the ragged trousered philanthropists-第20章

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imself；　for　he　was　always　entreating　her　to　cut　it　off。

Presently　the　boy　stood　up　and　walking　gravely　over　to　the　window；　looked　down　into　the　street；　scanning　the　pavement　for　as　far　as　he　could　see：　he　had　been　doing　this　at　intervals　for　the　last　hour。

‘I　wonder　wherever　he's　got　to；'　he　said；　as　he　returned　to　the　fire。

‘I'm　sure　I　don't　know；'　returned　his　mother。　　‘Perhaps　he's　had　to　work　overtime。'

‘You　know；　I've　been　thinking　lately；'　observed　Frankie；　after　a　pause；　‘that　it's　a　great　mistake　for　Dad　to　go　out　working　at　all。　　I　believe　that's　the　very　reason　why　we're　so　poor。'

‘Nearly　everyone　who　works　is　more　or　less　poor；　dear；　but　if　Dad　didn't　go　out　to　work　we'd　be　even　poorer　than　we　are　now。　　We　should　have　nothing　to　eat。'

‘But　Dad　says　that　the　people　who　do　nothing　get　lots　of　everything。'

‘Yes；　and　it's　quite　true　that　most　of　the　people　who　never　do　any　work　get　lots　of　everything；　but　where　do　they　get　it　from？　　And　how　do　they　get　it？'

‘I'm　sure　i　don't　know；'　replied　Frankie；　shaking　his　head　in　a　puzzled　fashion。

‘Supposing　Dad　didn't　go　to　work；　or　that　he　had　no　work　to　go　to；　or　that　he　was　ill　and　not　able　to　do　any　work；　then　we'd　have　no　money　to　buy　anything。　　How　should　we　get　on　then？'

‘I'm　sure　I　don't　know；'　repeated　Frankie；　looking　round　the　room　in　a　thoughtful　manner；　‘The　chairs　that's　left　aren't　good　enough　to　sell；　and　we　can't　sell　the　beds；　or　your　sofa；　but　you　might　pawn　my　velvet　suit。'

‘But　even　if　all　the　things　were　good　enough　to　sell；　the　money　we'd　get　for　them　wouldn't　last　very　long；　and　what　should　we　do　then？'

‘Well；　I　suppose　we'd　have　to　go　without；　that's　all；　the　same　as　we　did　when　Dad　was　in　London　。'

‘But　how　do　the　people　who　never　do　any　work　manage　to　get　lots　of　money　then？'　added　Frankie。

‘Oh；　there's　lots　of　different　ways。　　For　instance；　you　remember　when　Dad　was　in　London；　and　we　had　no　food　in　the　house；　I　had　to　sell　the　easy　chair。'

Frankie　nodded。　　‘Yes；'　he　said；　‘I　remember　you　wrote　a　note　and　I　took　it　to　the　shop；　and　afterwards　old　Didlum　came　up　here　and　bought　it；　and　then　his　cart　came　and　a　man　took　it　away。'

‘And　do　you　remember　how　much　he　gave　us　for　it？'

‘Five　shillings；'　replied　Frankie；　promptly。　　He　was　well　acquainted　with　the　details　of　the　transaction；　having　often　heard　his　father　and　mother　discuss　it。

‘And　when　we　saw　it　in　his　shop　window　a　little　while　afterwards；　what　price　was　marked　on　it？'

'Fifteen　shillings。'

Well；　that's　one　way　of　getting　money　without　working。

Frankie　played　with　his　toys　in　silence　for　some　minutes。　　At　last　he　said：

‘What　other　ways？'

‘Some　people　who　have　some　money　already　get　more　in　this　way：　they　find　some　people　who　have　no　money　and　say　to　them；　〃Come　and　work　for　us。〃　　Then　the　people　who　have　the　money　pay　the　workers　just　enough　wages　to　keep　them　alive　whilst　they　are　at　work。　　Then；　when　the　things　that　the　working　people　have　been　making　are　finished；　the　workers　are　sent　away；　and　as　they　still　have　no　money；　they　are　soon　starving。　　In　the　meantime　the　people　who　had　the　money　take　all　the　things　that　the　workers　have　made　and　sell　them　for　a　great　deal　more　money　than　they　gave　to　the　workers　for　making　them。　　That's　another　way　of　getting　lots　of　money　without　doing　any　useful　work。'

‘But　is　there　no　way　to　get　rich　without　doing　such　things　as　that？'

‘It's　not　possible　for　anyone　to　become　rich　without　cheating　other　people。'

‘What　about　our　schoolmaster　then？　　He　doesn't　do　any　work。'

‘Don't　you　think　it's　useful　and　and　also　very　hard　work　teaching　all　those　boys　every　day？　　I　don't　think　I　should　like　to　have　to　do　it。'

‘Yes；　I　suppose　what　he　does　is　some　use；'　said　Frankie　thoughtfully。　‘And　it　must　be　rather　hard　too；　I　should　think。　　I've　noticed　he　looks　a　bit　worried　sometimes；　and　sometimes　he　gets　into　a　fine　old　wax　when　the　boys　don't　pay　proper　attention。'

The　child　again　went　over　to　the　window；　and　pulling　back　the　edge　of　the　blind　looked　down　the　deserted　rain　washed　street。

‘What　about　the　vicar？'　he　remarked　as　he　returned。

Although　Frankie　did　not　go　to　church　or　Sunday　School；　the　day　school　that　he　had　attended　was　that　attached　to　the　parish　church；　and　the　vicar　was　in　the　habit　of　looking　in　occasionally。

‘Ah；　he　really　is　one　of　those　who　live　without　doing　any　necessary　work；　and　of　all　the　people　who　do　nothing；　the　vicar　is　one　of　the　very　worst。'

Frankie　looked　up　at　his　mother　with　some　surprise；　not　because　he　entertained　any　very　high　opinion　of　clergymen　in　general；　for；　having　been　an　attentive　listener　to　many　conversations　between　his　parents；　he　had　of　course　assimilated　their　opinions　as　far　as　his　infant　understanding　permitted；　but　because　at　the　school　the　scholars　were　taught　to　regard　the　gentleman　in　question　with　the　most　profound　reverence　and　respect。

‘Why；　Mum？'　he　asked。

‘For　this　reason；　dearie。　　You　know　that　all　the　beautiful　things　which　the　people　who　do　nothing　have　are　made　by　the　people　who　work；　don't　you？'

‘Yes。'

‘And　you　know　that　those　who　work　have　to　eat　the　very　worst　food；　and　wear　the　very　worst　clothes；　and　live　in　the　very　worst　homes。'

‘Yes；'　said　Frankie。

‘And　sometimes　they　have　nothing　to　eat　at　all；　and　no　clothes　to　wear　except　rags；　and　even　no　homes　to　live　in。'

‘Yes；'　repeated　the　child。

‘Well；　the　vicar　goes　about　telling　the　Idlers　that　it's　quite　right　for　them　to　do　nothing；　and　that　God　meant　them　to　have　nearly　everything　that　is　made　by　those　who　work。　　In　fact；　he　tells　them　that　God　made　the　poor　for　the　use　of　the　rich。　　Then　he　goes　to　the　workers　and　tells　them　that　God　meant　them　to　work　very　hard　and　to　give　all　the　good　things　they　make　to　those　who　do　nothing；　and　that　they　should　be　very　thankful　to　God　and　to　the　idlers　for　being　allowed　to　have　even　the　very　worst　food　to　eat　and　the　rags；　and　broken　boots　to　wear。　　He　also　tells　them　that　they　mustn't　grumble；　or　be　discontented　because　they're　poor　in　this　world；　but　that　they　must　wait　till　they're　dead；　and　then　God　will　reward　them　by　letting　them　go　to　a　place　called　Heaven。'

Frankie　laughed。

‘And　what　about　the　Idlers？'　he　asked。

‘The　vicar　says　that　if　they　believe　everything　he　tells　them　and　give　him　some　of　the　money　they　make　out　of　the　workers；　then　God　will　let　them　into　heaven　also。'

‘Well；　that's　not　fair　doos；　is　it；　Mum？'　said　Frankie　with　some　indignation。

‘It　wouldn't　be　if　it　were　true；　but　then　you　see　it's　not　true；　it　can't　be　true。'

‘Why　can't　it；　Mum？'

‘Oh；　for　many　reasons：　to　begin　with；　the　vicar　doesn't　believe　it　himself：　he　only　pretends　to。　　For　instance；　he　pretends　to　believe　the　Bible；　but　if　we　read　the　Bible　we　find　that　Jesus　said　that　God　is　our　father　and　that　all　the　people　in　the　world　are　His　children；　all　brothers　and　sisters。　　But　the　vicar　says　that　although　Jesus　said　〃brothers　and　sisters〃　He　really　ought　to　have　said　〃masters　and　servants〃。　　Again；　Jesus　said　that　His　disciples　should　not　think　of　tomorrow；　or　save　up　a　lot　of　money　for　themselves；　but　they　should　be　unselfish　and　help　those　who　are　in　need。　　Jesus　said　that　His　disciples　must　not　think　about　their　own　future　needs　at　all；　because　God　will　provide　for　them　if　they　only　do　as　He　commands。　　But　the　vicar　says　that　is　all　nonsense。

‘Jesus　also　said　that　if　anyone　tried　to　do　His　disciples　harm；　they　must　never　resist；　but　forgive　those　who　injured　them　and　pray　God　to　forgive　them　also。　　But　the　vicar　says　this　is　all　nonsense　too。　　He　says　that　the　world　would　never　be　able　to　go　on　if　we　did　as　Jesus　taught。　　The　vicar　teaches　that　the　way　to　deal　with　those　that　injure　us　is　to　have　them　put　into　prison；　or　…　if　they　belong　to　some　other　country　…　to　take　guns　and　knives　and　murder　them；　and　burn　their　houses。　　So　you　see　the　vicar　doesn't　really　believe　or　do　any　of　the　things　that　Jesus　said：　he　only　pretends。'

‘But　why　does　he　pretend；　and　go　about　talking　like　that；　Mum？　　What　does　he　do　it　for？'

‘Because　he　wishes　to　live　without　working　himself；　dear。'

‘And　don't　the　people　know　he's　only　pretending？'

‘Some　of　them　do。　　Most　of　the　idlers　know　that　what　the　vi