the ragged trousered philanthropists-第3章

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‘Didn't　he　used　to　be　on　the　Town　Council　or　something？'

‘'E's　bin　on　the　Council　for　years；'　returned　Crass。　　‘'E's　on　it　now。　'E's　mayor　this　year。　　'E's　bin　mayor　several　times　before。'

‘Let's　see；'　said　Payne；　reflectively；　‘'e　married　old　Grinder's　sister；　didn't　'e？　　You　know　who　I　mean；　Grinder　the　greengrocer。'

‘Yes；　I　believe　he　did；'　said　Crass。

‘It　wasn't　Grinder's　sister；'　chimed　in　old　Jack　Linden。　　‘It　was　'is　niece。　　I　know；　because　I　remember　working　in　their　'ouse　just　after　they　was　married；　about　ten　year　ago。'

‘Oh　yes；　I　remember　now；'　said　Payne。　　‘She　used　to　manage　one　of　Grinder's　branch　shops　didn't　she？'

‘Yes；'　replied　Linden。　　‘I　remember　it　very　well　because　there　was　a　lot　of　talk　about　it　at　the　time。　　By　all　accounts；　ole　Sweater　used　to　be　a　regler　'ot　un：　no　one　never　thought　as　he'd　ever　git　married　at　all：　there　was　some　funny　yarns　　about　several　young　women　what　used　to　work　for　him。'

This　important　matter　being　disposed　of；　there　followed　a　brief　silence；　which　was　presently　broken　by　Harlow。

‘Funny　name　to　call　a　'ouse；　ain't　it？'　he　said。　　‘〃The　Cave。〃　　I　wonder　what　made　'em　give　it　a　name　like　that。'

‘They　calls　'em　all　sorts　of　outlandish　names　nowadays；'　said　old　Jack　Linden。

‘There's　generally　some　sort　of　meaning　to　it；　though；'　observed　Payne。　　‘For　instance；　if　a　bloke　backed　a　winner　and　made　a　pile；　'e　might　call　'is　'ouse；　〃Epsom　Lodge〃　or　〃Newmarket　Villa〃。'

‘Or　sometimes　there's　a　hoak　tree　or　a　cherry　tree　in　the　garding；'　said　another　man；　‘then　they　calls　it　〃Hoak　Lodge〃　or　〃Cherry　Cottage〃。'

‘Well；　there's　a　cave　up　at　the　end　of　this　garden；'　said　Harlow　with　a　grin；　‘you　know；　the　cesspool；　what　the　drains　of　the　'ouse　runs　into；　praps　they　called　it　after　that。'

‘Talking　about　the　drains；'　said　old　Jack　Linden　when　the　laughter　produced　by　this　elegant　joke　had　ceased。　　‘Talking　about　the　drains；　I　wonder　what　they're　going　to　do　about　them；　the　'ouse　ain't　fit　to　live　in　as　they　are　now；　and　as　for　that　bloody　cesspool　it　ought　to　be　done　away　with。'

‘So　it　is　going　to　be；'　replied　Crass。　　‘There's　going　to　be　a　new　set　of　drains　altogether；　carried　right　out　to　the　road　and　connected　with　the　main。'

Crass　really　knew　no　more　about　what　was　going　to　be　done　in　this　matter　than　did　Linden；　but　he　felt　certain　that　this　course　would　be　adopted。　　He　never　missed　an　opportunity　of　enhancing　his　own　prestige　with　the　men　by　insinuating　that　he　was　in　the　confidence　of　the　firm。

‘That's　goin'　to　cost　a　good　bit；'　said　Linden。

‘Yes；　I　suppose　it　will；'　replied　Crass；　‘but　money　ain't　no　object　to　old　Sweater。　　'E's　got　tons　of　it；　you　know　'e's　got　a　large　wholesale　business　in　London　and　shops　all　over　the　bloody　country；　besides　the　one　'e's　got　'ere。'

Easton　was　still　reading　the　Obscurer；　he　was　not　about　to　understand　exactly　what　the　compiler　of　the　figures　was　driving　at　…　probably　the　latter　never　intended　that　anyone　should　understand　…　but　he　was　conscious　of　a　growing　feeling　of　indignation　and　hatred　against　foreigners　of　every　description；　who　were　ruining　this　country；　and　he　began　to　think　that　it　was　about　time　we　did　something　to　protect　ourselves。　　Still；　it　was　a　very　difficult　question：　to　tell　the　truth；　he　himself　could　not　make　head　or　tail　of　it。　　At　length　he　said　aloud；　addressing　himself　to　Crass：

‘Wot　do　you　think　of　this　'ere　fissical　policy；　Bob？'

‘Ain't　thought　much　about　it；'　replied　Crass。　　‘I　don't　never　worry　my　'ed　about　politics。'

‘Much　better　left　alone；'　chimed　in　old　Jack　Linden　sagely；　‘argyfying　about　politics　generally　ends　up　with　a　bloody　row　an'　does　no　good　to　nobody。'

At　this　there　was　a　murmur　of　approval　from　several　of　the　others。　Most　of　them　were　averse　from　arguing　or　disputing　about　politics。　　If　two　or　three　men　of　similar　opinions　happened　to　be　together　they　might　discuss　such　things　in　a　friendly　and　superficial　way；　but　in　a　mixed　company　it　was　better　left　alone。　　The　'Fissical　Policy'　emanated　from　the　Tory　party。　　That　was　the　reason　why　some　of　them　were　strongly　in　favour　of　it；　and　for　the　same　reason　others　were　opposed　to　it。　　Some　of　them　were　under　the　delusion　that　they　were　Conservatives：　similarly；　others　imagined　themselves　to　be　Liberals。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　most　of　them　were　nothing。　　They　knew　as　much　about　the　public　affairs　of　their　own　country　as　they　did　of　the　condition　of　affairs　in　the　planet　of　Jupiter。

Easton　began　to　regret　that　he　had　broached　so　objectionable　a　subject；　when；　looking　up　from　his　paper；　Owen　said：

‘Does　the　fact　that　you　never　〃trouble　your　heads　about　politics〃　prevent　you　from　voting　at　election　times？'

No　one　answered；　and　there　ensued　a　brief　silence。　　Easton　however；　in　spite　of　the　snub　he　had　received；　could　not　refrain　from　talking。

‘Well；　I　don't　go　in　for　politics　much；　either；　but　if　what's　in　this　'ere　paper　is　true；　it　seems　to　me　as　we　oughter　take　some　interest　in　it；　when　the　country　is　being　ruined　by　foreigners。'

‘If　you're　going　to　believe　all　that's　in　that　bloody　rag　you'll　want　some　salt；'　said　Harlow。

The　Obscurer　was　a　Tory　paper　and　Harlow　was　a　member　of　the　local　Liberal　club。　　Harlow's　remark　roused　Crass。

‘Wot's　the　use　of　talkin'　like　that？'　he　said；　‘you　know　very　well　that　the　country　IS　being　ruined　by　foreigners。　　Just　go　to　a　shop　to　buy　something；　look　round　the　place　an'　you'll　see　that　more　than　'arf　the　damn　stuff　comes　from　abroad。　　They're　able　to　sell　their　goods　'ere　because　they　don't　'ave　to　pay　no　dooty；　but　they　takes　care　to　put　'eavy　dooties　on　our　goods　to　keep　'em　out　of　their　countries；　and　I　say　it's　about　time　it　was　stopped。'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　said　Linden；　who　always　agreed　with　Crass；　because　the　latter；　being　in　charge　of　the　job；　had　it　in　his　power　to　put　in　a　good　…　or　a　bad　…　word　for　a　man　to　the　boss。　　‘'Ear；　'ear！　　Now　that's　wot　I　call　common　sense。'

Several　other　men；　for　the　same　reason　as　Linden；　echoed　Crass's　sentiments；　but　Owen　laughed　contemptuously。

‘Yes；　it's　quite　true　that　we　gets　a　lot　of　stuff　from　foreign　countries；'　said　Harlow；　‘but　they　buys　more　from　us　than　we　do　from　them。'

‘Now　you　think　you　know　a　'ell　of　a　lot；'　said　Crass。　　‘'Ow　much　more　did　they　buy　from　us　last　year；　than　we　did　from　them？'

Harlow　looked　foolish：　as　a　matter　of　fact　his　knowledge　of　the　subject　was　not　much　wider　than　Crass's。　　He　mumbled　something　about　not　having　no　'ed　for　figures；　and　offered　to　bring　full　particulars　next　day。

‘You're　wot　I　call　a　bloody　windbag；'　continued　Crass；　‘you've　got　a　'ell　of　a　lot　to　say；　but　wen　it　comes　to　the　point　you　don't　know　nothin'。'

‘Why；　even　'ere　in　Mugsborough；'　chimed　in　Sawkins　…　who　though　still　lying　on　the　dresser　had　been　awakened　by　the　shouting　…　‘We're　overrun　with　'em！　　Nearly　all　the　waiters　and　the　cook　at　the　Grand　Hotel　where　we　was　working　last　month　is　foreigners。'

‘Yes；'　said　old　Joe　Philpot；　tragically；　‘and　then　thers　all　them　Hitalian　horgin　grinders；　an'　the　blokes　wot　sells　'ot　chestnuts；　an'　wen　I　was　goin'　'ome　last　night　I　see　a　lot　of　them　Frenchies　sellin'　hunions；　an'　a　little　wile　afterwards　I　met　two　more　of　'em　comin'　up　the　street　with　a　bear。'

Notwithstanding　the　disquieting　nature　of　this　intelligence；　Owen　again　laughed；　much　to　the　indignation　of　the　others；　who　thought　it　was　a　very　serious　state　of　affairs。　　It　was　a　dam'　shame　that　these　people　were　allowed　to　take　the　bread　out　of　English　people's　mouths：　they　ought　to　be　driven　into　the　bloody　sea。

And　so　the　talk　continued；　principally　carried　on　by　Crass　and　those　who　agreed　with　him。　　None　of　them　really　understood　the　subject：　not　one　of　them　had　ever　devoted　fifteen　consecutive　minutes　to　the　earnest　investigation　of　it。　　The　papers　they　read　were　filled　with　vague　and　alarming　accounts　of　the　quantities　of　foreign　merchandise　imported　into　this　country；　the　enormous　number　of　aliens　constantly　arriving；　and　their　destitute　conditions；　how　they　lived；　the　crimes　they　committed；　and　the　injury　they　did　to　British　trade。　　These　were　the　seeds　which；　cunningly　sown　in　their　minds；　caused　to　grow　up　within　them　a　bitter　undiscriminating　hatred　of　foreigners。　　To　them　the