the ragged trousered philanthropists-第53章

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Perceiving　that　she　did　not　speak　or　smile；　Easton　concluded　that　she　was　angry　and　became　grave　himself。

‘I've　come　at　last；　you　see；　my　dear；　better　late　than　never。'

He　found　it　very　difficult　to　speak　plainly；　for　his　lips　trembled　and　refused　to　form　the　words。

‘I　don't　know　so　much　about　that；'　said　Ruth；　inclined　to　cry　and　trying　not　to　let　him　see　the　pity　she　could　not　help　feeling　for　him。　‘A　nice　state　you're　in。　　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself。'

Easton　shook　his　head　and　laughed　foolishly。　　‘Don't　be　angry；　Ruth。　It's　no　good；　you　know。'

He　walked　clumsily　towards　her；　still　leaning　on　the　table　to　steady　himself。

‘Don't　be　angry；'　he　mumbled　as　he　stooped　over　her；　putting　his　arm　round　her　neck　and　his　face　close　to　hers。　　‘It's　no　good　being　angry；　you　know；　dear。'

She　shrank　away；　shuddering　with　involuntary　disgust　as　he　pressed　his　wet　lips　and　filthy　moustache　upon　her　mouth。　　His　fetid　breath；　foul　with　the　smell　of　tobacco　and　beer；　and　the　odour　of　the　stale　tobacco　smoke　that　exuded　from　his　clothes　filled　her　with　loathing。　　He　kissed　her　repeatedly　and　when　at　last　he　released　her　she　hastily　wiped　her　face　with　her　handkerchief　and　shivered。

Easton　said　he　did　not　want　any　tea；　and　went　upstairs　to　bed　almost　immediately。　　Ruth　did　not　want　any　tea　either　now；　although　she　had　been　very　hungry　before　he　came　home。　　She　sat　up　very　late；　sewing；　and　when　at　length　she　did　go　upstairs　she　found　him　lying　on　his　back；　partly　undressed　on　the　outside　of　the　bedclothes；　with　his　mouth　wide　open；　breathing　stertorously。



Chapter　20

The　Forty　Thieves。　　The　Battle：　Brigands　versus　Bandits


This　is　an　even　more　unusually　dull　and　uninteresting　chapter；　and　introduces　several　matters　that　may　appear　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　case。　　The　reader　is　nevertheless　entreated　to　peruse　it；　because　it　contains　certain　information　necessary　to　an　understanding　of　this　history。

The　town　of　Mugsborough　was　governed　by　a　set　of　individuals　called　the　Municipal　Council。　　Most　of　these　‘representatives　of　the　people'　were　well…to…do　or　retired　tradesmen。　　In　the　opinion　of　the　inhabitants　of　Mugsborough；　the　fact　that　a　man　had　succeeded　in　accumulating　money　in　business　was　a　clear　demonstration　of　his　fitness　to　be　entrusted　with　the　business　of　the　town。

Consequently；　when　that　very　able　and　successful　man　of　business　Mr　George　Rushton　was　put　up　for　election　to　the　Council　he　was　returned　by　a　large　majority　of　the　votes　of　the　working　men　who　thought　him　an　ideal　personage　。。。

These　Brigands　did　just　as　they　pleased。　　No　one　ever　interfered　with　them。　　They　never　consulted　the　ratepayers　in　any　way。　　Even　at　election　time　they　did　not　trouble　to　hold　meetings：　each　one　of　them　just　issued　a　kind　of　manifesto　setting　forth　his　many　noble　qualities　and　calling　upon　the　people　for　their　votes：　and　the　latter　never　failed　to　respond。　　They　elected　the　same　old　crew　time　after　time　。。。

The　Brigands　committed　their　depredations　almost　unhindered；　for　the　voters　were　engaged　in　the　Battle　of　Life。　　Take　the　public　park　for　instance。　　Like　so　many　swine　around　a　trough　…　they　were　so　busily　engaged　in　this　battle　that　most　of　them　had　no　time　to　go　to　the　park；　or　they　might　have　noticed　that　there　were　not　so　many　costly　plants　there　as　there　should　have　been。　　And　if　they　had　inquired　further　they　would　have　discovered　that　nearly　all　the　members　of　the　Town　Council　had　very　fine　gardens。　　There　was　reason　for　these　gardens　being　so　grand；　for　the　public　park　was　systematically　robbed　of　its　best　to　make　them　so。

There　was　a　lake　in　the　park　where　large　numbers　of　ducks　and　geese　were　kept　at　the　ratepayers'　expense。　　In　addition　to　the　food　provided　for　these　fowl　with　public　money；　visitors　to　the　park　used　to　bring　them　bags　of　biscuits　and　bread　crusts。　　When　the　ducks　and　geese　were　nicely　fattened　the　Brigands　used　to　carry　them　off　and　devour　them　at　home。　　When　they　became　tired　of　eating　duck　or　goose；　some　of　the　Councillors　made　arrangements　with　certain　butchers　and　traded　away　the　birds　for　meat。

One　of　the　most　energetic　members　of　the　Band　was　Mr　Jeremiah　Didlum；　the　house…furnisher；　who　did　a　large　hire　system　trade。　　He　had　an　extensive　stock　of　second…hand　furniture　that　he　had　resumed　possession　of　when　the　unfortunate　would…be　purchasers　failed　to　pay　the　instalments　regularly。　　Other　of　the　second…hand　things　had　been　purchased　for　a　fraction　of　their　real　value　at　Sheriff's　sales　or　from　people　whom　misfortune　or　want　of　employment　had　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　selling　their　household　possessions。

Another　notable　member　of　the　Band　was　Mr　Amos　Grinder；　who　had　practically　monopolized　the　greengrocery　trade　and　now　owned　nearly　all　the　fruiterers'　shops　in　the　town。　　As　for　the　other　shops；　if　they　did　not　buy　their　stocks　from　him　…　or；　rather；　the　company　of　which　he　was　managing　director　and　principal　shareholder　…　if　these　other　fruiterers　and　greengrocers　did　not　buy　their　stuff　from　his　company；　he　tried　to　smash　them　by　opening　branches　in　their　immediate　neighbourhood　and　selling　below　cost。　　He　was　a　self…made　man：　an　example　of　what　may　be　accomplished　by　cunning　and　selfishness。

Then　there　was　the　Chief　of　the　Band　…　Mr　Adam　Sweater；　the　Mayor。　　He　was　always　the　Chief；　although　he　was　not　always　Mayor；　it　being　the　rule　that　the　latter　‘honour'　should　be　enjoyed　by　all　the　members　of　the　Band　in　turn。　　A　bright　‘honour'；　forsooth！　to　be　the　first　citizen　in　a　community　composed　for　the　most　part　of　ignorant　semi…imbeciles；　slaves；　slave…drivers　and　psalm…singing　hypocrites。　Mr　Sweater　was　the　managing　director　and　principal　shareholder　of　a　large　drapery　business　in　which　he　had　amassed　a　considerable　fortune。　This　was　not　very　surprising；　considering　that　he　paid　none　of　his　workpeople　fair　wages　and　many　of　them　no　wages　at　all。　　He　employed　a　great　number　of　girls　and　young　women　who　were　supposed　to　be　learning　dressmaking；　mantle…making　or　millinery。　　These　were　all　indentured　apprentices；　some　of　whom　had　paid　premiums　of　from　five　to　ten　pounds。　　They　were　‘bound'　for　three　years。　　For　the　first　two　years　they　received　no　wages：　the　third　year　they　got　a　shilling　or　eightpence　a　week。　　At　the　end　of　the　third　year　they　usually　got　the　sack；　unless　they　were　willing　to　stay　on　as　improvers　at　from　three　shillings　to　four　and　sixpence　per　week。

They　worked　from　half　past　eight　in　the　morning　till　eight　at　night；　with　an　interval　of　an　hour　for　dinner；　and　at　half　past　four　they　ceased　work　for　fifteen　minutes　for　tea。　　This　was　provided　by　the　firm　…　half　a　pint　for　each　girl；　but　they　had　to　bring　their　own　milk　and　sugar　and　bread　and　butter。

Few　of　the　girls　ever　learned　their　trades　thoroughly。　　Some　were　taught　to　make　sleeves；　others　cuffs　or　button…holes；　and　so　on。　　The　result　was　that　in　a　short　time　each　one　became　very　expert　and　quick　at　one　thing；　and　although　their　proficiency　in　this　one　thing　would　never　enable　them　to　earn　a　decent　living；　it　enabled　Mr　Sweater　to　make　money　during　the　period　of　their　apprenticeship；　and　that　was　all　he　cared　about。

Occasionally　a　girl　of　intelligence　and　spirit　would　insist　on　the　fulfilment　of　the　terms　of　her　indentures；　and　sometimes　the　parents　would　protest。　　If　this　were　persisted　in　those　girls　got　on　better：　but　even　these　were　turned　to　good　account　by　the　wily　Sweater；　who　induced　the　best　of　them　to　remain　after　their　time　was　up　by　paying　them　what　appeared　…　by　contrast　with　the　others　girls'　money　…　good　wages；　sometimes　even　seven　or　eight　shillings　a　week！　and　liberal　promises　of　future　advancement。　　These　girls　then　became　a　sort　of　reserve　who　could　be　called　up　to　crush　any　manifestation　of　discontent　on　the　part　of　the　leading　hands。

The　greater　number　of　the　girls；　however；　submitted　tamely　to　the　conditions　imposed　upon　them。　　They　were　too　young　to　realize　the　wrong　that　was　being　done　them。　　As　for　their　parents；　it　never　occurred　to　them　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　so　good　a　man　as　Mr　Sweater；　who　was　always　prominent　in　every　good　and　charitable　work。

At　the　expiration　of　the　girl's　apprenticeship；　if　the　parents　complained　of　her　wa