the ragged trousered philanthropists-第23章

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The　man's　body　was　found　in　the　kitchen；　lying　with　outstretched　arms　face　downwards　on　the　floor；　surrounded　by　the　blood　that　had　poured　from　the　wound　in　his　throat　which　had　evidently　been　inflicted　by　the　razor　that　was　grasped　in　his　right　hand。

No　particle　of　food　was　found　in　the　house；　and　on　a　nail　in　the　wall　in　the　kitchen　was　hung　a　piece　of　blood…smeared　paper　on　which　was　written　in　pencil：

‘This　is　not　my　crime；　but　society's。'

The　report　went　on　to　explain　that　the　deed　must　have　been　perpetrated　during　a　fit　of　temporary　insanity　brought　on　by　the　sufferings　the　man　had　endured。

‘Insanity！'　muttered　Owen；　as　he　read　this　glib　theory。　　‘Insanity！　It　seems　to　me　that　he　would　have　been　insane　if　he　had　NOT　killed　them。'

Surely　it　was　wiser　and　better　and　kinder　to　send　them　all　to　sleep；　than　to　let　them　continue　to　suffer。

At　the　same　time　he　thought　it　very　strange　that　the　man　should　have　chosen　to　do　it　that　way；　when　there　were　so　many　other　cleaner；　easier　and　more　painless　ways　of　accomplishing　the　same　object。　　He　wondered　why　it　was　that　most　of　these　killings　were　done　in　more　or　less　the　same　crude；　cruel　messy　way。　　No；　HE　would　set　about　it　in　a　different　fashion。　　He　would　get　some　charcoal；　then　he　would　paste　strips　of　paper　over　the　joinings　of　the　door　and　windows　of　the　room　and　close　the　register　of　the　grate。　　Then　he　would　kindle　the　charcoal　on　a　tray　or　something　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　then　they　would　all　three　just　lie　down　together　and　sleep；　and　that　would　be　the　end　of　everything。　　There　would　be　no　pain；　no　blood；　and　no　mess。

Or　one　could　take　poison。　　Of　course；　there　was　a　certain　amount　of　difficulty　in　procuring　it；　but　it　would　not　be　impossible　to　find　some　pretext　for　buying　some　laudanum：　one　could　buy　several　small　quantities　at　different　shops　until　one　had　sufficient。　　Then　he　remembered　that　he　had　read　somewhere　that　vermillion；　one　of　the　colours　he　frequently　had　to　use　in　his　work；　was　one　of　the　most　deadly　poisons：　and　there　was　some　other　stuff　that　photographers　used；　which　was　very　easy　to　procure。　　Of　course；　one　would　have　to　be　very　careful　about　poisons；　so　as　not　to　select　one　that　would　cause　a　lot　of　pain。　　It　would　be　necessary　to　find　out　exactly　how　the　stuff　acted　before　using　it。　　It　would　not　be　very　difficult　to　do　so。　　Then　he　remembered　that　among　his　books　was　one　that　probably　contained　some　information　about　this　subject。　　He　went　over　to　the　book…shelf　and　presently　found　the　volume；　it　was　called　The　Cyclopedia　of　Practical　Medicine；　rather　an　old　book；　a　little　out　of　date；　perhaps；　but　still　it　might　contain　the　information　he　wanted。　　Opening　it；　he　turned　to　the　table　of　contents。　　Many　different　subjects　were　mentioned　there　and　presently　he　found　the　one　he　sought：

Poisons：　chemically；　physiologically　and　pathologically　considered。　　　　　Corrosive　Poisons。　　　　　Narcotic　Poisons。　　　　　Slow　Poisons。　　　　　Consecutive　Poisons。　　　　　Accumulative　Poisons。

He　turned　to　the　chapter　indicated　and；　reading　it；　he　was　astonished　to　find　what　a　number　of　poisons　there　were　within　easy　reach　of　whoever　wished　to　make　use　of　them：　poisons　that　could　be　relied　upon　to　do　their　work　certainly；　quickly　and　without　pain。　　Why；　it　was　not　even　necessary　to　buy　them：　one　could　gather　them　from　the　hedges　by　the　road　side　and　in　the　fields。

The　more　he　thought　of　it　the　stranger　it　seemed　that　such　a　clumsy　method　as　a　razor　should　be　so　popular。　　Why　almost　any　other　way　would　be　better　and　easier　than　that。　　Strangulation　or　even　hanging；　though　the　latter　method　could　scarcely　be　adopted　in　that　house；　because　there　were　no　beams　or　rafters　or　anything　from　which　it　would　be　possible　to　suspend　a　cord。　　Still；　he　could　drive　some　large　nails　or　hooks　into　one　of　the　walls。　　For　that　matter；　there　were　already　some　clothes…hooks　on　some　of　the　doors。　　He　began　to　think　that　this　would　be　an　even　more　excellent　way　than　poison　or　charcoal；　he　could　easily　pretend　to　Frankie　that　he　was　going　to　show　him　some　new　kind　of　play。

He　could　arrange　the　cord　on　the　hook　on　one　of　the　doors　and　then　under　pretence　of　play；　it　would　be　done。　　The　boy　would　offer　no　resistance；　and　in　a　few　minutes　it　would　all　be　over。

He　threw　down　the　book　and　pressed　his　hands　over　his　ears：　he　fancied　he　could　hear　the　boy's　hands　and　feet　beating　against　the　panels　of　the　door　as　he　struggled　in　his　death　agony。

Then；　as　his　arms　fell　nervelessly　by　his　side　again；　he　thought　that　he　heard　Frankie's　voice　calling。

‘Dad！　　Dad！'

Owen　hastily　opened　the　door。

‘Are　you　calling；　Frankie？'

‘Yes。　　I've　been　calling　you　quite　a　long　time。'

‘What　do　you　want？'

‘I　want　you　to　come　here。　　I　want　to　tell　you　something。'

‘Well；　what　is　it　dear？　　I　thought　you　were　asleep　a　long　time　ago；'　said　Owen　as　he　came　into　the　room。

‘That's　just　what　I　want　to　speak　to　you　about：　the　kitten's　gone　to　sleep　all　right；　but　I　can't　go。　　I've　tried　all　different　ways；　counting　and　all；　but　it's　no　use；　so　I　thought　I'd　ask　you　if　you'd　mind　coming　and　staying　with　me；　and　letting　me　hold　you　hand　for　a　little　while　and　the　p'raps　I　could　go。'

The　boy　twined　his　arms　round　Owen's　neck　and　hugged　him　very　tightly。

‘Oh；　Dad；　I　love　you　so　much！'　he　said。　　‘I　love　you　so　much；　I　could　squeeze　you　to　death。'

‘I'm　afraid　you　will；　if　you　squeeze　me　so　tightly　as　that。'

The　boy　laughed　softly　as　he　relaxed　his　hold。　　‘That　WOULD　be　a　funny　way　of　showing　you　how　much　I　love　you；　wouldn't　it；　Dad？　　Squeezing　you　to　death！'

‘Yes；　I　suppose　it　would；'　replied　Owen　huskily；　as　he　tucked　the　bedclothes　round　the　child's　shoulders。　　‘But　don't　talk　any　more；　dear；　just　hold　my　hand　and　try　to　sleep。'

‘All　right；'　said　Frankie。

Lying　there　very　quietly；　holding　his　father's　hand　and　occasionally　kissing　it；　the　child　presently　fell　asleep。　　Then　Owen　got　up　very　gently　and；　having　taken　the　kitten　out　of　the　bed　again　and　arranged　the　bedclothes；　he　softly　kissed　the　boy's　forehead　and　returned　to　the　other　room。

Looking　about　for　a　suitable　place　for　the　kitten　to　sleep　in；　he　noticed　Frankie's　toy　box；　and　having　emptied　the　toys　on　to　the　floor　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　he　made　a　bed　in　the　box　with　some　rags　and　placed　it　on　its　side　on　the　hearthrug；　facing　the　fire；　and　with　some　difficulty　persuaded　the　kitten　to　lie　in　it。　　Then；　having　placed　the　chairs　on　which　his　clothes　were　drying　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　fire；　he　went　into　the　bedroom。　　Nora　was　still　awake。

‘Are　you　feeling　any　better；　dear？'　he　said。

‘Yes；　I'm　ever　so　much　better　since　I've　been　in　bed；　but　I　can't　help　worrying　about　your　clothes。　　I'm　afraid　they'll　never　be　dry　enough　for　you　to　put　on　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。　　Couldn't　you　stay　at　home　till　after　breakfast；　just　for　once？'

‘No；　I　mustn't　do　that。　　If　I　did　Hunter　would　probably　tell　me　to　stay　away　altogether。　　I　believe　he　would　be　glad　of　an　excuse　to　get　rid　of　another　full…price　man　just　now。'

‘But　if　it's　raining　like　this　in　the　morning；　you'll　be　wet　through　before　you　get　there。'

‘It's　no　good　worrying　about　that　dear：　besides；　I　can　wear　this　old　coat　that　I　have　no　now；　over　the　other。'

‘And　if　you　wrap　your　old　shoes　in　some　paper；　and　take　them　with　you；　you　can　take　off　your　wet　boots　as　soon　as　you　get　to　the　place。'

‘Yes；　all　right；'　responded　Owen。　　‘Besides；'　he　added；　reassuringly；　‘even　if　I　do　get　a　little　wet；　we　always　have　a　fire　there；　you　know。'

‘Well；　I　hope　the　weather　will　be　a　little　better　than　this　in　the　morning；'　said　Nora。　　‘Isn't　it　a　dreadful　night！　　I　keep　feeling　afraid　that　the　house　is　going　to　be　blown　down。'

Long　after　Nora　was　asleep；　Owen　lay　listening　to　the　howling　of　the　wind　and　the　noise　of　the　rain　as　it　poured　heavily　on　the　roof　。。。



Chapter　7

The　Exterminating　Machines


‘Come　on；　Saturday！'　shouted　Philpot；　just　after　seven　o'clock　one　Monday　morning　as　they　were　getting　ready　to　commence　work。

It　was　still　dark　outside；　but　the　scullery　was　dimly　illuminated　by　the　flickering　light　of　two　candles　which　Crass　had　lighted　and　stuck　on　the　shelf　over　the　fireplace　in　order　to　enable　him　to　see