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He did not have to lose much time； for he ‘finished up' for Driver and Botchit on a Thursday night and on the Friday he interviewed Misery； who told him they were about to commence a fresh ‘jab' on the following Monday morning at six o'clock； and that he could start with them。 So this time Newman was only out of work the Friday and Saturday； which was another stroke of luck； because it often happens that a man has to lose a week or more after ‘finishing up' for one firm before he gets another ‘job'。
All through the summer Crass continued to be the general ‘colour…man'； most of his time being spent at the shop mixing up colours for all the different ‘jobs'。 He also acted as a sort of lieutenant to Hunter； who； as the reader has already been informed； was not a practical painter。 When there was a price to be given for some painting work； Misery sometimes took Crass with him to look over it and help him to estimate the amount of time and material it would take。 Crass was thus in a position of more than ordinary importance； not only being superior to the ‘hands'； but also ranking above the other sub…foremen who had charge of the ‘jobs'。
It was Crass and these sub…foremen who were to blame for most of the scamping and driving； because if it had not been for them neither Rushton nor Hunter would have known how to scheme the work。
Of course； Hunter and Rushton wanted to drive and scamp； but not being practical men they would not have known how if it had not been for Crass and the others； who put them up to all the tricks of the trade。
Crass knew that when the men stayed till half past seven they were in the habit of ceasing work for a few minutes to eat a mouthful of grub about six o'clock； so he suggested to Misery that as it was not possible to stop this； it would be a good plan to make the men stop work altogether from half past five till six； and lose half an hour's pay； and to make up the time； instead of leaving off at seven…thirty； they could work till eight。
Misery had known of and winked at the former practice； for he knew that the men could not work all that time without something to eat； but Crass's suggestion seemed a much better way； and it was adopted。
When the other masters in Mugsborough heard of this great reform they all followed suit； and it became the rule in that town； whenever it was necessary to work overtime； for the men to stay till eight instead of half past seven as formerly； and they got no more pay than before。
Previous to this summer it had been the almost invariable rule to have two men in each room that was being painted； but Crass pointed out to Misery that under such circumstances they wasted time talking to each other； and they also acted as a check on one another： each of them regulated the amount of work he did by the amount the other did； and if the ‘job' took too long it was always difficult to decide which of the two was to blame： but if they were made to work alone； each of them would be on his mettle； he would not know how much the others were doing； and the fear of being considered slow in comparison with others would make them all tear into it all they could。
Misery thought this a very good idea； so the solitary system was introduced； and as far as practicable； one room； one man became the rule。
They even tried to make the men distemper large ceilings single…handed； and succeeded in one or two cases； but after several ceilings had been spoilt and had to be washed off and done over again； they gave that up： but nearly all the other work was now arranged on the ‘solitary system'； and it worked splendidly： each man was constantly in a state of panic as to whether the others were doing more work than himself。
Another suggestion that Crass made to Misery was that the sub…foremen should be instructed never to send a man into a room to prepare it for painting。
‘If you sends a man into a room to get it ready；' said Crass； ‘'e makes a meal of it！ 'E spends as much time messin' about rubbin' down and stoppin' up as it would take to paint it。 But；' he added； with a cunning leer； ‘give 'em a bit of putty and a little bit of glass…paper； and the paint at the stand； and then 'e gits it in 'is mind as 'e's going in there to paint it！ And 'e doesn't mess about much over the preparing of it'。
These and many other suggestions … all sorts of devices for scamping and getting over the work … were schemed out by Crass and the other sub…foremen； who put them into practice and showed them to Misery and Rushton in the hope of currying favour with them and being ‘kept on'。 And between the lot of them they made life a veritable hell for themselves； and the hands； and everybody else around them。 And the mainspring of it all was … the greed and selfishness of one man； who desired to accumulate money！ For this was the only object of all the driving and bullying and hatred and cursing and unhappiness … to make money for Rushton； who evidently considered himself a deserving case。
It is sad and discreditable； but nevertheless true； that some of the more selfish of the philanthropists often became weary of well…doing； and lost all enthusiasm in the good cause。 At such times they used to say that they were ‘Bloody well fed up' with the whole business and ‘Tired of tearing their bloody guts out for the benefit of other people' and every now and then some of these fellows would ‘chuck up' work； and go on the booze； sometimes stopping away for two or three days or a week at a time。 And then； when it was all over； they came back； very penitent； to ask for another ‘start'； but they generally found that their places had been filled。
If they happened to be good ‘sloggers' … men who made a practice of ‘tearing their guts out' when they did work … they were usually forgiven； and after being admonished by Misery； permitted to resume work； with the understanding that if ever it occurred again they would get the ‘infernal' … which means the final and irrevocable … sack。
There was once a job at a shop that had been a high…class restaurant kept by a renowned Italian chef。 It had been known as
‘MACARONI'S ROYAL ITALIAN CAFE'
Situated on the Grand Parade； it was a favourite resort of the ‘Elite'； who frequented it for afternoon tea and coffee and for little suppers after the theatre。
It had plate…glass windows； resplendent with gilding； marble…topped tables with snow white covers； vases of flowers； and all the other appurtenances of glittering cut glass and silver。 The obsequious waiters were in evening dress； the walls were covered with lofty plate…glass mirrors in carved and gilded frames； and at certain hours of the day and night an orchestra consisting of two violins and a harp discoursed selections of classic music。
But of late years the business had not been paying； and finally the proprietor went bankrupt and was sold out。 The place was shut up for several months before the shop was let to a firm of dealers in fancy articles； and the other part was transformed into flats。
Rushton had the contract for the work。 When the men went there to ‘do it up' they found the interior of the house in a state of indescribable filth： the ceilings discoloured with smoke and hung with cobwebs； the wallpapers smeared and black with grease； the handrails and the newel posts of the staircase were clammy with filth； and the edges of the doors near the handles were blackened with greasy dirt and finger…marks。 The tops of the skirtings； the mouldings of the doors； the sashes of the windows and the corners of the floors were thick with the accumulated dust of years。
In one of the upper rooms which had evidently been used as a nursery or playroom for the children of the renowned chef； the wallpaper for about two feet above the skirting was blackened with grease and ornamented with childish drawings made with burnt sticks and blacklead pencils； the door being covered with similar artistic efforts； to say nothing of some rude attempts at carving； evidently executed with an axe or a hammer。 But all this filth was nothing compared with the unspeakable condition of the kitchen and scullery； a detailed description of which would cause the blood of the reader to curdle； and each particular hair of his head to stand on end。
Let it suffice to say that the walls； the ceiling； the floor； the paintwork； the gas…stove； the kitchen range； the dresser and everything else were uniformly absolutely and literally … black。 And the black was composed of soot and grease。
In front of the window there was a fixture ？a kind of bench or table； deeply scored with marks of knives like a butcher's block。 The sill of the window was about six inches lower than the top of the table； so that between the glass of the lower sash of the window； which had evidently never been raised； and the back of the table； there was a long narrow cavity or trough； about six inches deep； four inches wide and as long as the width of the window； the sill forming the bottom of the cavity。
This trough was filled with all manner of abominations： fragments of fat and decomposed meat； legs of rabbits and fowls； vegetable matter； broken knives and forks； and hair： and the glass of the window was caked with filth