　railway　fares；　tram　fares　in　London；　meals　…　for　it　would　be　necessary　to　have　a　whole　day　…　and　other　incidental　expenses；　to　say　nothing　of　the　loss　of　wages。　　It　would　not　be　possible　for　any　of　them　to　save　the　necessary　amount　during　the　next　four　months。　　（Hear；　hear。）

Philpot　repeated　his　warning　as　to　the　danger　of　visiting　Madame　Tussaud's。　　He　was　certain　that　if　she　once　got　them　in　there　she　would　never　let　them　out　again。　　He　had　no　desire　to　pass　the　rest　of　his　life　as　an　image　in　a　museum。

One　of　the　new　hands　…　a　man　with　a　red　tie　…　said　that　they　would　look　well；　after　having　been　soaked　for　a　month　or　two　in　petrifying　liquid；　chained　up　in　the　Chamber　of　Horrors　with　labels　round　their　necks　…　‘Specimens　of　Liberal　and　Conservative　upholders　of　the　Capitalist　System；　20　century'。

Crass　protested　against　the　introduction　of　politics　into　that　meeting。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　The　remarks　of　the　last　speakers　were　most　uncalled…for。

Easton　said　that　he　would　withdraw　his　amendment。

Acting　under　the　directions　of　the　man　with　the　metallic　voice；　the　chairman　now　proceeded　to　put　the　amendment　to　the　vote。　　Bundy's　proposal　that　it　should　be　a　whole　day　was　defeated；　only　himself；　Sawkins　and　the　Semi…drunk　being　in　favour。　　The　motion　to　substitute　the　Loggerheads　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth　was　also　defeated；　and　the　compound　resolution　proposed　by　Harlow　was　then　carried　nem。　con。

Philpot　now　proposed　a　hearty　vote　of　thanks　to　the　chairman　for　the　very　able　manner　in　which　he　had　conducted　the　meeting。　　When　this　had　been　unanimously　agreed　to；　the　Semi…drunk　moved　a　similar　tribute　of　gratitude　to　Crass　for　his　services　to　the　cause　and　the　meeting　dispersed。



Chapter　42

June


During　the　early　part　of　May　the　weather　was　exceptionally　bad；　with　bitterly　cold　winds。　　Rain　fell　nearly　every　day；　covering　the　roads　with　a　slush　that　penetrated　the　rotten　leather　of　the　cheap　or　second…hand　boots　worn　by　the　workmen。　　This　weather　had　the　effect　of　stopping　nearly　all　outside　work；　and　also　caused　a　lot　of　illness；　for　those　who　were　so　fortunate　as　to　have　inside　jobs　frequently　got　wet　through　on　their　way　to　work　in　the　morning　and　had　to　work　all　day　in　damp　clothing；　and　with　their　boots　saturated　with　water。　　It　was　also　a　source　of　trouble　to　those　of　the　men　who　had　allotments；　because　if　it　had　been　fine　they　would　have　been　able　to　do　something　to　their　gardens　while　they　were　out　of　work。

Newman　had　not　succeeded　in　getting　a　job　at　the　trade　since　he　came　out　of　prison；　but　he　tried　to　make　a　little　money　by　hawking　bananas。　Philpot　…　when　he　was　at　work　…　used　often　to　buy　a　tanner's　or　a　bob's　worth　from　him　and　give　them　to　Mrs　Linden's　children。　　On　Saturdays　Old　Joe　used　to　waylay　these　children　and　buy　them　bags　of　cakes　at　the　bakers。　　One　week　when　he　knew　that　Mrs　Linden　had　not　had　much　work　to　do；　he　devised　a　very　cunning　scheme　to　help　her。　　He　had　been　working　with　Slyme；　who　was　papering　a　large　boarded　ceiling　in　a　shop。　　It　had　to　be　covered　with　unbleached　calico　before　it　could　be　papered　and　when　the　work　was　done　there　were　a　number　of　narrow　pieces　of　calico　left　over。　　These　he　collected　and　tore　into　strips　about　six　inches　wide　which　he　took　round　to　Mrs　Linden；　and　asked　her　to　sew　them　together；　end　to　end；　so　as　to　make　one　long　strip：　then　this　long　strip　had　to　be　cut　into　four　pieces　of　equal　length　and　the　edges　sewn　together　in　such　a　manner　that　it　would　form　a　long　tube。　　Philpot　told　her　that　it　was　required　for　some　work　that　Rushton's　were　doing；　and　said　he　had　undertaken　to　get　the　sewing　done。　　The　firm　would　have　to　pay　for　it；　so　she　could　charge　a　good　price。

‘You　see；'　he　said　with　a　wink；　‘this　is　one　of　those　jobs　where　we　gets　a　chance　to　get　some　of　our　own　back。'

Mary　thought　it　was　rather　a　strange　sort　of　job；　but　she　did　as　Philpot　directed　and　when　he　came　for　the　stuff　and　asked　how　much　it　was　she　said　threepence：　it　had　only　taken　about　half　an　hour。　Philpot　ridiculed　this：　it　was　not　nearly　enough。　　THEY　were　not　supposed　to　know　how　long　it　took：　it　ought　to　be　a　bob　at　the　very　least。　　So；　after　some　hesitation　she　made　out　a　bill　for　that　amount　on　a　half…sheet　of　note…paper。　　He　brought　her　the　money　the　next　Saturday　afternoon　and　went　off　chuckling　to　himself　over　the　success　of　the　scheme。　　It　did　not　occur　to　him　until　the　next　day　that　he　might　just　as　well　have　got　her　to　make　him　an　apron　or　two：　and　when　he　did　think　of　this　he　said　that　after　all　it　didn't　matter；　because　if　he　had　done　that　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　buy　new　calico；　and　anyhow；　it　could　be　done　some　other　time。

Newman　did　not　make　his　fortune　out　of　the　bananas　…　seldom　more　than　two　shillings　a　day　…　and　consequently　he　was　very　glad　when　Philpot　called　at　his　house　one　evening　and　told　him　there　was　a　chance　of　a　job　at　Rushton's。　　Newman　accordingly　went　to　the　yard　the　next　morning；　taking　his　apron　and　blouse　and　his　bag　of　tools　with　him；　ready　to　start　work。　　He　got　there　at　about　quarter　to　six　and　was　waiting　outside　when　Hunter　arrived。　　The　latter　was　secretly　very　glad　to　see　him；　for　there　was　a　rush　of　work　in　and　they　were　short　of　men。　　He　did　not　let　this　appear；　of　course；　but　hesitated　for　a　few　minutes　when　Newman　repeated　the　usual　formula：　‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

‘We　wasn't　at　all　satisfied　with　you　last　time　you　was　on；　you　know；'　said　Misery。　　‘Still；　I　don't　mind　giving　you　another　chance。　　But　if　you　want　to　hold　your　job　you'll　have　to　move　yourself　a　bit　quicker　than　you　did　before。'

Towards　the　end　of　the　month　things　began　to　improve　all　round。　　The　weather　became　finer　and　more　settled。　　As　time　went　on　the　improvement　was　maintained　and　nearly　everyone　was　employed。　Rushton's　were　so　busy　that　they　took　on　several　other　old　hands　who　had　been　sacked　the　previous　year　for　being　too　slow。

Thanks　to　the　influence　of　Crass；　Easton　was　now　regarded　as　one　of　the　regular　hands。　　He　had　recently　resumed　the　practice　of　spending　some　of　his　evenings　at　the　Cricketers。　　It　is　probable　that　even　if　it　had　not　been　for　his　friendship　with　Crass；　he　would　still　have　continued　to　frequent　the　public　house；　for　things　were　not　very　comfortable　at　home。　　Somehow　or　other；　Ruth　and　he　seemed　to　be　always　quarrelling；　and　he　was　satisfied　that　it　was　not　always　his　fault。