the ragged trousered philanthropists-第25章

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e　put　into　a　handcart　which　he　pushed　or　dragged　after　him　to　the　distant　jobs。

That　first　winter　the　boy's　days　were　chiefly　spent　in　the　damp；　evil…smelling；　stone…flagged　paint…shop；　without　even　a　fire　to　warm　the　clammy　atmosphere。

But　in　all　this　he　had　seen　no　hardship。　　With　the　unconsciousness　of　boyhood；　he　worked　hard　and　cheerfully。　　As　time　went　on；　the　goal　of　his　childish　ambition　was　reached　…　he　was　sent　out　to　work　with　the　men！　　And　he　carried　the　same　spirit　with　him；　always　doing　his　best　to　oblige　those　with　whom　he　was　working。

He　tried　hard　to　learn；　and　to　be　a　good　boy；　and　he　succeeded；　fairly　well。

He　soon　became　a　favourite　with　Owen；　for　whom　he　conceived　a　great　respect　and　affection；　for　he　observed　that　whenever　there　was　any　special　work　of　any　kind　to　be　done　it　was　Owen　who　did　it。　　On　such　occasions；　Bert；　in　his　artful；　boyish　way；　would　scheme　to　be　sent　to　assist　Owen；　and　the　latter　whenever　possible　used　to　ask　that　the　boy　might　be　allowed　to　work　with　him。

Bert's　regard　for　Owen　was　equalled　in　intensity　by　his　dislike　of　Crass；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　jeering　at　the　boy's　aspirations。　‘There'll　be　plenty　of　time　for　you　to　think　about　doin'　fancy　work　after　you've　learnt　to　do　plain　painting；'　he　would　say。

This　morning；　when　he　had　finished　washing　up　the　cups　and　mugs；　Bert　returned　with　them　to　the　kitchen。

‘Now　let's　see；'　said　Crass；　thoughtfully；　‘You've　put　the　tea　in　the　pail；　I　s'pose。'

‘Yes。'

‘And　now　you　want　a　job；　don't　you？'

‘Yes；'　replied　the　boy。

‘Well；　get　a　bucket　of　water　and　that　old　brush　and　a　swab；　and　go　and　wash　off　the　old　whitewash　and　colouring　orf　the　pantry　ceiling　and　walls。'

‘All　right；'　said　Bert。　　When　he　got　as　far　as　the　door　leading　into　the　scullery　he　looked　round　and　said：

‘I've　got　to　git　them　three　bloaters　cooked　by　breakfast　time。'

‘Never　mind　about　that；'　said　Crass。　　‘I'll　do　them。'

Bert　got　the　pail　and　the　brush；　drew　some　water　from　the　tap；　got　a　pair　of　steps　and　a　short　plank；　one　end　of　which　he　rested　on　the　bottom　shelf　of　the　pantry　and　the　other　on　the　steps；　and　proceeded　to　carry　out　Crass's　instructions。

It　was　very　cold　and　damp　and　miserable　in　the　pantry；　and　the　candle　only　made　it　seem　more　so。　　Bert　shivered：　he　would　like　to　have　put　his　jacket　on；　but　that　was　out　of　the　question　at　a　job　like　this。　He　lifted　the　bucket　of　water　on　to　one　of　the　shelves　and；　climbing　up　on　to　the　plank；　took　the　brush　from　the　water　and　soaked　about　a　square　yard　of　the　ceiling；　then　he　began　to　scrub　it　with　the　brush。

He　was　not　very　skilful　yet；　and　as　he　scrubbed　the　water　ran　down　over　the　stock　of　the　brush；　over　his　hand　and　down　his　uplifted　arm；　wetting　the　turned…up　sleeves　of　his　shirt。　　When　he　had　scrubbed　it　sufficiently　he　rinsed　it　off　as　well　as　he　could　with　the　brush；　and　then；　to　finish　with；　he　thrust　his　hand　into　the　pail　of　water　and；　taking　out　the　swab；　wrung　the　water　out　of　it　and　wiped　the　part　of　the　ceiling　that　he　had　washed。　　Then　he　dropped　it　back　into　the　pail；　and　shook　his　numbed　fingers　to　restore　the　circulation。　　Then　he　peeped　into　the　kitchen；　where　Crass　was　still　seated　by　the　fire；　smoking　and　toasting　one　of　the　bloaters　at　the　end　of　a　pointed　stick。　　Bert　wished　he　would　go　upstairs；　or　anywhere；　so　that　he　himself　might　go　and　have　a　warm　at　the　fire。

‘'E　might　just　as　well　'ave　let　me　do　them　bloaters；'　he　muttered　to　himself；　regarding　Crass　malignantly　through　the　crack　of　the　door。　‘This　is　a　fine　job　to　give　to　anybody　…　a　cold　mornin'　like　this。'

He　shifted　the　pail　of　water　a　little　further　along　the　shelf　and　went　on　with　the　work。

A　little　later；　Crass；　still　sitting　by　the　fire；　heard　footsteps　approaching　along　the　passage。　　He　started　up　guiltily　and；　thrusting　the　hand　holding　his　pipe　into　his　apron　pocket；　retreated　hastily　into　the　scullery。　　He　thought　it　might　be　Hunter；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　turning　up　at　all　sorts　of　unlikely　times；　but　it　was　only　Easton。

‘I've　got　a　bit　of　bacon　I　want　the　young　'un　to　toast　for　me；'　he　said　as　Crass　came　back。

‘You　can　do　it　yourself　if　you　like；'　replied　Crass　affably；　looking　at　his　watch。　　‘It's　about　ten　to　eight。'

Easton　had　been　working　for　Rushton　&　Co。　for　a　fortnight；　and　had　been　wise　enough　to　stand　Crass　a　drink　on　several　occasions：　he　was　consequently　in　that　gentleman's　good　books　for　the　time　being。

‘How　are　you　getting　on　in　there？'　Crass　asked；　alluding　to　the　work　Easton　and　Owen　were　doing　in　the　drawing…room。　　‘You　ain't　fell　out　with　your　mate　yet；　I　s'pose？'

‘No；　'e　ain't　got　much　to　say　this　morning；　'is　cough's　pretty　bad。　　I　can　generally　manage　to　get　on　orl　right　with　anybody；　you　know；'　Easton　added。

‘Well；　so　can　I　as　a　rule；　but　I　get　a　bit　sick　listening　to　that　bloody　fool。　　Accordin'　to　'im；　everything's　wrong。　　One　day　it's　religion；　another　it's　politics；　and　the　next　it's　something　else。'

‘Yes；　it　is　a　bit　thick；　too　much　of　it；'　agreed　Easton；　‘but　I　don't　take　no　notice　of　the　bloody　fool：　that's　the　best　way。'

‘Of　course；　we　know　that　things　is　a　bit　bad　just　now；'　Crass　went　on；　‘but　if　the　likes　of　'im　could　'ave　their　own　way　they'd　make　'em　a　bloody　sight　worse。'

‘That's　just　what　I　say；'　replied　Easton。

‘I've　got　a　pill　ready　for　'im；　though；　next　time　'e　start　yappin'；'　Crass　continued　as　he　drew　a　small　piece　of　printed　paper　from　his　waistcoat　pocket。　　‘Just　read　that；　it's　out　of　the　Obscurer。'

Easton　took　the　newspaper　cutting　and　read　it：　‘Very　good；'　he　remarked　as　he　handed　it　back。

‘Yes；　I　think　that'll　about　shut　'im　up。　　Did　yer　notice　the　other　day　when　we　was　talking　about　poverty　and　men　bein'　out　of　work；　'ow　'e　dodged　out　of　answerin'　wot　I　said　about　machinery　bein'　the　cause　of　it？　　　'e　never　answered　me！　　Started　talkin'　about　something　else。'

‘Yes；　I　remember　'e　never　answered　it；'　said　Easton；　who　had　really　no　recollection　of　the　incident　at　all。

‘I　mean　to　tackle　'im　about　it　at　breakfast…time。　　I　don't　see　why　'e　should　be　allowed　to　get　out　of　it　like　that。　　There　was　a　bloke　down　at　the　〃Cricketers〃　the　other　night　talkin'　about　the　same　thing　…　a　chap　as　takes　a　interest　in　politics　and　the　like；　and　'e　said　the　very　same　as　me。　　Why；　the　number　of　men　what's　been　throwed　out　of　work　by　all　this　'ere　new…fangled　machinery　is　something　chronic！'

‘Of　course；'　agreed　Easton；　‘everyone　knows　it。'

‘You　ought　to　give　us　a　look　in　at　the　〃Cricketers〃　some　night。　There's　a　lot　of　decent　chaps　comes　there。'

‘Yes；　I　think　I　will。'

‘What　'ouse　do　you　usually　use？'　asked　Crass　after　a　pause。

Easton　laughed。　　‘Well；　to　tell　you　the　truth　I've　not　used　anywhere's　lately。　　Been　'avin　too　many　'ollerdays。'

‘That　do　make　a　bit　of　difference；　don't　it？'　said　Crass。　　‘But　you'll　be　all　right　'ere；　till　this　job's　done。　　Just　watch　yerself　a　bit；　and　don't　get　comin'　late　in　the　mornin's。　　Old　Nimrod's　dead　nuts　on　that。'

‘I'll　see　to　that　all　right；'　replied　Easton。　　‘I　don't　believe　in　losing　time　when　there　IS　work　to　do。　　It's　bad　enough　when　you　can't　get　it。'

‘You　know；'　Crass　went　on；　confidentially。　　‘Between　me　an'　you　an'　the　gatepost；　as　the　sayin'　is；　I　don't　think　Mr　bloody　Owen　will　be　'ere　much　longer。　　Nimrod　'ates　the　sight　of　'im。'

Easton　had　it　in　his　mind　to　say　that　Nimrod　seemed　to　hate　the　sight　of　all　of　them：　but　he　made　no　remark；　and　Crass　continued：

‘'E's　'eard　all　about　the　way　Owen　goes　on　about　politics　and　religion；　an'　one　thing　an'　another；　an'　about　the　firm　scampin'　the　work。　　You　know　that　sort　of　talk　don't　do；　does　it？'

‘Of　course　not。'

‘'Unter　would　'ave　got　rid　of　'im　long　ago；　but　it　wasn't　'im　as　took　'im　on　in　the　first　place。　　It　was　Rushton　'imself　as　give　'im　a　start。　　It　seems　Owen　took　a　lot　of　samples　of　'is　work　an'　showed　'em　to　the　Bloke。'

‘Is　them　the　things　wot's　'angin'　up　in　the　shop…winder？'

‘Yes！'　said　Crass；　contemptuously。　　‘But　'e's　no　good　on　plain　work。　Of　course　'e　does　a　bit　of　grainin'　an'　writin'　…　after　a　fashion　…　when　there's　any　to　do；　and　that　ain't　often；　but　on　plain　work；　why；　Sawkins　is　as　good　as　'im　for　most　of　it；　any　day！'

‘Yes；　I　suppose　'e　is；'　replied　East