the ragged trousered philanthropists-第157章

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Both　Sweater　and　Ammenegg　were　to　speak　at　two　other　meetings　that　night　and　were　not　expected　at　Windley　until　about　eight…thirty；　so　to　keep　the　ball　rolling　till　they　arrived；　several　other　gentlemen；　including　Rushton　…　who　presided　…　and　Didlum；　and　one　of　the　five　pounds　a　week　orators；　addressed　the　meeting。　　Mingled　with　the　crowd　were　about　twenty　rough…looking　men　…　strangers　to　the　town　…　who　wore　huge　green　rosettes　and　loudly　applauded　the　speakers。　　They　also　distributed　Sweater　literature　and　cards　with　lists　of　the　different　meetings　that　were　to　be　held　during　the　election。　　These　men　were　bullies　hired　by　Sweater's　agent。　　They　came　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Seven　Dials　in　London　and　were　paid　ten　shillings　a　day。　　One　of　their　duties　was　to　incite　the　crowd　to　bash　anyone　who　disturbed　the　meetings　or　tried　to　put　awkward　questions　to　the　speakers。

The　hired　orator　was　a　tall；　slight　man　with　dark　hair；　beard　and　moustache；　he　might　have　been　called　well…looking　if　it　had　not　been　for　a　ugly　scar　upon　his　forehead；　which　gave　him　a　rather　sinister　appearance。　　He　was　an　effective　speaker；　the　audience　punctuated　his　speech　with　cheers；　and　when　he　wound　up　with　an　earnest　appeal　to　them　…　as　working　men　…　to　vote　for　Adam　Sweater；　their　enthusiasm　knew　no　bounds。

‘I've　seen　him　somewhere　before；'　remarked　Barrington；　who　was　standing　in　the　crowd　with　Harlow；　Owen　and　Easton。

‘So　have　I；'　said　Owen；　with　a　puzzled　expression。　　‘But　for　the　life　of　me；　I　can't　remember　where。'

Harlow　and　Easton　also　thought　they　had　seen　the　man　before；　but　their　speculations　were　put　an　end　to　by　the　roar　of　cheering　that　heralded　the　arrival　of　the　motor　car；　containing　Adam　Sweater　and　his　friend；　Lord　Ammenegg。　　Unfortunately；　those　who　had　arranged　the　meeting　had　forgotten　to　provide　a　pair　of　steps；　so　Sweater　found　it　a　matter　of　considerable　difficulty　to　mount　the　platform。　　However；　while　his　friends　were　hoisting　and　pushing　him　up；　the　meeting　beguiled　the　time　by　singing：


　　　　　　　　‘Vote；　vote；　vote　for　Adam　Sweater。'

After　a　terrible　struggle　they　succeeded　in　getting　him　on　to　the　cart；　and　while　he　was　recovering　his　wind；　Rushton　made　a　few　remarks　to　the　crowd。　　Sweater　then　advanced　to　the　front；　but　in　consequence　of　the　cheering　and　singing；　he　was　unable　to　make　himself　heard　for　several　minutes。

When　at　length　he　was　able　to　proceed；　ho　made　a　very　clever　speech　…　it　had　been　specially　written　for　him　and　had　cost　ten　guineas。　　A　large　part　of　it　consisted　of　warnings　against　the　dangers　of　Socialism。　　Sweater　had　carefully　rehearsed　this　speech　and　he　delivered　it　very　effectively。　　Some　of　those　Socialists；　he　said；　were　well…meaning　but　mistaken　people；　who　did　not　realize　the　harm　that　would　result　if　their　extraordinary　ideas　were　ever　put　into　practice。　　He　lowered　his　voice　to　a　blood…curdling　stage　whisper　as　he　asked：

‘What　is　this　Socialism　that　we　hear　so　much　about；　but　which　so　few　understand？　What　is　it；　and　what　does　it　mean？'

Then；　raising　his　voice　till　it　rang　through　the　air　and　fell　upon　the　ears　of　the　assembled　multitude　like　the　clanging　of　a　funeral　bell；　he　continued：

‘It　is　madness！　　Chaos！　　Anarchy！　　It　means　Ruin！　　Black　Ruin　for　the　rich；　and　consequently；　of　course；　Blacker　Ruin　still　for　the　poor！'

As　Sweater　paused；　a　thrill　of　horror　ran　through　the　meeting。　　Men　wearing　broken　boots　and　with　patches　upon　the　seats　and　knees；　and　ragged　fringes　round　the　bottoms　of　the　legs　of　their　trousers；　grew　pale；　and　glanced　apprehensively　at　each　other。　　If　ever　Socialism　did　come　to　pass；　they　evidently　thought　it　very　probable　that　they　would　have　to　walk　about　in　a　sort　of　prehistoric　highland　costume；　without　any　trousers　or　boots　at　all。

Toil…worn　women；　most　of　them　dressed　in　other　women's　shabby　cast…off　clothing　…　weary；　tired…looking　mothers　who　fed　their　children　for　the　most　part　on　adulterated　tea；　tinned　skimmed　milk　and　bread　and　margarine；　grew　furious　as　they　thought　of　the　wicked　Socialists　who　were　trying　to　bring　Ruin　upon　them。

It　never　occurred　to　any　of　these　poor　people　that　they　were　in　a　condition　of　Ruin；　Black　Ruin；　already。　　But　if　Sweater　had　suddenly　found　himself　reduced　to　the　same　social　condition　as　the　majority　of　those　he　addressed；　there　is　not　much　doubt　that　he　would　have　thought　that　he　was　in　a　condition　of　Black　Ruin。

The　awful　silence　that　had　fallen　on　the　panic…stricken　crowd；　was　presently　broken　by　a　ragged…trousered　Philanthropist；　who　shouted　out：

‘We　knows　wot　they　are；　sir。　　Most　of　'em　is　chaps　wot's　got　tired　of　workin'　for　their　livin'；　so　they　wants　us　to　keep　'em。'

Encouraged　by　numerous　expressions　of　approval　from　the　other　Philanthropists；　the　man　continued：

‘But　we　ain't　such　fools　as　they　thinks；　and　so　they'll　find　out　next　Monday。　　Most　of　'em　wants　'angin'；　and　I　wouldn't　mind　lendin'　a　'and　with　the　rope　myself。'

Applause　and　laughter　greeted　these　noble　sentiments；　and　Sweater　resumed　his　address；　when　another　man　…　evidently　a　Socialist　…　for　he　was　accompanied　by　three　or　four　others　who　like　himself　wore　red　ties　…　interrupted　and　said　that　he　would　like　to　ask　him　a　question。　　No　notice　was　taken　of　this　request　either　by　Mr　Sweater　or　the　chairman；　but　a　few　angry　cries　of　‘Order！'　came　from　the　crowd。　　Sweater　continued；　but　the　man　again　interrupted　and　the　cries　of　the　crowd　became　more　threatening。　　Rushton　started　up　and　said　that　he　could　not　allow　the　speaker　to　be　interrupted；　but　if　the　gentleman　would　wait　till　the　end　of　the　meeting；　he　would　have　an　opportunity　of　asking　his　question　then。

The　man　said　he　would　wait　as　desired；　Sweater　resumed　his　oration；　and　presently　the　interrupter　and　his　friends　found　themselves　surrounded　by　the　gang　of　hired　bullies　who　wore　the　big　rosettes　and　who　glared　menacingly　at　them。

Sweater　concluded　his　speech　with　an　appeal　to　the　crowd　to　deal　a　‘Slashing　Bow　at　the　Enemy'　next　Monday；　and　then　amid　a　storm　of　applause；　Lord　Ammenegg　stepped　to　the　front。　　He　said　that　he　did　not　intend　to　inflict　a　long　speech　upon　them　that　evening；　and　as　it　was　nomination　day　tomorrow　he　would　not　be　able　to　have　the　honour　of　addressing　them　again　during　the　election；　but　even　if　he　had　wished　to　make　a　long　speech；　it　would　be　very　difficult　after　the　brilliant　and　eloquent　address　they　had　just　listened　to　from　Mr　Sweater；　for　it　seemed　to　him　（Ammenegg）　that　Adam　Sweater　had　left　nothing　for　anyone　else　to　say。　　But　he　would　like　to　tell　them　of　a　Thought　that　had　occurred　to　him　that　evening。　　They　read　in　the　Bible　that　the　Wise　Men　came　from　the　East。　　Windley；　as　they　all　knew；　was　the　East　end　of　the　town。　　They　were　the　men　of　the　East；　and　he　was　sure　that　next　Monday　they　would　prove　that　they　were　the　Wise　Men　of　the　East；　by　voting　for　Adam　Sweater　and　putting　him　at　the　top　of　the　poll　with　a　‘Thumping　Majority'。

The　Wise　Men　of　the　East　greeted　Ammenegg's　remarks　with　prolonged；　imbecile　cheers；　and　amid　the　tumult　his　Lordship　and　Sweater　got　into　the　motor　car　and　cleared　off　without　giving　the　man　with　the　red　tie　or　anyone　else　who　desired　to　ask　questions　any　opportunity　of　doing　so。　　Rushton　and　the　other　leaders　got　into　another　motor　car；　and　followed　the　first　to　take　part　in　another　meeting　down…town；　which　was　to　be　addressed　by　the　great　Sir　Featherstone　Blood。

The　crowd　now　resolved　itself　into　military　order；　headed　by　the　men　with　torches　and　a　large　white　banner　on　which　was　written　in　huge　black　letters；　‘Our　man　is　Adam　Sweater'。

They　marched　down　the　hill　singing；　and　when　they　reached　the　Fountain　on　the　Grand　Parade　they　saw　another　crowd　holding　a　meeting　there。　These　were　Tories　and　they　became　so　infuriated　at　the　sound　of　the　Liberal　songs　and　by　the　sight　of　the　banner；　that　they　abandoned　their　meeting　and　charged　the　processionists。　　A　free　fight　ensued。　Both　sides　fought　like　savages；　but　as　the　Liberals　were　outnumbered　by　about　three　to　one；　they　were　driven　off　the　field　with　great　slaughter；　most　of　the　torch　poles　were　taken　from　them；　and　the　banner　was　torn　to　ribbons。　　Then　the　Tories　went　back　to　the　Fountain　carrying　the　captured　torches；　and　singing　to　th