the ragged trousered philanthropists-第18章

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It　clambered　up　the　tablecloth　and　began　rushing　all　over　the　table；　darting　madly　from　one　plate　to　another；　seeking　something　to　eat。

The　children　screamed　with　delight。　　Their　grandmother　was　filled　with　a　feeling　of　superstitious　alarm。　　Linden　and　the　young　woman　stood　staring　with　astonishment　at　the　unexpected　visitor。

Before　the　kitten　had　time　to　do　any　damage；　Owen　caught　hold　of　it　and；　despite　its　struggles；　lifted　it　off　the　table。

‘I　found　it　in　the　street　as　I　was　coming　along；'　he　said。　　‘It　seems　to　be　starving。'

‘Poor　little　thing。　　I'll　give　it　something。'　exclaimed　the　young　woman。

She　put　some　milk　and　bread　into　a　saucer　for　it　and　the　kitten　ate　ravenously；　almost　upsetting　the　saucer　in　its　eagerness；　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　two　children；　who　stood　by　watching　it　admiringly。

Their　mother　now　handed　Owen　a　cup　of　tea。　　Linden　insisted　on　his　sitting　down　and　then　began　to　talk　about　Hunter。

‘You　know　I　HAD　to　spend　some　time　on　them　doors　to　make　'em　look　anything　at　all；　but　it　wasn't　the　time　I　took；　or　even　the　smoking　what　made　'im　go　on　like　that。　　He　knows　very　well　the　time　it　takes。　The　real　reason　is　that　he　thinks　I　was　gettin'　too　much　money。　　Work　is　done　so　rough　nowadays　that　chaps　like　Sawkins　is　good　enough　for　most　of　it。　　Hunter　shoved　me　off　just　because　I　was　getting　the　top　money；　and　you'll　see　I　won't　be　the　only　one。'

‘I'm　afraid　you're　right；'　returned　Owen。　　‘Did　you　see　Rushton　when　you　went　for　your　money？'

‘Yes；'　replied　Linden。　　‘I　hurried　up　as　fast　as　I　could；　but　Hunter　was　there　first。　　He　passed　me　on　his　bike　before　I　got　half…way；　so　I　suppose　he　told　his　tale　before　I　came。　　Anyway；　when　I　started　to　speak　to　Mr　Rushton　he　wouldn't　listen。　　Said　he　couldn't　interfere　between　Mr　Hunter　and　the　men。#

‘Ah！　　They're　a　bad　lot；　them　two；'　said　the　old　woman；　shaking　her　head　sagely。　　‘But　it'll　all　come　'ome　to　'em；　you'll　see。　　They'll　never　prosper。　　The　Lord　will　punish　them。'

Owen　did　not　feel　very　confident　of　that。　　Most　of　the　people　he　knew　who　had　prospered　were　very　similar　in　character　to　the　two　worthies　in　question。　　However；　he　did　not　want　to　argue　with　this　poor　old　woman。

‘When　Tom　was　called　up　to　go　to　the　war；'　said　the　young　woman；　bitterly；　'Mr　Rushton　shook　hands　with　him　and　promised　to　give　him　a　job　when　he　came　back。　　But　now　that　poor　Tom's　gone　and　they　know　that　me　and　the　children's　got　no　one　to　look　to　but　Father；　they　do　THIS。'

Although　at　the　mention　of　her　dead　son's　name　old　Mrs　Linden　was　evidently　distressed；　she　was　still　mindful　of　the　Atheist's　presence；　and　hastened　to　rebuke　her　daughter…in…law。

‘You　shouldn't　say　we've　got　no　one　to　look　to；　Mary；'　she　said。　‘We're　not　as　them　who　are　without　God　and　without　hope　in　the　world。　The　Lord　is　our　shepherd。　　He　careth　for　the　widow　and　the　fatherless。'

Owen　was　very　doubtful　about　this　also。　　He　had　seen　so　many　badly　cared…for　children　about　the　streets　lately；　and　what　he　remembered　of　his　own　sorrowful　childhood　was　all　evidence　to　the　contrary。

An　awkward　silence　succeeded。　　Owen　did　not　wish　to　continue　this　conversation：　he　was　afraid　that　he　might　say　something　that　would　hurt　the　old　woman。　　Besides；　he　was　anxious　to　get　away；　he　began　to　feel　cold　in　his　wet　clothes。

As　he　put　his　empty　cup　on　the　table　he　said：

‘Well；　I　must　be　going。　　They'll　be　thinking　I'm　lost；　at　home。'

The　kitten　had　finished　all　the　bread　and　milk　and　was　gravely　washing　its　face　with　one　of　its　forepaws；　to　the　great　admiration　of　the　two　children；　who　were　sitting　on　the　floor　beside　it。　　It　was　an　artful…looking　kitten；　all　black；　with　a　very　large　head　and　a　very　small　body。　　It　reminded　Owen　of　a　tadpole。

‘Do　you　like　cats？'　he　asked；　addressing　the　children。

‘Yes；'　said　the　boy。　　‘Give　it　to　us；　will　you；　mister？'

‘Oh；　do　leave　it　'ere；　mister；'　exclaimed　the　little　girl。　　‘I'll　look　after　it。'

‘So　will　I；'　said　the　boy　。

‘But　haven't　you　one　of　your　own？'　asked　Owen。

‘Yes；　we've　got　a　big　one。'

‘Well；　if　you　have　one　already　and　I　give　you　this；　then　you'd　have　two　cats；　and　I'd　have　none。　　That　wouldn't　be　fair；　would　it？'

‘Well；　you　can　'ave　a　lend　of　our　cat　for　a　little　while　if　you　give　us　this　kitten；'　said　the　boy；　after　a　moment's　thought。

‘Why　would　you　rather　have　the　kitten？'

‘Because　it　would　play：　our　cat　don't　want　to　play；　it's　too　old。'

‘Perhaps　you're　too　rough　with　it；'　returned　Owen。

‘No；　it　ain't　that；　it's　just　because　it's　old。'

‘You　know　cats　is　just　the　same　as　people；'　explained　the　little　girl；　wisely。　　‘When　they're　grown　up　I　suppose　they've　got　their　troubles　to　think　about。'

Owen　wondered　how　long　it　would　be　before　her　troubles　commenced。　　As　he　gazed　at　these　two　little　orphans　he　thought　of　his　own　child；　and　of　the　rough　and　thorny　way　they　would　all　three　have　to　travel　if　they　were　so　unfortunate　as　to　outlive　their　childhood。

‘Can　we　'ave　it；　mister？'　repeated　the　boy。

Owen　would　have　liked　to　grant　the　children's　request；　but　he　wanted　the　kitten　himself。　　Therefore　he　was　relieved　when　their　grandmother　exclaimed：

‘We　don't　want　no　more　cats　'ere：　we've　got　one　already；　that's　quite　enough。'

She　was　not　yet　quite　satisfied　in　her　mind　that　the　creature　was　not　an　incarnation　of　the　Devil；　but　whether　it　was　or　not　she　did　not　want　it；　or　anything　else　of　Owen's；　in　this　house。　　She　wished　he　would　go；　and　take　his　kitten　or　his　familiar　or　whatever　it　was；　with　him。　No　good　could　come　of　his　being　there。　　Was　it　not　written　in　the　Word：　‘If　any　man　love　not　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　let　him　be　Anathema　Maran…atha。'　　She　did　not　know　exactly　what　Anathema　Maran…atha　meant；　but　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　it　was　something　very　unpleasant。　　It　was　a　terrible　thing　that　this　blasphemer　who　…　as　she　had　heard　…　did　not　believe　there　was　a　Hell　and　said　that　the　Bible　was　not　the　Word　of　God；　should　be　here　in　the　house　sitting　on　one　of　their　chairs；　drinking　from　one　of　their　cups；　and　talking　to　their　children。

The　children　stood　by　wistfully　when　Owen　put　the　kitten　under　his　coat　and　rose　to　go　away。

As　Linden　prepared　to　accompany　him　to　the　front　door；　Owen；　happening　to　notice　a　timepiece　standing　on　a　small　table　in　the　recess　at　one　side　of　the　fireplace；　exclaimed：

‘That's　a　very　nice　clock。'

‘Yes；　it's　all　right；　ain't　it？'　said　old　Jack；　with　a　touch　of　pride。　‘Poor　Tom　made　that：　not　the　clock　itself；　but　just　the　case。'

It　was　the　case　that　had　attracted　Owen's　attention。　　It　stood　about　two　feet　high　and　was　made　of　fretwork　in　the　form　of　an　Indian　mosque；　with　a　pointed　dome　and　pinnacles。　　It　was　a　very　beautiful　thing　and　must　have　cost　many　hours　of　patient　labour。

‘Yes；'　said　the　old　woman；　in　a　trembling；　broken　voice；　and　looking　at　Owen　with　a　pathetic　expression。　　‘Months　and　months　he　worked　at　it；　and　no　one　ever　guessed　who　it　were　for。　　And　then；　when　my　birthday　came　round；　the　very　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　woke　up　in　the　morning　were　the　clock　standing　on　a　chair　by　the　bed　with　a　card：

　　　　　　　　　　　'To　dear　mother；　from　her　loving　son；　Tom。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Wishing　her　many　happy　birthdays。'

‘But　he　never　had　another　birthday　himself；　because　just　five　months　afterwards　he　were　sent　out　to　Africa；　and　he'd　only　been　there　five　weeks　when　he　died。　　Five　years　ago；　come　the　fifteenth　of　next　month。'

Owen；　inwardly　regretting　that　he　had　unintentionally　broached　so　painful　a　subject；　tried　to　think　of　some　suitable　reply；　but　had　to　content　himself　with　murmuring　some　words　of　admiration　of　the　work。

As　he　wished　her　good　night；　the　old　woman；　looking　at　him；　could　not　help　observing　that　he　appeared　very　frail　and　ill：　his　face　was　very　thin　and　pale；　and　his　eyes　were　unnaturally　bright。

Possibly　the　Lord　in　His　infinite　loving　kindness　and　mercy　was　chastening　this　unhappy　castaway　in　order　that　He　might　bring　him　to　Himself。　　After　all；　he　was　not　altogether　bad：　it　was　certainly　very　thoughtful　of　him　to　come　all　this　way　to　let　John　know　about　that　job。　　She　observed　that　he　had　no　overcoat；　and　the　storm　was　still　raging　fiercely　outside；　furious　gusts　of　wind　frequently　striking　the　hous