idle ideas in 1905-第29节

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of　'em；　the　other　eveninga　man　as　calls　'isself　a　brass　finisher；
though；　Lord　knows；　the　only　brass　'e　ever　finishes　is　what　'is　poor
wife　earns　and　isn't　quick　enough　to　'ide　away　from　'imwell；
whatever　'appens；　I　says；　it　will　be　clever　of　'em　if　they　take　away
much　work　from　you。　　It　made　them　all　laugh；　that　did；〃　added　Mrs。
Wilkins；　with　a　touch　of　pardonable　pride。

〃Ah；〃　continued　the　good　lady；　〃it's　surprising　'ow　contented　they
can　be　with　a　little；　some　of　'em。　　Give　'em　a　'ard…working　woman　to
look　after　them；　and　a　day　out　once　a　week　with　a　procession　of　the
unemployed；　they　don't　ask　for　nothing　more。　　There's　that　beauty　my
poor　sister　Jane　was　fool　enough　to　marry。　　Serves　'er　right；　as　I
used　to　tell　'er　at　first；　till　there　didn't　seem　any　more　need　to
rub　it　into　'er。　　She'd　'ad　one　good　'usband。　　It　wouldn't　'ave　been
fair　for　'er　to　'ave　'ad　another；　even　if　there'd　been　a　chance　of
it；　seeing　the　few　of　'em　there　is　to　go　round　among　so　many。　　But
it's　always　the　same　with　us　widows：　　if　we　'appen　to　'ave　been　lucky
the　first　time；　we　put　it　down　to　our　own　judgmentthink　we　can't
ever　make　a　mistake；　and　if　we　draw　a　wrong　'un；　as　the　saying　is；　we
argue　as　if　it　was　the　duty　of　Providence　to　make　it　up　to　us　the
second　time。　　Why；　I'd　a　been　making　a　fool　of　myself　three　years　ago
if　'e　'adn't　been　good…natured　enough　to　call　one　afternoon　when　I
was　out；　and　'ook　it　off　with　two　pounds　eight　in　the　best　teapot
that　I　'ad　been　soft　enough　to　talk　to　'im　about：　　and　never　let　me
set　eyes　on　'im　again。　　God　bless　'im！　　'E's　one　of　the　born…tireds；
'e　is；　as　poor　Jane　might　'ave　seen　for　'erself；　if　she　'ad　only
looked　at　'im；　instead　of　listening　to　'im。

〃But　that's　courtship　all　the　world　overold　and　young　alike；　so　far
as　I've　been　able　to　see　it；〃　was　the　opinion　of　Mrs。　Wilkins。　　〃The
man's　all　eyes　and　the　woman　all　ears。　　They　don't　seem　to　'ave　any
other　senses　left　'em。　　I　ran　against　'im　the　other　night；　on　my　way
'ome；　at　the　corner　of　Gray's　Inn　Road。　　There　was　the　usual　crowd
watching　a　pack　of　them　Italians　laying　down　the　asphalt　in　'Olborn；
and　'e　was　among　'em。　　'E　'ad　secured　the　only　lamp…post；　and　was
leaning　agen　it。

〃'Ullo；'　I　says；　'glad　to　see　you　'aven't　lost　your　job。　　Nothin'
like　stickin'　to　it；　when　you've　dropped　into　somethin'　that　really
suits　you。'

〃'What　do　you　mean；　Martha？'　'e　says。　　'E's　not　one　of　what　I　call
your　smart　sort。　　It　takes　a　bit　of　sarcasm　to　get　through　'is　'ead。

〃'Well；'　I　says；　'you're　still　on　the　old　track；　I　see；　looking　for
work。　　Take　care　you　don't　'ave　an　accident　one　of　these　days　and　run
up　agen　it　before　you've　got　time　to　get　out　of　its　way。'

〃'It's　these　miserable　foreigners；'　'e　says。　　'Look　at　'em；'　'e　says。

〃'There's　enough　of　you　doing　that；'　I　says。　　'I've　got　my　room　to
put　straight　and　three　hours　needlework　to　do　before　I　can　get　to
bed。　　But　don't　let　me　'inder　you。　　You　might　forget　what　work　was
like；　if　you　didn't　take　an　opportunity　of　watching　it　now　and　then。'

〃'They　come　over　'ere；'　'e　says；　'and　take　the　work　away　from　us
chaps。'

〃'Ah；'　I　says；　'poor　things；　perhaps　they　ain't　married。'

〃'Lazy　devils！　'e　says。　　'Look　at　'em；　smoking　cigarettes。　　I　could
do　that　sort　of　work。　　There's　nothing　in　it。　　It　don't　take　'eathen
foreigners　to　dab　a　bit　of　tar　about　a　road。'

〃'Yes；'　I　says；　'you　always　could　do　anybody　else's　work　but　your
own。'

〃'I　can't　find　it；　Martha；'　'e　says。

〃'No；'　I　says；　'and　you　never　will　in　the　sort　of　places　you　go
looking　for　it。　　They　don't　'ang　it　out　on　lamp…posts；　and　they　don't
leave　it　about　at　the　street　corners。　　Go　'ome；'　I　says；　'and　turn
the　mangle　for　your　poor　wife。　　That's　big　enough　for　you　to　find；
even　in　the　dark。'

〃Looking　for　work！〃　snorted　Mrs。　Wilkins　with　contempt；　〃we　women
never　'ave　much　difficulty　in　finding　it；　I've　noticed。　　There　are
times　when　I　feel　I　could　do　with　losing　it　for　a　day。〃

〃But　what　did　he　reply；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　asked；　〃your　brass…finishing
friend；　who　was　holding　forth　on　the　subject　of　Chinese　cheap
labour。〃　　Mrs。　Wilkins　as　a　conversationalist　is　not　easily　kept　to
the　point。　　I　was　curious　to　know　what　the　working　classes　were
thinking　on　the　subject。

〃Oh；　that；〃　replied　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃'e　did　not　say　nothing。　　'E　ain't
the　sort　that's　got　much　to　say　in　an　argument。　　'E　belongs　to　the
crowd　that　'angs　about　at　the　back；　and　does　the　shouting。　　But　there
was　another　of　'em；　a　young　fellow　as　I　feels　sorry　for；　with　a　wife
and　three　small　children；　who　'asn't　'ad　much　luck　for　the　last　six
months；　and　that　through　no　fault　of　'is　own；　I　should　say；　from　the
look　of　'im。　　'I　was　a　fool；'　says　'e；　'when　I　chucked　a　good
situation　and　went　out　to　the　war。　　They　told　me　I　was　going　to　fight
for　equal　rights　for　all　white　men。　　I　thought　they　meant　that　all　of
us　were　going　to　'ave　a　better　chance；　and　it　seemed　worth　making　a
bit　of　sacrifice　for；　that　did。　　I　should　be　glad　if　they　would　give
me　a　job　in　their　mines　that　would　enable　me　to　feed　my　wife　and
children。　　That's　all　I　ask　them　for！'〃

〃It　is　a　difficult　problem；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said。　　〃According　to　the
mine　owners〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins。　　〃They　don't　seem　to　be　exactly　what　you'd
call　popular；　them　mine　owners；　do　they？　　Daresay　they're　not　as　bad
as　they're　painted。〃

〃Some　people；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said；　〃paint　them　very　black。　　There
are　those　who　hold　that　the　South　African　mine…owner　is　not　a　man　at
all；　but　a　kind　of　pantomime　demon。　　You　take　Goliath；　the　whale　that
swallowed　Jonah；　a　selection　from　the　least　respectable　citizens　of
Sodom　and　Gomorrah　at　their　worst；　Bluebeard；　Bloody　Queen　Mary；　Guy
Fawkes；　and　the　sea…serpentor；　rather；　you　take　the　most
objectionable　attributes　of　all　these　various　personages；　and　mix
them　up　together。　　The　result　is　the　South　African　mine…owner；　a
monster　who　would　willingly　promote　a　company　for　the　putting　on　the
market　of　a　new　meat　extract；　prepared　exclusively　from　new…born
infants；　provided　the　scheme　promised　a　fair　and　reasonable
opportunity　of　fleecing　the　widow　and　orphan。〃

〃I've　'eard　they're　a　bad　lot；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins。　　〃But　we're　most
of　us　that；　if　we　listen　to　what　other　people　say　about　us。〃

〃Quite　so；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　agreed。　　〃One　never　arrives　at　the　truth
by　listening　to　one　side　only。　　On　the　other　hand；　for　example；　there
are　those　who　stoutly　maintain　that　the　South　African　mine…owner　is　a
kind　of　spiritual　creature；　all　heart　and　sentiment；　who；　against　his
own　will；　has　been；　so　to　speak；　dumped　down　upon　this　earth　as　the
result　of　over…production　up　above　of　the　higher　class　of　archangel。
The　stock　of　archangels　of　superior　finish　exceeds　the　heavenly
demand；　the　surplus　has　been　dropped　down　into　South　Africa　and　has
taken　to　mine　owning。　　It　is　not　that　these　celestial　visitors　of
German　sounding　nomenclature　care　themselves　about　the　gold。　　Their
only　desire　is；　during　this　earthly　pilgrimage　of　theirs；　to　benefit
the　human　race。　　Nothing　can　be　obtained　in　this　world　without　money…
…〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　with　a　sigh。

〃For　gold；　everything　can　be　obtained。　　The　aim　of　the　mine…owning
archangel　is　to　provide　the　world　with　gold。　　Why　should　the　world
trouble　to　grow　things　and　make　things？　　'Let　us；'　say　these
archangels；　temporarily　dwelling　in　South　Africa；　'dig　up　and
distribute　to　the　world　plenty　of　gold；　then　the　world　can　buy
whatever　it　wants；　and　be　happy。'

〃There　may　be　a　flaw　in　the　argument；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　allowed。　　〃I
am　not　presenting　it　to　you　as　the　last　word　upon　the　subject。　　I　am
merely　quoting　the　view　of　the　South　African　mine…owner；　feeling
himself　a　much　misunderstood　benefactor　of　mankind。〃

〃I　expect；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃they　are　just　the　ordinary　sort　of
Christian；　like　the　rest　of　us；　anxious　to　do　the　best　they　can　for
themselves；　and　not　too　particular　as　to　doing　other　people　in　the
process。〃

〃I　am　inclined　to　think；　Mrs。　Wilkins；〃　I　said；　〃that　you　are　not
very　far　from　the　truth。　　A　friend　of　mine；　a　year　ago；　was　very
bitter　on　this　subject　of　Chinese　cheap　labour。　　A　little　later　there
died　a　distant　relative　of　his　who　left　him　twenty　thousand　South
African　mining　shares。　　He　thinks　now　that　to　object　to　the　Chinese
is　narrow…minded；　illiberal；　and　against　all　religious　teaching。　　He
has　bought　an　abridged　edition　of　Confucius；　and　tells　me　that　there
is　much　that　is　ennobling　in　Chinese　morality。　　Indeed；　I　gather　from
him　that　the　introduction　of　the　Chinese　into　South　Africa　will　be
the　saving　of　that　country。　　The　noble　Chinese　will　afford　an　object
lesson　to　the　poor　white　man；　displaying　to　him　the　virtues　of
sobriety；　thrift；　and　humility。　　I　also　gather　that　it　will　be　of
inestimable　benefit　to　the　noble　Chinee　himself。　　The　Christian
missionary　will　get　hold　of　him　in　bulk；　so　to　speak；　and　imbue　him
with　the　higher　theology。　　It　appears　to　be　one　of　those　rare　cases
where　everybody　is　benefited　at　the　expense　of　nobody。　　It　is　always
a　pity　to　let　these　rare　opportunities　slip　by。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Wilkins；　〃I've　nothin'　to　say　agen　the　Chinaman；　as
a　Chinaman。　　As　to　'is　b