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with them and dropped into the letter…box at the office； which they had to pass on their way home。
As they turned away from the door； they were suddenly confronted by a policeman who flashed his lantern in their faces and demanded to know why they had tried the lock。。。
The next morning was a very busy one for Hunter； who had to see several new jobs commenced。 They were all small affairs。 Most of them would only take two or three days from start to finish。
Attending to this work occupied most of his morning； but all the same he managed to do the necessary business connected with the funeral； which he arranged to take place at two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon from the mortuary； where the coffin had been removed during the day； Hunter deciding that it would not look well to have the funeral start from the workshop。
Although Hunter had kept it as quiet as possible； there was a small crowd； including several old workmates of Philpot's who happened to be out of work； waiting outside the mortuary to see the funeral start； and amongst them were Bill Bates and the Semi…drunk； who were both sober。 Barrington and Owen were also there； having left work for the day in order to go to the funeral。 They were there too in a sense as the representatives of the other workmen； for Barrington carried a large wreath which had been subscribed for voluntarily by Rushton's men。 They could not all afford to lose the time to attend the funeral； although most of them would have liked to pay that tribute of regard to their old mate； so they had done this as the next best thing。 Attached to the wreath was a strip of white satin ribbon； upon which Owen had painted a suitable inscription。
Promptly at two o'clock the hearse and the mourning coach drove up with Hunter and the four bearers … Crass； Slyme； Payne and Sawkins； all dressed in black with frock coats and silk hats。 Although they were nominally attired in the same way； there was a remarkable dissimilarity in their appearance。 Crass's coat was of smooth； intensely black cloth； having been recently dyed； and his hat was rather low in the crown； being of that shape that curved outwards towards the top。 Hunter's coat was a kind of serge with a rather rusty cast of colour and his hat was very tall and straight； slightly narrower at the crown than at the brim。 As for the others； each of them had a hat of a different fashion and date； and their ‘black' clothes ranged from rusty brown to dark blue。
These differences were due to the fact that most of the garments had been purchased at different times from different second…hand clothes shops； and never being used except on such occasions as the present； they lasted for an indefinite time。
When the coffin was brought out and placed in the hearse； Hunter laid upon it the wreath that Barrington gave him； together with the another he had brought himself； which had a similar ribbon with the words： ‘From Rushton & Co。 With deep sympathy。'
Seeing that Barrington and Owen were the only occupants of the carriage； Bill Bates and the Semi…drunk came up to the door and asked if there was any objection to their coming and as neither Owen nor Barrington objected； they did not think it necessary to ask anyone else's permission； so they got in。
Meanwhile； Hunter had taken his position a few yards in front of the hearse and the bearers each his proper position； two on each side。 As the procession turned into the main road； they saw Snatchum standing at the corner looking very gloomy。 Hunter kept his eyes fixed straight ahead and affected not to see him； but Crass could not resist the temptation to indulge in a jeering smile； which so enraged Snatchum that he shouted out：
‘It don't matter！ I shan't lose much！ I can use it for someone else！'
The distance to the cemetery was about three miles； so as soon as they got out of the busy streets of the town； Hunter called a halt； and got up on the hearse beside the driver； Crass sat on the other side； and two of the other bearers stood in the space behind the driver's seat； the fourth getting up beside the driver of the coach； and then they proceeded at a rapid pace。
As they drew near to the cemetery they slowed down； and finally stopped when about fifty yards from the gate。 Then Hunter and the bearers resumed their former position； mid they passed through the open gate and up to the door of the church； where they were received by the clerk … a man in a rusty black cassock； who stood by while they carried the coffin in and placed it on a kind of elevated table which revolved on a pivot。 They brought it in footfirst； and as soon as they had placed it upon the table； the clerk swung it round so as to bring the foot of the coffin towards the door ready to be carried out again。
There was a special pew set apart for the undertakers； and in this Hunter and the bearers took their seats to await the arrival of the clergyman。 Barrington and the three others sat on the opposite side。 There was no altar or pulpit in this church； but a kind of reading desk stood on a slightly raised platform at the other end of the aisle。
After a wait of about ten minutes； the clergyman entered and； at once proceeding to the desk； began to recite in a rapid and wholly unintelligible manner the usual office。 If it had not been for the fact that each of his hearers had a copy of the words … for there was a little book in each pew … none of them would have been able to gather the sense of what the man was gabbling。 Under any other circumstances； the spectacle of a human being mouthing in this absurd way would have compelled laughter； and so would the suggestion that this individual really believed that he was addressing the Supreme Being。 His attitude and manner were contemptuously indifferent。 While he recited； intoned； or gabbled； the words of the office； he was reading the certificate and some other paper the clerk had placed upon the desk； and when he had finished reading these； his gaze wandered abstractedly round the chapel； resting for a long time with an expression of curiosity upon Bill Bates and the Semi…drunk； who were doing their best to follow in their books the words he was repeating。 He next turned his attention to his fingers； holding his hand away from him nearly at arm's length and critically examining the nails。
From time to time as this miserable mockery proceeded the clerk in the rusty black cassock mechanically droned out a sonorous ‘Ah…men'； and after the conclusion of the lesson the clergyman went out of the church； taking a short cut through the grave…stones and monuments； while the bearers again shouldered the coffin and followed the clerk to the grave。 When they arrived within a few yards of their destination； they were rejoined by the clergyman； who was waiting for them at the corner of one of the paths。 He put himself at the head of the procession with an open book in his hand； and as they walked slowly along； he resumed his reading or repetition of the words of the service。
He had on an old black cassock and a much soiled and slightly torn surplice。 The unseemly appearance of this dirty garment was heightened by the circumstance that he had not taken the trouble to adjust it properly。 It hung all lop…sided； showing about six inches more of the black cassock underneath one side than the other。 However； perhaps it is not right to criticize this person's appearance so severely； because the poor fellow was paid only seven…and…six for each burial； and as this was only the fourth funeral he had officiated at that day； probably he could not afford to wear clean linen … at any rate； not for the funerals of the lower classes。
He continued his unintelligible jargon while they were lowering the coffin into the grave； and those who happened to know the words of the office by heart were； with some difficulty； able to understand what he was saying：
‘Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of His great mercy to take unto Himself the soul of our Dear Brother here departed； we therefore commit his body to the ground； earth to earth； ashes to ashes； dust to dust …'
The earth fell from the clerk's hand and rattled on the lid of the coffin with a mournful sound； and when the clergyman had finished repeating the remainder of the service； he turned and walked away in the direction of the church。 Hunter and the rest of the funeral party made their way back towards the gate of the cemetery where the hearse and the carriage were waiting。
On their way they saw another funeral procession coming towards them。 It was a very plain…looking closed hearse with only one horse。 There was no undertaker in front and no bearers walked by the sides。
It was a pauper's funeral。
Three men； evidently dressed in their Sunday clothes； followed behind the hearse。 As they reached the church door； four old men who were dressed in ordinary everyday clothes； came forward and opening the hearse took out the coffin and carried it into the church； followed by the other three； who were evidently relatives of the deceased。 The four old men were paupers … inmates of the workhouse； who were paid sixpence each for acting as bearers。
They were just taking out the coffin from the hearse as Hunter's party was p