按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
‘Well； you can't expect me to give you my goods for nothing！ You didn't work for me for nothing； you know。 I paid you for your work and you should have saved something： you should have been thrifty like me。 Look how I have got on by being thrifty！'
The unemployed looked blankly at each other； but the rest of the crowd only laughed； and then the three unemployed began to abuse the kind…hearted Capitalist； demanding that he should give them some of the necessaries of life that he had piled up in his warehouses； or to be allowed to work and produce some more for their own needs； and even threatened to take some of the things by force if he did not comply with their demands。 But the kind…hearted Capitalist told them not to be insolent； and spoke to them about honesty； and said if they were not careful he would have their faces battered in for them by the police； or if necessary he would call out the military and have them shot down like dogs； the same as he had done before at Featherstone and Belfast。
‘Of course；' continued the kind…hearted capitalist； ‘if it were not for foreign competition I should be able to sell these things that you have made； and then I should be able to give you Plenty of Work again： but until I have sold them to somebody or other； or until I have used them myself； you will have to remain idle。'
‘Well； this takes the bloody biskit； don't it？' said Harlow。
‘The only thing as I can see for it；' said Philpot mournfully； ‘is to 'ave a unemployed procession。'
‘That's the idear；' said Harlow； and the three began to march about the room in Indian file； singing：
‘We've got no work to do…oo…oo' We've got no work to do…oo…oo！ Just because we've been workin' a dam sight too hard； Now we've got no work to do。'
As they marched round； the crowd jeered at them and made offensive remarks。 Crass said that anyone could see that they were a lot of lazy； drunken loafers who had never done a fair day's work in their lives and never intended to。
‘We shan't never get nothing like this； you know；' said Philpot。 ‘Let's try the religious dodge。'
‘All right；' agreed Harlow。 ‘What shall we give 'em？'
‘I know！' cried Philpot after a moment's deliberation。 ‘〃Let my lower lights be burning。〃 That always makes 'em part up。'
The three unemployed accordingly resumed their march round the room； singing mournfully and imitating the usual whine of street…singers：
‘Trim your fee…bil lamp me brither…in； Some poor sail…er tempest torst； Strugglin' 'ard to save the 'arb…er； Hin the dark…niss may be lorst； So let try lower lights be burning； Send 'er gleam acrost the wave； Some poor shipwrecked； struggling seaman； You may rescue； you may save。'
‘Kind frens；' said Philpot； removing his cap and addressing the crowd； ‘we're hall honest British workin' men； but we've been hout of work for the last twenty years on account of foreign competition and over…production。 We don't come hout 'ere because we're too lazy to work； it's because we can't get a job。 If it wasn't for foreign competition； the kind'earted Hinglish capitalists would be able to sell their goods and give us Plenty of Work； and if they could； I assure you that we should hall be perfectly willing and contented to go on workin' our bloody guts out for the benefit of our masters for the rest of our lives。 We're quite willin' to work： that's hall we arst for … Plenty of Work … but as we can't get it we're forced to come out 'ere and arst you to spare a few coppers towards a crust of bread and a night's lodgin'。'
As Philpot held out his cap for subscriptions； some of them attempted to expectorate into it； but the more charitable put in pieces of cinder or dirt from the floor； and the kind…hearted capitalist was so affected by the sight of their misery that he gave them one of the sovereigns he had in us pocket： but as this was of no use to them they immediately returned it to him in exchange for one of the small squares of the necessaries of life； which they divided and greedily devoured。 And when they had finished eating they gathered round the philanthropist and sang； ‘For he's a jolly good fellow；' and afterwards Harlow suggested that they should ask him if he would allow them to elect him to Parliament。
Chapter 22
The Phrenologist
The following morning … Saturday … the men went about their work in gloomy silence； there were but few attempts at conversation and no jests or singing。 The tenor of the impending slaughter pervaded the house。 Even those who were confident of being spared and kept on till the job was finished shared the general depression； not only out of sympathy for the doomed； but because they knew that a similar fate awaited themselves a little later on。
They all waited anxiously for Nimrod to come； but hour after hour dragged slowly by and he did not arrive。 At half past eleven some of those who had made up their minds that they were to be ‘stood still' began to hope that the slaughter was to be deferred for a few days： after all； there was plenty of work still to be done： even if all hands were kept on； the job could scarcely be finished in another week。 Anyhow； it would not be very long now before they would know one way or the other。 If he did not come before twelve； it was all right： all the hands were paid by the hour and were therefore entitled to an hour's notice。
Easton and Harlow were working together on the staircase； finishing the doors and other woodwork with white enamel。 The men had not been allowed to spend the time necessary to prepare this work in a proper manner； it had not been rubbed down smooth or properly filled up； and it had not had a sufficient number of coats of paint to make it solid white。 Now that the glossy enamel was put on； the work looked rather rough and shady。
‘It ain't 'arf all right； ain't it？' remarked Harlow； sarcastically； indicating the door he had just finished。
Easton laughed： 'I can't understand how people pass such work；' he said。
‘Old Sweater did make some remark about it the other day；' replied Harlow； ‘and I heard Misery tell 'im it was impossible to make a perfect job of such old doors。'
‘I believe that man's the biggest liar Gord ever made；' said Easton； an opinion in which Harlow entirely concurred。
‘I wonder what the time is？' said the latter after a pause。
‘I don't know exactly；' replied Easton； 'but it can't be far off twelve。'
‘'E don't seem to be comin'； does 'e？' Harlow continued。
‘No： and I shouldn't be surprised if 'e didn't turn up at all； now。 P'raps 'e don't mean to stop nobody today after all。'
They spoke in hushed tones and glanced cautiously about them fearful of being heard or observed。
‘This is a bloody life； ain't it？' Harlow said； bitterly。 ‘Workin' our guts out like a lot of slaves for the benefit of other people； and then as soon as they've done with you； you're chucked aside like a dirty rag。'
‘Yes： and I begin to think that a great deal of what Owen says is true。 But for my part I can't see 'Ow it's ever goin' to be altered； can you？'
Blowed if I know； mate。 But whether it can be altered or not； there's one thing very certain； it won't be done in our time。'
Neither of them seemed to think that if the ‘alteration' they spoke of were to be accomplished at all they themselves would have to help to bring it about。
‘I wonder what they're doin' about the venetian blinds？' said Easton。 ‘Is there anyone doin' em yet？'
‘I don't know； ain't 'eard nothing about 'em since the boy took 'em to the shop。'
There was quite a mystery about these blinds。 About a month ago they were taken to the paint…shop down at the yard to be repainted and re…harnessed； and since then nothing had been heard of them by the men working at the ‘Cave'。
‘P'hap's a couple of us will be sent there to do 'em next week；' remarked Harlow。
‘P'hap's so。 Most likely they'll 'ave to be done in a bloody 'urry at the last minute。'
Presently Harlow … who was very anxious to know what time it was … went downstairs to ask Slyme。 It was twenty minutes to twelve。
From the window of the room where Slyme was papering； one could see into the front garden。 Harlow paused a moment to watch Bundy and the labourers； who were still working in the trenches at the drains； and as he looked out he saw Hunter approaching the house。 Harlow drew back hastily and returned to his work； and as he went he passed the word to the other men； warning them of the approach of Misery。
Hunter entered ii his usual manner and； after crawling quietly about the house for about ten minutes； he went into the drawing room。
‘I see you're putting the finishing touches on at last；' he said。
‘Yes；' replied Owen。 ‘I've only got this bit of outlining to do now。'
‘Ah； well； it looks very nice； of course；' said Misery in a voice of mourning； ‘but we've lost money over it。 It's taken you a week longer to do than we allowed for； you said three weeks and it's taken you a month； and we only allowed for fifteen books of gold； but you've been and used twenty…three。'
‘You can hardly blame me for that； you know；' answered Owen。 ‘I could have got it done in the