the ragged trousered philanthropists-第7章

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ed　into　unholy　compacts　with　numerous　charwomen　and　nurses　of　the　sick；　who　in　return　for　a　small　commission　would　let　him　know　when　some　poor　sufferer　was　passing　away　and　would　recommend　Rushton　&　Co。　to　the　bereaved　and　distracted　relatives。　　By　these　means　often　…　after　first　carefully　inquiring　into　the　financial　position　of　the　stricken　family　…　Misery　would　contrive　to　wriggle　his　unsavoury　carcass　into　the　house　of　sorrow；　seeking；　even　in　the　chamber　of　death；　to　further　the　interests　of　Rushton　&　Co。　and　to　earn　his　miserable　two　and　a　half　per　cent。

It　was　to　make　possible　the　attainment　of　this　object　that　Misery　slaved　and　drove　and　schemed　and　cheated。　　It　was　for　this　that　the　workers'　wages　were　cut　down　to　the　lowest　possible　point　and　their　offspring　went　ill　clad；　ill　shod　and　ill　fed；　and　were　driven　forth　to　labour　while　they　were　yet　children；　because　their　fathers　were　unable　to　earn　enough　to　support　their　homes。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　realized　now　that　Rushton　had　had　considerably　the　best　of　the　bargain。　　In　the　first　place；　it　will　be　seen　that　the　latter　had　bought　over　one　who　might　have　proved　a　dangerous　competitor；　and　now；　after　fifteen　years；　the　business　that　had　been　so　laboriously　built　up；　mainly　by　Hunter's　energy；　industry　and　unscrupulous　cunning；　belonged　to　Rushton　&　Co。　　Hunter　was　but　an　employee；　liable　to　dismissal　like　any　other　workman；　the　only　difference　being　that　he　was　entitled　to　a　week's　notice　instead　of　an　hour's　notice；　and　was　but　little　better　off　financially　than　when　he　started　for　the　firm。

Fifteen　years！

Hunter　knew　now　that　he　had　been　used；　but　he　also　knew　that　it　was　too　late　to　turn　back。　　He　had　not　saved　enough　to　make　a　successful　start　on　his　own　account　even　if　he　had　felt　mentally　and　physically　capable　of　beginning　all　over　again；　and　if　Rushton　were　to　discharge　him　right　now　he　was　too　old　to　get　a　job　as　a　journeyman。　　Further；　in　his　zeal　for　Rushton　&　Co。　and　his　anxiety　to　earn　his　commission；　he　had　often　done　things　that　had　roused　the　animosity　of　rival　firms　to　such　an　extent　that　it　was　highly　improbable　that　any　of　them　would　employ　him；　and　even　if　they　would；　Misery's　heart　failed　him　at　the　thought　of　having　to　meet　on　an　equal　footing　those　workmen　whom　he　had　tyrannized　over　and　oppressed。　　It　was　for　these　reasons　that　Hunter　was　as　terrified　of　Rushton　as　the　hands　were　of　himself。

Over　the　men　stood　Misery；　ever　threatening　them　with　dismissal　and　their　wives　and　children　with　hunger。　　Behind　Misery　was　Rushton；　ever　bullying　and　goading　him　on　to　greater　excuses　and　efforts　for　the　furtherance　of　the　good　cause　…　which　was　to　enable　the　head　of　the　firm　to　accumulate　money。

Mr　Hunter；　at　the　moment　when　the　reader　first　makes　his　acquaintance　on　the　afternoon　of　the　day　when　the　incidents　recorded　in　the　first　chapter　took　place；　was　executing　a　kind　of　strategic　movement　in　the　direction　of　the　house　where　Crass　and　his　mates　were　working。　　He　kept　to　one　side　of　the　road　because　by　so　doing　he　could　not　be　perceived　by　those　within　the　house　until　the　instant　of　his　arrival。　When　he　was　within　about　a　hundred　yards　of　the　gate　he　dismounted　from　his　bicycle；　there　being　a　sharp　rise　in　the　road　just　there；　and　as　he　toiled　up；　pushing　the　bicycle　in　front；　his　breath　showing　in　white　clouds　in　the　frosty　air；　he　observed　a　number　of　men　hanging　about。　　Some　of　them　he　knew；　they　had　worked　for　him　at　various　times；　but　where　now　out　of　a　job　。　　There　were　five　men　altogether；　three　of　them　were　standing　in　a　group；　the　other　two　stood　each　by　himself；　being　apparently　strangers　to　each　other　and　the　first　three。　The　three　men　who　stood　together　were　nearest　to　Hunter　and　as　the　latter　approached；　one　of　them　advanced　to　meet　him。

‘Good　afternoon；　sir。'

Hunter　replied　by　an　inarticulate　grunt；　without　stopping；　the　man　followed。

‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

‘Full　up；'　replied　Hunter；　still　without　stopping。　　The　man　still　followed；　like　a　beggar　soliciting　charity。

‘Be　any　use　calling　in　a　day　or　so；　sir？'

'Don't　think　so；'　Hunter　replied。　　‘Can　if　you　like；　but　we're　full　up。'

'Thank　you；　sir；'　said　the　man；　and　turned　back　to　his　friends。

By　this　time　Hunter　was　within　a　few　yards　of　one　of　the　other　two　men；　who　also　came　to　speak　to　him。　　This　man　felt　there　was　no　hope　of　getting　a　job；　still；　there　was　no　harm　in　asking。　　Besides；　he　was　getting　desperate。　　It　was　over　a　month　now　since　he　had　finished　up　for　his　last　employer。　　It　had　been　a　very　slow　summer　altogether。　Sometimes　a　fortnight　for　one　firm；　then　perhaps　a　week　doing　nothing；　then　three　weeks　or　a　month　for　another　firm；　then　out　again；　and　so　on。　　And　　now　it　was　November。　　Last　winter　they　had　got　into　debt；　that　was　nothing　unusual；　but　owing　to　the　bad　summer　they　had　not　been　able；　as　in　other　years；　to　pay　off　the　debts　accumulated　in　winter。　　It　was　doubtful；　too；　whether　they　would　be　able　to　get　credit　again　this　winter。　　In　fact　this　morning　when　his　wife　sent　their　little　girl　to　the　grocer's　for　some　butter　the　latter　had　refused　to　let　the　child　have　it　without　the　money。　　So　although　he　felt　it　to　be　useless　he　accosted　Hunter。

This　time　Hunter　stopped：　he　was　winded　by　his　climb　up　the　hill。

‘Good　afternoon。　sir。'　Hunter　did　not　return　the　salutation；　he　had　not　the　breath　to　spare；　but　the　man　was　not　hurt；　he　was　used　to　being　treated　like　that。

‘Any　chance　of　a　job；　sir？'

Hunter　did　not　reply　at　once。　　He　was　short　of　breath　and　he　was　thinking　of　a　plan　that　was　ever　recurring　to　his　mind；　and　which　he　had　lately　been　hankering　to　put　into　execution。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　long　waited　for　opportunity　had　come。　　Just　now　Rushton　&　Co。　were　almost　the　only　firm　in　Mugsborough　who　had　any　work。　　There　were　dozens　of　good　workmen　out。　　Yes；　this　was　the　time。　　If　this　man　agreed　he　would　give　him　a　start。　　Hunter　knew　the　man　was　a　good　workman；　he　had　worked　for　Rushton　&　Co。　before。　　To　make　room　for　him　old　Linden　and　some　other　full…price　man　could　be　got　rid　of；　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　find　some　excuse。

‘Well；'　Hunter　said　at　last　in　a　doubtful；　hesitating　kind　of　way；　‘I'm　afraid　not；　Newman。　　We're　about　full　up。'

He　ceased　speaking　and　remained　waiting　for　the　other　to　say　something　more。　　He　did　not　look　at　the　man；　but　stooped　down；　fidgeting　with　the　mechanism　of　the　bicycle　as　if　adjusting　it。

‘Things　have　been　so　bad　this　summer；'　Newman　went　on。　　‘I've　had　rather　a　rough　time　of　it。　　I　would　be　very　glad　of　a　job　even　if　it　was　only　for　a　week　or　so。'

There　was　a　pause。　　After　a　while；　Hunter　raised　his　eyes　to　the　other's　face；　but　immediately　let　them　fall　again。　‘Well；'　said　he；　‘I　might　…　perhaps　…　be　able　to　let　you　have　a　day　or　two。　　You　can　come　here　to　this　job；'　and　he　nodded　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　house　where　the　men　were　working。　　‘Tomorrow　at　seven。　　Of　course　you　know　the　figure？'　he　added　as　Newman　was　about　to　thank　him。　　‘Six　and　a　half。'

Hunter　spoke　as　if　the　reduction　were　already　an　accomplished　fact。　The　man　was　more　likely　to　agree；　if　he　thought　that　others　were　already　working　at　the　reduced　rate。

Newman　was　taken　by　surprise　and　hesitated。　　He　had　never　worked　under　price；　indeed；　he　had　sometimes　gone　hungry　rather　than　do　so；　but　now　it　seemed　that　others　were　doing　it。　　And　then　he　was　so　awfully　hard　up。　　If　he　refused　this　job　he　was　not　likely　to　get　another　in　a　hurry。　　He　thought　of　his　home　and　his　family。　　Already　they　owed　five　weeks'　rent；　and　last　Monday　the　collector　had　hinted　pretty　plainly　that　the　landlord　would　not　wait　much　longer。　　Not　only　that；　but　if　he　did　not　get　a　job　how　were　they　to　live？　　This　morning　he　himself　had　had　no　breakfast　to　speak　of；　only　a　cup　of　tea　and　some　dry　bread。　　These　thoughts　crowded　upon　each　other　in　his　mind；　but　still　he　hesitated。　　Hunter　began　to　move　off。　‘Well；'　he　said；　‘if　you　like　to　start　you　can　come　here　at　seven　in　the　morning。'　　Then　as　Newman　still　hesitated　he　added　impatiently；　‘Are　you　coming　or　not？'

‘Yes；　sir；'　said　Newman。

‘All　right；'　said　Hunter；　affably。　　‘I'll　tell　Crass　to　have　a　kit　ready　for　you；'

He　nodded　in　a　friendly　way　to　the