the ragged trousered philanthropists-第49章

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tively　from　behind　the　shutter。　　The　afternoon　passed　uneventfully。　From　one　till　five　seemed　a　very　long　time　to　most　of　the　hands；　but　to　Owen　and　his　mate；　who　was　doing　something　in　which　they　were　able　to　feel　some　interest　and　pleasure；　the　time　passed　so　rapidly　that　they　both　regretted　the　approach　of　evening。

‘Other　days；'　remarked　Bert；　‘I　always　keeps　on　wishin'　it　was　time　to　go　'ome；　but　today　seems　to　'ave　gorn　like　lightnin'！'

After　leaving　off　that　night；　all　the　men　kept　together　till　they　arrived　down　town；　and　then　separated。　　Owen　went　by　himself：　Easton；　Philpot；　Crass　and　Bundy　adjourned　to　the　‘Cricketers　Arms'　to　have　a　drink　together　before　going　home；　and　Slyme；　who　was　a　teetotaler；　went　by　himself；　although　he　was　now　lodging　with　Easton。

‘Don't　wait　for　me；'　said　the　latter　as　he　went　off　with　Crass　and　the　others。　　‘I　shall　most　likely　catch　you　up　before　you　get　there。'

‘All　right；'　replied　Slyme。

This　evening　Slyme　did　not　take　the　direct　road　home。　　He　turned　into　the　main　street；　and；　pausing　before　the　window　of　a　toy　shop；　examined　the　articles　displayed　therein　attentively。　　After　some　minutes　he　appeared　to　have　come　to　a　decision；　and　entering　the　shop　he　purchased　a　baby's　rattle　for　fourpence　halfpenny。　　It　was　a　pretty　toy　made　of　white　bone　and　coloured　wool；　with　a　number　of　little　bells　hanging　upon　it；　and　a　ring　of　white　bone　at　the　end　of　the　handle。

When　he　came　out　of　the　shop　Slyme　set　out　for　home；　this　time　walking　rapidly。　　When　he　entered　the　house　Ruth　was　sitting　by　the　fire　with　the　baby　on　her　lap。　　She　looked　up　with　an　expression　of　disappointment　as　she　perceived　that　he　was　alone。

‘Where's　Will　got　to　again？'　she　asked。

‘He's　gone　to　'ave　a　drink　with　some　of　the　chaps。　　He　said　he　wouldn't　be　long；'　replied　Slyme　as　he　put　his　food　basket　on　the　dresser　and　went　upstairs　to　his　room　to　wash　and　to　change　his　clothes。

When　he　came　down　again；　Easton　had　not　yet　arrived。

‘Everything's　ready；　except　just　to　make　the　tea；'　said　Ruth；　who　was　evidently　annoyed　at　the　continued　absence　of　Easton；　‘so　you　may　as　well　have　yours　now。'

‘I'm　in　no　hurry。　　I'll　wait　a　little　and　see　if　he　comes。　　He's　sure　to　be　here　soon。'

‘If　you're　sure　you　don't　mind；　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will　wait；'　said　Ruth；　‘because　it　will　save　me　making　two　lots　of　tea。'

They　waited　for　about　half　an　hour；　talking　at　intervals　in　a　constrained；　awkward　way　about　trivial　subjects。　　Then　as　Easton　did　not　come；　Ruth　decided　to　serve　Slyme　without　waiting　any　longer。　With　this　intention　she　laid　the　baby　in　its　cot；　but　the　child　resented　this　arrangement　and　began　to　cry；　so　she　had　to　hold　him　under　her　left　arm　while　she　made　the　tea。　　Seeing　her　in　this　predicament；　Slyme　exclaimed；　holding　out　his　hands：

‘Here；　let　me　hold　him　while　you　do　that。'

‘Will　you？'　said　Ruth；　who；　in　spite　of　her　instinctive　dislike　of　the　man；　could　not　help　feeling　gratified　with　this　attention。　　‘Well；　mind　you　don't　let　him　fall。'

But　the　instant　Slyme　took　hold　of　the　child　it　began　to　cry　even　louder　than　it　did　when　it　was　put　into　the　cradle。

‘He's　always　like　that　with　strangers；'　apologized　Ruth　as　she　took　him　back　again。

‘Wait　a　minute；'　said　Slyme；　‘I've　got　something　upstairs　in　my　pocket　that　will　keep　him　quiet。　　I'd　forgotten　all　about　it。'

He　went　up　to　his　room　and　presently　returned　with　the　rattle。　　When　the　baby　saw　the　bright　colours　and　heard　the　tinkling　of　the　bells　he　crowed　with　delight；　and　reached　out　his　hands　eagerly　towards　it　and　allowed　Slyme　to　take　him　without　a　murmur　of　protest。　　Before　Ruth　had　finished　making　and　serving　the　tea　the　man　and　child　were　on　the　very　best　of　terms　with　each　other；　so　much　so　indeed　that　when　Ruth　had　finished　and　went　to　take　him　again；　the　baby　seemed　reluctant　to　part　from　Slyme；　who　had　been　dancing　him　in　the　air　and　tickling　him　in　the　most　delightful　way。

Ruth；　too；　began　to　have　a　better　opinion　of　Slyme；　and　felt　inclined　to　reproach　herself　for　having　taken　such　an　unreasonable　dislike　of　him　at　first。　　He　was　evidently　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow　after　all。

The　baby　had　by　this　time　discovered　the　use　of　the　bone　ring　at　the　end　of　the　handle　of　the　toy　and　was　biting　it　energetically。

‘It's　a　very　beautiful　rattle；'　said　Ruth。　　'Thank　you　very　much　for　it。　　It's　just　the　very　thing　he　wanted。'

‘I　heard　you　say　the　other　day　that　he　wanted　something　of　the　kind　to　bite　on　to　help　his　teeth　through；'　answered　Slyme；　‘and　when　I　happened　to　notice　that　in　the　shop　I　remembered　what　you　said　and　thought　I'd　bring　it　home。'

The　baby　took　the　ring　out　of　its　mouth　and　shaking　the　rattle　frantically　in　the　air　laughed　and　crowed　merrily；　looking　at　Slyme。

‘Dad！　Dad！　Dad！'　he　cried；　holding　out　his　arms。

Slyme　and　Ruth　burst　out　laughing。

‘That's　not　your　Dad；　you　silly　boy；'　she　said；　kissing　the　child　as　she　spoke。　　‘Your　dad　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself　for　staying　out　like　this。　　We'll　give　him　dad；　dad；　dad；　when　he　does　come　home；　won't　we？'

But　the　baby　only　shook　the　rattle　and　rang　the　bells　and　laughed　and　crowed　and　laughed　again；　louder　than　ever。



Chapter　19

The　Filling　of　the　Tank


Viewed　from　outside；　the　‘Cricketers　Arms'　was　a　pretentious…looking　building　with　plate…glass　windows　and　a　profusion　of　gilding。　　The　pilasters　were　painted　in　imitation　of　different　marbles　and　the　doors　grained　to　represent　costly　woods。　　There　were　panels　containing　painted　advertisements　of　wines　and　spirits　and　beer；　written　in　gold；　and　ornamented　with　gaudy　colours。　　On　the　lintel　over　the　principal　entrance　was　inscribed　in　small　white　letters：

‘A。　Harpy。　　Licensed　to　sell　wines；　spirits　and　malt　liquor　by　retail　to　be　consumed　either　on　or　off　the　premises。'

The　bar　was　arranged　in　the　usual　way；　being　divided　into　several　compartments。　　First　there　was　the　‘Saloon　Bar'：　on　the　glass　of　the　door　leading　into　this　was　fixed　a　printed　bill：　‘No　four　ale　served　in　this　bar。'　　Next　to　the　saloon　bar　was　the　jug　and　bottle　department；　much　appreciated　by　ladies　who　wished　to　indulge　in　a　drop　of　gin　on　the　quiet。　　There　were　also　two　small　‘private'　bars；　only　capable　of　holding　two　or　three　persons；　where　nothing　less　than　fourpennyworth　of　spirits　or　glasses　of　ale　at　threepence　were　served。　Finally；　the　public　bar；　the　largest　compartment　of　all。　　At　each　end；　separating　it　from　the　other　departments；　was　a　wooden　partition；　painted　and　varnished。

Wooden　forms　fixed　across　the　partitions　and　against　the　walls　under　the　windows　provided　seating　accommodation　for　the　customers。　　A　large　automatic　musical　instrument　…　a　‘penny　in　the　slot'　polyphone　…　resembling　a　grandfather's　clock　in　shape　…　stood　against　one　of　the　partitions　and　close　up　to　the　counter；　so　that　those　behind　the　bar　could　reach　to　wind　it　up。　　Hanging　on　the　partition　near　the　polyphone　was　a　board　about　fifteen　inches　square；　over　the　surface　of　which　were　distributed　a　number　of　small　hooks；　numbered。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　board　was　a　net　made　of　fine　twine；　extended　by　means　of　a　semi…circular　piece　of　wire。　　In　this　net　several　india…rubber　rings　about　three　inches　in　diameter　were　lying。　　There　was　no　table　in　the　place　but　jutting　out　from　the　other　partition　was　a　hinged　flap　about　three　feet　long　by　twenty　inches　wide；　which　could　be　folded　down　when　not　in　use。　　This　was　the　shove…ha'penny　board。　　The　coins　…　old　French　pennies　…　used　in　playing　this　game　were　kept　behind　the　bar　and　might　be　borrowed　on　application。　　On　the　partition；　just　above　the　shove…ha'penny　board　was　a　neatly　printed　notice；　framed　and　glazed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTICE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Gentlemen　using　this　house　are　requested　to　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　refrain　from　using　obscene　language。

Alongside　this　notice　were　a　number　of　gaudily…coloured　bills　advertising　the　local　theatre　and　the　music…hall；　and　another　of　a　travelling　circus　and　menagerie；　then　visiting　the　town　and　encamped　on　a　piece　of　waste　ground　about　half…way　on　the　road　to　Windley。　　The　fittings　behind　the　bar；　and　the　counter；　were　of　polished　mahogany；　with　silvered　plate　glass　at　the　back　of　the　shelves。　　On　the　she